Def Leppard News - 30 Years Ago Def Leppard Brave The Rain In Mannheim, Germany

30 Years Ago Def Leppard Brave The Rain In Mannheim, Germany

Wednesday, 31st August 2016

Def Leppard 1986.
Mannheim 1986

Def Leppard played the final show of the Monsters Of Rock tour in Mannheim, West Germany 30 years ago on this day in 1986.

The last of the Hysteria warm-up shows was played on 31st August 1986 at Maimarktglande.

A open air venue outside of Mannheim.

An iconic stage photo was later used in the 'Hysteria' album sleeve as part of the 'Life At The Top' story which detailed some of the things the band had to deal with whilst making the album between 1984 and 1987.

The band started their one hour set in the late afternoon and as soon as they took the stage it began to rain heavily. This continued throughout the show.

Members of Iron Maiden attended the show. They had recently finished recording the "Somewhere in Time" album at Wisseloord Studios. Singer Bruce Dickinson reportedly came out and handed Joe an umbrella (see photo) during 'Love And Affection'.

The festival was once again co-headlined by Scorpions and Ozzy Osbourne with Def Leppard as special guests.

Also on the bill were MSG who would open for them on the 1988 European Hysteria tour. Bon Jovi and Warlock played before them.

This was also the show where Phil and Steve wore their famous kilts at the end of the show without telling the rest of the band what they were planning to do.

Lep fan Ian MacGregor posted some very rare photos from this show on Twitter a couple of weeks ago. They show the band on stage and Iron Maiden's Steve Harris watching from side stage.

Listen to the final song 'Travellin' Band' below where Joe mentions the Terror Twins and their 'kilts'.

Def Leppard 1986.
Mannheim 1986

Show Story - Animal Instinct Biography 1987 Quotes

"Mother Nature had big plans for Leppard's August 31 Monsters of Rock finale in Mannheim. When the band arrived at the Maimarktglande stadium, the sky was a bright iridescent blue and the sun smiled down on the thousands of boozed-up metalheads below. When Leppard took the stage at 4.30, however, the skies turned pitch-black and, as if triggered by Phil Collen's first opening kerrang! in Stagefright, a rain of hurricane intensity exploded over Mannheim. Panicked roadies scurried across the stage trying to cover the electrical equipment with plastic sheets. Even Rick, who was 22 feet back from the front of the stage, got drenched in the storm. Soaking wet even before they'd finished Stagefright, the band decided to play out the set in defiance of the weather.

"With all the speakers covered up with plastic, the guitars sounded like banjos," Joe cracks up. "The rain was coming down so hard it was bouncing off the carpet on the stage. And all you could see for miles were umbrellas." Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson, who was watching the show at the side of the stage, ran out in the middle of Love and Affection and opened up a giant umbrella over Elliott's head. Joe introduced him at the end of the song as "Bruce Dickinson on lead umbrella".

The rain stopped just as Leppard finished the last song of their set. Not about to be upstaged by the weather, Phil and Steve had something extra-special planned for the encore. Unbeknown to the rest of the band, the two guitarists had hatched a plot with Peter Mensch to go on for the encore wearing Scottish kilts - with nothing underneath, of course. Joe recalls hearing Mensch say to Steve before the Mannheim show, "Are you going to do it? Remember, this is your last chance to do it this year."

"I couldn't figure it out," Joe continues. "I knew they were going to do something daft, but I had no idea it would be that."

Well, out they went looking like the Brothers MacLeppard, cutting their heavy guitar hero poses in two traditional plaid Scottish kilts. Joe literally almost died laughing. He couldn't even finish singing the song. He just got down on his hands and knees, banging on the floor in hysterics. Even funnier was the Scottish kid who managed to scam his way backstage. Joe asked him what he thought of the kilts and the kid replied "What kilts? I couldn't even see the stage from where I was standing.

"Forty thousand Germans think Phil and Steve are up there wearing dresses and the one Scottish kid in the entire crowd couldn't even see the kilts."

Hysteria Album Sleeve Quotes

"Surprisingly, it didn't take much time,. As we sat around, one particular incident became the obvious choice (especially after we saw the pictures!!!.). It was our final show of the 10 we played in August 1986."

"An important time for us, as mentioned above. Mannheim was especially important as it was, at that time, the largest crowd we had ever played in front of in Europe, as well as being the show where 50 or so of our key record company execs had gathered wondering whether we still existed and could actually play live. We had been playing well the past couple of shows, so this show should have been the ULTIMATE WINNER..."

"Well, what can we say,. Life in a rock band isn't all fun all of the time. What happened that day wasn't under our control, but it certainly does say it all about our recent history."

Def Leppard 1986.
Mannheim 1986

31st August 1986 - Joe Elliott Onstage Quotes

"OK we're gonna play you a song that goes back to 1970. Bit of Rock and Roll from the West Coast of America. Anybody here from the West Coast of America?. Ah good, then you've probably heard of Creedence Clearwater Revival. John Fogerty, he wrote this."

"Is everybody having a good time?. (after cheers) Now what a load of bollocks 'cause it's been raining all the time. So you're all miserable and pissed off. Right?..no?. You alright out there?. ARE YOU ALRIGHT OUT THERE?!. Good OK. I think we'll count this one in together OK?. Are you ready?. ARE YOU READY?!. Here we go. One..."

"....Clark and Collen have just discovered that they've come...that they're from Scotland. ARE YOU READY?!. One, two. One, two, one two three four!."

"Thank you Mannheim. Don't forget us and we won't forget you alright. Ta da. Have a great day."

#TBT @DefLeppard at the Monsters or Rock in Germany 1986,brilliant day,made more so by their courage & brotherhood. pic.twitter.com/GTYX97Mdzu
— Ian MacGregor (@macgregor63) August 11, 2016