DEF LEPPARD On DRASTIC SYMPHONIES Songs/Stadium Tour Teaser Trivia

Saturday, 13th May 2023

Def Leppard 2023

Def Leppard members Joe Elliott and Phil Collen were interviewed on 11th May to promote the new Drastic Symphonies album.

The new album Drastic Symphonies will be released on Friday 19th May.

The album will feature 16 classic Def Leppard songs reworked and reimagined with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios in London.

The first single 'Animal' was released to digital and streaming services on the same day as the announcement - listen below.

Talk Shop Live Drastic Symphonies Interview

Joe and Phil appeared on Talk Shop Live's Rock And Roll Channel last night to promote the new 'Drastic Symphonies' album.

Joe talked about the new Drastic Symphonies album, how the album project came about and then running through it track by track.

Watch the full 1 hour 13 minute minute interview below.

Album Track By Track

In the final part of the lengthy interview special Joe and Phil talked about the rest of the album songs including Have You Ever..., Too Late For Love and Goodbye For Good This Time.

Kings Of The World/Teaser Trivia

Joe revealed that during The Stadium Tour 2022 and The World Tur shows earlier this year the band were actually using the Drastic Symphonies version of KOTW as the closing audio over the PA.

And that no one seemed to notice.

Drastic Symphonies Live Shows

In his end message to fans he again hinted that live shows with an orchestra are possible in the new few years after the tour with Motley Crue is finished.

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).

Def Leppard 2023.

Joe Elliott/Phil Collen May 2023 Interview Quotes - (Transcribed by dltourhistory)

Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad

Phil Collen

"Again you know that's really one that highlights the blend between the strings and the vocals, 'cause we went bonkers on that song when we recorded it."

"We done so many vocals. And yeah the enhancement thing. it's like you're being smashed in the face by - you know Mutt used to call it Star Wars for the ears."

"And that's really what this is. That song especially. You know with the size of the backing vocals and everything."

"And the rocket ship which is the strings and it kind of takes it somewhere else."

Too Late For Love/40 Years Of Pyromania

Phil Collen

"Yeah bonkers."

Joe Elliott

"Yeah mind boggling as well to duet with yourself from 40 years ago."

"Actually pretty comfortable. It was unusual. It was a bit Dorian Gray. To be quite honest."

"But you know once I heard it and we stripped it down. I wasn't just singing along to the record you know. We had it in stems so I could highlight parts of the record as I was signing it."

"And I just listened to it and originally it was me and Phil did that part at the end. And I just said to him have you got any objections to me just doing it with me and me because I just think it would be kind of novel."

"He's like no go ahead. And so I just sang Phil's part 'cause me and him duetting on that end part on the original."

"And I listened to it one or two times and then I just had a go at it and thought it was a bit slack here and there."

"But it was like getting on a bike. I mean second, third take I had the phrasing down. Nothing ever leaves you, it just goes dormant."

"In your brain there's billions of little boxes that just need the doors opening."

"And it was great. What was also interesting was I remember calling Phil up and I was away on holiday somewhere. Luckily I had the microphone and laptop with me. I said this vocals way too bombastic for the Penny Dreadful intro that we'd put on it."

"So the guitars went and it's this, I guess it's a viola or something and it really does sound like it's just been lifted off Penny Dreadful."

"Which made us so happy because we love that show. And the drama that that creates with that kind of instrumentation."

"But the original vocal was barking over the guitars. It really could do with the same kind of half treatment to what Sugar had."

"So I said I'm gonna sing it again. And it didn't take long because we've done it live many times over the years. So it's in my DNA."

"I just changed a few melody bits instead of going screaming high where it would of sounded silly. So I came down and then left the high stuff as the song builds towards the end."

"I introduced that back in and as I said harmonising with myself was. It wasn't scary or freaky. It was just unusual."

"And it was just a lovely journey. there's not many people get to do something like that. It's only a little tiny ten second bit in the song but it's unique and it's just a nice little internal story within this very unique project."

"But there's all little bits like that that Phil did. Or I did that we'd just change the dynamics by either putting something in or more importantly taking something out."

Def Leppard 2023.

Self-Duet Live In Concert

Joe Elliott

"That will be pretty hard unless we go holograms."

When Love & Hate Collide/1995 Lead Vocal Trivia

Phil Collen

"Yeah again we did two songs with Michael Kamen. You now he did all the Pink Floyd stuff. You know stuff that we'd heard over the years. And I think Metallica have worked with him. Queensryche."

"So there's a lot of rock stuff in there as well. So yeah this really deserved some extra treatment."

"You know amazing as all that stuff was when Eric kind of enhanced and we got the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on it. It just takes it to another level."

"So yeah it's Plus. You know what I mean."

Joe Elliott

"I sang the lead vocal for that song in Phil's closet."

Phil Collen

"That's right yeah."

Joe Elliott

"Yeah we just shoved duvets in every shelf. And we had to deliver that song for the Vault album in about just over a week."

"They wanted a new song. And it was the most appropriate song we had that hadn't been released. That would work with the kind of 80s stuff that the Vault album was celebrating."

"And it's like well once they'd got a basic backing track done. And we were using A-DATs. They got a basic track going which basically was in time and in key."

"And whilst they carried on doing overdubs and backing vocals. I was upstairs at the same time 'cause we couldn't."

"I couldn't wait for them to finish and start the vocals. We had to be doing both at the same time. Once we got a basic backing track it was fine. it's all I needed."

"I went up into Phil's closet and we shoved duvets and raincoats and blankets and god knows what to set the room. And I self engineered it."

"I was literally punching myself in."

Phil Collen

"I still do stuff in there. i still record in there. the Goodbye For Good This Time. I did an acoustic solo in there as well you know."

Joe Elliott

"Very iconic room."

"It's like Abbey Road."

Kings Of The World

Phil Collen

"The thing is most people haven't heard this song. You know and Love, they go what's this a new Def Leppard song?. they really think it is."

"Especially this version. When I first heard it. it's got like harp on it or something as well."

"It kind of. it really reminded me of Bohemian Rhapsody in a great way. 'Cause it didn't sound like it was copying it. But it just seemed influenced by it."

"I think Queen is one of the most influential bands to Def Leppard and Sav's obviously favouirite band of all time."

"And to actually pull that off. This version more than the original really does that you know."

"It kind of done the thing. So I know he's over the moon because I remember when we was - when the orchestra were playing and he was like freaking out."

"He was like oh my god I can't believe it."

Joe Elliott

"Honestly it was the first time I've ever seen Sav film or - I've never seen him take a photograph in 46, 48 years I've known him."

"He was out on the balcony filming it. I'm like what are you David Attenborough now?. You know because he's never been. he just doesn't get emotionally involved in that kind of thing."

"But this was his baby and I think it's that thing that he's been wanting to write that song for decades and we finally got round to doing it ten years ago."

"And the thing is you know to our hardcore fans. It's a familiar tune because we've used it in very special moments."

"I remember when we were actually touring the live album. Which is a bizarre thing to do but because it had three new songs we were able to play two of them in the set."

"And we used Kings Of The World as the wave bye bye song at the end."

"And we actually, get this, we actually ran the credits over the end of it of who the band were, who the road crew were. Just like the end of a movie."

"It all comes back round to what this album is."

Kings Of The World/The Stadium Tour 2022 Trivia

"And we used Kings Of The World as walk out music ever since we wrote that song and I'll let you all into a little secret."

"All through the Summer of 2022 we used this version that nobody knew it existed."

Phil Collen

"And in South America we were just down there playing it. And not one comment."

Joe Elliott

"Yeah not even 'Oh there's strings on it now.'"

"We did it as a tease you now. And we just love to do that you know."

"There's other things that we've done that I'm not gonna mention that will come out as "Oh, I did not know that" down the road."

"But yeah it's been part of the show for ever since it first came out which was 12 years ago now."

"And with this new version it's a stunning way to end the record. It's got a really nice long face. So it doesn't just, oh that's it then."

"It goes out on a total wave. Very 70s you know We Are The Champions. You know Rod Stewart type We Are Sailing type."

"You know it's got that kind of vibe about it which is what we grew up watching and wanting to be part of."

"And it's a beautiful way to finish it all off."

Def Leppard 2023.

Last Words To Fans

Joe Elliott

"Yeah just thanks for sticking with us for all this time. You know I mean it's not just about this project. This is just an ongoing forward momentum that this band has."

"And we're just happy to be still doing stuff like this and getting these amazing opportunities to make new music. Or to make old music new you know."

"And hopefully at some stage down the road when this tour with Motley is done and dusted there maybe an opportunity to actually take this on the road or do a residency with an orchestra."

"Which is something that we're kind of pencilled in for right now but nothing specific yet."

"With a bit of luck you know."

Phil Collen

"Just waiting for the offer. Tell us where and when and it's like yeah we'll do it."

"Thanks to everyone who made this happen 'cause again as I keep saying it was a big team effort."

"And it was seamless and smooth. The label, the band, the producers, the orchestra, everything."

"It wasn't a hiccup at all. There was never an issue with any of this."

"So I wish every project could go like that."

"So yeah we're thrilled as we were with Diamond Star Halos."

"So we're in a really great place. So thanks for everyone for allowing us, for indulging us."

"Yeah come and catch us on tour."

Watch the event on the Talk Shop Live site (or the embed below).