Page 96 - Classic Rock - The Complete Story of Def Leppard 2019
P. 96
PHIL COLLEN
We weren’t like that. We said. “We like thing didn’t work out [Leppard spent time You and Steve Clark were nicknamed
punk, we like pop, we like metal – we like working with the Bat Out Of Hell The Terror Twins on account of your
everything!” Being open-minded opens songwriter before Mutt Lange]. We heavy drinking. Was there a single
up the creative channels and before you worked with three different engineers and event that prompted your change in
know it you’re good to go. that didn’t work out. The concept of the lifestyle?
album was Mutt’s, so he had to be There were a couple. One of which seems
Your memories contradict the involved in it. When he came back into almost funny looking back, except it isn’t.
perception that Def Leppard were the fold [after finishing producing The It was me and Steve getting really drunk
driven mad by Mutt’s perfectionism Cars’ Heartbeat City] it went quite one afternoon in Dublin. I’d borrowed
over three years in the studio, trying to smoothly. Okay, it took about 11 months, Joe’s car, we got hammered and spent way
get Hysteria done... so almost a year from that point, but it too much money in a jewellers, then went
Well, we were initially. The Jim Steinman was just great. It was a pleasure. Okay, we to the band’s house and passed out. I
were burnt out but it was great to once came to and Joe’s in my face yelling at me,
again be making this music with the “You parked my car sideways and left the
person who’d had the original idea. The keys in it!” And I just went “Oh, fuck off!”
other people didn’t quite get that and we I can’t believe I said that to him but that’s
weren’t experienced enough to pull it what Joe and the rest of the guys told me,
off ourselves. so I must have done. Steve was in another
room and we’d both bought these
ridiculously expensive Rolex watches. So
things like that would happen and I’d be
passing out and not remembering. There
LET’S BE HONEST, ROCK MUSIC NEEDED
NIRVANA. IT WAS HIGH TIME. THINGS
HAD GOT RIDICULOUSLY STALE.
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