Thursday, 16th March 2023
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JOE ELLIOTT On DEF LEPPARD's DRASTIC SYMPHONIES Album/Live Residency Orchestra Shows

Def Leppard 2023. Def Leppard 2023

Def Leppard singer Joe Elliott talked about the new Drastic Symphonies album and upcoming Las Vegas Residency on BBC radio earlier today.

The new album 'Drastic Symphonies' will be released on Friday 19th May.

It was announced earlier today by Joe on The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2.

The world premiere of 'Animal' from the album also took place and the singe was then released to streaming/digital services.

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

Joe was interviewed by Zoe Ball about the new album and he told the story of how it came together, the secret sessions in London and interesting news of another Las Vegas residency tied to the album.

This would potentially take place in 2025 once The World Tour has finished.

The first single 'Animal' was released to digital and streaming services as it was played on Radio 2 and can be heard below.

Also view the full 16 song tracklist and times.

The credits of the 'Animal' single reveal that Steve Clark is credited as a performer and backing vocalist.

Mutt Lange is also credited as producer and backing vocalist and the single features vocals from the original, hence the credits.

It was produced by Def Leppard with Ronan McHugh and Nick Patrick.


Drastic Symphonies Album/Animal Single

Joe announced the new album during the show and explained it has been recorded with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

He also said they have reworked 16 of their most "symphonic songs" which include Joe duetting with his 1982 self on 'Too Late For Love'.

Both Steve Clark and Mutt Lange are credited on the 'Animal' single so elements from the original are included (and of course the 'I burn for you' teaser has now been explained).


2025 Drastic Symphony Las Vegas Residency

Joe says the band are planning a third Las Vegas Residency and it would be for this new album and see them play with a full orchestra.

2024 seems unlikely as they are set to play another full USA/Canada stadium run of The World Tour with Motley Crue (at least according to that Vince Neil news-Tour News section).

Joe also says like VIVA! Hysteria this would be played in the UK at some point and may see a return to the Royal Albert Hall which was played for the first time in 2018.


Abbey Road Studios Return

Yes Vivian almost leaked the album news last May having tol a journalist in Feb/Mar that the band were planning to record at Abbey Road.

They previously recorded three songs there in May 2008 for the 'Live From Abbey Road' TV show which was also released on vinyl for Record Store Day 2018.

The sessions took place in March 2022.


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).


Def Leppard 2023.

Joe Elliott/Zoe Ball Show - Interview Quotes 16th March 2023 - (Transcribed by dltourhistory)

Drastic Symphonies Album

Zoe Ball - "You and the band had a new album last year. We talked about it on the show, but now you've done Drastic Symphonies. With the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Rock with an orchestra. I'm loving the sound of this. How did that work Joe?."

Joe Elliott - "Well we first discussed this, or it was put on our plate by some grown ups about four years ago. And obviously because we're touring it just got side - we were side tracked."

Joe Elliott - "And then during COVID we did the new record. But while we were actually talking - you know when you were so gracefully supporting our last record which is only nine months ago now."

Joe Elliott - "We were actually under the radar. We were in Abbey Road recording this record without telling anybody."

Joe Elliott - "So we had it ready to go the following year. Which is like now, you know."

Joe Elliott - "So 19th May it comes out. And what we've done is we've reworked 16 of our most symphonic songs."

Joe Elliott - "And done them with the Royal Philharmonic. Which we wanted to make sure that everybody knows this is not just the records from the past with an orchestra, you know, chucked on the top like icing on a cake."

Joe Elliott - "We've took these songs all the way back to the beginning."

Joe Elliott - "I re sang some of them 'cause the original vocals were out of place once you've put an orchestra on it."

Too Late For Love

Joe Elliott - "So on one of the tunes, a song called Too Late For Love, I actually duet with myself from 40 years ago."

Joe Elliott - "It's the most bizarre thing I've ever done."


Zoe Ball - "That's so surreal. How wonderful."

Joe Elliott - "It was great fun and the timing and the phrasing came to me instantly. It's like it never left my DNA but it was one of the strangest thing I've ever done."

Joe Elliott - "It was like singing with a ghost that's still alive if that makes any sense."

Joe Elliott - "But yeah it turned out really really well. We're very happy with it you know."

Joe Elliott - "And to be putting out this record only nine months after Diamond Star Halos. It just shows there's a forward momentum."

Joe Elliott - "Not just from a touring point of view, but from just a generally, from a career point of view."

Joe Elliott - "We're always looking to just to keep moving forward and keep doing something different."


Zoe Ball - "Let's hear something from the album. This is Animal the Drastic Symphonies Version. Def Leppard and the Royal philharmonic. Enjoy."

"Oh goodness. How powerful was that?!."

"My goodness. Joe Elliott is with me. Joe the Internet has gone crazy."


Joe Elliott - "Zoe can I just say. Watching you for the last four minutes you'd make a great conductor."

Zoe Ball - "Would I?. I'd forgotten that the camera's on me. You can see what I'm doing."

Zoe Ball - "I was singing along. I was doing the harmonies. That is so powerful Joe."


Drastic Symphonies Las Vegas Residency/UK Shows

Zoe Ball - "I have to say hearing that. Just the reaction that it's had with us lot here and listeners. Joe would you ever do that live with the orchestra?."

Joe Elliott - "Yeah. Not on this new tour. This new tour's gonna be full on rock. It wouldn't work with the Crue."

Joe Elliott - "With Motley Crue and us and an orchestra. It would be a bit too weird."

Joe Elliott - "But when - maybe next year or (20)25 we're hoping to do a residency."

Joe Elliott - "Which obviously Vegas is the obvious one. But if we do it, we definitely wanna do it in the UK as well."

Joe Elliott - "So maybe we can do a couple of nights at somewhere like the (Royal) Albert Hall."

Joe Elliott - "And I literally am making this thing up as I go along. So don't hold me to it."

Joe Elliott - "But that would be the plan. Is to do it as a completely separate entity once we've got the rock and roll out of the way."

"I think that would be such a glorious thing to come and see."

Joe Elliott - "I agree."


Drastic Symphonies Tracklisting/Signed Copies

Zoe Ball - "Just hearing that record the reaction is unbelievable."

"Also when the album comes out."

"That was a world exclusive by the way."

"Hadn't even realised. That's the first time it's been played anywhere."

"There's a special treat aren't there. for people who are buying the album on CD."

"There's lots of extra goodies I believe."


Joe Elliott - "Yeah there's a bonus track on the CD because literally with vinyl you're so limited to what you can get on it squashes down."

Joe Elliott - "So it's a 15 track vinyl. It's a 16 track CD."

Joe Elliott - "And we've also spent I'd say three weeks signing like 6,000 album covers."

Joe Elliott - "3,00 CDs and 3,000 vinyl. I mean it took forever."

Joe Elliott - "It got to the point where, you know, arthritis was starting to kick in."

Joe Elliott - "The guitar players were going 'We have a gig tonight! I won't be able to play!' if I keep singing these things."

Joe Elliott - "We've really, you know, I mean it's 2023 you've gotta make the effort to kind of make these things a little more special rather than just putting out a record."

Joe Elliott - "You know, so we want it to be special."


Joe's Children/Music

Zoe Ball - "Joe you do always make it very special."

Joe Elliott - "The kids. Are your kids musical. Are they picking up guitars and drums?."

Joe Elliott - "Um well they pick them up but they tend to just do a Pete Townshend with them."

Joe Elliott - "Smash them down on to the couch."

Joe Elliott - "They're actually. In fairness they're like me. When I was their age I picked everything up for like two minutes and put it back down."

Joe Elliott - "Which is why I'm jack of all trades."

Joe Elliott - "I can play a bit of drums, a bit of piano, a bit of guitar, which is great for making demos."

Joe Elliott - "But it's not exactly great for auditioning for the X Factor."

Joe Elliott - "I'm not quite there. You know what I mean?. But I'm actually glad it worked out that way because if I could play any of the instruments that I tinkle about on better, I wouldn't be who I am."

Joe Elliott - "So I'd have been off doing something else. So they keep threatening to be musical but they haven't quite got there yet."


Zoe Ball - "They're only young. there's still time. There's still time."

"The new album Drastic Symphonies is coming out on the 19th of May."

"And you can see Def Leppard on tour this May and July."

"Joe thank you so much for coming on the show. We always love having you on."

Joe Elliott - "Always my pleasure. Thanks Zoe."

Zoe Ball - "Love to the band. And we'll see you. Take care. Look after yourself."

Joe Elliott - "And thank you. And you."


Listen to the show at - bbc.co.uk from 8:37am onwards.


Def Leppard 2023.


New Single - Animal (feat. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra)

01 - Animal - 4:03 - Amazon - (MP3)


  • Producer - Def Leppard/Ronan McHugh/Nick Patrick
  • Mixer - Ronan McHugh
  • Release Date - 16th March 2023


Buy 'Drastic Symphonies' Online


Drastic Symphonies (feat. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) - Tracklisting

  • 01 - Turn To Dust - (Def Leppard with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) - 5:29
  • 02 - Paper Sun - (Def Leppard with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) - 5:33
  • 03 - Animal - (Def Leppard with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) - 4:03
  • 04 - Pour Some Sugar On Me (Stripped Version) - (Def Leppard with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) - 5:26
  • 05 - Hysteria - (Def Leppard with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) - 5:56
  • 06 - Love Bites - (Def Leppard with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) - 6:41
  • 07 - Goodbye For Good This Time - (Def Leppard with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) - 4:26
  • 08 - Love - (Def Leppard with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) - 3:55
  • 09 - Gods Of War - (Def Leppard with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) - 6:45
  • 10 - Angels (Can't Help You Now) - (Def Leppard with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) - 4:58
  • 11 - Bringin' On The Heartbreak - (Def Leppard with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) - 4:33
  • 12 - Switch 625 - (Def Leppard with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) - 3:04
  • 13 - Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad - (Def Leppard with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) - 4:55 - (Blu-ray/Digital Only)
  • 14 - Too Late For Love - (Def Leppard with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) - 5:37
  • 15 - When Love & Hate Collide - (Def Leppard with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) - 4:16
  • 16 - Kings Of The World - (Def Leppard with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - 6:19
  • Producer - Ronan McHugh/Nick Patrick
  • Mixer - Ronan McHugh
  • Record Label - Universal Music Recordings/Bludgeon Riffola
  • Total Time - 82 mins
  • Release Date - 19th May 2023

Def Leppard 2022.

Def Leppard / Latest Release


Def Leppard / Latest Tour

Def Leppard The World Tour 2023


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