Kim’s Interview
RC: Hi Kim, welcome to the Rock Chronicles. I will be asking you a series of questions about Def Leppard but first tell me a bit about yourself. What do you do, what are your interests and where do you come from?
Kim: Well I was born and raised in
RC: Okay Kim, I want to ask you about Def Leppard. They are by far my favorite band in the world and I’m looking forward to seeing them on the tour and hopefully talking to them.
My first question for you is, is Def Leppard your favorite band in the world and who is your favorite member and why or why not?
Kim: Yep I'm forever a die hard Def girl! Feel head over heels for Phil the second I first saw the video to Photograph. Why is Phil my fav lepp you ask? I love the guitar think I was one in a past life LOL...well he's gorgeous, the biggest flirt and show off with the best ass in rock and roll! I admire his life style which is similar to mine in fact. His unbelievable talent!
RC: The Leps are having a runway this tour, kind of like what Aerosmith has; do you think that is a good idea? The reason I ask is fan club members are afraid of it affecting the seating, meaning they might not get as good of seats if its interrupted by the runway. Do you think this will make the show better or worse?
Kim: Hey every Def gig I've seen Rocks but the thrust stage probably will take away from good seating. I personally would love them to bring In The Round back been so long seeing that.
RC: Since the new tour is underway, do you think this tour will be as exciting as the last one or more so?
Kim: Def's always exciting!
RC: Let’s talk for a minute about Phil Collen. He was in Girl before and did a side project with Joe in the Cybernauts and has even sung lead on a Leppard song before, if he were to want to do a solo album, do you think he’d make a good lead singer for his own band? If not why?
Kim: YES he is a great front man for his band Man Raze!
RC: Have you ever heard or seen Girl live or on CD? If you have, what did you think of Phil in the band?
Kim: Have all the Girl cd's great band Phil's guitar work was brilliant.
RC: If Phil were to ever leave the band, would you stop liking Def Leppard as a whole? Or would you like them but not as much as you did with Phil in it?
Kim: Good Question...First He'd never leave DL but no I'll die a DL girl!
RC: Phil has over 50 guitars I think he says and he has a name for each one of them. Do you think it’s silly for him to name them or do you think it’s cute?
Kim: its 150 guitars btw LOL naw he has a silly sense of humor it shows he's human ya know.
RC: In all seriousness, let’s now talk about the new album they are coming out with, Sparkle Lounge. Joe is being very cautious about it, considering what happened with Yeah and of course people downloading the new stuff before it can come out. They aren’t revealing anything which maybe tells me that this is going to be an awesome album and I am looking forward to it. What are your predictions for this album? Do you think it will be a success or a flop?
Kim: I hope as always it'll blow everyone away ie..Hysteria/Pyro but the guys say it is influenced a lot by Yeah so that says to me it'll be Rock and ballad free...I hope it does well hey I love Slang and look what happened I think to us REAL fans we'll adore it!!!
RC: When you hear the name of the new album, what comes to mind? Do you think it sounds like a Def Leppard album?
Kim: Why not people tend to expect an 'ia' after every DL alum title...I love the title.
RC: Def Leppard has never been about a look when it came to their music. The only thing that really stood out with them when it comes to performing on stage or even playing their favorite sport soccer is their Union Jack Flag. If Def Leppard came out as a glamour band like Poison and wore the make up and the clothes, do you think that would have made them a bigger success because they are conforming to the role of the bands that were popular like Poison and Kiss? Or would it have put a quick end to a short career?
Kim: nope I think the fact they DON'T conform makes them successful. Staying true to who they are.
RC: Phil wore make up in his Girl days, do you think he decided to leave the band because he didn’t want to be in a glamour band or do you think he left because of creative differences or they didn’t get along anymore?
Kim: Creative and the fact Girl was going knowhere and falling apart.
RC: What do you think of Mutt Lange’s involvement in the new album? Why after all these years, do you think the boys are involving him in the new album?
Do you think it’s because they think the album will be more successful with him. Think it would be without him even not knowing what’s on it?
Kim: I think it's timing They haven't worked together in a lot of years the time is right.
RC: When Steve was alive and Phil and him were known as the terror twins, do you think perhaps because they were so close, that Steve often confided in Phil, thing’s he’d never tell Joe or any of the other guys? I just mean that they were really close, like brothers and Phil took his death pretty hard. Do you think Phil was the brother Steve never had?
Kim: Yes I'm sure Steve confided trusted Phil with things no one else will ever know.
RC: Steve had a pretty hard life growing up with parents that never really supported him and I’ve heard Steve endured many years of physical abuse and of course verbal abuse. Do you think that contributed to his death? I mean, do you think that if he’d had a family that loved and supported him, he’d be alive today?
Kim: Who knows? We all have our pasts. I believe Steve was mentally ill Schizophrenia he heard voices had radical mood swings the sighs were there. God Bless him.
RC: I think Steve thought of Def Leppard as his family and he was very distraught over the band wanting him to get some help for his alcoholism and drugs, do you think perhaps Steve was afraid of facing his demons?
Perhaps afraid if he did, he’d have to remember what it was like growing up in his house with his parents?
Kim: Again who can speculate? Most gifted artists like Steve burn out I like to think their talent is just too much for them.
RC: Let’s change gears and talk about my favorite guy Joe Elliott. Do you think he was the perfect choice for lead singer of Def Leppard? Do you think that anyone else could ever be front man for them? If so why do you think that?
Kim: Joe is Joe got to love him! Destiny played a part in Joe becoming Lead singer. Missing his bus running into Pete Willis the rest is history.
RC: Joe seemed to take control of the band, once he stepped in as lead singer. I mean, they share the credit when it comes to writing and stuff but do you think Joe is responsible for keeping the band on its toes and keeping it together as far as chemistry goes?
Kim: Another good question hmm don't know Joe but he does seem to be a driving force but I think the entire band gets credit for keeping the band on track their friends they like each other.
RC: Do you like the fact that Def Leppard now shares the bill with big acts like
Kim: Of Course seeing them with Journey, Bryan Adams was great I would like to see Tesla hit the road with them again too.
RC: What’s the longest distance you’ve ever traveled to see them and how far would you be willing to go to see them live as in distance?
Kim: I'm lucky with that I live in
RC: Now, switching gears again, what do you think of Viv Campbell? He’s always labeled the new guy. Do you think he’s earned his place in Def Leppard? Do you think he should be no longer considered the new guy? If not, why?
Kim: I love Viv I hate when he's compared to Steve or called the 'New Guy' he's an amazing player.
RC: Viv seems to think that being in a lot of bands doesn’t speak well of a musician as if moving around a lot is saying he can’t make up his mind or doesn’t know what he wants to do. To me, an experienced musician is a better musician because if you have experience in other bands, you’re more likely to be able to conform to the band you decide you want to be inn and can pick up on their style and their type of music, what do you think?
Kim: Yes true I think he was looking for a home and he found it in Def
RC: When Rick entered the band, he was very young and very gifted and even though he wasn’t experienced it didn’t take long for him to become a great drummer for Def Leppard. Do you think if they’d turned him down and told him to come back when he was older because right now he was just a kid, it would have made a difference in how he would have performed, had they given him a chance then if they hadn’t?
Kim: It would have hindered Def Leppard and who they've become for sure Talent has no age limit.
RC: The one person I have not covered really in any of my interviews and is certainly not last is Rick Savage. He co founded Atomic Mass with Pete Willis and Tony Kenning. I don’t think Def Leppard would have been born, had it not been for that band.
I don’t know if they made any albums but when Joe stepped in and they became Def Leppard, do you think that Sav gets enough credit for co founding Atomic Mass and if they’d stayed Atomic Mass with Joe as lead singer, would the band be Sav’s or Joe’s? For that matter, is Def Leppard Joe’s or Sav’s band?
Kim: the band belongs to the band. A co-operative as Joe says.
RC: Sav almost made a career of soccer but decided he wanted to be a musician more. Had he chosen soccer, still having the passion to play music, do you think he would have been happy with that?
Kim: only Sav can answer that.
RC: Just a couple of more questions and then we’ll be done Kim. What will you remember most about Def Leppard years from now that was a very special moment in your life?
Kim: first gig I saw them play!
RC: Along those same lines, how has Def Leppard been an influence in your life and would you want that influence passed onto your kids?
Kim: Oh geez so much. The music speaks, touches, helps get me through stuff.
RC: Thank you Kim for participating in this interview and I hope to hear from you again when the tour is done to tell me your experiences.
Kim: Thanks Sugar! Kim
RC: This has been a Rock Chronicles interview part 5, stay tuned for more.
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