Def Leppard News - Joe Elliott Recalls 1994 Songwriting Award Presented By Sir George Martin

Joe Elliott Recalls 1994 Songwriting Award Presented By Sir George Martin

Sunday, 13th March 2016

Joe Elliott 1994.
London October 1994

Def Leppard singer Joe Elliott paid tribute to The Beatles producer Sir George Martin last night on his weekly radio show.

Sir George died aged 90 on Tuesday 8th March.

He worked on many of The Beatles most successful albums and produced over 700 records in his career.

Joe played two songs in his honour and mentioned a songwriting award that George presented him with in the 90s.

The ceremony actually took place on 14th October 1994 in London, England.

Joe received a PRS songwriters award for 'Two Steps Behind' and is pictured above next to Sir George Martin. Also shown are members of Duran Duran including Simon Le Bon on the floor.

Joe shared an anecdote about the event on his show.

Def Leppard were just over five months into the making of the 'Slang' album at the time. This was the second time in 1994 that Joe had travelled back to London from Spain to collect an award.

Joe was presented with the awards for Best British Band by Brian May at the Kerrang! Awards on 13th June 1994.

The Joe Elliott Show - 12th March 2016 Quotes

Sir George Martin/The Beatles

"I'm sure you've read this week that we lost another member of the rock and roll fraternity. At least this time, he had a damn good innings. He was 90 years old and he died peacefully with his family around him."

"He is Sir George Martin. The fifth member of The Beatles per se and here's a couple of songs that he had a major influence on."

Sir George Martin/1994 Awards Ceremony

"Back in 1993 I had the great pleasure of meeting Sir George Martin at the Nordoff Robbins prize giving ceremony. I'd won an award for the song Two Steps Behind and he presented me with the award and as he handed it to me. He whispered in my ear 'that's a lovely song young man'."

"Talk about making you feel ten feet tall and putting a bit of a spring in your step. When you hear those words from the legendary Sir George Martin."

"You can only imagine what it's like for Paul McCartney working with this gentleman for almost his entire career throughout The Beatles and bringing him back in for the odd song here and there in his solo career. Including the one that we just heard there. From the 1973 James Bond movie the title track Live And Let Die. And before that we heard from The Magical Mystery Tour album The Beatles - with a fantastic string arrangement done by Sir George Martin on the most wonderful I Am The Walrus."