On-Stage Quotes - By Joe Elliott

Pic by DefDazz/Darren

Joe before Another Hit And Run

"This is our second night in Belfast. And didn't we promise you we'd come back again?. We didn't expect it to be 24 hours but you know, why not eh?. And I tell you what as long as this band still exists we shall forever be playing here. Now here's a song from an album from about 1981. Our High 'n' Dry album. I don't think we ever toured Ireland on the High 'n' Dry album so this may be the first time you've ever heard this song, at least in this country, this one's called Another Hit And Run!"

Joe speech before Women

"Good evening Belfast!. How are ya? are you alright? You lot alright upstairs yeah?. You lot are alright down here aren't ya. OK how many who are here tonight were here last night?. Not many but anyway, any of you who were here you can sing this next chorus a little bit louder can't ya!. So what we're gonna do, we're gonna play you a track from our new album, the Hysteria album! This is a song about our favourite subject, it comes in numbers of three something like, 36-22-35. You know what I'm talking about? I'm talking about Women."

Joe after Too Late For Love

"We've got a couple of morons down here. That are gobbing on us. I'd just like to say that spitting at a band is about as mature as shitting in your nappy. If you're stood at the side of anybody that's spitting on us give 'em a good kicking in the bollocks will ya. 'Cause they're probably a Terence Trent Darby fan anyway. So that's a little bit of a cry for help from the band. Here's a song which is a cry for help off the last album. I said this last night it actually it fits a lot of circumstances, it could be London, it could be Belfast, it could be New York, this is Billy's Got a Gun."

Joe introduces Steve Clark

"Steve Clark, he's alright." (before his guitar solo)

Joe after Die Hard The Hunter

"Ivan (sounds like Ivan anyway), I need a bottle of Brandy now!". Then says "I just really f*cked my back up, but the show must go on. You alright? He's alright." Then introduces Steve by saying "Steve's got a..Steve's got a new double neck. And we'd like to play you right now one of our earlier songs a brand new way. Hope you like it it goes like this.".

He sounds in pain but carries on singing, not taking a break until the encore. Joe has continued to have recurring back trouble since this gig. He had to wear a brace for the rest of the tour. He later told of going to hospital right after this show.

Joe speech before PSSOM

"Can you believe it Def Leppard in the Top 10. Amazing...well over the last three or four years we've definitely had our ups and downs. And I'm suffering from one of 'em right now. But you know a good band, a strong band will say F*ck anything! and get on with the f*cking job you know what I mean. And here I am one year younger than Glenn Hoddle and I can't even f*cking walk properly But you know I think out of all the downs we've ever had (crowd starts RICK RICK chant) the biggest up we ever had was the return of the Thundergod!" (Glenn Hoddle was an Tottenham Hotspurs & England footballer at the time)

Joe before Photograph

"Take care Belfast. Don't forget us and we'll never forget you, Goodnight". The crowd then starts major football-style chanting. After they come back Joe asks the crowd if they are alright in a slight accent. When Rick adds a little drums to this the crowd cheers and Joe says "Rick Allen whoo!, what a guy, what a f*cking guy." Followed by:

"I want complete silence. Hang on, think about it for a minute, this could be a one-off how many opportunities are you gonna get at a Manowar or a Metallica, for complete and utter silence at a heavy metal show. You're not gonna get many opportunities so let's just get it really quiet...shhh. No talking, no, shut up, shut up. Shh, shhh let's see if we can create total silence. It's pretty good. Now the point I'm trying to make is I just wanted to say something, I hate repeating myself, I said this last night so anybody who was here last night I'm sorry. But we got a book coming out soon, we got a book coming out soon, Animal Instinct, and we actually mention in this book so this is no bullshit right, this is absolutely no bullshit. We put down in our book the best gig we ever played on the 1983 tour was in Belfast, Ulster Hall. No bullshit, it's in print. Give yourselves a round of applause yeeeahh!.

That is the goddamn truth really is it's in print so I can't lie otherwise you can take me to court and sue me you know what I mean. So basically as far as we're concerned, four wankers from Sheffield and one from London. This is the next best thing to a hometown gig that we've ever had. In our own little word Belfast became a legend a little bit like Marilyn Monroe did..."

Joe after Photograph

"You guys are outrageous, really. We'll see you again on the next tour."

Joe before Don't Shoot Shotgun

"I tell ya it comes to something when you're own best mate takes the piss out of you on stage!. I hope that your f*cking strings break!." (Steve? or Phil?...)

Joe before Tear It Down

"Here's a song from our next album! (and during the intro) There's got to be a better way!."

Joe after Tear It Down

"You guys are f*cking great!. We will see you again!. F*cking brilliant. Enjoy yourselves, have a good time, we'll see you again...definitely. Take care, goodnight."

On Stage Quotes from the 1987 Belfast Show.