Def Leppard Band Member Phil Collen (Guitars)

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Def Leppard Band Member / Phil Collen

guitars since 1982

A section for Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen with details of all releases and tours played on and personal information.

phil collen 1982 to Present

Instrument - Guitars/Backing Vocals.
Joined Band - 12th July 1982.

Main Information

Full Name - Phillip Kenneth Collen.
Birth Date - 12:02am on Sunday, 8th December 1957.
Birth Location - Mothers' Hospital of the Salvation Army, 153 Lower Clapton Road, Hackney, London, England.
Nicknames - Phil/Phillis
Joined Band - 12th July 1982
First Def Leppard Show - 9th February 1983
Previous Bands - Moose Jaw.
Previous Bands - Lucy.
Previous Bands - Tush.
Previous Bands - Dumb Blondes.
Previous Bands - Girl.
Lives In - Laguna Hills, California.
Father - Kenneth Frank Collen (Died 2004).
Mother - 'Connie'/Constance April Collen (formerly Wheeler) - (Died 1998).
Wife - Helen Lucille Collen (formerly Simmons/Married 16th July 2010).
Ex-Wife - Jacqueline Collen-Tarrolly 1990-1995 (born Jacqueline Marie Long).
Ex-Wife - Anita Thomas Collen 1999-2010.
Children - Rory James Collen (Son - born 4th January 1990).
Children - Samantha Collen (Daughter - born 2004).
Children - Savannah Collen (Daughter - born March 2009).
Children - Charlotte Collen (Daughter - born 2014).
Children - Jaxson Collen (Son - born May 2018).
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phil collen / band member info

Phil was born in Hackney in the East End of London, England.
He started playing guitar in 1972 after attending a Deep Purple concert in Brixton.
Playing with various bands in venues like the famous Marquee Club by 1976 and joining Girl in 1979.

He joined Def Leppard in July 1982 after the departure of original guitarist Pete Willis during the making of Pyromania.
Forming a unique guitar partnership with Steve Clark and contributing to songwriting on the Hysteria album.

Phil Collen (2016)

"All the songs were written for 'Pyromania' when I joined. I came on to play guitar initially. It turned into something."
"The sound changed. It got a little more aggressive. All of a sudden we went on tour and it exploded."

Phil Collen (2016)

"For me to just come in as a solo lead guitar player. It was great and again I had a different feel and a different style to both those guys."
"It was a little more aggressive. And even my voice is more aggressive than what they had been used to."
"And then he got me singing with Joe and doing all these two part harmonies and stuff. And it really."
"It kind of started changing the sound of the band. In a good way I think. So it was a different thing."

Steve Clark (1983)

"We expect better things for the future now that Phil's in the group because he's going to contribute a lot more."
"Playing with him on stage every night is a pleasure."

Manraze (2004-2013)

In late 2004 Phil started a side band called Manraze in London with ex-Girl band mate Simon Laffy and ex-Sex Pistols drummer Paul Cook.
They released two studio albums in 2008 and 2011 with a further E.P. released in 2013.
The band have sadly been seemingly on permanent hold since that time.
Phil has at various times suggested a new song would be recorded for a Best Of compiled from the two studio album. As of December 2019 this release and the new song have yet to see the light of day.

Delta Deep (2013-Present)

In 2013 Phil began performing and recording with the Blues rock based side band Delta Deep featuring Robert Deleo of Stone Temple Pilots.
Other members include vocalist Debbi Blackwell-Cook and drummer Forrest Robinson.
Following a self-titled debut album in 2015 they released a live album in 2018. Work on new songs followed for an as yet unreleased second studio album.

Solo Album Idea (2018-2019)

In various interviews during 2018 and 2019 Phil suggested he might release his first proper solo album.
It would comprise guest musicians from both Manraze and Delta Deep as time constraints prevent those bands from recording and touring due to his Def Leppard commitments.

phil collen / releases featured on