Def Leppard arrive in Auckland

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Tue, 11 Oct 2011 10:50p.m.

Def Leppard bass player Rick Savage and guitarist Phil Collen

Def Leppard bass player Rick Savage and guitarist Phil Collen

By Ali Ikram

Def Leppard is back and while fans might be waiting for the hits, the new single is ‘Undefeated’.

It’s how the band feels right now, after a list of tragedies including the death of guitarist Steve Clark and their drummer losing an arm – the group was once dubbed “the unluckiest band in the world”.

“It was a headline in a newspaper. People often put that image across – that we’ve been so unlucky – which was pretty ridiculous when you’ve been together 35 years,” says bass player Rick Savage.

Def Leppard started out as five boys from Sheffield England, who played hard rock and, along with producer Mutt Lange, sweetened it up.

“We were a cross between Queen and AC/DC that appealed to a lot of especially female fans,” says Savage.

“Hard rock fans didn’t like it because they thought it was too soft, too commercial. We thought it was fantastic.”

If it bothered them, Def Leppard were able to use dollar bills to wipe away their tears – going on to become one of the highest selling acts of all time, with 65 million albums to date.

While musical styles have come and gone, Def Leppard kept going and tomorrow they’ll play Auckland’s Vector Arena.

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Comments

13 Oct 2011 09:56a.m.

Tracey wrote:

Simply the BEST "Lets get Rocked" I'll be there at the Vector Arena. Keep on Rocking guys.

12 Oct 2011 07:16p.m.

Brittany Butts wrote:

Def Leppard is the BEST!!! I love them all. Especially Phil. I love you guys. Thank you 3 News New Zealand for posting this!