[ Def Leppard UK - Past News 24: Nov-Dec 2006 ]
[Dec 29th] - Joe/Phil's Billboard Top 10's
Both Joe and Phil have listed their Top 10 albums of 2006 on the Billboard website as part of the Year End lists. Their eclectic choices include Def Leppard! (Phil) and The Killers (Joe):
Joe Elliott :: 1. My Chemical Romance, "The Black Parade" (Reprise).
2. The Killers, "Sam's Town" (Island).
3. Sparks, "Hello Young Lovers" (In the Red).
4. Scissor Sisters, "Ta-Dah!" (Universal).
5. Elton John, "The Captain and the Kid" (Rocket/Interscope).
6. Tom Waits, "Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards" (Anti-).
7. Ray Charles + the Count Basie Orchestra, "Ray Sings Basie Swings" (Hear/Concord).
8. Arctic Monkeys, "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not" (Domino).
9. Buckcherry, "15" (Atlantic).
10. Find of the year: Focus doing "Hocus Pocus" on YouTube.com from "The Gladys Knight Show" in 1973. Van Leer is a genius!
Phil Collen :: 1. Gnarls Barkley, "St. Elsewhere" (Downtown/Atlantic).
2. The Raconteurs, "Broken Boy Soldiers" (Third Man/V2).
3. Justin Timberlake, "FutureSex/LoveSounds" (Jive).
4. OK Go, "Million Ways Pt. 2" (Capitol).
5. Madonna, "I'm Going To Tell You a Secret" (Warner Bros.).
6. AFI, "Decemberunderground" (Interscope).
7. She Wants Revenge, "She Wants Revenge" (Geffen).
8. Morningwood, "Morningwood" (Capitol).
9. Fergie, "The Dutchess" (A&M).
10. Def Leppard, "Yeah!" (Mercury).
[ More Info ] :: Here
[Dec 19th/22nd] - Made In Sheffield Voting
Hallam FM have finally added the voting form for their Made In Sheffield album feature.
You can now vote for 'Hysteria' via the link below.
The winning album will be announced on the Big John @ Breakfast Show on Friday 22nd December.
[Dec 22nd] :: 'Hysteria' was announced this morning by Big John as the Best Album Made In Sheffield. The 5 shows about each album will be repeated on Dec 25th & Dec 29th on Hallam FM from 6pm (available online).
Quote :: "This Morning Big John Officially Declared Def Leppard's, Hysteria The Best Album 'Made In Sheffield'"
[ More Info ] :: Here Def Radio
[Dec 13th] - Lep Get 'Menacing'/New Album
A new Phil/Joe interview with Billboard sheds some light on the 'soon to be finished' 9th Def Leppard studio album. Much of which has already been written/recorded backstage. Quotes:
Phil :: "We've got about five or six songs on the go, and there'll be 11 or 12 on the final version,"
Phil :: "We're trying to get it out for next summer, which for us would be amazing. But we've never been this far along. We come off tour, wait six months, then we start writing. We've already got that sorted out."
Phil :: "It's a rawer kind of vibe -- more menacing. More of a live sound. Not too glossy."
Joe :: "A lot of the songs are anthemic sounding. Sonically, it's a little more like 'Back in Black' than, say, 'Hysteria.'."
UK tour dates & a new album in 2007?.
[ More Info ] :: Here
Lep are featured on page 62 of the January 2007 issue of Classic Rock. In the Classic Rock Awards section there is a very small blurb about their award and a small pic of Joe from backstage, a screen shot from their acceptance speech video.
[ More Info ] :: Here
[Dec 10th] - Lep for MOR Festival? (Updated Jan 2007)
[Updated 25th January] :: (Dave Ling site) "They say that bad news always comes in triplicate, and I believe it. Firstly, two reliable sources have informed me that there will be no Monsters Of Rock Festival in 2007."
According to a post on the efestivals website, Lep are one act being mentioned as possibly appearing at next years Monsters Of Rock festival. Lep are mentioned along with 2 other acts:
Def Leppard.
Heaven & Hell,
Mötley Crüe.
The festival takes place in Milton Keynes, England on Sat June 2nd 2007 at the 65,000 capacity Milton Keynes Bowl. Journalist Dave Ling was recently quoted as saying Heaven & Hell (Ronnie Dio/Tony Iommi) would be playing the show. Last year Lep were 'rumoured' to be playing the Download Festival. Don't expect any confirmation until the spring. Last years show only attracted around 30,000 ppl.
(Thanks to Stephen).
[ More Info ] :: Here Festival Site H&H News
[Nov 28th] - Alan 'Fluff' Freeman RIP
Veteran BBC DJ Alan "Fluff" Freeman has sadly died at the age of 79. He presented many shows including the Saturday Rock Show during the 80s and early 90s that ran alongside the late Tommy Vance's Friday Rock Show as a showcase for UK rock music. He regularly played Def Leppard on the show.
In the week of Steve Clark's death in January 1991 he included a replaying of the 1979 Paris Theatre set as a tribute. His last Lep interview was in late 1992 when Joe & Rick appeared on his show during a break from the US tour. Joe appeared by phone on his last Radio 1 show in late 1993 as one of the celebrity callers wishing him farewell. His death follows on from recent deaths of other top BBC DJ's that had Lep connections: Tommy Vance in 2005 and John Peel in 2004.
[ More Info ] :: BBC News
[Nov 25th] - Phil Jackson Guitar Giveaway
The American Musical Supply website is giving away an autographed Phil Collen
signature Jackson USA PC1 guitar. Recently signed by Phil in Atlantic City and worth $2,999.99.
Guitar Details:
"mahogany body with quilt maple top, bolt-on quartersawn eastern hard rock maple neck with compound radius maple fingerboard and Fender® Stratocaster® headstock, DiMarzio® pickups with Jackson Sustainer/Driver in H/S/S configuration, Floyd Rose® Original tremolo and gold hardware. A Deluxe Molded Case is included."
See link below for details/Phil Pic & entry form (US only).
[ More Info ] :: Here
[Nov 23rd] - Made In Sheffield Album Vote
Local Sheffield radio station Hallam FM are running a new feature to find the top Made In Sheffield album.
Recognising the biggest albums to come from Sheffield bands. For 5 weeks various DJs will talk about each album and this week album #3: "Hysteria" is in the spotlight. On Sunday 26th Nov at 7pm, DJ Matt Mackay will talk about the album:
"It’s probably the loudest and proudest band to come out of Sheffield – at their very best.
‘Hysteria’ stands up as a great album full of the catchiest tunes with the biggest sound. It did what very few rock albums have done – it crossed over.
This wasn’t just a massively successful rock album, it was a monumental mainstream hit too all around the world."
Following the specials on the albums a vote will take place so you can all get involved in making Lep the winner. There is stiff competition from new band Artic Monkeys. And other albums featured are: ABC "Lexicon Of Love", Pulp "Different Class", Heaven 17 "The Luxury Gap". Though, strangely, no Human League album. The voting poll will be added to the linked page soon.
The winning album will be announced on the Big John @ Breakfast Show on Friday 22nd December.
[ More Info ] :: Here Def Radio
[Nov 22nd] - Def Lep in Iron Maiden Book
A few rare archive shots of the band feature in a new book by Official YEAH! Tour/longtime Lep photographer Ross Halfin.
Titled "Maiden: A Photo History by Ross Halfin." it features 240 pages of pics from all eras of Iron Maidens career, from tours to rare in-studio pics.
Lep are featured in a few pics, shown on Ross's website including:
Phil/Steve Backstage 1983 with Steve Harris/Dave Murray :: 1 (4th line) - 2 (5th line)
Joe Backstage visit 1990. In dressing room with Steve Harris in 2 pics: Here (2nd/3rd lines)
Dortmund 1983 football match with Iron Maiden FC :: Joe/Steve Harris (bottom right) - Rick/Nicko McBrain (top right)
The book was released by Omnibus Press on Sep 4th. Ross's site has 10 pages of pics from the book in all. His recent diary entries mention he is thinking of doing a Lep book in the future and has contributed 2006 tour shots for Lep's upcoming Official photo book (mentioned as far back as Sep 03 by Sav).
[ Buy @ ] :: Amazon
[Nov 9th] - S-MC: Steve Inspires Mariah Carey
According to a recent article the November 1995 Mariah Carey/Boyz II Men
hit song "One Sweet Day" was partly inspired by Steve Clark after his death in 1991:
"This song was inspired by the death of Mariah’s “Guitar Legend,” Def Leppard guitarist Steve Clark, in 1991. While brainstorming with Boyz II Men on a possible collaboration, the diva discovered that the group had written a tribute to their manager who was murdered while they were on tour. Her song plus theirs became “One Sweet Day.”"
"One Sweet Day" was originally inspired by the death of Def Leppard guitarist Steve Clark who died in 1991. Carey had always seen him as an idol - she thought he was her "Guitar Legend"." Mariah covered "Bringin' On The Heartbreak" in 2002.
The chorus of the song is:
"And I know you're shining down on me from Heaven
Like so many friends we've lost along the way
And I know eventually we'll be together, One Sweet Day"
(Link 1: Thanks to Debbi/E-Team).
[ More Info ] :: Here Wikipedia Video @ YouTube
[Nov 7th] - Classic Rock Award
The band were honoured last night at the annual Classic Rock Magazine: Roll Of Honour Awards. Taking place at the Langham Hotel in London, the main award winner was Alice Cooper who received the Living Legend Award.
Lep's "Hysteria" album won the Classic Album Award. The band obviously did not attend the ceremony. This award was not voted for by the public unlike the top six voting categories. The award was picked up by Joe's idol and friend Ian Hunter from Mott The Hoople and the band sent a recorded video mesage from the US. Other winners where Iron Maiden (Album Of The Year) and Whitesnake (Band Of The Year, Dvd Of The Year).
An old news story (Oct 17th) below has been updated with the correct tracklist from Amazon.
[ More Info ] :: BBC News Classic Rock Sheffield Star