Def Leppard

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Phil Collen on Jeff Beck: “Jeff’s amp blew up and his pedalboard didn’t work, so they just brought in another Marshall – he sounded exactly the same. He didn’t even flinch”

By Jenna Scaramanga published 18 April 23

The Def Leppard guitarist reflects on the life and legacy of Jeff Beck, and explains how Beck's trailblazing style is all over the the Leppard catalog

Vivian Campbell on Jeff Beck: “It was equally inspiring and depressing to witness him live. You go there thinking you’re a guitar player and leave realizing you’re a guitar owner!”

By Jenna Scaramanga published 11 April 23

The Def Leppard guitarist pays tribute to a singular guitar talent, and explains why it wasn't just what Beck played but how he played and the idea behind it that made him great

Def Leppard’s Rick Savage: “The bass player is the bridge between the rhythm and the melody... without you the whole thing will fall apart”

By Amit Sharma published 29 August 22

Masters of the stadium-conquering anthem, Def Leppard return with Diamond Star Halos, and bassist Rick Savage stops by to talk Sting, technique, and making their finest record since Hysteria

Phil Collen used stock Squier guitars to record Def Leppard’s new album

By Matt Parker published 8 August 22

Collen's Diamond Star Halos rig included a pair of Squier electrics, but he also got himself a P-Bass and an Epiphone EB-3 bass for demos and “they were great straight out of the box”

Def Leppard’s Vivian Campbell and Phil Collen on writing rock for a stadium audience and learning from ‘80s spandex cringe

By Joe Bosso published 8 August 22

Collen and Campbell take you behind the scenes of their first album in seven long years, Diamond Star Halos, and talk Marc Bolan, David Bowie, Mick Ronson and Lou Reed

Phil Collen says today’s bands lack “star power” and argues that “the TikTok and YouTube crowd” are part of the problem

By Matt Owen published 5 August 22

Collen is yet to hear an artist Def Leppard can “pass the baton” to, and is waiting to hear bands of a similar caliber to Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, Nirvana and The Sex Pistols

Def Leppard share 8 tips on how to create a killer rock anthem

By Jenna Scaramanga published 9 June 22

Leppard guitarists Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell on the art of the stadium rock banger. Rule number one: “Respect the melody...”

Vivian Campbell admits he developed his signature vibrato style by accident

By Jenna Scaramanga published 25 May 22

The guitarist didn’t even realize what he was doing until Ronnie James Dio pointed it out

From two-hand-tapped math-pop to arena-primed blues-rock: here are this week's essential guitar tracks

By Michael Astley-Brown published 20 May 22

On tap this week are exciting and vital new tunes from Standards, Larkin Poe, Thrice, Malevolence, Foals, Horsegirl, Coheed and Cambria, Everything Everything and more

Guitarists Phil Collen (L) and John Petrucci perform as part of the G3 concert tour at Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas at The Linq Promenade on January 17, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

How John Petrucci revolutionized Phil Collen's guitar rig

By Jenna Scaramanga published 12 May 22

The Dream Theater shredder persuaded Def Leppard to go all digital following 2018's G3 tour

Ronnie James Dio with his guitarist, Vivian Campbell

Vivian Campbell used the Holy Diver Les Paul to record the new Def Leppard album

By Jenna Scaramanga published 27 April 22

The ex-Dio guitarist found inspiration in his oldest gear when making Diamond Star Halos, but admits he had no idea how to get it into a computer

Def Leppard harness infectious riffs and leads aplenty in punchy new single, Take What You Want

By Matt Owen published 20 April 22

It's the second track to be lifted from the rock icons' upcoming album, Diamond Star Halos, which arrives May 27 via UMe

From funk-leaning shred to blackgaze catharsis: here are this week's essential guitar tracks

By Michael Astley-Brown, Sam Roche, Matt Owen published 18 March 22

Kickstart the weekend with new music from Joe Satriani, Def Leppard, Machine Gun Kelly, James LaBrie, Royal Blood, Arcade Fire and more

Vivian Campbell (left) and Phil Collen of Def Leppard perform onstage at the 2019 iHeartRadio Music Festival at the T-Mobile Arena on September 21, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada

Def Leppard announce first new studio album in seven years, Diamond Star Halos, premiere catchy lead single, Kick

By Jackson Maxwell published 17 March 22

Set for release in May, the 15-track effort features a pair of guest appearances from bluegrass/country legend Alison Krauss

(from left) Mick Mars, Nikki Sixx and Vince Neil of Mötley Crüe perform at at Madison Square Garden on October 28, 2014 in New York City

Mötley Crüe, Def Leppard announce rescheduled 2022 North American stadium tour with Poison, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

By Jackson Maxwell published 17 February 22

The long-delayed trek will take the four hard rock giants across North America from mid-June through early September

Iron Maiden's Adrian Smith was in the running to join Def Leppard in 1991, says drummer Rick Allen

By Sam Roche published 6 July 21

The role was ultimately filled by Vivian Campbell, who replaced guitarist Steve Clark after his passing

Phil Collen: “I put a DiMarzio Super Distortion T in my Teles and got the sound we’d been trying to get for years“

By Jonny Scaramanga published 7 June 21

The Def Leppard guitarist reveals the role of the Fender Telecaster on the band’s multi-million selling albums Pyromania and Hysteria

Watch Def Leppard’s Phil Collen unleash fusion fury in a shred-heavy rendition of Quadrant 4

By Matt Owen published 27 May 21

The Leppard legend reels off lightning-fast lead licks and blistering scale runs during a high-octane cover of Tommy Bolin and Billy Cobham's 1973 jazz-rock classic

Steve Brown: “The sound is a combination of all the bands we’ve ever been in, and all bands we grew up loving“

By Tom Beaujour published 30 November 20

The venerable Trixter and (occasional) Def Leppard guitarist is hard at work with Tokyo Motor Fist

Musician Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue performs onstage during the 2014 iHeartRadio Music Festival at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on September 19, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Nikki Sixx drafts Slash, Corey Taylor, Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott and more for new SIXX:A.M. track, Maybe It’s Time

By Richard Bienstock published 21 August 20

The song is part of an industry-wide effort to raise funds to battle the opioid crisis