Tuesday, 24th January 2017
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Joe Elliott On Playing The Celebrating David Bowie Shows

Celebrating David Bowie 2017. Screenshot

Def Leppard singer Joe Elliott was recently interviewed by Maryland radio and mentioned the David Bowie tribute shows.

Joe spoke to DJ Steve Ash of 100.7 The Bay radio in Baltimore, MD on 20th January.

Joe talked about the time off since the 2016 tour end, upcoming projects, the upcoming 2017 tour, the Live From Detroit DVD, the live show, the 2015/2016 tour, the 1987/1988 In The Round stage, music business changes, Rick Allen's drumming, the setlist, Celebrating David Bowie in Los Angeles and the 1980 US tour.

Joe talked about the Celebrating David Bowie appearances and referred to upcoming Leppard projects in 2017/2018 which could include anything from a second residency, another studio album or a new Deluxe Edition.

Listen to the full 14 minute interview below.

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

Stash/100.7 The Bay - Joe Elliott Interview Quotes

Celebrating David Bowie Los Angeles

"Yeah, huge Bowie fan since I was 12 years old or something. 11 or 12 when I first heard Starman on Top Of The Pops in the UK. I met him a few times. Very nice guy, always very. You know he was definitely not aloof because he was Bowie and I was this guy in a rock band. He was great you know I had no problem with him."

"And over the years a lot of his touring band, I've met them. Some of them have been to see us. I've been to see them. I've known Earl Slick, who's played with the likes of Ian Hunter and John Lennon and Bowie for the best part of 40, 45 years. He said to me, he says 'Dude, I really want you to come and do this show.'. I sang a track on Earl Slick's solo record about 12 years ago now. So you know we're always in touch and he said you've got to come and sing a couple of songs because it's a bunch of different singers with the touring band. Anybody that's been in Bowie's band since 74/75 onwards. Obviously they come and go."

"I did the one in London about 10/12 days ago and then all of a sudden I found out I'm gonna be in LA on the day that they're doing this gig. So they found out too and they said you have to come and do the LA one. So I'm looking forward to that because there's a bunch of different people doing it but specifically Sting's onboard and I think Perry Farrell's doing it. So you know it's gonna be a great night celebrating some fantastic music. Of course we'd all rather not be there and Bowie was still around but he isn't so the next best thing is to celebrate his music. And it's all for a great cause. It's all for a charity so that's another good reason to do it."

End Of 2016 Tour/Upcoming Projects

"Yes we did. It's 'Oh you've got six months off'. You'd be amazed how like the first three of those went in about one and a half days. It's a funny old life really you know. But we've been so busy. Off the road is a little bit like, imagine you've got a circus going of behind a big sheet of glass. And then somebody shuts the curtains. The circus is still doing its thing, you just can't see it any more you know what I mean?."

"And that's what it's been like you know. We've been - the amount of prep that we're doing for this tour, for the DVD that's coming out next month. Some stuff we're working on for this year and for next year. It's just non stop, it really is full on. You know it's just that we're not doing it on the road. We're doing it at home and it's yeah - but hey, listen you know I'll sleep when I'm dead as Jon Bon Jovi once sang."

2017 North American Tour

"We're just blessed to be able to do this. So in three months time we'll be back out on the road and you know bringing this great show to a lot of different people that we did last year. Which is the great thing about it is it's not like a new tour. It's a continuation through kind of the public wanting it. You know I mean it's like the promoters in these areas saying look, you didn't come here last time. You have to bring that show here. So there's only about two gigs that we're playing again and everywhere else is absolutely places that we didn't get a chance to do. So it's phenomenal that there's this much attention on the band right now."

Live From Detroit DVD/Live Show

"Yeah we do like to think we put on a good show because you know we're well aware of the fact that when you go to a gig you're there to watch as much as you are to listen. So you know, even back in the days when we think back now, the pre-historic days of Pyromania when we used to have a few fireworks spinning round and all this kinda thing. How it's grown into a proper like, well not quite Cirque du soleil but you know. We're not on wires but you know we like to give everybody a feast for their eyes as well as their ears. So it is a good show."

"The DVD I think kinda shows that off to a point. Of course it's much more one dimensional than being at the gig. Where you can turn your head around and kind of capture everything from the way that your neighbour is reacting to the songs and the way the band are playing them. I mean it's not as good as the live performance but it's a good representation of what we were on that night. It is, like I said, it's great we did 105 gigs in 2015. We did 75 I think last year. We're back out again this year purely because we couldn't get them all in. So you know it's flattering that people care."


Buy 'And There Will Be A Next Time...Live From Detroit' Online


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