Friday, 28th September 2018
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4 Years Ago DEF LEPPARD Rock WEMBLEY Stadium For The NFL (Video)

Def Leppard 2014. Screenshot

Def Leppard returned to Wembley Stadium in London, England on this day in 2014 to play a short set before an NFL game.

The show took place before the kick-off of the game between Oakland Raiders and Miami Dolphins.

They played a medley of three songs - Animal, Let's Get Rocked and Pour Some Sugar On Me before the sold out crowd of over 80,000 fans. Cheerleaders performed on the field with pyrotechnics and fireworks set off behind the band who played on a small stage complete with video screens. A large Union Jack banner was unveiled by Military personnel on the field which included the classic Def Leppard logo as the set closed.

The band's first appearance at the new stadium and first without Vivian Campbell on guitar.

Ironically he had made his second appearance with the band in April 1992 at the old Wembley Stadium. His official public unveiling after joining the band in February 1992.

Trixter guitarist Steve Brown filled in temporarily for this performance and four small shows in the USA as Vivian underwent a Stem Cell transplant.

Joe made reference to Vivian at the end of the show with - "Get well Viv, get well soon". Steve would return to help out the band for four shows in Puerto Rico and the USA in June 2015.

A slight "microphone malfunction" at the end of PSSOM meant the last few lines sung by Joe were not audible in the stadium or on TV. He managed to grab a working one to say goodbye at the end. The official YouTube video of the performance had these lines edited on to the audio track.

View a gallery of spectacular photos from the event below courtesy of Gettyimages.

Def Leppard 2014. Screenshot

Joe Elliott - 30th September 2014 Interview Quotes

"Yeah it was huge there was 90,000 in there and god knows how many watching on television. It was yeah it was a big moment. There's three games this season they're doing over in the UK at Wembley. Yesterday it was the Oakland Raiders against the Miami Dolphins."

"I work very hard to keep mine in as best shape as I can. So we've never used tapes. I mean if anybody actually saw the NFL yesterday you'll know damn well we don't use tapes because the mic packed in towards the end. Had that been (on tape) there'd be a vocal all the way through the song - for the last 10 seconds of Sugar there was no vocal because the mic blew up you know. And you know you just - we'd rather take that consequence of like it going wrong than have it reliably brilliant every night because it's not real."

Steve Brown - August 2015 Interview Quotes

"So then 2014. Last year on the KISS tour you know they finally called me. Viv told management bring Steve out because they had the Wembley show in September of 2014 and then these other. This Vegas and California shows in October/November of last year. So it was inevitable that I was gonna get to play. So they brought me out on tour last year to do sound checks and rehearse and really get everything tightened up. Get my in ear mix and what can I say. One of my favourite bands in the world and to get to play with them was a dream come true and they are - you know it was a very easy transition. Though there were some you know certain things to overcome. It was a very natural thing and you know there was really no rehearsals for any of the gigs that did with them."

"Phil and I did a brief rehearsal. You know just going over some vocal parts and some guitar stuff before Wembley. And it was just off to the races. They knew that I knew this gig and I knew the role to play. You know it wasn't me being the Steve Brown in Trixter. You know doing the whole Pete Townshend/Eddie Van Halen jumps and running all over the stage. It was a different approach. And they knew that I'd be able to do that and it's very easy and I'm always there for them whenever they need me."

Steve Brown - August 2015 Interview Quotes

"It's been a life-changing, dream come true to play with one of my favorite bands of all time! I first met them on the [1987] "Hysteria" tour. Phil Collen has been one of my best friends, and they've all become my older, English brothers. It's a bittersweet thing though because my friend Vivian's dealing with cancer right now."

"We all get along so well, so it's easy for me to be the guy to come in. I've done nine shows with them, five shows last year and just got done doing the first four shows of the American tour this year. It's been incredible, but it's a tough thing. Viv is such a fighter and is doing great right now. I think he's going to be fine. If I never play with them again, it's an experience that has changed my life forever. There were moments playing when I would look over my left shoulder and I'd be like, "Holy s---! I'm playing 'Photograph' with Def Leppard right now!"

Joe Elliott - 28th September 2014 Interview Quotes

"It was incredible. The atmosphere in this place is to die for. I mean I've been here many times for soccer. But I've never seen anything like this."

"Well kind of yeah. The way that they look at it is this huge American sport coming to London. How can they tie that in?. A band that's from Britain. From UK, that's massive in America. So it was a beautiful tie in. We were just so honoured that they asked us to do it."

Joe Elliott - 30th September 2014 Interview Quotes

"Well it sold out in about three minutes - that's 90,000 tickets. So I don't know what do you think?."

"I was pitch side just as the Raiders got the first touchdown of the game. I was doing some interviews post performance if you like for us and I couldn't hear the questions. I mean I've been there. I've seen soccer at Wembley but I've never heard a noise like what I heard yesterday. It was insane. It really was like, because you're trapped inside this huge stadium, I thought I was in America. There wasn't an English accent to be heard anywhere backstage. It was mental. It was such a great atmosphere."

Joe Elliott - 2nd October 2014 Interview Quote

"Yeah before the Oakland Raiders versus Miami Dolphins one of three games they're doing this year in London. We were the pre game entertainment. So you know like they do Superbowl half time well they do it before the game kicks off on these things. But still there was 90,000 people in the place and countless millions watching on TV. It was a big moment for the band. It was a great experience. It's a very well oiled machine that whole thing."

Joe Elliott - 11th September 2014 Interview Quote

"Yes we are and that's gonna be a lot of fun. We perform about 15 minutes before kick off. When it's Superbowl they keep it special for the half time and we totally get that but we're gonna kind of open the show up if you like which should be fun you know they'll be 90,000 - it sold out in like three minutes and it's in London. This is not in San Francisco or - this is crazy for it to sell out that quickly. So and the fact that's it's gonna be on TV and all that kind of stuff. It's a big deal so we're really looking forward to doing that."

Watch official and fan videos on this YouTube playlist including the full UK TV broadcast by SKY Sports.

Def Leppard 2014 London NFL Fan Videos.


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