[ Def Leppard UK - 24th May 2008 News ]
| Def Leppard Interview With The Times |
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UK newspaper The Times spoke to Joe Elliott on Def Leppard's recent US Tour in California. Sarah Dempster talks to Joe about the bands history, the current state of the band and their future. As well as Joe's recent illness.
Never mind the snuffles - Def Leppard are back to conquer the world:
Joe Elliott - "I've just had a steroid injection in my butt," he rasps, wincing as he manoeuvres into a folding chair in the concrete garden that serves as the venue's hospitality area. "It bloody hurts, but what can you do? We can't afford to cancel. I mean, just blowing out them shows we did (six North American concerts have been rescheduled) has turned this into the most expensive cough in rock'n'roll, hurr-hurr!"
Now, after years of critical derision and dwindling sales, a comeback is on the cards. Songs from the Sparkle Lounge entered the UK album charts at No10. Much of the British leg of their world tour has already sold out. Cynicism seems to have been replaced with an increasingly less grudging affection for their middle-aged antics.
Joe Elliott - "If you come through that cloud on the other side, I think you gain kudos for just surviving," Elliot says. "And then people listen to your music differently because you're still around. A music career is like a wheel. As long as it keeps moving, the bit that's got 'success' written on it ends up back at the top. You hope."
"Everyone's gorra get old," barks Elliot. "What we do is extremely physical. Can you imagine someone of 48 in the Premiership? We're still in the Premiership. But you've gorra be sensible if you want to stop it from falling apart. Diet's the thing," he confides. "I had a bowl of soup when I got here."
"In five years time I'll be 53," he croaks. "Will we still be together? Yes. I mean, I don't know whether it's because we're scared shitless of things falling apart. We come from a working-class background where [adopts old-man Yorkshire drawl] 'You've got one chance, son, take it while you can or you're back to the factory.' So this [he gestures to the empty stage] becomes the Holy Grail and you've gorra cling on to it, baby. But if it all fell apart tomorrow I'm not gonna burst into tears. I'd look at it and I'd go, 'Well, we've won.' Because we got this far. And that's way further than most. I mean, what's better than rock'n'roll?
"Exactly," he says behind his sunglasses. "Nothing."
Full Interview - Here
BUY UK Tour Tickets - Ticketmaster.co.uk | Live Nation.co.uk
BUY Def Leppard - Songs From The Sparkle Lounge/C'mon C'mon | BUY Man Raze - Surreal
