Saturday, 9th April 2022
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PHIL COLLEN On Origin Of DEF LEPPARD's DIAMOND STAR HALOS Song THIS GUITAR

Def Leppard 2022. Def Leppard 2022

Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen was recently interviewed and discussed the origin of This Guitar from the new Diamond Star Halos album.

'Diamond Star Halos' is the band's 12th studio album.

As announced on 17th March it will be released on Friday 27th May 2022.

Phil spoke to Bob And Brian Mornings on 102.9 The Hog radio to promote the Milwaukee show.

Phil talked about health and fitness, band work outs, living in California, The Stadium Tour, getting ready for the tour, Diamond Star Halos Recording Process, new song This Guitar and writing songs during the pandemic.

This Guitar

Phil talked about the origin of 'This Guitar' which features guest singer Alison Krauss.

He revealed it was written with C.J Vanston, his songwriting partner who previously co-wrote 'It's All About Believin'' with him for the 2011 'Mirrorball' album.

Band Work Outs

He also discussed the band's on tour work out routines.


Listen to the full interview below.


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).


Phil Collen - April 2022 Interview Quotes - (Transcribed by dltourhistory)

Writing Songs During The Pandemic

"It went up like crazy. Me and Joe Elliott have never written as much ever. We got so excited. We wrote five songs together during the pandemic. You know just texting and emailing and on the phone to each other. We didn't even Zoom."


New Song This Guitar

"It was great. So we got that. And one of the songs I wrote like 17 years ago called This Guitar. My good friend C. J. Vanston. We wrote this. And it's kind of country tinged. And Joe's been a champion of the song since I wrote it. He goes 'Oh we gotta do that one day. We gotta do that. Do a demo and let me do a vocal on it'."

"So that's really how that turned out and, you know, he done this vocal and that's the one you actually hear on the record."


All The Young Dudes

"Oh we've done it a bunch of times. We actually got Ian Hunter up on stage with us and done it as well."

"You get Ian Hunter down and we'll gladly do it. There ya go."


Pandemic/Trainer/Fitness

"The good thing about the pandemic is we haven't aged two years. We've reset it. So yeah that's a good thing."

"We do on tour but I usually work out. Obviously for these last two and a half years I got in killer shape just on my own. So yeah."


Rest Of Band Working Out

"They do and actually like when we were in Vegas. When we were doing the residency we woud go down to the theatre where we were playing and we would actually use the stage 'cause there was no one there. We'd just turn a few lights on. That would be our thing and we'd kind of meet every morning. It was actually really cool. It was like a little social thing."


Living In California

"Well you know I live in California. I've been in this town. I've been in California for 32 years. So it's rare I'm in a gym in England. You know I don't. I've kind of worked out a load of Dojo's and boxing gyms and it's changed. It's actually changed over the years. But there is a culture of it and there is slang. I#m not really up on the latest stuff."


Best Rock Song Ever Recorded

"We Will Rock You's pretty up there."


Best Song Def Leppard's Ever Recorded

"Well it depends who you ask but the most popular song would be Pour Some Sugar On Me. Rocket is always fun and Hysteria is always fun. Even though we soundcheck with it and you think oh my god aren't you guys bored. No, it kind of always has it's own thing and groove and melody and it has all the different things. And it's the same with Rocket I gotta say. It's got a thing that kind of you look forward to."


Band Slacker During Workouts

"No no they're really hardcore. They actually - like Sav and Vivian leave me in the dust. They'll keep going until they collapse. I won't. I#ll go OK I#m about to faint. I'm gonna stop now, but they'll just keep going. It's really weird."

"I've got some good tricks that kind of make me seem that way. The slacker is me actually. Like I said I've got this routine down. It's not too hard. it's like get these results if I do this."

"Yeah pretty easy and most of it's diet by the way."


Stop By the Studio

"Yeah if we can I would love to. That would be wonderful."

"Oh wow that's an offer I can't refuse."


1029THEHOG · Def Lep's Phil Collen Rocks The Radiothon

Def Leppard 2022.

Buy 'Diamond Star Halos' Online


Diamond Star Halos - Tracklisting

01 - Take What You Want - 4:14
02 - Kick - 3:42 - (Collen) - Amazon - (MP3)
03 - Fire It Up - 3:19
04 - This Guitar [feat. Alison Krauss] - 3:50
05 - SOS Emergency - 3:25
06 - Liquid Dust - 4:01
07 - U Rok Mi - 3:33
08 - Goodbye For Good This Time - 4:27
09 - All We Need - 4:46
10 - Open Your Eyes - 4:19
11 - Gimme A Kiss - 3:12
12 - Angels (Can’t Help You Now) - 4:57
13 - Lifeless [feat. Alison Krauss] - 4:19 - (Collen/Elliott)
14 - Unbreakable - 3:46
15 - From Here To Eternity - 5:37


  • Producer - Def Leppard
  • Producer - Ronan McHugh
  • Total Time - 61mins
  • Release Date - 27th May 2022

Def Leppard 2022.

Diamond Star Halos (Deluxe) - Tracklisting

01 - Take What You Want - 4:14
02 - Kick - 3:42 - (Collen) - Amazon - (MP3)
03 - Fire It Up - 3:19
04 - This Guitar [feat. Alison Krauss] - 3:50
05 - SOS Emergency - 3:25
06 - Liquid Dust - 4:01
07 - U Rok Mi - 3:33
08 - Goodbye For Good This Time - 4:27
09 - All We Need - 4:46
10 - Open Your Eyes - 4:19
11 - Gimme A Kiss - 3:12
12 - Angels (Can’t Help You Now) - 4:57
13 - Lifeless [feat. Alison Krauss] - 4:19 - (Collen/Elliott)
14 - Unbreakable - 3:46
15 - From Here To Eternity - 5:37

16 - Goodbye For Good This Time (Avant-Garde Mix)

17 - Lifeless (Joe Only version)


  • Producer - Def Leppard
  • Producer - Ronan McHugh
  • Release Date - 27th May 2022

Def Leppard / Latest Tour

Def Leppard World Tour 2022


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Related News - DEF LEPPARD's JOE ELLIOTT On New Songs THIS GUITAR/ANGELS (Can't Help You Now)

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