How The 70s Inspired The New Def Leppard Album
Def Leppard just released their latest album, Diamond Star Halos, and it is inspired by the band’s influences in the ’70s.
Guitarist Phil Collen shared some insights regarding the album during a conversation with UCR. He said about the new record:
“This is a concept album.
“I know that’s not a popular thing these days, but it really is, in the classic sense. The songs all have a thread. When we were writing them, they all kind of started going back to why we got into music in the first place. The album kind of naturally evolved or devolved, actually. It was like, [there’s] a lot of David Bowie references, T. Rex, Mott the Hoople, Queen, a lot of these things kept popping up as we were writing the songs.”
Collen further explained:
“Me and Joe would always reference the era of when we really got indoctrinated into the music that we love. It was around ‘71 to ‘74. Those were really the important years for us. We’d always call it, “hubcap diamond star halo.” We referenced that because it kind of summed it up. When it came to a title, I felt, Why not use that reference anyway? Because that’s really what this is. It was the perfect thing.”
Diamond Star Halos feature 15 tracks with guest vocals from award-winning bluegrass singer, and Robert Plant collaborator, Alison Krauss on two songs, “This Guitar” and “Lifeless.” David Bowie’s longtime pianist Mike Garson also plays on two songs, “Goodbye For Good This Time” and “Angels (Can’t Help You Now).”
The band impressively recorded their new album during pandemic simultaneously in three different countries, with frontman Joe Elliott in Ireland, bassist Rick Savage in England, and guitarists Collen and Vivian Campbell, plus drummer Rick Allen resident in the United States. Stream their new single below.
