From:           	jmarti06@sprynet.com
Date sent:      	Mon, 07 Aug 2000 08:53:17 -0400
Subject:        	Def Leppard sinks its teeth into American leg of tour

From the Times Picayune New Orleans Friday August 4, 2000

Def Leppard sinks its teeth into American leg of tour
By Shawn Moynihan
Copywright 2000, Newhouse News Service

Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen was, pardon the expression, amped.

There was a good reason for his enthusiasm: He and bandmates Joe Elliott 
(vocals), Vivian Campbell (guitar), Rick Savage (bass) and Rick Allen 
(drums) would soon be at soundcheck in preparation for the first show of 
the Leps' summer tour in support of its latest disc, "Euphoria".

Speaking on the phone from Boston, Collen revealed the best thing about 
being in a rock band on a summer tour:

"It's fun.  It's like a road trip with your best buds, really.  It's the 
reason you get into a band," he said of the tour that began Monday and 
continues through the end of September.

A return to form, "Euphoria" finds the band embracing the production-heavy, 
big-vocals, big-guitar sound that sold millions of albums during the height 
of its success.

On its 1996 album, "Slang," the band eschewed its trademark power-pop 
approach for more of a contemporary modern rock sound.  The results were 
satisfying for the band - and many hardcore fans - on a musical level, but 
the album was commercially unsuccessful.

"'Slang' was very different for us," Collen recalled.  At that time, 
gloomy grunge rock ruled rock radio, and as he put it, "Even if we'd 
released 'Hysteria' at that point, people wouldn't want to hear it."

Now with "Euphoria" in record stores, the British quintet is hitting the 
road to promote it.  This leg of the tour will see some changes in the 
show's set list.  Collen noted that the band is including "Excitable," a 
track from the 1987 "Hysteria" album, in the show.  It's a song that they 
have never performed live, not even at the height of that album's success. 
However, the ballad "Goodbye," which was the second single from 
"Euphoria," will not be in the set.

The band's reasoning is simple:  Playing too many ballads slows things 
down too much for both band and audience.  Collen said he has no regrets 
about the decision: "The ballad thing...I love to write them, I just don't 
like playing them, particularly."

Collen added that a few older songs from the Leps' back catalog will be 
included in the show.

Those who haven't experienced the thrill of walking on stage in front of 
20,000 people have to wonder: Is being in a rock band on tour as hard as 
it's sometimes made out to be?

According to Collen, "It depends on the person.  For me, I don't drink 
alcohol or take drugs, and I keep in shape.  You do all the real hard work 
in the studio, and then you get out on tour, and it's fun.

When Def Leppard isn't on the road, Collen lives in Orange County, Calif. 
(bandmates Campbell and Allen also call California home).  The guitarist 
said it's not always easy to pack up and get back out on the road after a 
tour break.

"Just before we left, I was totally into 'home mode'", Collen said. This 
time out, Collen's 10-year-old son, Rory, is accompanying him on tour.

Despite all the effort Def Leppard puts into its live shows, don't expect 
a live album any time soon - at least not until the band feels it's 
finally the right time.

"We've always been a little bit against it, because when you see us live, 
different things come into play," Collen said, noting the visual 
component.  Yet there's always that chance:  "We've actually got a bunch 
of live albums.  We record shows all the time."

Ideally for Def Leppard, this leg of the tour will not just shift more 
units of "Euphoria," but will also inspire the band members to continue to 
create music together.  Collen knows there's still plenty of ground left 
for the band to cover, both physically and musically.

"I've wanted to do this since I was a kid.  I just want to play guitar, I 
want to play onstage," he said.  "It's always about making fun music.  
There's always a certain amount of pride in what you do, if you're having 
fun with it."