http://www.made-in-sheffield.com/People/defleppard.htm Def Leppard Def Leppard have come a long way since their first rehearsal at a spoon factory in Sheffield's Bramall Lane way back in November 1977. Of the current members - Joe Elliott (vocals), Rick Allen (drums), Rick Savage (bass), Phil Collen (guitar) and Viv Campbell (guitar) - only Elliott and Savage have survived from the original line up. The band, named originally Deaf Leopard by Joe Elliott, began as a four piece with Pete Willis (guitar) and Tony Kenning (drums). By the time of their first public gig at Westfield School, Sheffield in July 1978, they had also recruited Steve Clark (guitar). The line up became steady in November 1978 when Rick Allen (drums) took over from Frank Noon who had temporarily replaced Kenning. Def Leppard signed to Phonogram (UK) and Mercury (US) in 1979. After two albums On Through The Night (1980) and High and Dry (1981), Pete Willis was replaced by Phil Collen. Their third effort Pyromania (1983), co-written by producer Robert Mutt Lange, was a commercial breakthrough. It sold seven million copies in the US, putting the band's success back home in the shade. It was not until Hysteria (1987) that Def Leppard hit the jackpot in Britain. The album, which was three years and £1 million in the making, topped the charts and spawned seven singles. Its worldwide sales have climbed to over 15 million (10 million of those in the US). But the band's success has not been without a price. On New Years Eve 1984 drummer Rick Allen lost his left arm when his car overturned just outside Sheffield. (He has since learnt to drum one-armed with a specially adapted electronic kit.) And in 1991 Steve Clark died after mixing alcohol with painkillers. Clark was succeeded by former Whitesnake and Dio guitarist Vivian Campbell in 1992 for the release of Adrenalize. It topped the US charts and went on to sell six million copies. It was followed by Retro-Active (1993), featuring remixes and B-sides, and the greatest hits collection Vault (1995). Their last album Slang was released in 1996. Despite phenomenal international success - worldwide album sales 40 million and counting - Def Leppard have not forgotten their roots. In October 1995 the band returned to Sheffield's Wapentake club, scene of one of their first gigs, to play an acoustic set. And in 1996 Joe Elliott contributed two tracks to the film When Saturday Comes, starring fellow Sheffielder Sean Bean. With thanks to Parlophone Records. ©1997-1999 Made In Sheffield Dot Com. All rights reserved. Telephone: +44(0)114 2493770