Saturday, 5th August 2017
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JOE ELLIOTT On DEF LEPPARD's Special UK HYSTERIA Shows In 2018

Def Leppard 2017. Joe Elliott/Ian Danter

Def Leppard singer Joe Elliott appeared on UK radio yesterday to promote the new Hysteria reissue and gave more tour hints.

Joe appeared live on the Ian Danter show on Planet Rock yesterday morning for 50 minutes and took phone calls from fans.

Joe previously co-hosted a show with Ian on 31st December 2016 called 'The Planet Rock Soundclash'.

He talked about the Hysteria album's 30th anniversary, his busy schedule, the BBC News interview, recording the album, Dublin, problems/Jim Steinman, Nigel Green, 80s rock bands, Love Bites/AC/DC 1980 show, Phil Collen, writing Hysteria songs/recording time, Sheffield United, third Down 'n' Outz album, Mutt Lange, Love And Affection, Rick Allen's return to drums, collaborations, band friendship, pressure to follow Pyromania, starting Def Leppard and new music he listens to.

A number of songs from Hysteria were played throughout the interview as Joe retold some of the story of the making of the record.

He also repeated his teasing of "possible" Hysteria In the Round shows in the UK in 2018. Which of course wouldn't be exclusive to the UK, he's just talking to the UK press right now.

As for when they might be announced - the 1st October is not too far away and will be 30 years since the first 'Hysteria' In The Round show.

And Joe mentioned has now has two children. ('Apparently' a little girl.)

Listen to the full 50 minute interview via the radio link. Joe's part is during the first hour.

Visit the Tour News section. For more news on future tour plans.

Ian Danter Show - Joe Elliott Interview Quotes

Hysteria Pre-Production-Were you prepared?/Dublin

"Absolutely not. What we were, we were five guys that were just grateful that we'd actually plonked ourselves down in a place, which was Dublin, Ireland. To actually sleep in the same bed for more than one night, and take clothes out of a wardrobe instead of a suitcase, because we'd been literally on the road for a whole year. And you know up until that point everybody was still kinda, well not so much living at home but still based in Sheffield at least. Or I was living in London, but we were - we finally kind of became unanchored if you like and broke the umbilical cord and we were off on our own. And when we went in we hadn't got one thing written."

"So we got together and we had a bit of fun having a few drinks with some of the locals. People like U2 and Clannad and all that lot that lived there. Then we started getting to the writing of this thing and we started putting songs together and you know the first six weeks or so. Most of the stuff that we wrote just got scrapped because we were. You know it just wasn't what we wanted to do, And then when we realised that Mutt wasn't gonna be around to produce it, we had to start looking for other producers and then there was all the debacle with Jim Steinman and that like didn't work out. The oil and water factor and everything."

"And then we went over to Holland to start recording the album but we had at least 9 songs written by then of which I think six of them made the album and three got kind of elbowed off and we kept writing in the studio and it just went on from there. It was a very long laborious process but a lot of fun was had along the way I've gotta say. it wasn't bad."

Recording Problems/Jim Steinman

"Well we did the album, we started the album with Steinman. Scrapped it and it was coming up yesterday quite a lot that you know why are there no Steinman songs on the box set?. Truth is in 1984 you were recording on two inch analogue tape and if you didn't like what you had, you just went over it. You wiped it off because it's expensive. And we weren't keeping everything that we did. It's like well this is - it just doesn't work so we're never gonna need it. So we'd record over it. So that's why there's no Steinman sessions. As far as I'm aware there's nothing...I remember the fact that it wasn't great you know. He wanted to capture us as like a live performance. Drums in the corner, everybody playing like you would on stage, and we were trying to make an album that was gonna be more like Days At The Races or Night At The Opera or something and a leap of, you know, immensely from what Sheer Heart Attack was for Queen. We wanted, we didn't wanna make Pyromania II. Which is kinda what we would end up doing with Steinman and then we worked with Nigel Green who was Mutt's engineer. It was getting better but it was still Pyromania II."

"And Mutt came back in after - you know he was exhausted after having done The Cars' record. (Didn't he have a car crash?) Later on, he had a car crash later on in the sessions. All sorts of stuff happened. Rick had a car crash which you know about."

Mutt Lange Returns/Illness/Car Crash

"I got mumps which is like a weird thing to do when you're 25. Apparently it can make you sterile, but it didn't!. I've got two little kiddies, so that's good."

Every cloud

"Indeed. It was like can we get rid of the pain but keep the swelling please doctor. It was pretty weird."

Wembley Stadium Show?/UK Tour Plans For 2018

Wembley Stadium Show? (Fan Question)

"Well I don't know whether we have a following big enough for us to put in Wembley Stadium but we do have plans afoot. I can't say too much now because a) it would spoil things and I like surprises. But we are gonna possibly be playing some very special shows next year in the UK. Venues to be announced."

Third Down 'n' Outz Album

"We're juggling a bunch of different projects but I'm actually about to start on the third Down 'n' Outz album. Basically it's half The Quireboys. Phil Martini on drums, a girl called Share Ross on bass who plays in Vixen and its Paul Guerrin, Guy Griffin and Keith Weir on keyboards and myself, and we're writing the third album in the spirit of the first two."


The 'Hysteria 30th Anniversary Edition' was released around the world on 4th August.

Hysteria 2017.

Buy 'Hysteria 30th Anniversary Edition' Online

  • Amazon - (5CD/2DVD Super Deluxe Edition)
  • Amazon - (2CD Deluxe Edition)
  • Amazon - (1CD Edition)
  • Amazon - (2LP Vinyl-Black)

Related News - RICK SAVAGE Says DEF LEPPARD To Play 2018 HYSTERIA Show In SHEFFIELD

Related News - JOE ELLIOTT Hints At DEF LEPPARD HYSTERIA In The Round 2018 UK Tour

Related News - VIVIAN CAMPBELL On DEF LEPPARD's Vocal Style/2018 World Tour

Related News - PHIL COLLEN On DEF LEPPARD's Massive 2018 World Tour/New Music

Related News - JOURNEY Bassist Reveals 2018 DEF LEPPARD Co-Headline Tour Plans

Related News - JOE ELLIOTT Hints At DEF LEPPARD Hysteria Anniversary Tour In 2018

Related News - DEF LEPPARD At The MOTHER OF ALL Festival (More Info)

Related News - DEF LEPPARD Rumoured For MOTHER OF ALL Festival In Monterrey


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Phil Collen - Guitar
Phil Collen - Guitar
Phil Collen - Guitar
Phil Collen - Guitar