Def Leppard

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DEF LEPPARD

Formed: 1977, Sheffield, England

Members: Rick Allen, drums (born Derbyshire, England, 1 November 1963); Vivian Campbell, guitar (born Belfast, Northern Ireland, 25 August 1962); Phil Collen, guitar (born London, England, 8 December 1957); Joe Elliott, lead vocals (born Sheffield, England, 1 August 1959); Rick Savage, bass (born Sheffield, England, 2 December 1960). Former members: Steve Clark, guitar (born Sheffield, England, 23 April 1960; d. London, England, 8 January 1991); Pete Willis, guitar (born Sheffield, England, 16 February 1960).

Genre: Rock

Best-selling album since 1990: Adrenalize (1992)

Hit songs since 1990: "Let's Get Rocked," "Two Steps Behind"

Def Leppard enjoyed tremendous popularity in the 1980s with their approachable brand of hard rock. Initially inspired by such bands as Judas Priest and AC/DC, Def Leppard soon developed their signature sound of electric guitar riffs and straightforward rock beats augmented with synthesizers and lush vocal backups. Although their lyrics are simplistic and at times banal, Joe Elliot propels each song with his earnest and emotive delivery. The band has weathered hardships during its career, most notably the injury incurred by Rick Allen and the death of Steve Clark. While largely ignored during the 1990s, Def Leppard has continued to produce albums, staunchly retaining their style of arena rock.

Getting Started

Guitarist Pete Willis and bassist Rick "Sav" Savage formed the band Atomic Mass in their hometown of Sheffield, England, in 1977. Singer Joe Eliott soon joined and suggested the name Deaf Leopard, which was reformulated into Def Leppard. With the addition of guitarist Steve Clark and drummer Rick Allen, the group began to perform in various venues and was eventually signed to Phonogram/Mercury in 1978.

Def Leppard toured with Sammy Hagar and AC/DC and garnered some modest radio airplay with their debut album, On Through the Night (1980). Working with producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange, the band released their second album, High 'n' Dry (1981), which included the hit song "Bringin' on the Heartbreak." Although the song sounded empty at times, with the guitar doubling the bass rather than producing chords and the obvious lack of synthesizer textures, it heralded several key elements of their style, including their reliance on guitar riffs and lithe vocal harmonies. While recording material for their next album, Pete Willis left the group and was replaced by Phil Collen.

With the release of Pyromania (1983), Def Leppard gained widespread attention and headlined their own tour. The album rose to Billboard 's number two slot and included the power ballad "Foolin'" and the rock anthems "Photograph" and "Rock of Ages." During this time Def Leppard faced their first serious setback. Rick Allen was thrown from his car during an accident on December 31, 1984, and his left arm was completely severed. The band took a hiatus, and Allen slowly taught himself to drum one-armed on a Simmons electronic set. Cautious at first, the band began to perform and record, releasing their hugely successful album Hysteria in 1987.

Hysteria includes some of Def Leppard's biggest hits: "Love Bites," "Pour Some Sugar on Me," "Armageddon It," "Hysteria," and "Rocket." The ballad "Love Bites" begins slowly with two full verses and a long transition before presenting the chorus with its soaring melodic line and vocal backups, accompanied by an equally poignant solo guitar riff. "Pour Some Sugar on Me" features a swerving guitar riff and straightforward power chords in the chorus. Although their lyrical style is powerful in its simplicity, at times it veers into banality: "Step inside, walk this way. You and me, babe. Hey hey."

After another round of touring, Def Leppard began working on their next album. On January 8, 1991, Steve Clark died from respiratory failure induced by alcohol and pain killers. Vivian Campbell, previously of Dio and Whitesnake, joined the group, and Def Leppard soon released Adrenalize (1992). Although this album rose to Billboard 's number one slot, the songs were largely formulaic and uninspired.

The following year, Def Leppard contributed the song "Two Steps Behind" to the film Last Action Hero. Surprisingly enough, this B-side became a hit and prompted them to release a full album of unreleased material and alternate versions. Retro Active (1993) included the ballad "Miss You in a Heartbeat" and the raucous "She's Too Tough," with Eliott replicating the vocal delivery of AC/DC's Brian Johnson.

In 1995 Def Leppard released the compilation album Vault, which included the previously unreleased ballad "When Love and Hate Collide." Showcasing a different approach, Def Leppard introduced piano and strings to the texture, with the electric guitars providing unobtrusive accompaniment. Aside from the ubiquitous guitar solo, the song reveals a pop sensibility far removed from their earlier material.

For their next album, Def Leppard decided to work with the producer Pete Woodroffe rather than their long-time collaborator "Mutt" Lange. Unfortunately Slang (1996) was unconvincing and inconsistent. With their next release, however, Def Leppard achieved a balance of new musical styles and signature approaches. Euphoria (1999) included the funk-inspired "All Night," the pop song "21st Century Sha La La La Girl," and the straightforward rock songs "Demolition Man" and "Promises."

"Promises" begins with a striking guitar riff that is quickly augmented with a second guitar line. During the chorus, the backup vocals proclaim, "I won't make promises," to which Eliott finishes the thought: "that I can't keep." This technique of sharing the chorus reflects the method in such songs as "Photograph" and "Pour Some Sugar on Me." The funk approach in "All Night," while obviously a stylistic aberration, is surprisingly successful. Def Leppard alters the vocal backups from tight harmonic passages into delineated bass and tenor doublings of the melodic line. While using funk guitar voicings in the verse, they still manage to insert a heavily distorted guitar line in the chorus. With their next release, X (2002), the group experimented further with different producers. Although songs such as "You're So Beautiful" and "Now" are promising, the album as a whole is undeveloped and one-dimensional.

Def Leppard developed a popular approach to heavy metal and hard rock in the early 1980s. Along with Van Halen and Mötley Crüe, Def Leppard ushered in the pop-metal movement, which spawned such bands as Bon Jovi, Whitesnake, Poison, and Cinderella. The craftsmanship of their guitar riffs, melodic lines, and vocal harmonies set them above many of their peers, and their rock anthems and earnest power ballads became emblematic of the 1980s. Def Leppard's subsequent albums, particularly those of the late 1990s and early 2000s, seemed like relics of an earlier era and attracted little notice.

SELECTIVE DISCOGRAPHY:

On Through the Night (Mercury, 1980); High 'n' Dry (Mercury, 1981); Pyromania (Mercury, 1983); Hysteria (Mercury, 1987); Adrenalize (Mercury, 1992); Retro Active (Mercury, 1993); Vault: Def Leppard's Greatest Hits (Mercury, 1995); Slang (Mercury, 1996); Euphoria (Mercury, 1999); X (Mercury, 2002).