Subject:        	AOL chat transcript

Question: OK guys... .no need for a big introduction! We all know who
we've got here tonight!! Rick Allen and Phil Collen from Def Leppard...
and they're getting ready to start their summer tour. So without further
delay, ... let's rock!

Phil: Howdy folks!
Rick: Glad to be here!

Question: I was wondering how the song list will differ from last
Summers tour, and are you gonna take your famous
trademark shirt off earlier this time?

Rick: I think we're adding a couple of new songs but it's somewhat
of a continuation. Maybe Phil's got some things
up his sleeves that I don't already know about. Phil?

Phil: Depends how hot it is, depends on if I've lost enough
weight, "21st Century" and "Day After Day" may
be added of what we already did, but if anyone
has any suggestions, feel free to speak up!

Question: Do you have any say in what becomes a single or
is it all the record company, and have
you ever disagreed with their choices?

Phil: Usually it's obvious, we have had a difference of opinion
in different countries, the record companies
decided to release "Women" in America and they released
"Animal" in Europe. We try to make every song
strong, so it's hard to make a choice. Sometimes it
can be quite confusing (it certainly confuses us).

Rick: Yeah... We've disagreed with their choices on a few
occasions but most times it's obvious
what's popular with the fans.

Question: For either Phil or Rick: Is there a story behind
the song "Ring Of Fire" and if so, what is it?

Rick: I think it was after going out for a very hot Indian meal 
one night and it pertains to a certain part
of your body that would suffer after the fact. 
I'm afraid it's not very mystical.

Question: "Euphoria" is good, but we really prefer the
artistic synergism of "Slang". Are there any plans
for something similar in the future?

Phil: How about something in between the two?

Rick: That's kind of what we tried to do on the last album
anyway, to a certain degree. We learned a lot from
making a record like "Slang" in terms of production.
But unfortunately I don't think it was particularly
the right time for it, so not as many people got
it as we would have liked.

Question: I was wondering how you prepare yourselves
to go out on the road?

Rick: At the moment, just watching what I'm eating. Trying
to swim as much as I can. I've been to the gym
a few times but I spend a lot of time outdoors anyway 
so I'm pretty healthy in that department. 
I've been a vegetarian for many, many years so I think
diet and the combination of a few things really
helps me prepare. And... Lots of lots of sex. ::grins::
Phil: Exercise more and eat less! Or is it eat more 
and exercise less (that would be more fun)

Question: Rick, will there be a chance for the fans to hear
any of the side projects you did in LA with Mark Mason?

Rick: You know... I don't really know. I helped him out because 
he was having trouble with drummers.
I think a lot of people have trouble with drummers.
It was great though... It got me off the street 
corners, get me into it physically, but it's entirely up to
Mark. It was good just to be the drummer as I
wasn't involved in any other part.

Question: Will we be hearing "All Night" on this tour? 

Phil: Not in the first week or so, but if it becomes a request
then we will, we will have to learn it first
(we haven't played it live yet) it would be fun!

Question: First congrats to Sav, does it feel even more
like family when mostly all of you have 
children? Will this change the way you tour, like being
more laid back parents, and not getting
into the wild rock scene?

Phil: What's the wild rock scene?
Rick: Phil can answer this one cause he's got his son
coming out for the summer. 
Phil: The two people that are online haven't drank in years, so
we probably aren't the right people to ask. Rory is
coming on tour with us, so he will be keeping an eye on me.

Rick: Yeah really, it's rock and roll tea parties these days.

Question: I am wondering when the DVD's for your
videos will be coming out, and about the 
possibility of a box collection or live CD set. Thanks!

Phil: Good question. The DVD thing should be
happening, we already have a live album recorded
and at some point we would like to put out
a collection but not right now.

Question: Brooks from NJ here.... Phil, will we possibly
see any of your earlier Jackson models on
this leg of the tour or any new PC1's? Maybe the
taxi yellow doubleneck?
Phil: You know, all of my stuff has gone out
already, but there's a new one - it's a natural ash 
body PC1 and it rocks!!

Question: Are the tour dates all set or will there be more added? 

Rick: Personally, I hope there will be more added. But 
because of the birth of Sav's baby, we kind 
of started late, so I don't know how much of an opportunity
there will be to add more. It was
obviously more important for little Tyler to
come into this world. ;)

Phil: I think they are set, but more can always be added.

Question: Who decides what songs to play for the shows?

Phil: We all try them out and some work consistently 
and some don't. It's just a process of elimination. 
Rick: There's a certain running order we like to play in
terms of excitement, but it's always changeable
and usually it's a decision between everybody
of what works.

Question: I am very happy about the change to your official website! Good
choice!!

Rick: Good! Actually, Mark has been around for a long time.
We've loved him and thought he was great, but
the powers that be wouldn't let us go in that direction 
previously until they saw that what he was doing
was far, far superior.

Phil: Thank you! We wanted to use Mark a long time ago
and we are very pleased about it.

Question: What are the best ways for the fans to help promote the band?

Phil: Requests on the radio, phone in, faxes, and top 40
radio stations as well.
Rick: And also, being involved with the Internet and all.
Word of mouth is a wonderful thing, so you
on the internet can tell a friend. Or... You can run down the
street naked screaming "Def Leppard!!!" at the top 
of your lungs. I think people can be quite creative in
that department.

Question: Are there any of the new artists of today
that you enjoy? And do you see any Leppard influence in them? 

Rick: Everybody kind of influences everybody else these
days... You borrow ideas. I hear a lot of Lepp
in many bands. For new artists I really enjoy A
Perfect Circle. They have a great sound.

Rick: It's nice to see somebody, an underdog, come up
through the ranks and do well.
Phil: I hear it all the time, especially in vocals, when you listen
to the Backstreet Boys or 'N-Sync, they have all the
backing vocals that we've always done.

Question: I noticed that you guys mostly married
mid-Western girls? I am from Detroit, are
we more crazy or what?

Phil: Why is that? I don't know. I think it's a plot. ;)
Rick: It's the fact that we're popular out there and we
keep going back there, plus those winters
are REALLY, really cold out there. ::laughs::

Question: Have you ever considered releasing a dance
mix of any of the funkier songs (like "21st Century Sha
La La La Girl", "Slang", etc)?

Rick: We've talked about it, but whether it will ever come to
fruition is a different story. It's very expensive
to do dance mixes, especially if you want to do
really good ones. But maybe in the near future
we could come up with one ourselves, as we
all get into computers more heavily. 
That would be interesting.
Phil: Yeah we have, we are waiting for an offer for
someone to mix them, we had talked about it
but couldn't find anyone.

Question: Do you guys already have a direction in mind
for the next album or is it just way too early
to even think about at this point?

Phil: I've got some ideas of what we should probably do. Great 
melodic songs, there are a million different 
directions that we can go in. A good direction would be
something in between "Slang" and "Euphoria".

Rick: It's never really too early. A good song is a good song.
And whenever we get together in the studio 
or whatever, it's just a matter of presenting what we have
and then finding the direction from there.

Question: Hi Phil, I was wondering, do you practice 
meditation, and if so, how does it fit in with 
writing and performing?

Phil: I would like to do it a lot more, I am always flying
around so I just try to fit everything in 
when I can, things are a bit hectic right now.

Question: Opinions on Napster??

Phil: It's illegal, we all sign publishing
deals and its illegal to do what they are doing. You can't just walk into
a store and take something, there are laws and I'm glad to see that it is
being addressed and that something is being done about it.
Rick: It's robbery!

Question: Will you have a fan club where fans can purchase tickets
first, fan club passes, and so on?

Phil: I don't know, that would be a cool idea, a good way to go. 
Rick: Yeah, we just haven't really talked about it before.

Question: Any television appearances planned this leg?

Phil: No. 
Rick: You know... I've been enjoying being a civilian and I've been 
out of the loop so I really don't know.

Question: Any chances of hearing "Bringing On The Heartbreak" this tour?
It's a Lepp standard!!

Rick: I hope so. 
Phil: Yes, it could be a good chance actually.
Rick: I always really enjoyed playing that song, but it
just comes down to how many songs.
I agree, though, it's a standard.

Question: Where do the ideas come from for the videos and
any video plans in your heads right now?

Rick: Obviously we have ideas we'd like to present. But
normally what happens is we try to get a
dialect going between ourselves and a director and then
hopefully we can come up with something
everybody is happy with.
Phil: We usually get a cool director and go with what
they say. We don't have any planned at the
moment, a bunch of guys send us a bunch of scripts and
we change the parts we don't like, and there you go.

Question: Rick, why havent we heard any drum solos in concert for a
while?

Rick: I don't know. I'd kind of rather express myself within the music.
Rick: If I want to play a drum solo, I can always go into a room and play
where nobody can hear me and I won't annoy the band. Besides... If I play
a drum solo, then Sav would want a bass solo ... LOL! And it opens up a
can of worms. :)
Phil: And then Joe would want a guitar solo and we can't have that! LOL

Question: Hey guys, when and why did you become vegetarians?

Rick: For me, it came around about the time when I had
my accident. I was toying with the idea for a
while. Just a spiritual element. And it's always seemed, a little
cannibalistic to me. And if you ever looked a furry-eared cow in the eyes,
you'll, know what we mean.
Phil: Because I don't like the idea of eating little dead animals. It's been 
17 years for me. The dead animal in the fridge thing just freaked me out. 
Do you know what's in sausages?

Question: Tell us Phil!! ;)

Question: Who decides where you guys play? I see a lack of California
dates.

Phil: Yeah, we are pissed off about that, we have no idea
why. Speak to our management and our promoters.

Question: Who will be opening the shows? I've heard the Unband
but then I've also heard Bar 7 (ex-Tesla)
may do some as well.

Rick: The other day I just heard the Unband, but I haven't
heard anything but that. But you know, some
of you people know more than we do... Seriously. :)
Phil: Not a clue, we have heard Bar 7
also but I really haven't got a clue.

Question: Do you believe you do enough for your fans or
would you like to have more interaction with them?
We really live just to get to shake your hands and
tell you how important your music is to us!

Phil: Come on up and shake our hands! We don't bite. 
Rick: Hopefully this summer we'll be doing some
in-stores and maybe people will have the
opportunity to do that too.

Question: That wraps things up tonight!! Any last comments Rick, Phil?

Phil: See you out on tour. The reason we are touring is
because this album should be multi- platinum and it's not!
Get out to the shows and we will see you out there! Good night!

Rick: Phil... I'll see you Saturday morning bright and
early at Starbucks, LAX.
Rick: LOL!! Really, thank you all for coming
to chat with us tonight.

Question: Thanks Rick! Thanks Phil!!

Rick: Goodnight!