Thursday, 3rd April 2014
Booty Ruben by Curt Taft
Def Leppard singer Joe Elliott was interviewed last month by VH1 Classic On Tap and said Ded Flatbird have disbanded for good and will not return for a second residency.
Joe said the joke would not work for a second time and the group may have split for good - possibly due to a "bizarre gardening accident".
The group who made their live debut on 22nd March 2013 at the VIVA! Hysteria residency released their one and only live album in October 2013.
They begrudgingly accepted second billing to Def Leppard on the VIVA! Hysteria Live At The Joint, Las Vegas 2CD/DVD/Blu-ray release. There is no word on whether this has anything to do with their demise.
Visit the 2014 Tour News section. For more news on future tour plans.
VH1 Classic On Tap - Joe Elliott Interview Quotes
Ded Flatbird Return At Pyromania Residency?
"I'm not sure about that you know. They were a fun band to have but it was different times back then. The music industry's moved on since March of last year you know. The way that we looked at it with Pyromania. Pyromania's a different beast altogether to Hysteria. The fact that Hysteria was 63 minutes in length and the way that we did it live was with a few embellishes here and there - it almost went to an hour ten. That was indeed itself like an entire show. So to go out there as your own opening act if you like was a) a bit of fun and b) time wise perfect. Pyromania only comes in at 42 minutes so to pretend that you've been on. Gone and comes off and come back on again just to play for 45 minutes I think is short changing people. So we may have to jiggle this whole Pyromania thing round a lot differently and I'm not sure whether Ded Flatbird will make a return you know. They may have split up for good you know through bizarre gardening accidents with the drummer and stuff like that. So you know it was fun to do but maybe the joke would get sour if it appeared twice."
"We had friends that came from other bands that didn't even realise it was us. It's like you gotta be kidding me man you need to take a visit to Specsavers. If you can't tell. The difference was I was wearing shades and a top hat and Phil had a shirt on. It's like really? that was us!. Jesus you know. It was hilarious but it worked. I mean most of - the crowd totally got the joke. That was the great thing about it after the first night word started to spread you know between Twitter and facebook and god knows what else. People were turning up and they were like actually crying for the band you know. You know they were screaming for Ded Flatbird. And I would go on there and make fun of Joe Elliott because he wouldn't give me any stage room you and stuff like that. It was hilarious really but I don't know whether we'd do it again you know it might not be as funny second time around."
- Def Leppard - VH1 Classic On Tap 2014 Show Page
- Def Leppard - Radio 2014
- Previous News - 3rd April 2014