Tuesday, 6th September 2016
Def Leppard 1989
Def Leppard played the MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles, CA on 6th September 1989 and photos/video are available.
The event took place on 6th September 1989 at the Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles, CA.
The very first time the band had attended or played the ceremony.
They were nominated for two awards - Best Heavy Metal Video and Best Stage Performance in a Video - both for 'Pour Some Sugar On Me'.
They opted not to perform the obvious song and instead went for a playback version of 'Tear It Down' and Joe singing live. This version was the only recording released from the initial sessions for the 'Adrenalize' album featuring Steve Clark's guitar work - later scrapped and re-recorded with only Phil Collen.
The performance would also turn out to be the last time Steve Clark would appear with them on stage having played his last full live show in October 1988 at the Tacoma Dome as the Hysteria tour ended.
This was the final 'Hysteria' related appearance after a small number of playback performances in the UK/Europe in late 1988/early 1989.
Steve would be found comatose in Minneapolis just a few months later after a stint in rehab.
The band were introduced on stage by comedians Richard Lewis and Arsenio Hall. Other performers included Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora doing an acoustic set that inspired the MTV Unplugged series.
View a video of the performance below along with many media photos. The last taken with Steve Clark.
- MTV Awards 1989 - Best Heavy Metal Video
- Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine - Winner
- Def Leppard - Pour Some Sugar On Me
- Aerosmith - Rag Doll
- Metallica - One
- MTV Awards 1989 - Best Stage Performance In A Video
- Living Colour - Cult Of Personality - Winner
- Def Leppard - Pour Some Sugar On Me
- Bobby Brown - My Prerogative
- Guns N' Roses - Paradise City
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- Previous News - 6th September 2016