DEF LEPPARD frontman Joe Elliott has opened up about why the band continues to love touring nearly 50 years after its formation, and why creating new music still excites them.
In a new interview with Ben Jones of Virgin Radio UK, Elliott was asked if it’s fair to say that he and his bandmates still enjoy life on the road after so many decades.
“Yeah, and it’s something that, fingers crossed, has never gone away. In 48 years since we formed, and this lineup’s been together for 33 years, which is a ridiculous achievement, when you think about it,” Elliott said (as transcribed by Blabbermouth). “Through all the hardships that we’ve had — I mean, we lost Pete [Willis, former DEF LEPPARD guitarist] along the way, we lost Steve [Clark, late DEF LEPPARD guitarist], and Rick [Allen, DEF LEPPARD drummer] had a really terrible accident but stayed in the band. So there’s been a lot of odd times, but there’s been so much more good times.”
Elliott credited the band’s chemistry and shared background for keeping them grounded and motivated after all these years.
“We are just all on the same page, and I think that’s why we like it so much. And I think that just comes from the working-class background that we came from,” he explained. “Our parents were the children of World War II, and when you’ve had those Monty Python-esque stories about having to choose between a cardboard box and a pair of wellies for a Christmas present, you never lose those. They become more comical the older you get. But that upbringing made us appreciate the opportunities we have now.”
Touring Over Albums
Elliott also spoke about how DEF LEPPARD views their legacy today, admitting that the band is more associated with their massive tours than with record sales.
“Let’s be honest: DEF LEPPARD now is more known for selling tickets than albums. Albums, it’s Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift, et cetera. Us, yeah, we sell records. I think we just went into some — not Guinness book, but whatever — we’ve Top 10ed an album in five different decades, which is pretty cool. It’s a great story for the aunties and uncles and stuff like that. But we still wanna make records. That’s the great thing.”
Despite the reality that album sales don’t define the band in the modern era, Elliott emphasized that writing new music remains essential to their identity.
How the Pandemic Sparked Creativity
The singer recalled how DEF LEPPARD began creating their most recent album during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Just as the band was preparing to gather in Elliott’s Irish studio, flights were canceled worldwide.
“Literally the day that everybody was supposed to fly into my studio, into Ireland, they shut down all flights. So I got on the phone with Phil [Collen, DEF LEPPARD guitarist] and I said, ‘What are we gonna do now?’” Elliott explained.
Collen quickly suggested working remotely, sparking a productive brainstorming session.
“In a 40-minute conversation, he said, ‘Well, I’ve got three [songs].’ I then explained to him he actually had four because we had this song called ‘This Guitar’ that we’d been sitting on for years. I had three. And then we brought Sav [bassist Rick Savage] into the conversation. He had two. So in 40 minutes we had nine songs.”
The band decided to adopt a philosophy inspired by QUEEN, choosing to trust one another’s songwriting without over-editing.
“If we wrote a song and you had a start, middle and an end, that was it. No argument — we’re doing it. No ‘oh, can we take that bit out and put my bit in?’ We just trusted each other. And that’s how we did the last album. It was the most freeing thing we’ve ever done.”
Elliott described the process as surprisingly seamless. Despite being 3,000 miles apart, the band members were able to record their parts separately and have the final product assembled by their engineer.
“It sounds like we did it in Abbey Road. And we’re doing it again.”
A Legacy Still in Motion
After nearly half a century together, DEF LEPPARD remains one of rock’s most enduring acts. With Elliott confirming that both touring and recording continue to bring joy to the band, fans can expect much more from the legendary rockers in the years to come.
“What’s not to like?” Elliott said with a smile. “We just jump on the opportunity to keep this thing going because it’s so much fun.”
