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Def Leppard Tour History Fan Archive.
Phil Collen On Meeting Prince/The Current Def Leppard Album

Tuesday, 3rd May 2016





Phil Collen 2014.
Phil Collen Auburn 2014

Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen was recently interviewed by Lafayette radio and mentioned Prince and the new studio album.

Phil talked about Joe's health/vocal issues, the longevity of the band, the band being young in the early 80s, the Pyromania album success, transition from clubs to arenas, Delta Deep, his first guitar/early musical influences, the new Def Leppard album, improvements in his playing, meeting Prince in 1986, how the band have stayed together and his health/diet.

This interview was conducted before the tour rehearsals started. The day after Delta Deep's show in Northampton, MA on 1st April.

Listen to the full 12 minute interview below.

Visit the Album News section. For more news on new music (based on band member quotes) dating back to January 2011.

SportsChat/103.7 The Game - Phil Collen Interview Quotes

Joe Elliott's Vocal Problems/How is he doing?

"He's great. I spoke to him the other day. Basically, you know, we've been touring for like nine months straight and Joe had had walking pneumonia that whole time. So then he got this cough on top of it and that really you know messed everything up. The doctor said look, if you don't stop you could actually permanently damage your throat."

"So yeah we just took a like - he needed like five weeks off. So he done that. He's doing great. I spoke to him the other day and yeah all good. We're just ready to roll. You know get back out there and do it soon."

Pyromania Success In 1983/When did you realise you were successful?

"I think when the Pyromania album came out. You know MTV. A lot of things lined up at the right time. MTV came out. The radio was just playing the hell out of Pyromania. Like Photograph, Rock Of Ages, Foolin' and that was it really. I think during that tour we kind of realised you know the records were selling like hot cakes."

"And that was it really and our lives completely changed. We were all living with our mums before that. After that everything was all different. We had to move into - we lived in different countries. All, lots of things went on but yeah it was during that tour really."

The Current Def Leppard Studio Album/Having hits after so long?

"It's amazing. And what's really amazing. We actually - we thought we was gonna go in the studio to write a song or a single or something. And it very quickly wasn't like a business agenda or a label or a record company executive. It was actually wow let's get excited about writing these songs which we did. And that's what this album was a result of that. That kind of inspiration if you like. So yeah it's all for the right reasons and again we love the way it turned out. It's just a bit of everything. You know it's a combination of a lot of the things we've done and we got very excited about recording it. So I think you can hear it in the record really."

Meeting Prince In 1986

"Well I had a really good Prince experience actually. We were playing - actually me and Steve Clark were in Paris. We went to see Prince play and then he played a little bar. You know after. That's what he does. He goes to these you know little clubs and - jazz clubs or whatever and he was playing there."

"And I got to meet him and he got up and played guitar for me which was really nice. He done a Hendrix song. So yeah that was a blast."

Note - Prince actually played a version of Jimi Hendrix's song 'Red House' which he retitled 'Purple House'.

How Have The Band Stay Together?

"I mean I know it's a cliche and that but it is like a family. You know it's like we've had all these really huge experiences. You know lows and high points. You know all these things happening and we've experienced them together. And I think that kind of solidified us."

"You know I love the guys in the band. Joe's like my brother. We've been together for so long that you kind of. You do that and I know some other bands they can't do that. They fall out and stuff. But yeah there's a real you know brotherly thing there. There's a lot of love there. So I think that's, in our case, that's what it is."

"We all came from a very working class background. You know and we're doing what we set out to do. What we love doing. It's like a - yeah it's really easy from that point of view."

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