Def Leppard to enter studio in February

That 70s Guy

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blabbermouth.net

DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen tells Artisan News that the band will enter the studio on February 1 to begin work on the follow-up to 2008's "Songs From The Sparkle Lounge".

"I saw Joe [Elliott, vocals], Vivian [Campbell, guitar] and Rick [Allen, drums] on Rick's birthday out here on November 1," he said (see video below). "And we were discussing and we were all excited and buzzing about new material. I can't even remember the last time we were like that about that stuff. 'Cause it's been a long time since we've had new recordings out, so it's like a brand new band; you have all these ideas and we're just gonna get together and bash it out."

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Collen revealed that the band has plans to record both an EP and full-length album. He explained: "An album would obviously take too long, so we're gonna do about four or five songs, get those out and then [later in the] year have an album come out, so it'll be an EP and an album."

Campbell explained to Billboard that DEF LEPPARD's next release will likely see them delivering elements of their classic tunes while also delving into new territory.

"The band is successful for a certain sound," said Campbell. "It's a brand like Coca-Cola and you've got to give the people what they expect. At the same time, you have to move on."

After completing the successful "Viva! Hysteria" residency in Las Vegas last spring that resulted in the recently released concert video and album packages, DEF LEPPARD is planning to return to Sin City later this year with a "Viva! Pyromania" residency, which will see the group perform the entire classic 1983 album "Pyromania" at each show. The move comes in time for the album's 31st anniversary rather than its 30th, but Elliott told journalist Gary Graff that commemorating that mark wasn't on DEF LEPPARD's agenda last year.

"We ignored the anniversary because I think a lot of these anniversaries are just invented by the record companies to rehash for some bullshit reason, to re-release an album that doesn't need re-releasing because it's never been deleted," he said.

"We agreed to doing the 25th anniversary of 'Pyromania' five years ago, where we put out the second disc which was... basically an extra live album with the Steve Clark lineup, if you like, the way that we were in 1983," he continued.

"The cupboard's bare. There's nothing left.

"They wanted to do a re-release of a 30th anniversary of 'Pyromania', and we just said, 'Absolutely no! The only thing that anybody is going to get out of this is some different liner notes.' I think it's just ripping off the kids, so we said no.

"If somebody wants 'Pyromania Deluxe', it's already out.

"We celebrated after 25 years; we don't need to do it again after 30."

Read more at Def Leppard To Enter Studio In February - Blabbermouth.net
 

LG

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Refreshing to see a band thinking of their fans and not just the money and I agree with Collen about labels endlessly re-releasing classic albums same as 'new and improved Tide' which comes out every year since I was born.

Pyromania is the band's high water mark, and I managed to get a mint condition vinyl copy not too long ago so I don't need a DVD or new CD. I would consider going to see them perform the album in it's entirety if I was in Sin City.

I don't have any expectations of the new album they're talking about recording, I'll wait till the DL fans sound off before giving it a listen.
 

coltrane2

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Refreshing to see a band thinking of their fans and not just the money and I agree with Collen about labels endlessly re-releasing classic albums same as 'new and improved Tide' which comes out every year since I was born.

Pyromania is the band's high water mark, and I managed to get a mint condition vinyl copy not too long ago so I don't need a DVD or new CD. I would consider going to see them perform the album in it's entirety if I was in Sin City.

I don't have any expectations of the new album they're talking about recording, I'll wait till the DL fans sound off before giving it a listen.

Leppard are often labelled as a narrow and commercial outfit, but they're grounded working class lads who "made it" on the back of a deep passion for Bowie, Lizzy and Mott The Hopple. They're way, way past their best in terms on new material (Songs From The Sparkle Lounge was a patchy affair), but they have a fantastic legacy and still cook live. The Viva Hysteria DVD is one of the best live DVDs I've ever seen. Long live Leppard.
 

LG

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^^I'll keep that in mind Coltrane2, but I'm not big on collecting music DVD's, the last couple years I've been buying vinyl again.

Also......I was never a huge fan of Hysteria. I know it's their biggest selling album but Pyromania for me blows it away.
 

TheSound

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Band I respect, not normally my kind of thing but I love some of their great anthemic tracks for the same reasons I get still a buzz out of the likes of Bon Jovi and Styx and Whitesnake. Not the most productive of bands, this will be only their 10th album in almost 35 years, but quality wins over quantity.
 

Musikwala

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Wow, Def Leppard is still making music?? Who knew! :D

"We ignored the anniversary because I think a lot of these anniversaries are just invented by the record companies to rehash for some bullshit reason, to re-release an album that doesn't need re-releasing because it's never been deleted," he said.

"We agreed to doing the 25th anniversary of 'Pyromania' five years ago, where we put out the second disc which was... basically an extra live album with the Steve Clark lineup, if you like, the way that we were in 1983," he continued.

"The cupboard's bare. There's nothing left.

"They wanted to do a re-release of a 30th anniversary of 'Pyromania', and we just said, 'Absolutely no! The only thing that anybody is going to get out of this is some different liner notes.' I think it's just ripping off the kids, so we said no.

"If somebody wants 'Pyromania Deluxe', it's already out.

"We celebrated after 25 years; we don't need to do it again after 30."

Really respect that! :grinthumb There's too many bands out there simply re-releasing their classic albums and some don't even remaster them!
 

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