Def Leppard are more than a great rock and roll band; they're five close friends whose lives are intricately interconnected, whether onstage or off. That's one of the reasons drummer Rick Allen's tragic car accident two years ago threw the Leps into such an emotional tizzy, a state that left them artistically helpless for more than a year. But today, Allen and bandmates Joe Elliott (vocals), Rick Savage (bass), Steve Clark (guitar) and Phil Collen (guitar) have put their troubles behind them and are in the midst of a commercial resurgence of grand proportions. With their latest LP, Hysteria, having already sold over three million copies, it is apparent that the "all for one and one for all" phiosophy of these Five Musketeers has paid off in spades. Recently we spoke with Allen, Elliott and Savage about the band's unique bond of friendship.
Hit Parader: What is it that makes all of you get along so well?
Joe Elliott: We were friends before we became successful, and we're even greater friends today. We've shared unique experiences with Def Leppard, and that draws you closer together. A band os like a marriage; you have to bend sometimes to make sure everyone's happy. But in a marriage you only have to worry about making one other person happy. In this band, you have four other blokes to worry about.
Rick Savage: We all have the same likes and dislikes, and that makes getting along much easier. Joe and I shared an apartment while we were recording Hysteria, and while we occasionally had our moments of disagreement, it really was amazing how well everything went along.
HP: As you look back over the four years between Pyromania and Hysteria, was there a single high point or a low point that each of you remember?
JE: The down point, unquestionably, was Rick's accident. I think we'd all agree on that. Especially since it happened on New Years Eve - what a pisser!
The high point is a little harder to find, because while I would like to say it was the recording of the album, that was such a long, drawn-out experience that it really wasn't a high point. On a stricktly personal level, the two high points for me were getting onstage with Elton John in England and then having a chance to play soccer on the same side as George Best (one of the world's great players) in front of 18,000 people at a benefit.
RS: For me, each time we completed a song was a high point. Actually knowing that the song was done and that we were happy with it was a very satisfying experience for all of us. Even though each song took ages to do, when we reached the point when we knew no more overdubs had to be done- that we were finally ready to mix- it was a great feeling.
Rick Allen: It was like a prison sentence was up. When we'd get a song done, it was like a huge weight was taken off our shoulders. For me, of course, just getting back into the band and convincing myself, as well as everyone else, that I could still play was my high point. My low point was discovering I couldn't wear a watch anymore. (laughs)
HP: You recorded about two dozen songs while you were in the studio. How much fighting took place over which numbers should finally make it onto Hysteria?
RS: You won't believe this, but we look at things so similarly, there was really no disagreement at all over which songs were going to be on the album. I think it became apparent to everyone which were the best songs, and it really didn't matter who wrote what. Nobody complained if his song didn't make ot- at least nobody started pouting or punching walls in front of the rest of the band. What they did once they went into the privacy of their own rooms...
JE: Then all hell broke loose. (laughs) The simple fact was that we all agreed that the strongest songs went on the album. We never considered who had written what, or how long they had taken to record. All we were concerned with was which ones sounded best. The others are still around. Some have already popped up as B-sides on singles. Others may emerge somewhere else. Who knows?
HP: Now that you've been on tour a few months, how do you feel the new songs have evolved onstage?
JE: To be honest, we always surprise ourselves. We record quite a few of our shows for our own amusement and knowledge. We have tapes from the first three shows in Europe-before we even came over to America this time- and a number from various stops along the wayin the states. We're all surprised how the new songs have taken on a life of their own onstage. They really come across well, which of course makes us very happy. We did wonder how they might fare in comparison to some of the material from Pyromania, but I think our anxiety was a bit unfounded.
RA: Def Leppard has always been its strongest onstage. With the new stage set in the middle of the arena and everyone jumping around all the time -except me, of course- we wondered if there would be any effect on the music. If there has been, it's only made the show better.
HP: Was it hard to go back on the road after such a long layoff?
RS: To us it was the most natural thing in the world. After about three seconds, we felt like we had never taken a day off from the last tour. In a way, It's like what they say about riding a bike; once you learn, you don't forget.
JE: We've always had a certain telepathy onstage. We never plan how we're going ot move about, yet we never run into one another. There's a special energy that happens when we're up there under the lights. We feel that there's a bit of magic going on between us, and it's our main job to convey that magic to all the people who are sitting in the audience.