Def Leppard News - PHIL COLLEN On Why DEF LEPPARD Aren't Playing In The Round

Thursday, 6th December 2018

PHIL COLLEN On Why DEF LEPPARD Aren't Playing In The Round

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Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen was recently interviewed ahead of the current UK and Ireland Hysteria tour.

He spoke to Simon Ramsay of Stereoboard to promote the current UK and Ireland Hysteria & More tour.

Phil talked about playing full albums live, VIVA! Hysteria, why the current tour was not In The Round, playing Hysteria songs live, the albums legacy, whether they would work with Mutt Lange again, 80s rock sound, Adrenalize, Slang/Euphoria, the 90s and their current resurgence.

Phil explains why they did not play In The Round again and why it's unlikely they'll work on a full album again with Mutt Lange as the producer.

He also explains why the current tour show was changed after the first night in Hawaii.

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

Stereoboard - Phil Collen Interview Quotes

Was there talk of playing In The Round?

"Absolutely, but if I showed you the cost, that’s why we’re not. If everything was sold out and you knew that going into it, it would be a different thing. I remember us losing money on that tour in certain parts of the world and that was with selling out shows. It was so much fun playing in the round but, like I said, you’ve got to do a lot of full nights or be earning ridiculous money to make it work."

Playing the Hysteria album live?/Hawaii Show Changes

"We were in Hawaii rehearsing and had two shows there. The first night we tried that approach and it sucked. It was like ‘Oh my god, this just does not feel right.’ So very un-Def Leppard. We changed the whole thing for the next night. We went on with ‘Hysteria’ then did five songs as an encore and it seemed to work great. It was night and day. Same building, same kind of audience, but a drastically different response."

Work With Mutt Lange again?

"I know it sounds weird but that’s how he works. You begin with a starting point and then follow a muse and away you go. His level of excellence isn’t just given away, it’s earned and worked for. You can do an ordinary version of that but for the stuff you’re talking about, what fans would really want to hear, would take a lot of time. I don’t think he’d be prepared to do that, or us or the label. We couldn’t take that much time off."

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