[August 31st] - DMA Awards 2006
The Digital Music Awards (DMA's) voting for 2006 is now open for the People's Choice Awards Top 200 Websites list.
Any votes for this site would be appeciated. A banner has been placed on the Index page and the Updates page like last year. They link directly to the voting form.
(voting ended Sep 30th).
Apparently you are allowed to vote once a day (but no more than that) for a site. Quote "and remember, you can vote for each category once every day."
My site finished at #169 in 2005: Old News Story
[August 26th] - The E-Team
A group of fans have got together to start an unofficial E-Team/Street Team to help promote & spread the word about Def Leppard.
Use the banner to link to their MySpace.com page.
Check it out via the links.
[ More Info ] :: Def Leppard E Team/Street Team
[August 21st/26th] - Q 4 Music (Updated)
The latest issue of Q magazine in the UK features a Lep track on it's free "Take It Easy: 15 Soft Rock Anthems" cover CD.
'Don't Believe a Word', the cover of the Thin Lizzy classic, is included on the CD with Issue 242 Sep 2006 currently on sale. Tracklist:
1. - Sailor - A Glass Of Champagne.
2. - Heaven 17 - (Dont Fear) The Reaper.
3. - Jellyfish - Now She Know's She Is Wrong.
4. - Redd Kross - Yesterday Once More.
5. - Def Leppard - Dont Believe A Word.
6. - Todd Rundgren - A Dream Goes On Forever.
7. - The Moody Blues - The Afternoon.
8. - ELO - Queen Of The Hours.
9. - Larrikin Love - A Horse With No Name.
10. - Chris Difford - Up The Junction.
11. - The Korgis - Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime.
12. - James Morrison - It's Too Late.
13. - Clifford T. Ward - Wherewithal.
14. - Psapp - Year Of The Cat.
15. - Brian Protheroe - Fly Now.
(Thanks to Donnie).
[ More Info ] :: Here
[August 12th] - Sheffield FC
During the recent Sheffield Legends ceremony it seems the band also became honourary members of a local team called Sheffield FC. The local
club are the oldest football team in the world, having started in 1857 and are currently playing in the NCE (Northern Counties East) Premier League.
Quotes: "Def Leppard's Joe Elliott said: "The picture is amazing, Sheffield FC should be a national treasure."
Bass player Rick Savage added: "I hope the club gets the recognition it deserves. Sheffield FC is an important part of football history."
(Pic by Yorskhire Post).
[ More Info ] :: Story 1 Story 2 Sheffield FC
[August 6th] - New Album/Hysteria Deluxe Edition re-issue (Updated)
Phil has said in a new interview that Lep will gather in the studio to start the NEW (as in no more covers/hits!) album in January 2007. Also that around 8 songs have been written so far.
Exerts :: "We have about eight songs on the go but we have two that are demoed." "We are doing some pre-production and we think we will have at least five or six songs totally produced and ready to go by the time we come off the road. We are going to start recording in January." "It is very rock. In fact, it is more rock that it has been in a few years."
[ More Info ] :: Here
Before that album comes out though, there is another release planned, a Deluxe Edition of Hysteria, the band's best album, will be released (hopefully) in September. First mentioned in the new Classic Rock mag as being out this year (not 2007 which is the 20th anniversary...) Ross Halfin has also mentioned that he is working on the booklet photos.
Full Classic Rock quote:
"A Remastered and Expanded 2CD Edition of Leppard's 87 album Hysteria will be available in September. Hysteria has now sold more than 14m copies around the world."
(Thanks to Andy). BTW A number of Lep albums are listed for Japanese release on August 30th as 're-issues': On Through The Night UICY-6384, High 'n' Dry UICY-6385, Pyromania UICY-6386, Hysteria UICY-6387, Adrenalize UICY-6388, Slang UICY-6389. All listed as single CDs with original Japanese tracklists/original bonus tracks. Hysteria was already re-issued in Japan in July 2005 as a CD in a limited LP sized paper sleeve.
[August 1st] - Spoon Factory
The legendary 'Spoon Factory' aka Stag Works studios in Sheffield is under threat from plans to build new flats next to it. Both Def Leppard and new (wildly overrated) band Artic Monkey's rehearsed and recorded early demos there.
"Stag Works, which lies between Sheffield United's ground and London Road, is the subject of an application to turn a neighbouring building on John Street into 76 apartments."
[ More Info ] :: Story 1 Story 2 DLUK Info
[July 25th] - Lep in a Movie?
Filmforce UK is reporting about a new movie starring Christopher Walken called "Balls Of Fury" that will heavily feature Lep music and possibly the band in the end credits.
"If you like Def Leppard and Christopher Walken in nail polish, you'll like this," said Thomas Lennon, speaking at the Balls of Fury segment of the Rogue Pictures panel at Comic-Con 2006."
Another exert mentions Lep: "Def Leppard also figures heavily into the fabric of the film. Several tracks will be featured, and Fogler sports a Leppard T-shirt during much of the film. The band has been contacted about possibly appearing on the film's closing credits."
The movie also starring Dan Fogler is still in production and has proposed release dates for April (USA) & 6th April (UK) 2007.
[ More Info ] :: FilmForce UK IMDB.com Movie Trailer
[July 10th] - Let's Get Jazzed?
Indian artist Brian D'Souza has released a cover version of Lep's 'Two Steps Behind'. Brian is a former singer/guitarist with extreme metal band Dementra. The song also features a jazz pianist, Jeremy Fonseca.
Their version is described as having a "classic dark jazz feel". Judge for yourself via the link which includes a free mp3 download.
The song lasts 2:58min - look in the Discography section
[ More Info ] :: Brian D'Souza.tk
[July 2nd/5th] - Def Leppard Night On VH1 UK! + Radio Interviews (Updated)
Lep take over VH1 UK on Sat July 15th. Firstly the US show VH1 Rock Honours is shown from 5-7pm.
This is then followed by a 5 hour show presented by the band "Def Leppard Presents 50 Greatest Rock Songs". (7pm-12am) - also 2-7pm the next day.
Rock Honours of course features two live performances of "20th Century Boy" (with Brian May) and "Rock Of Ages" + a small intro film about the band. Nice to see some Lep TV at last!
In addition to this the band will have their recently recorded interview with Total Rock Radio broadcast on the Doom & Co show on Sat July 8th between 6-9pm.
(5th) :: Plus Phil Collen has recorded an interview with Bruce Dickinson for his Masters Of Rock series to be broadcast on BBC Radio 2 on July 13th.