Page 21 - Classic Rock - The Complete Story of Def Leppard 2019

Machine, so there was a lot of interest in the new on August 16, 1980. The braindchild of young Fast Eddie Clarke: I suppose having a number
generation of bands. promoter Paul Loasby and his business one record got us a bit of respect. I can’t remember
partner Maurice Jones, the first line-up who we went to see, but David Coverdale was there
Rob Halford: We went out with Iron Maiden, featured Rainbow as headliners, supported and he said: “Let me buy you a drink, guys.” And
Def Leppard. It’s what you should do, no matter by Judas Priest, Scorpions, April Wine, I’m thinking: “Fuck me, that’s unheard of.”
who you are or what music you play. We’re all on Saxon, Riot and Touch. There had been other
the same journey. We’ve all been through barely outdoor events before, but this was the only Jess Cox: It was only years later that I realised how
affording gas and sleeping in the van. That’s part one dedicated solely to heavy music. many of these bands there were.
of your apprenticeship.
Rob Halford: We were very aware that it was the Biff Byford: You’ve got Judas Priest, you’ve
KK Downing: I’d never heard of Iron Maiden first festival of its type in the UK and was a major got Motörhead, you’ve got Saxon, you’ve got
until someone told me that they were going to event in that respect. All the festivals that had Maiden… it was endless.
support us on the British Steel tour. Then they happened in the UK before had had a cross-section
started to get mouthy in the press, saying they were of bands, so this was the first to go with specifically Ashley Goodall: It became clear very quickly
going to blow the bollocks off Judas Priest and all one type of music. Our reaction when we first who the leaders were. Leppard were slightly ahead
this sort of stuff. I said: “I appreciate the attitude, heard about it was that we’d like to give it a crack. in a way, but it did kind of blow out a bit by eighty-
like, but let’s fuck ’em off and get somebody who one. Once Maiden were away it was a completely
appreciates us!” But they did it and it was fine. Biff Byford: When they asked us to play Monsters different game.
I’m glad that they emerged and became a force to Of Rock we had no fucking idea what it was.
be reckoned with, and gained their own identity, Jess Cox: Iron Maiden and Def Leppard had
musically, visually and in every way possible. Paul Loasby (Monsters Of Rock promoter): people behind them in the know. They knew
The amount of rain was unbelievable. I’d borrowed how it was all going to pan out.
money personally to put on this show. And
the night before, at four in the morning when Ashley Goodall: I’m a believer that if you’re going
Judas Priest themselves were the bridge a monsoon is coming down in Castle Donington, to be huge, you’re going to be huge. No one else
between the old guard and the new I’m sitting there with a bottle of Scotch in my hand was actually that good.
wave. Their debut album, Rocka Rolla, thinking: “This is the ultimate, the biggest disaster
had come out in 1974, when many of the in the history of rock’n’roll and I’m going to lose
NWOBHM musicians were still at school, everything.” Not that I had anything, but I was
and they’d survived the punk wars largely going to lose it anyway. For the NWOBHM’s leading lights, the
unscathed. Their sixth album, British next logical step would be to set their
Steel, was released in April 1980, as the sights on America. Def Leppard had
movement began to broaden. seemingly made their intentions clear
“ONCE THE AMERICANS GOT HOLD OF THIS with the track Hello America on On
Rob Halford: The title of the album was Through The Night– something that
a statement in itself. Sheffield steel was the THING COMING FROM BRITAIN AND TOOK IT prompted a backlash in Sounds, and
inspiration for British Steel. And we should INTO THEIR OWN KIND OF STYLE AND saw them bottled at the 1980 Reading
all be proud that British musicians are APPROACH, EVERYTHING WENT GLOBAL.” Festival for their troubles. The old
responsible for this force in music called cliché about Britain hating success
heavy metal. Rob Halford stories seemed to ring true, although
the fact remained that America was
KK Downing: We’d made a few albums by Neal Kay: I compered the gig. I was nervous there for the taking – at least for a select few.
then. We weren’t exactly floundering around, – I’ve never faced a crowd that big before. But
but everything did lock in with British Steel: the when I walked out on that huge stage, the first Biff Byford: Def Leppard went off and
artwork, the songs, the stage clothes. Everything ten rows were all Soundhouse members. did a different thing. They went down the
consolidated who we were and where we were American route.
going. It was almost like a rebel’s almanac. Biff Byford: When we walked on that stage
we’d done a hundred thousand records. I would Rick Savage (Def Leppard): Hello America?
Rob Halford: There was a lot of crap going down imagine that ninety-nine per cent of the people in I swear to God, we really weren’t that intelligent.
in the UK. Margaret Thatcher had been in power that audience had got Wheels Of Steel. So it was It was the lyrics of a kid fantasising. I can see
for quite a number of years. The recession was fantastic for us. It was our first festival gig, the how people read into it, but it was way more
going on, people had no jobs and no money. first time we’d played to an audience of over three innocent than that, way more naive.
Everything the government had said they were thousand. The roar when we went out on stage
going to try to do was just a crock of shit, and was incredible. When I walked off I thought: Joe Elliott: The legend about us getting bottled off
people were pushing back. All of that’s in there, “Follow that.” That was a fucking great gig. at Reading 1980 is a myth, really. We probably had
you know: ‘Completely wasted, out of work and down’ six or seven bottles of piss thrown up, and maybe
– no one cares, I’m going to break the law. We Neal Kay: The atmosphere was fantastic. a tomato, but it didn’t put us off. That ‘backlash’
weren’t giving people affirmation to break the law, There were campfires about twilight time. was all blown out of proportion. We’re living
but we could understand their frustration. proof that bad reviews make no difference.
Biff Byford: This was the new generation of heavy
Andy Dawson: I think a lot of energy in the metal. This was our music – fucking have it! Fast Eddie Clarke: We didn’t think: “We want
NWOBHM was frustration. It was the start of to break America.” We didn’t have any delusions
the Thatcher era, which was quite destructive. of grandeur. No fucker over there would touch
us anyway.
After so many years in the doldrums,
British rock now seemed unstoppable. And Joe Elliott: Iron Maiden had been to America
If there was one event that acted as a lightning then in 1981 the unthinkable happened a month before us. I didn’t see them getting any
rod for British rock – not just NWOBHM, but when those perpetual outcasts Motörhead flak. Nor should they have. So why the hell did we?
all of it – then it was the inaugural Monsters managed to reached No.1 in the UK chart
Of Rock festival held at the Donington Park with their steel-plated live album, No Sleep Steve Harris: We were never obsessed with
racetrack in Castle Donington, Leicestershire ’Til Hammersmith. breaking America. We always planned to

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