Tuesday, 25th June 2019
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PHIL COLLEN Says Most DEF LEPPARD Cover Versions Suck

Def Leppard 2019. Screenshot

Def Leppard guitarists Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell were interviewed at Graspop and the full video is available.

Phil and Vivian spoke to the organisers of the Graspop Metal Meeting on 23rd June.

Phil and Vivian talked about playing with KISS/Whitesnake, festival production, Favourite Def Leppard Cover?/Emm Gryner, Rock Of Ages Intro?, PSSOM, motion in DL's music and the band's chemistry.

Phil, somewhat humorously, said he thinks most of the covers of Def Leppard's original songs "suck" before quite rightly praising the Emm Gryner piano cover of 'PSSOM'.

Watch the full 6 minute interview video below..

Read the Show Report from Download 2019 which took place last night at Donington Park in Derby.


Visit the Tour News section. For more news on future tour plans.

Visit the Album News section for more news on new music (based on band member quotes).

Graspop - Phil Collen/Vivian Campbell Interview Quotes - (Transcribed by dltourhistory)

KISS/Whitesnake

Phil - "We do really get on well with both bands. You know obviously Vivian was with Whitesnake as well. And we also we talk, we joke with them all the time. Joe's constantly on emails with David. KISS have actually been champions and supporters of us for years. I mean even, we won an American Music Award. This was back in the 80s and we were recording Hysteria and they got it for us and they, you know, got it on our behalf."

Phil - "I've actually played with KISS. There's only two people on stage that's ever played with them. Joe Perry and me."

Vivian - "And my dog Stuart has been on their private jet."

Phil - "Oh yes that's right they took him home."

Favourite Def Leppard Cover?/Emm Gryner

Phil - "Yeah they all suck so far. I've heard, Mariah Carey did Bringin' On The Heartbreak. But I haven't heard anything that really speaks to me."

"Um Emm Gryner done a really cool version of Pour Some Sugar On Me on the piano but I've never heard a band do a killer version of something. Not yet."

Rock Of Ages Intro?

Phil - "That's Mutt Lange. When we was doing Pyromania. You know it was a long album. All of our albums are kinda long and they just got bored of going, 'One, two, three, four'. So he went 'Gunter Glieben Glouten Globen'. It ended up staying on there."

Emotion In Their Music

Phil - "We do but a lot of rock bands they're very much in one genre. And we bring different influences wheter it's Jazz. I mean I listen to everything. We all do collectively. Very different stuff and I think that's really important."

Mutt Lange, you know, he was into country and obviously before he did the AC/DC. You'd go in his car and you'd find. This was back when they had cassettes, George Jones, all this country stuff. So he was into that and Van Morrison. Stuff you wouldn't really think about and then, you know, he does Back In Black and Highway To Hell and then Def Leppard stuff."

"So he was just a huge fan. He was from Africa so there's lots of different influences and I think one thing we got from him was that the more you let in the more comes out. And then you also believe it as well. If you're experiencing it and enjoying it and being inspired by it. It will come out."

Lots Of Love On Stage

"Yeah lots of love. And we love each other. So the band is great. There's a vibe that we have that a lot of other bands don't have."




Buy Online

  • Vinyl Collection: Volume Two - Amazon
  • CD Collection: Volume Two - Amazon

Buy 'The Story So Far...The Best Of Def Leppard' Online

  • Amazon - (1CD Regular Edition - 17 Tracks)
  • Amazon - (2CD Deluxe Edition - 35 Tracks)
  • Amazon - (2LP Vinyl Edition)
  • Amazon - (MP3 Regular Edition - 17 Tracks)
  • Amazon - (MP3 Deluxe Edition - 35 Tracks)

Related News - PHIL COLLEN Says DEF LEPPARD Have Bunch Of Songs For Next Album

Related News - PHIL COLLEN Says DEF LEPPARD Will Finish Half Written New Album In 2020

Related News - PHIL COLLEN On VIVIAN CAMPBELL's Contribution To DEF LEPPARD/Next Album

Related News - JOE ELLIOTT Says DEF LEPPARD Are Constantly Making New Music

Related News - 2019 Def Leppard Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Fan Photo Gallery 1

Related News - DEF LEPPARD 2019 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame (Setlist/Speeches/Show Report)


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