Page 91 - Classic Rock - The Complete Story of Def Leppard 2019
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orn in Hackney, East Forever young: His career began with less-than- baby born earlier this year. When Collen
Collen swapped
London, on December 8, boozing for legendary stints in a handful of long- himself was just 14 he journeyed across
1957, Philip Kenneth jogging over forgotten bands before Collen answered a London to a Deep Purple show at the
three decades
Collen is 57 could pass for ago, and still classified ad in Melody Maker that led to Brixton Sundown (now the Academy) on
a man half his age. Turning looks good on it. him joining the London five-piece Girl Saturday September 30, 1972. Even before
his back on a decade or so alongside his bass-playing friend Simon discovering a photo of him among the
of enjoying the excesses of Laffy. Girl, fronted by Phil Lewis (later of heaving throng in front of the stage had
life in a rock band, he gave LA Guns) and signed to Don Arden’s Jet been used on the back cover of Purple’s
up eating meat in 1983 (a Records, achieved fame but no fortune subsequent Made In Japan live album, it
decision he says was partly inspired by with a fantastic debut Sheer Greed in 1980. was a night that changed his life...
watching The Texas Chain Saw Massacre), Like Def Leppard, Girl became associated
went teetotal the following year and with the New Wave Of British Heavy Was Deep Purple in Brixton really your
turned vegan in 2011. He cares Metal but were never really a part of it, first gig?
passionately about animal rights and has and were hated by many of its followers Yes, my cousin Dave took me there. He
acted as a spokesman for PETA. Colleen’s for their eye-liner and sleazy glam got me into Zeppelin, Hendrix and
no gym fanatic but keeps fit his own way: approach. After a less impressive follow- Purple, so I was a huge fan and already
mixing martial arts routines with intense up, Wasted Youth (1982), Girl folded and Purple were my favourite band and
60-second cardio bursts of skipping, Collen became a member of Def Leppard Blackmore my favourite guitarist. So we
push-ups and pull-ups. No wonder when in time to help them finish recording the went and that was it. It was fucking
he and his Def Leppard guitar partner breakthrough Pyromania (1983) and spiritual. We had front-row tickets and I
Vivian Campbell remove their shirts to conquer the world with ’87’s Hysteria. He’s was able to high-five Ritchie – or
reveal rock-hard muscular torsos singer been a key part of the band ever since. whatever you did back then.
Joe Elliott moans that it’s like standing on Married three times and a father of four,
stage with the Chippendales. Phil’s children range in age from 25 to a I know you’d had an acoustic as a child,
but how long after the Purple show did
THE CALIBRE OF WOMEN WE you get your first proper guitar?
There were two years of pestering them. I
SAW IN GIRL WAS WAY HIGHER was an only child and my parents were
really working class, living in
THAN IN DEF LEPPARD! Walthamstow. Dad was a lorry driver and
I just kept on and on and on at them until
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