DEF LEPPARD's JOE ELLIOTT Promotes DRASTIC SYMPHONIES/NEW Book On UK TV

Sunday, 21st May 2023

Def Leppard 2023

Def Leppard singer Joe Elliott appeared on UK TV on 18th May to promote the new Drastic Symphonies album with video/photos available.

The new album Drastic Symphonies was released on Friday 19th May.

The album features 16 classic Def Leppard songs reworked and reimagined with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios in London.

The first single 'Animal' was released to digital and streaming services on the same day as the announcement.

Joe Elliott On BBC Breakfast

Joe appeared as a guest on BBC Breakfast on BBC One before 8am on 18th May to promote the album and the new Definitely book.

One of many appearances on the show in recent years.

Joe talked about the album, book, The Leadmill show, the Pour Some Sugar On Me UK video and losing his voice back in 2016 and how it was recovered with the help of vocal coach Roger Love.

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).

Joe Elliott - 19th May 2023 Show Quotes - (Transcribed by dltourhistory)

Host - Now you can be a global success. You can perform in front of millions of fans all over the world. But it's got to still feel special to return to where it all began.

Host - Yes that's what rock and roll legends Def Leppard are doing as they prepare to perform in their home city of Sheffield tomorrow evening.

Host - Now they're starting small they're playing to just 850 fans, but it is going to mark the start of the band's European tour. We're gonna be joined by front man Joe Elliott in a moment. First here's a reminder of some of their biggest hits.

Host - And Joe's with us now. Morning Joe.

Joe Elliott

"Good morning.

Host - ...Elliott with two T's.

Joe Elliott

"With two T's. And sugar yeah.

Host - I'm sure that always gets missed.

Joe Elliott

"Yeah it does. I once had a Gold disc from the record company that they had spelt my name with one T. And I gave it back and said 'You wouldn't give one to Prince that said Rince would ya?'.

Host - They'd spelt your name wrong on your Gold disc.

Joe Elliott

"Yeah. At least it's right on the passport.

Host - We were sitting here watching some of those, some of the older videos and some of the new stuff. Every picture's got a story doesn't it?.

Joe Elliott

"Yeah.

Host - The one where you're knocking down the house.

Joe Elliott

"Pour Some Some Sugar On Me. The original bad video as we call it.

Host - And you were smashing down a house.

Joe Elliott

"We were smashing down a house in an area called Stillorgan in Dublin which I drive past 'cause I live there."

"And every time I drive into town I drive past it and always a little sigh of like Ughhh.

"There's a nice building there now. But the one that was there before we helped destroy it."

Host - You actually were knocking it down.

Joe Elliott

"Yeah we were. They were destroying it anyway. So they let us in for a day to save them some effort.

Host - How much fun. I can't imagine the Health And Safety forms.

Joe Elliott

"No back in those days you got away with it.

Host - Going back home to Sheffield.

Joe Elliott

"Yes our birth town.

Host - Yeah small gig.

Joe Elliott

"The Leadmill.

Host - 850 people. How does the performance change? If at all and how does it feel for you in terms of being different.

Joe Elliott

"It's like getting back on a bike. You know we've been playing stadiums or arenas for years and years and years. But we do occasionally do a special show like this on certain cases.

"And you never forget. In fairness it's the early days you kind of remember the best because it's when you're first starting out. And it's what give you your opportunity to become a band is playing small venues."

"Which is why we're going back to The Leadmill. And we're doing it and all the net profits are going to charity. To help keep The Leadmill alive.

"There's a campaign we've been involved with on social media for over a year now. To save The Leadmill, but it's not just The Leadmill. It's from Aberdeen to Yoevil. There's clubs closing on a weekly basis.

"So the performance doesn't change. We just don't move around as much 'cause there's really no space."

Host - Does the scrutiny feel - you're playing in front of thousands in a big stadium. Right fine, but when its 850 people and you know people would have fought for those tickets. They'll be real kind of hardcore fans. Does the scrutiny feel more intense. Or do you feel that you have to give them something a little bit more personal?.

Joe Elliott

"Yeah. It is a little bit more personal. We're playing a completely different set of songs than we would play say four days later at Bramall Lane.

"And it's also going out live on the radio. So no pressure!. But yeah you do see the whites of their eyes but it's an hour long set."

"It's a short set really. So it's a special event. So you just - you get into the zone. That's what you have to do because you can still see the whites of their eyes in a stadium but only for the first ten rows.

"And then after that it's just like looking at a crowd at a football match."

Host - You have had incredible success over the years. But do you remember times, and we're talking about doing mall gigs. When you were playing to people who basically weren't listening or weren't paying much attention. Do you remember those days and does it mean you cherish these moments all the more?.

Joe Elliott

"Yes to all the above. Yeah you see we've never split. So it's not like we reformed to grab some past glory. What we did was during the wilderness years as we would like to call them.

"Which is like the 90s into the 00s. Where we still had an audience in certain places in the world that was pretty big. But it was based on past glories. But then it started building back up again."

"We've always seen it as turbulence. If you keep going eventually you come out the other side and it's a bit smoother.

BBC Breakfast 18th May 2023 - Photos

Screenshots by dltourhistory.

Host - It's quite a good philosophy that. And tell me about the voice because we often ask artists about their voices and how they maintain them. And if you worry about their changes which is a good thing may be. How about you?.

Joe Elliott

"Why do you think my hair's white. I worry about everything. I lost my voice quite badly abut eight years ago. And a doctor that I saw said well you know if it wasn't you I'd tell you to change your profession.

"But a vocal coach that we've been working with for about 30 years. he just said to me 'Oh poppycock!'. And he built me uo again without any surgery."

Host - So when you say you lost your voice. Was there nothing?.

Joe Elliott

"It just to I just couldn't control anything. I had a frozen vocal cord. That's what it was. And apparently they don't normally come back, but with exercise.

"I guess it's like a dry rubber band. If you massage enough oil back into it, it will become springy again. And that's what happened my vocal cords wouldn't meet in the middle, 'cause this one was frozen, but then it would and now I'm better than I've ever been."

"So god bless my vocal coach Roger Love.

Host - It does sound when you sing that you're battering your vocal cords.

Joe Elliott

"Yeah no they take a good hammering.

Host - 'Cause I was doing an impression of you this morning. To one of our young runners. You wouldn't actually, I was singign one of your songs to one of our younger runners who wasn't familiar with you.

Host - Which song was it? Joe might like to know which song it was.

Host - It was Animal. But when I did it I was like oh my throat's a bit sore now 'cause you do really give it a...

Joe Elliott

"I would love to see that. Animal very good.

"It's like everything you get used to it a certain way. But you know it's management. You know I , listen I don't do three shows in a row."

"Not any more. the reason that we don't is 'cause you'll find the level that this third show I can't do it as well as show one and two.

"So yuo change your schedule to make it work. It's all about expanding the band's career. We can do exactly the same amount of shows but we do them over a 15 year period rather than a 12. You can still do all the shows."

Host - And expanding your reach because Drastic Symphonies. I mean you wouldn't naturally out Def Leppard with a full blown orchestra.

Joe Elliott

"No it wasn't something on our bucket list either. But during the pandemic we managed to record a brand new album Diamond Star Halos which came out about a year ago.

"We did it completely remotely in our homes on the West, East coasts of America and from Sheffield and from Dublin and glued it all together. And we refused to release that album into the pandemic."

"So we sat on it for a year and while we were sat on it our record label said do you fancy doing an album with The Royal Philharmonic?.

"And they mentioned the fact that they'd done Elvis, The Beach Boys, Queen. And we though this is exalted company."

"So why not you know. So we chose the songs that we though were the most symphonic songs we'd written. Some hits and some pretty deep tracks.

"Stripped them down and built them back up again. And then we went to Abbey Road - Abbey Road!."

"And watched them for two days do their bit and it was absolutely astonishing.

Host - The book is called Definitely The Official Story Of Def Leppard. What's the maddest nonsense myth you've heard about the band. 'Cause often there's mythology that builds up around a band. What's the maddest one?.

Joe Elliott

"Well I think the maddest one was my death in a plane crash. Yeah the news of my death had been hugely exaggerated as I think somebody once said.

"Yeha I went down in a plane crash. That's probably the maddest one really. Bit no I'm still here."

Host - It's good to get that confirmed isn't it?.

Joe Elliott

"It's a great book though. I mean it goes all the way back to the beginning you know. I mean I did so, we all did, I did so many hours of talking that it was like therapy.

"And you know you'd say certain things and then it triggers another memory. And then my Mum bless her keeps, well kept a scrap book ."

"And you know I managed to find it and it's like we had all these press cuttings from 1977 and 1978.

"Amazing. They're all in there."

Host - Well lovely seeing you this morning.

Host - Really lovely. Good luck with the gig. It's tomorrow or tonight?.

Joe Elliott

"Tomorrow and then Bramall Lane on Monday. Is the start of the European tour.

Host - Thank you. Nice to see you Joe.

Host - Of course the new album Drastic Symphonies which we were talking about is out tomorrow and the tour of course kicks off next week.

This show was on the BBC iPlayer but has now expired - but watch below via YouTube (first few minutes not included).