30 Years ago, Def Leppard was born

Thirty years ago, a little known band from the UK was born, five boys from the UK with one thought in mind, destination for stardom. We all know the story, Joe had a dream to be in an imaginary band called Deaf Leopard and met Pete Willis one day after missing his bus and they told Joe they were looking for a singer and he auditioned and that's where he met Sav and Tony and Pete of course and at the time, the band called Atomic Mass, co founded by Rick Savage and Tony Kenning and Pete Willis which shortly after, Joe changed to Def Leppard.

Steve Clark joined in January and the band rehearsed non stop between February and July until Steve threatened to leave if they didn't play a gig and they played their first gig at school dance at Westfield school in Sheffield and a teacher paid them out of his own pocket 5 pounds and this was to be only the beginning of their careers to fame and fortune. In 1982, Pete was let go due to his out of control drinking and was replaced by Phil Collen shortly after.

Steve Clark and Phil Collen quickly became close and not long after, became known as the terror twins. They were terror twins both on stage and off stage, both of them heavily into drinking and of course so was the rest of the band but Steve and Phil shared a bond that no other band members had ever seen, they were inseparable and were very much like brothers.

When they became Def Leppard, in January of 79, two years after their formation, they released their First album, the Def Leppard EP with only 3 tracks. Ride into the Sun, Getcha Rocks off and The Overture. This EP cost 600 pounds Sterling approximately $900 in US dollars.


One Year later, their first full album with 11 tracks was released and at first, it didn't take off and Def Leppard began to wonder what would happen but they kept their determination and stamina and went on their first tour. Even though the album wasn't taking off, they were taking the world by storm and in 1981 they released their second full album High and Dry. This album did a little better and by the second tour, people in the US and the UK were well aware of the boys from Sheffield and it wasn't until Pyromania their third album took off like a rocket and suddenly they found themselves in the midst of popularity.

Millions flocked to see Def Leppard from all over the US. The Don Valley Stadium in Sheffield was often a monument for their hometown to play and a sea of fans as far as the eye could see were there to rock with the boys from Sheffield who had become superstars.

Fame was their Mistress and the world their lover. They were Kings and their Reign knew no bounds as they shook the music world to its VERY CORE. By the fourth album Hysteria, their careers exploded and they just sealed themselves in history as being their most successful album ever, even to this day.

Def Leppard was in heavy demand in the US but still wasn't widely accepted in the UK, where they originally came from. They had a fan base from coast to coast and fans by the hundreds hung out by the buses in hopes of meeting their favorite rock star.

They were unaware but they had things in common with the King of Rock N Roll Elvis Presley. They had a guitar player named Steve Clark who joined them in January, the month Elvis was born and ALSO, the year Elvis Aaron Presley died at the age of 42.

They released the Def Leppard EP in January of 79, two years after Elvis' passing and two years after Steve Clark joined the now very real Def Leppard, a dream Joe made come true. July of 81, they release their album High and Dry, 4 years after their first public gig, of the same month.

The things they had in common with Elvis Presley didn't stop there however and tragically on January 8th, 1991, Steve Clark loses his battle with alcoholism and dies at the age of 31. Ironically, Elvis Presley's birthday.

Viv Campbell joined the band in 92 and was officially introduced at the Freddy Mercury AIDS awareness concert at Wembley Stadium. Fifteen years later, Def Leppard is still making history after 30 years of music and they continue on their quest for on going success as the downstage thrust tour is into its second week.

Although Steve Clarks passing is still ever present in his former band mates minds and he's always thought of, 16 years later, his legend lives on. Viv Campbell has said he's never been a replacement for Steve but likes to think of it as filling in for him and fifteen years after being asked to join Def Leppard, Viv Campbell has found a home.

As the summer tour picks up at their next concert in Cuyahoga Falls, OH, the fans from their early days still flock to the stadium to see the boys from Sheffield who 30 years later, STILL are the KINGS.