Def Leppard Atomic Mess News

Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen will never forget the support he received after losing his arm in a car crash in 1984.

"Everyone was there for me; I got letters from all over the place, places I couldn't even pronounce," said Allen, 44, who continued drumming with the British rock band after the amputation of his left arm.

His loss and famous subsequent recovery led to the Raven Drum Foundation, a nonprofit organization with a mission to empower those in crisis through healing arts programs, drumming events and partnerships that support global healing.

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"Why would you? … We're musicians, and our job is to play for people. And the more we play and the more people we play in front of, the happier we feel," he said in a phone interview from his Dublin, Ireland, home.

"We always wanted to be the biggest band in the world. For a little while, we were. Who's to say that we won't get it back? But even if we're not, you know, we're one of that elite few that can still play (for) 20,000 people."

On its latest U.S. tour, the British quintet, along with Styx, will play Wednesday night at the Zoo Amphitheatre, 2101 NE 50.

Def Leppard hit the road in June, though the group had just finished in November touring with its 2006 album "Yeah!," a collection of covers. In between, members gathered at Elliott's home and studio to work on a new album, which the singer said is about 80 percent finished.

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Fans of classic arena rock can relive the energy, the exhilaration and the earsplitting tumult that embodied '70s and '80s concerts this weekend when several icons of the era perform at area venues.

Def Leppard, Styx and Foreigner will perform on Friday, Aug. 24, 7 p.m., at Ford Amphitheatre, Florida State Fairgrounds, 4802 U.S. 301 N., Tampa. Tickets range from $25 to $75.

Born in 1977, English hard rock band Def Leppard topped charts in the '80s with hits from the back-to-back albums "Pyromania" and "Hysteria," including "Photograph," "Rock of Ages," "Pour Some Sugar on Me" and "Love Bites."

Following a peculiar trend in music, Def Leppard produced no original material for their most recent studio release, opting instead to record a collection of cover songs. Few bands that have made the 30-year mark would feel comfortable conceding their glam rock roots, but the lineup on Leppard's 2006 "Yeah!" prove they have no issue with their past. While "Yeah!" lacks creativity, the band does no disservice to original recordings such as "20th Century Boy" by T. Rex and "Waterloo Sunset" by the Kinks.

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The heavy metal band Icarus Witch will include a cover of the Def Leppard song Mirror, Mirror on their new album "Songs for the Lost". "Songs for the Lost" will be released on Septermber 11, 2007 from the Cleopatra Label Group and is produced by Eric Klinger.

The version of Mirror, Mirror will feature former Deep Purple singer Joe Lynn Turner.

Last week, Rolling Stone magazine celebrated the 20th anniversary of "Appetite for Destruction" by slapping a vintage photo of Axl, Slash and the rest of their cronies on the cover.

But with all the gushing over Guns N' Roses' brownstone-fueled, sleaze-filled tour de force, 1987's other hard-rock masterpiece was ignored. If you were a teen in the late '80s, the pairing of "Paradise City" and "Pour Some Sugar On Me" was probably the one-two punch your mixtape packed.

So where's Def Leppard's "Hysteria" cover? Don't hold your breath.

"Am I shocked that they're on Rolling Stone's cover and we're not? Absolutely not," said Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliott from his home in Dublin, Ireland. "Let's be honest. We're not dangerous like G N'R and we never were. If anything we're the opposite side of them."

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The associated news article can be found here.

Def Leppard have probably never received their due credit. Oh sure, it's hard to feel sorry for a band that has sold more than 50 million albums during their 25 year career, and has received more accolades for their accomplishments that most Nobel Prize winners. But the undeniable fact is that despite all that they've done in the rock and roll world - highlighted by their mid-'80s double-play combo of Pyromania and Hysteria which together have sold over 25 million copies - vocalist Joe Elliott, bassist Rick Savage, drummer Rick Allen, guitarist Phil Collen and late guitarist Steve Clark (since replaced by Vivian Campbell) rarely receive the degree of respect one would anticipate.

Elliott, for one, admits that at one time such back-of-the-hand treatment bothered him. He says that while so many of his compatriots were being singled out for being "cool", "hip" or "cutting edge", the Leps had to content themselves with selling more records than anyone this side of Bon Jovi. But the truth is that perhaps no other band played a greater role in shaping the core sound and style of the '80s hard rock recent than these quintessential English aces. Sure, chart-topping hits such as Photograph, Pour Some Sugar on Me and Rock of Ages may sound "cute" on today's rock radio, but their real significance is that they helped establish new hard rock boundaries and precedence… quite simply, they helped open the doors for the metal floodgates that would soon follow.

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I've added videos of the performances of Rock Of Ages at the Video Game (VGA) awards on Spike TV (December 10, 2005) and of Pour Some Sugar On Me at the VH-1 Big In 05 show (December 4, 2005) to the Video section.

These shows are in the MPEG-4 format and you'll need QuickTime to play them.

Rock legends Def Leppard have become members of the world's oldest football club – Sheffield FC.

The band was presented with a team shirt and an early club photograph by the Lord Mayor of Sheffield, Coun Jackie Drayton, after pledging their support to their home city club, which celebrates its 150th anniversary next year.

Sheffield FC is officially recognised by FIFA and the FA as being the oldest football club in the world and already counts Premiership champions Chelsea and England and Yorkshire cricketer Michael Vaughan among its members.

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Joe Elliott, lead singer of Def Leppard, what are you …

… Listening to?

I admire [ The Arctic Monkeys'] work, what I've heard of it so far. It's got its moments that are just hysterical. I mean that in the best possible sense. There's a lot of humor in that record. There's a lot of teenage angst and attitude, which a band of their ability and age should have. These guys are doing their own thing. And it's interesting for a band that broke on the Internet, that the record has sold so many copies. I'm still listening a lot to the Kaiser Chiefs' album - that's sinking further into my DNA, as did the Scissor Sisters two years earlier. There's not much [else] in rock 'n' roll [that's impressing me] these days and I'm sad to say that, because I wish there was.

… Reading?

… Watching?

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Def Leppard will be performing tonight, June 23 at 12:35AM ET/PT (technically very early Saturday morning) on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on your local CBS station. Check your local listings for the exact time and channel. Also on the show will be Tyrese Gibson (from the film Waist Deep) and Paul Morrissey.

Not prodigal sons Def Leppard who wore their hearts on their sleeves as they returned to their hometown for a night of emotion and efficiency.

"It's Father's Day tomorrow, I hope you've not forgotten," said lofty singer Joe Elliott in a pause between the tunes. "This is for my dad who is up there somewhere - it is his favourite."

Aside from dedicating chugging ballad Love Bites, Joe also managed to make his band blush. Rick Allen – the enduring musician who surely remains the world's only one-armed drummer – was given an unrivalled reception as he was singled out.

Coming hot on the heels of their Platinum-certified 2-CD hits package, Rock of Ages: The Definitive Collection, Def Leppard have release their 12th studio album `Yeah!' (Island/UMe) and plan to heat up the temperature this summer with a US tour - scheduled to kick off on June 23rd.

Presented by VH1 Classic and Live Nation, the band - Joe Elliott (vocals), Vivian Campbell (guitar), Phil Collen (guitar), Rick "Sav" Savage (bass) and Rick Allen (drums) - will be hitting cities across the country with Journey through August 31st.

On their new album, Def Leppard have created a heartfelt and hard rocking tribute to their musical heroes of the late 60's and 70's – including the Kinks, Badfinger, T. Rex, David Bowie, Sweet, Roxy Music, Mott the Hoople, Free, Faces, and Thin Lizzy.

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GLOBE-TROTTING rockers Def Leppard unveiled their very own bit of hometown pavement - as Sheffield made them the latest famous sons to be honoured with a bronze star.

And singer Joe Elliott told waiting crowds: "It's a pleasure to be on the same pavement as Gordon Banks."

The former England hero and city-born goalkeeper was the first to get his name on the Walk Of The Fame outside the Town Hall.

Def Leppard flew into town ahead of their show at Hallam FM Arena tonight and were clearly proud to be honoured in the city that spawned one of the world's biggest-selling rock bands.

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Rock legends Def Leppard will be inducted into Sheffield's 'hall of fame' when they pay a visit to their home city on Friday.

In 2005, Sheffield residents were invited to nominate people who have brought the city recognition at national or international level.

A new 'hall of fame' outside the town hall already includes actor Sean Bean and former Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker.

The band will unveil a bronze plaque outside the town hall at 1230 BST.

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The five band members will take time out from rehearsing for a gig to unveil a bronze plaque immediately outside Sheffield Town Hall next Friday (June 16).

The band has come a long way since their first rehearsal in a spoon factory in Sheffield's Bramall Lane in November 1977.

Councillor Jan Wilson, Leader of Sheffield Council said: "Def Leppard truly deserve their place as Sheffield Legends and have been great ambassadors for the city wherever they have performed throughout the world and the nominations they received reflected this. In terms of international record sales, they are up there with the top musicians of all time. I am looking forward to meeting them and thanking them personally."

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