Saturday, 4th April 2015
Phil Collen April 2013
Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen was interviewed by Mitch Lafon of Talking Metal radio and spoke about the new album.
Phil talked about the 2015 studio album, it's title, the setlist, the continuing re-recording of Greatest Hit songs, Delta Deep, Manraze, the 2015 world tour, memories of Montreal/Quebec, the Hysteria On The High Seas Cruise, the High 'n' Dry album, a Bon Jovi/Def Leppard co-headline tour two years ago that didn't happen, Vivian's health and his own health/fitness.
Phil seemingly indicates the album may not be self-titled after all - as suggested by the recent UK tour poster.
Listen to the full 24 minute interview below - The Phil part starts at just before 36 mins in until 58 mins.
Visit the Album News section. For more news on new music (based on band member quotes) dating back to January 2011.
Talking Metal - Phil Collen Interview Quotes
2015 Studio Album
"Well done and done are two different things you know we've gotta have it mixed and mastered and all that stuff first. I think all the recording parts are done. But yeah you know we wanted to get it ready for the start of the tour but that's not gonna happen. So it'll be out some time while we're on tour. I don't exactly know when you know so we'll just have to play that by ear."
"Well this was really interesting actually. We, you know it's been like 7 or 8 years since the last studio album. And we went in and we said we're just gonna do like one or two songs. Like an EP or something or a single. And that first session we came out with 12 songs. We've never done that. I think the approach was very different."
"So we didn't really have anything to lose. We didn't have a record company or management or anyone breathing down our necks. We got some ideas and they all worked and the other thing because of that - normally we'd go in and we'll always find ten reasons why to not do an idea as opposed to just going with it. And this was the first time we've ever just sat around and every idea got a fair shot you know. Everyone was like oh that's cool let's try that. There was no negative approach to it. So that's something we've never done before and it was so amazing. It blew me away that we got so many things done and honestly I really think this is the best album we've done since Hysteria."
"We'd just treat each song as kind of a different project. And what's another great thing about it is that we broke it up into three different parts. The initial one we got the 12 songs and we pretty much played in the studio and kind of played live. We got the essence of the songs down and again something we don't normally do. And then we went back in May, just before the tour. And also you have a different perspective on it. It sounds different. You change a few things and we went back a third time and just kind of finished stuff off in January. And yeah it's just amazing. I'm thrilled with how it turned out."
Album Named Yet?
"Er kind of. But yeah, we're not gonna [reveal it?] - yeah, not yet."
Def Leppard/Bon Jovi Tour
"You know it nearly happened. Two years ago. But some - I think Richie - something with Richie when he left and so that didn't really happen. So yeah it would be really cool. Again we get on great with those guys as well."
- Interview Source - talkingmetal.com
- Def Leppard - Mitch Lafon 2015 Show Page
- Def Leppard - 2015 Album News
- Previous News - 2nd April 2015