Def Leppard Atomic Mess News

They've had more ups and downs than Lakemont Park's Leap-the-Dips.

Their story has been well-documented, particularly by VH1's "Behind the Music" and last year's "Hysteria: The Def Leppard Story": Working-class band makes good, selling 6 million copies of their breakthrough third album, "Pyromania." Drummer Rick Allen loses his left arm in a car crash, but Allen and company make a valiant comeback with the blockbuster "Hysteria." Guitarist Steve Clark dies of a deadly mix of alcohol and painkillers. But the band plays on.

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Please, whatever you do, don't lump Joe Elliott's group with the rest of those 1980s hard-rock and heavy-metal bands clogging up clubs and small theaters around the country with nostalgia tours.

"I would hate to be called a nostalgia act," said Elliott, lead singer for Def Leppard. The English rockers were one of the most successful hair bands of the late '80s, towering above the scene thanks to 1987's Hysteria, an album that sold 16 million copies.

But before you assume Def Leppard is another one of those groups that hasn't put out a new album since 1989 and is still touring on the strength of songs that were popular back when mullets and Trans Ams ruled the day, listen to Elliott.

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In the 20 years since Def Leppard received critical acclaim for its 10-song Pyromania album, everything from writing music to touring has become a celebration, says front man Joe Elliott.

Famous for such hits as Let's Get Rocked, Pour Some Sugar on Me, and Photograph, the five-piece British rock band, that formed in 1977 and is known as much for its rock anthems as its hair, will descend upon the Moncton Coliseum on Aug. 6 during its latest North American tour.

Mr. Elliott contends the band has never played as good as it is now, something he attributes to no longer having to prove themselves to critics or fans.

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Def Leppard were far from the worst offenders when it came to the 1980s' many crimes against metal.

If one could ever call what Def Leppard does "metal," that is. Haircuts, flashy guitar solos and nifty band logo aside, "the Lep" has always been a little too polished and pretty-boy to really deserve the heavy-metal mantle.

Since the band began spewing its candied major-chord stadium shouters in Sheffield more than 25 years ago, its high-tech production, harmonious histrionics and Gary Glitter choruses have marked it as a less (consciously) gay Queen than as a true cousin to harder-rocking British contemporaries like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden.

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Melodic Rock (via Rick Savage) is reporting that the band will start recording for the follow up to X in January 2004.

Also, he band "is currently putting together a live compilation album that will feature tracks from the band's earliest days to the last show of the current tour. No release date is yet planned and Rick wasn't sure if it would be available alone or as part of the planned 25th Anniversary box set."

The metal's getting lighter as the summer goes on.

Def Leppard performed at the Bell Centre last night. It was the third big rock revival show in the past month, following the ruthless riffage of Metallica (before 50,000 on Île Ste. Hélène) and the melodramatic camp of Iron Maiden last Saturday. And it ain't over. Next Sunday we get Poison.

Def Leppard falls somewhere in the middle. Melodic hooks, power chords and shiny production are their trademarks. They made hard rock MTV-friendly - not quite as mainstream as Bon Jovi, but not far off.

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The lines on a person's face, usually called wrinkles, signify age, but for the members of Def Leppard, the lines only show the time on the road and the millions of people the five have met during their career.

In 1977 one of rock music's most influential bands of the 80s formed. Tuesday night and 23 years later, the band played like it was the first concert as they rocked the bandstand at the 146th Bloomsburg Fair.

As the bandstand area filled for the 7:30 p.m. concert, the speakers blaired loud rock and roll music, reminding fans of what they were in for. As lead singer Joe Elliott and the rest of the crew walked onto stage, fans immediately jumped to their feet for the band to open the concert with "Rock till You Drop."

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If you ever get a job taking off your clothes in Florida, chances are very good that you will do the pole dance to Def Leppard's Pour Some Sugar on Me.

That's how big Def Leppard is: what other hair metal band has had most every stripper in Florida gyrate to their music? Or has had the Queen come to see them perform?

They also produced Hysteria, which has sold 12 million copies, making it largest selling hard rock-metal album of all time. In the 25 years that Def Leppard has been touring, it has produced 10 albums and 40 million in album sales.

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The music video would never be the same after Def Leppard's clips for "Photograph" and "Rock of Ages" took MTV by storm in '83, with their innovative camera angles, lighting — and singer JOE ELLIOTT working it in his sleeveless "union jack" shirt.

But for all of Leppard's success, there was plenty of heartache. In 1984, drummer RICK ALLEN lost his left arm in a car accident. In 1991, guitarist STEVE CLARK died of a mixture of alcohol and pain killers.

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A career of over 20 years already in the bag and there's no sign of stopping for 80's hard rockers Def Leppard. The boy's proved to Huntington that they can still rock the house Wednesday night at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena.

In front of a crowd of a few thousand the band performed hits dating all the way back to 1980, including their first big hit "Bringing on the Heartbreak". The band belted out a 22 song set that lasted a little over two hours featuring songs from throughout their 23 year long career.

"It was great to hear the old stuff and the new stuff all in one night," said Jill Spencer. " These guys are simply amazing. There's nothing more to say–just amazing.

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Doug Wayne got a severe burn on his ankle Tuesday, but he wasn't going to let that stop him from enjoying a little "Pyromania" on Wednesday.

With his leg wrapped up to his knee, Wayne, 28, and his wife, Anetisa, were just two of the more than 2,700 fans that grooved on hours of hit pop rock from the five-man British band, Def Leppard, that played the Big Sandy Superstore Arena.

"I can't get a cast until Friday, and I already had tickets, and I couldn't miss it," said a determined Wayne, who was attending his seventh Def Leppard concert.

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From Huntington, West Virginia, courtesy of The Huntington News: 1, 2.

Some things are still best done the traditional way.

Like a set list taped to the stage floor by a scruffy roadie - who trotted back out to change it with a black marker, not the click of a mouse.

Like pump-the-crowd pre-show anthems from Queen ("We Will Rock You") and Gary Glitter ("Rock and Roll Part 2″).

Like a band from Sheffield, England, that knows how to administer an old-fashioned butt-kicking without the aid of pyro, video screens or anything much more glamorous than a few racks of colored lights.

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An international music tour is hectic enough for most rock stars, but Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen has added an extra engagement to his diary … his wedding!

The Sheffield musician will marry sweetheart Lauren Anne Monroe in California at the end of their American tour just eight days before the pair, accompanied by the rest of the band, fly to the UK for ten British dates. Yesterday the famous rockers kicked off their 33-date tour of America in Cincinnati, Ohio.

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Added Canadian and UK tour dates in September and October.