Phil Collen Wants To Beat Mötley Crüe’s Tour

Def Leppard’s Phil Collen has outlined significant changes for their upcoming tour with Journey, distinct from their previous stint with Mötley Crüe.

In an interview, Collen discussed the band’s preparations and revamped stage production:

“We changed the whole set. You know, there’s a whole screen [production] and we’ve been using pretty much the same stuff for like 12 years. So we’ve changed it completely. The stage show is drastically different. It’s going to take a lot of energy.”

Preparing both physically and vocally, Collen emphasized the rigorous demands of the tour:

“There’s going to be a lot of running around. So I’m working out, trying to get the stamina up and all of that. Vocally, too. You know, I’m having to sing every single day. We did rehearse in L.A. for a two week period and finished with a SiriusXM gig. Production rehearsals in St. Louis will lead up to the first gig.”

Rick Allen, Def Leppard’s drummer, explained their decision not to tour with Mötley Crüe in 2024 after an extensive 18-month run together:

“Well, we’d been on the road, on and off, with Mötley Crüe for about 18 months, and we felt as though we kind of covered pretty much everywhere there was to. We started off in the States, went off to Europe, did South America, came back to the States, and then Japan and Australia. And we just felt as though we’d been everywhere.”

Rick Allen Reflects on Touring with Journey

Reflecting on their choice to tour with Journey once again, Allen highlighted the timeless appeal of Journey’s music and the synergy between the two bands:

“Now, we toured with Journey, I forget exactly what year — my memory is terrible; I think 2018, ’17 or ’18 — and it was awesome. I mean, those songs are timeless. And we just thought that it would be great to reach out to them and see if they wanted to do it again. And, lo and behold, they did.”

The tour spans 23 cities, kicking off on July 6 in St. Louis and concluding on September 8 in Denver. Alongside Cheap Trick, Steve Miller Band will join most shows, and Heart will make appearances on these three dates. This lineup promises an unforgettable experience filled with hit songs for fans across the country.