Phil Collen (DEF LEPPARD )

DEF LEPPARD Guitarist Phil Collen On JIMI HENDRIX - "He Was The Perfect Musician"

Classicrockmagazine.com has posted the following JIMI HENDRIX tribute by DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen:

"I was obviously very aware of Jimi Hendrix in the early 1970s. My cousin had got me into rock music, and he was like: 'Hendrix is fucking great!' And I did like him, but it wasn’t until much later – until way after I’d started playing the guitar – that I really started to appreciate him. It wasn’t just because of the guitar thing. Everything about Hendrix went against the grain. Everything about him was a contradiction to your standard rock stereotype. Even from a fashion point of view, Hendrix was different. And his stagecraft – that’s the kind of shit that makes you want to become a musician, especially when you’re a kid. Plus, the fact that he was a black man playing what was basically white music was, again, very different. You don’t get anything like that now. Maybe Prince has crossed over here and there, but not like Hendrix. That was much more pure. The thing is that I didn’t actually realise all this until years later, when I was suddenly like: 'Fucking hell – the penny’s dropped!' Then I started to appreciate him properly. So I went back and listened to him playing live and listened to what he was actually doing. And it wasn’t just the standard bollocks that everyone else was doing. It was completely different, and far deeper. As a musician, I found it amazing what he did; the way he left gaps in his playing; the way it was rhythmic and melodic; based around the vocal and the song. To me, he was the perfect musician."

DEF LEPPARD Guitarist Phil Collen To Appear On Bob & Tom Radio Show Tomorrow

DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen will make an appearance on the nationally syndicated Bob & Tom Radio Show on Monday, June 25th, according to the show's website. The show is broadcast from 5AM to 10AM ET. Check local listings and times for an affiliate in your area.

As previously reported, Def Leppard will reunite with producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange after their current tour is over to write a few songs for the new album, Songs From The Sparkle Lounge, it was revealed on the June 20th edition of Rockline.

"He's very enthusiastic actually." bassist Rick Savage told listeners on Rockline. "He's just heard a few ideas that we had knocking around and he really wants to do a couple things with us, which is great after all this time that we've known him for him to still dig what we're doing and there still that chemistry there for future songs."

The collaboration would be the first between the band and Mutt Lange since 1999's Euphoria album.

(Thanks Defleppardsol.com)

DEF LEPPARD Guitarist Phil Colleen - "Fans Want To Hear Songs From Pyromania And Hysteria And That's Fine With Us"

DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen spoke to Phillyburbs.com recently about a number of topics including their current tour. Here are a few excerpts from the chat:

Q: Why should anyone bother to catch Def Leppard this time around?
A: "We changed the set around. We're playing songs we haven't played in years. We're playing some acoustic songs. We don't want to repeat ourselves. We owe it to our fans to present something different since they're so good to us."

Q: Does it bother you that fans just want to hear the old hits?
A: "No, since that's the way it is for everybody, not just us. That's the way it is for the ROLLING STONES and the ARCTIC MONKEYS. When people go out to see the Arctic Monkeys, they want to hear the songs from their first album, not the new one. Fans want to hear songs from Pyromania and Hysteria and that's fine with us. It's great when fans want to hear particular songs."

Q: What's the toughest thing you've been through in Def Leppard?
A: "Losing (Def Leppard guitarist) Steve (Clark in 1991). That was horrible when he died but we're still here. We're committed."

Read more here.

DEF LEPPARD Guitarist Phil Collen On New Album - "It Sounds Like Hysteria Songs Done In The Style Of High N' Dry"

DEF LEPPARD swung by Montreal, QC on July 17th as part of their current tour with STYX. Before the show, BW&BK had a chance to get a quick update from guitarist, Phil Collen.

Mitch Lafon: How's the current tour with Styx going?
Phil Collen: "Fantastic. They're the nicest guys in the world. I met Tommy Shaw about a million years ago once before, but I never really hung out with him. They're lovely guys and really experienced. They're great musicians and a great band. I hadn't really heard much Styx before that. I mean I know the songs because you just hear them over time, so we were pleasantly surprised and the tour is going amazing."

ML: How does it compare to the JOURNEY tour?
PC: "It's on par. Tickets sales wise (because everybody uses that as a reference) - the first week was as good as any of the Journey/Def Leppard tickets. In Indianapolis, we had 24,000, so it's been phenomenal. In the States, we also had REO SPEEDWAGON on for a couple of dates and again I was amazed at how hard working they were. They have the enthusiasm of kids that were nineteen. I've actually been inspired by both REO and Styx and I never thought I'd say that because I've never been a big fan, but both bands have blown me away."

ML: Has it inspired any of the new music you're working on?
PC: "No, 'cause that's all done actually. Having said that - the music on the new album was inspired by us touring last summer with Journey. We actually wrote and recorded the songs in what we called 'the sparkle lounge' (which was any room backstage and they'd put sparkly Christmas lights). We'd record demos, but still be in tour mode. Normally, what happens with us and most bands is that you get off tour and wait six months you go 'OK, what were we doing?' and you try to find your direction, but with this it went straight in. The album, in a nutshell, sounds like Hysteria songs done in the style of High 'N Dry."

ML: Will it be called 'Sparkle Lounge' or is that just a working title?
PC: "Well, it's a working title, but it's looking firmer because we're getting the sleeve designed based on that."

ML: Will it be out in time for the touring cycle next summer?
PC: "Yes! Absolutely! Should be March/April(ish)"

ML: It's nice seeing Def Leppard making an album in a year or so and not five years.
PC: "Yeah, we're moving in that direction since we tour every year. It's just made everything more up and at it. You get inspired. We got inspired by the last album we made which was the covers album (Yeah!) - we'd done that pretty quick. So, it's all good."

For more visit www.defleppard.com.

DEF LEPPARD - Win A Guitar Lesson From Phil Collen From Target



DEF LEPPARD's website reports:

"Holders of the Target REDcard can now win a trip to London when they use their card to buy a Def Leppard-styled Lyon by Washburn guitar at Target stores for $199!

The guitar, which would make a great Christmas gift for future rock stars, comes with a certificate of authenticity (with all band members's signatures).

Buying the guitar enters you for a chance to win 2 premium-class flight tickets to London, limo service and 2 nights at a luxury hotel - but the greatest part of the prize is that it includes a private guitar lesson by Phil Collen!

For more information about the contest and 19 other exclusives in Target's "Wow Or Never" special, check your Target circular or go to http://wow.target.com/ ."