Thursday, 16th July 2020
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PHIL COLLEN Says DEF LEPPARD Writing Really Cool New Stuff (Album Update)

Def Leppard 2020. By dltourhistoury/Chele Drappel

Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen was recently interviewed by US radio and mentioned the next studio album.

Phil spoke to Eddie Trunk for his Trunk Nation show on SiriusXM recently to promote his new 30 day health challenge.

Phil talked about The Stadium Tour Postponement, setlist/tour rehearsals, Future Def Leppard Touring/The Stadium Tour 2021, Lockdown Time/Taking A Break, Touring/New Def Leppard Album Recording/Writing, Def Leppard Album Progress/Failed Dublin Session, Def Leppard Recording Together, Phil Collen Solo Album/Delta Deep/Manraze, The Early Years 79-81 Box Set, Joining Def Leppard On Pyromania Recording, Pete Willis Firing/Visiting The Studio/Pyromania Success, Working Relationship With Steve Clark, 30-Day Fitness Challenge/Tour Postponement, His Home Gym, Giving Up Drink In 1987, The Stadium Tour 2021/Future Touring and Rescheduling The Stadium Tour For 2021.

Next Def Leppard Studio Album

Phil mentioned that the band are continuing to make new music during the lockdown as recently hinted at by Joe.

Phil is writing and recording whilst at his home in California.

New Def Leppard Songs

Phil said the band have "some really super cool stuff" on the go and lots of ideas.

As ever with new album mentions there is no timeline for any release ad he again mentioned the planned March 2020 session in Dublin which had to be aborted.


Listen to the full 38 minute interview via the link below.


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

Visit the Album News section for more news on new music (based on band member quotes).


Trunk Nation - Phil Collen Interview Quotes - (Transcribed by dltourhistory)

Lockdown Time/Taking A Break

"I really needed the break. I really needed to recharge and all that stuff. And I didn't realise that until I got into it."

"The only drag is seeing my other kids. I've got five children. They live in different parts of the country.."

"So I'd been in South Carolina where my daughter Savannah had just turned 11. In March. It was literally the day after they closed down California. So I got back.I flew back and after that I don't really feel safe flying any more. So that's out of it."

"So that's the only, that's the really bummer for me. Is not being able to see my kids all the time. Just seeing them on Skype and that. Which is one thing."

"But I really needed the break and Jaxson just turned 2."

"And it's just a drag about the tour like I said. We got all fired up for that and then it's like uugghh!."

Touring/New Def Leppard Album Recording/Writing

"Other than that I've just been writing all the time which is...."

"You know everyone always goes when are you gonna start the Def Leppard album?."

"We never really stopped to be quite honest."

"You know I've been recording stuff on tour in hotel rooms and everything else."

"So that's just a non stop thing and I've been writing, writing with some other friends and stuff. Constantly playing guitar."

"So that's kind of cool. So yeah again this is the weirdest thing ever in our lifetime I think."

Def Leppard Album Progress/Failed Dublin Session

"It's always on the go. You know we had these T-shirts made up in the 80s 'Not Yet', 'Not Ready'. Yes it's coming and all that."

"So we were supposed to go to Dublin."

"Literally I was gonna go after Savannah's 11th birthday. I was gonna leave on the 20th (March) and go to Dublin and we were gonna start getting ideas like that way. So that didn't happen."

"So yeah it's just like ongoing. It's like how long's a piece of string."

"It's like we've got ideas. We've got enough stuff."

"And as you know in this day and age you don't record in the same room. In fact we haven't done that since the 80s."

"Even Pyromania and Hysteria were done completely separately."

"And I think the only album that we actually played together or any form of it was some of the stuff on Slang."

"But other than that it's just been this way anyway. So it's something we're very much used to and it's, that's why I said, it's - there's always some stuff on the go."

"And yeah we've just been writing some really super cool stuff."

"So whenever we decide. When we get a date to be quite honest we can go OK. Some of the stuff it'll be really good to be in a room together but for the most part you don't really need that in this day and age."

Def Leppard Recording Together

"We kinda did with the Manraze stuff and Delta Deep you get a bit of that."

"But with Def Leppard it's really not our thing. You know it's always been about the song and getting the parts around the vocal and around the song."

"So there's an element of like getting it in a room and banging it down together where we really miss that because you...."

"We change the drums that's why we always do the drums last so you have the song going and it's like we'll change this. And the vocal does this now, it didn't used to do that."

"Or we've got a new chorus and it does this. So if you're stuck with that in a room then that's one thing."

"And that's great if that's your kind of thing but with Def Leppard that's never really been our thing."

"And I know you know that Queen and The Beatles and stuff like that they done it the same way as we did."

"And it worked for us. It works for Def Leppard."

"I was gonna say if it was something else like the Delta Deep. The Manraze stuff, that's a little different. A different kind of vibe and you can actually go into a room and kind of bang it out."

"And I'm not saying never 'cause I'm sure that we could do that with the odd Def Leppard track. I think that would be cool. Especially if we knew what it was gonna be, you know, just done a live backing track and take it from there."

"But for the most part, you know, you know we track everything up and it's kind of a bit of a process that we've really got good at over the years."

"So yeah we continue to do that. So I don't miss it. I mean I do miss the going into a studio. I used to think that was really cool and stuff. Something mystical and magical about going into a room with a 24 track machine and there's 20inch tape and all of these things."

"But it really is a hassle and it's not cost effective and it just takes so much time and energy."

"So I think the way of doing this now is a lot better. As an artist as well. I mean you can actually. You can go in there and you can get a lot more done."

"Whereas if you're waiting around and you're waiting to get a drum sound or, you know, the Hi-Hat and you're kind of tweaking all this and that and setting things up. Miking cabs up and all of that. That doesn't exist any more. So it really cuts out a huge middle man and you can actually get on with the artistry and, you know, being a band and a songwriter."

"You can actually get more done I think in this day and age."


Def Leppard 2020.

Def Leppard / Latest Release


Def Leppard / Latest Tour

Def Leppard World Tour 2020


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