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Post by desertsong24 on Mar 29, 2019 21:53:09 GMT -8
Read Def Leppard’s Celebratory Rock Hall Induction Speech Since forming more than four decades ago, Def Leppard became one of the best-selling bands in the world on the strength of mega-platinum albums like Pyromania and Hysteria and hard-rocking anthems like “Photograph” and “Pour Some Sugar on Me.” Tonight, they were finally recognized for their contributions to rock & roll. The band has been eligible for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for 14 years now but they’ve been up for nomination only once. It turns out, that’s all they needed. The group garnered more votes than any other act in the Rock Hall’s fan vote and, with support from the institution’s voting committee, became a no-brainer for the ceremony. fter a speech by Queen guitarist Brian May, an artist whom they’ve shared a stage with on multiple occasions, frontman Joe Elliott delivered an acceptance speech on the band’s behalf. The group members entering the Rock Hall tonight include Def Leppard’s current lineup — frontman Joe Elliott, guitarists Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell, bassist Rick Savage and drummer Rick Allen — along with founding guitarist Pete Willis and their late guitarist Steve Clark. Here’s what Elliott had to say. First of all, massive love and gratitude to our very dear friend Brian May for such a flattering introduction. We love you, mate, and congratulations on the incredible success of the movie. It couldn’t have happened to a nicer chap.. I’d also like to congratulate all our fellow inductees tonight, it’s a real honor to be able to share this stage with the likes of Roxy Music, Stevie Nicks and the Zombies, artists that we’ve admired from a distance for many, many years. Alright, so down to business, we’d like to take this opportunity to acknowledge a few people, and some significant moments that have played a very important role in getting this band to where it is today, starting off with our parents. Back then, we were just a bunch of teenage wannabes living at home, dreaming the dream, so without their help and encouragement it would be a lot tougher to be standing up here on this stage tonight. My mum for example, taught me my first three chords when I was eight years old. I’ve learned two more since, but I’ve come to realize you don’t actually really need them at all. My dad who lent us £150 to make our first very recording back in 1978 which was absolutely the launch pad for this very wild ride that we’ve been on ever since. Now that’s just two examples of what our folks did for us along the way and I could stand here all night with great tales of parental support and what have you, but basically it’s of major significance, and it goes without saying that without their support, financial and otherwise, things may have turned out very differently. Another significant moment in this band’s birth was the simple act of missing a bus, which is something that I did one August night in 1977. By deciding to walk home instead of waiting for the next one, fate would have it that I would bump into a young kid who I knew to be a pretty good guitar player. That kid was a guy called Pete Willis. Pete was a co-founder of the band and one of the best right hands in the business. Now sadly Pete couldn’t be with us tonight, but I want to emphasize how very important Pete’s role in this band was in the early days. He was a terrific player, had a very mischievous sense of humor, but he brought plenty of great musical ideas to the band. And it was Pete, after a chance meeting in a college canteen, both reaching for the same guitar magazine, who introduced us to the late, great Steve Clark. Over the following 10 years, Steve made a massive musical contribution to this band, his incredible and unique riffs helped shape some of the most important songs we will ever write and it really does go without saying that we love him and we miss him every day. Two gentlemen who helped take us to a level that we could only previously have dreamt about were Cliff Burnstein and Peter Mensch. They formed Q-Prime management and they looked after us for the best part of 25 years. We will always appreciate the fact that Peter bankrolled this band for years until things started to take off — and boy, did they take off! But not before the most significant contribution that Peter and Cliff ever made, which was introducing our music to our future producer, co-writer and mentor, Mr. Robert John “Mutt” Lange. We first worked with Mutt in 1981 on an album called High & Dry, but it was 1983 that saw us move into a whole new orbit with the phenomenal success of the album Pryomania, where we were properly introduced to our new boss for the first time — our wonderfully loyal fanbase, without whom we wouldn’t be up here tonight, of that, I have no doubt. You’ve stayed on board for the best part of the following 36 years and supported us through some tough times along the way, but those tough times have helped us make this band what it is today — it’s solid, appreciative of who we are and what we stand for. Those songs we’ve written over the years were always our main priority, you just have to check out our misguided fashion sense over the years and you’ll understand where I’m coming from here. And although there seemed to be a looming sense of tragedy around every corner, we just wouldn’t let it in. But it’s true, it did seem that every time we made some musical headway, life would knock us back down somewhat. Pyromania is a raging success… then Rick has a life changing accident. He survived it and came out the other side stronger. Hysteria gave us the global success that we’d always craved… and then we lost Steve. But we survived and came out the other side stronger people. And that’s the way it’s always played out throughout our career. So let’s face facts here, if alcoholism, car crashes and cancer couldn’t kill us, the Nineties had no **Censored** chance! So finally I’d like to bring this into the now and thank the people who are helping to keep this beautiful machine on the road, hopefully for many, many more years to come. Our manager Mike Kobayashi who took over the reigns from Howard Kaufman who looked after us from 2005 until his passing in 2017. Howard did an incredible job breathing new life into this band at a time when it could have gone either way and Mike continues to do so, so thank you, Mike. To our friends at Universal Records, past and present, especially present. And to our families, to our wives, to our children, who help to keep us grounded and also give us a good reason to keep doing what we do. And last but absolutely not least, my fellow bandmates here. We’re not blood, but we’re the closest thing to brothers this only child has ever known. I couldn’t and wouldn’t want to do it without you guys. SourceJoe did a beautiful job giving that speech. So so proud of them.
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Post by andylgr on Mar 29, 2019 22:16:05 GMT -8
Bian Mays speech
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Post by andylgr on Mar 29, 2019 22:17:37 GMT -8
Def Leppards speech
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Post by andylgr on Mar 29, 2019 22:18:19 GMT -8
Hysteria
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Post by andylgr on Mar 29, 2019 22:19:00 GMT -8
Rock of ages
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Post by andylgr on Mar 29, 2019 22:21:17 GMT -8
Photograph
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Post by andylgr on Mar 30, 2019 1:40:06 GMT -8
PSSOM
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Post by andylgr on Mar 30, 2019 1:42:27 GMT -8
All the young dudes
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Post by lynnrt on Mar 30, 2019 1:46:22 GMT -8
This brought tears to my eyes! All I can say is...Wow!
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Post by aleito on Mar 30, 2019 1:51:14 GMT -8
Amazing..WOW!!!
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Post by lynnrt on Mar 30, 2019 1:57:41 GMT -8
What a fabulous mélange of band shots...I felt as thought I was there with them and their fans! Wait, I WAS, in spirit! Thank you for all the hard work you put into this, sharing all this greatness with us!
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Post by martyd on Mar 30, 2019 2:36:57 GMT -8
I'm going to admit to something coming over me several times during the speeches, in particular Brian's re-telling of he/Joe being the first to call each other at the loss of their friends, and of course the Rick Allen moment.
I think there may have been somebody in the room with me cutting onions.
My journey with this band has been long and had some outstanding highs, but I have NEVER been prouder to be a Def Leppard fan than I have been today. What a fitting recognition this is for all they've been through, the millions they continue to entertain, and above all else - the amazing people and family that they are.
In the words of Brian - these guys ARE a magnificent rock group and I for one have been reminded again today what a blessing it has been and will continue to be to have them in my life.
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Post by lynnrt on Mar 30, 2019 2:55:40 GMT -8
His story hits me very hard, as my son was in a car crash in November of the same year as Rick's...my son didn't make it, but to see how Rick fought back to regain his life has always been a source of inspiration to me. To see him tear up like this, just reinforces my opinion of what a truly beautiful and remarkable man he is. His reaction, for the love and admiration that his fellow "brothers" and the fans feel for him, is very moving!
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Post by dflp83 on Mar 30, 2019 3:57:04 GMT -8
I'll watch the speeches later but wow!!
Yes, thanks to Cindy here.. I gave out to sleeping..lol.. and no thanks to the HOF channel..played more music than aired any backstage stuff.
SO great to see Ian Hunter join The Jam..Joe must have been going nuts inside..
Just wow..I'll check out the performances later and reading May's speech and seeing Rick's face..had to keep from tearing :-).
The boys are in the Rock n Roll hall of fame..gotta love it.
Rob
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Post by martinr on Mar 30, 2019 4:10:58 GMT -8
Huge thanks to all concerned for the content you've provided - I wasn't really expecting to feel so invested in this, and certainly didn't expect it to feel so emotional as I read through everything...for me, Brian May encapsulated my understanding of the band in this phrase: 'the fact that they wrote real songs that people can sing and carry in their heads is the reason that Def Leppard will be remembered in hearts and minds long after all of us have left this Earth'.
Love these guys, their resilience, their work ethic, their honesty and authenticity in an arena in which this is by no means common. They've never disappointed me. Looking forward hugely to whatever new music comes from them in the future.
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Post by DesertSun81 on Mar 30, 2019 4:49:37 GMT -8
Not sure if it’s the super long running time that prevents this from airing live, but not seeing something like this as it happens is the equivalent of seeing your favorite sports team win the championship after all these years, and have to wait a month to actually see it happen. That’s not right for anyone that’s followed a band or artist and didn’t make it to NY. If it wasn’t for the amazing efforts of those who streamed it as well as Cindy I’d be waking up this morning feeling a bit empty. They need to rethink their format. This is not just some conventional awards show. I would’ve paid money in a heartbeat to see an official broadcast or stream of this as it happened.
In any event, amazing night with some amazing speeches and the band (and Joe) sounded absolutely fantastic. The band more than deserved this honor. Made me reflect on all my years as a fan and what their music has brought to my life. It’s been quite a ride for all of us I’m sure in our own individual way and the best part is it’s still not over. It’s nice to share that experience with others as well so thanks to all that spend time contributing to the forum every day.
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Post by diva on Mar 30, 2019 6:25:28 GMT -8
I’m so grateful for this forum. Thank you so much.
Brian May gave a great speech. Joe was funny. I do wish he would have mentioned Phil and Vivian joining the band. Rick Allen totally made me cry. I’m so glad he got a standing ovation. The Rrhof should be grateful to the band for creating that finale.
The band picked the right songs imho. I saw some grumbling about them performing “Hysteria” but to me it’s my favorite song of all time. Sav has said it’s his favorite Lep song. The entire band collaborated on it. It encapsulates what they were going through when they made the album. It is my funeral song!
I would have liked to have heard a few words from the entire band. I’m assuming they all decided to let Joe speak for them.
God bless Phil for going shirtless! We all wanted to see that. Lol
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Post by CindyJ on Mar 30, 2019 6:28:03 GMT -8
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Post by Leanne on Mar 30, 2019 6:45:44 GMT -8
I thought Joe gave a great speech. This is such a great honor for the band and they totally deserve it. And thank you Cindy for collecting all the pictures, video and information throughout the week. You are greatly appreciated
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Post by CindyJ on Mar 30, 2019 6:55:08 GMT -8
Def Leppard Close Out Rock Hall With Epic ‘Pour Some Sugar on Me’ Joe Elliott and Co. blasted through “Photograph,” “Hysteria,” Rock of Ages” to frenzied fans
Def Leppard played a series of scalding Eighties hits during their set at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on Friday night. After giving funny and emotional speeches that paid tribute to each era of Def Leppard’s history, the band revisited some of its biggest hits for a victory lap at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Brooklyn on Friday. Guitarist Phil Collen stripped his shirt and the quintet kicked things off with easy tempo Bowie-esque guitar the title track or their mega-selling Hysteria album. The audience immediately got to its feet as green lights washed the Barclays Center and Joe Elliott sang “I gotta know tonight … How ‘bout you, Brooklyn?”
The words “gunter glieben glauchen globen” introduced the next song. Joe Elliott asked, “What do you want? I want rock & roll,” as Def Leppard played the titanic riffs of Pyromania’s “Rock of Ages.” For all Def Leppard’s stadium-ready brute force, they also have a knack for melody, which was fully on display during the sweet call-and-response hook to “Photograph.” Even people at the expensive tables had their hands in the air for the chorus, leading to a larger-than-life, drum-rolling ending.
“Good people out there, are you ready for some audience participation!” Elliott asked the crowd before the final song and the words: “Step inside, walk this way” rang out. The floor of the arena was littered with cell phones in the air and the cheap seats was filled with fist-banging choreography as the band aged “Pour Some Sugar on Me.” When it was done, Elliott through his hands in the air, and they left the stage. Def Leppard were savvy about their song selection, playing four of their biggest hits in the U.S. “Photograph” and “Rock of Ages” both reached the Top 20 in 1983, while “Hysteria” and “Pour Some Sugar on Me” followed suit in 1988. Def Leppard were eligible for over a decade before they appeared on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ballot; they won entry on the first try. “Now we can stop holding our breath and go, ‘Great! How wonderful to be in the same club as the Rolling Stones and the Beatles and the Who and Queen,'” lead singer Joe Elliott told Rolling Stone. “It’s nice. It’s a good club to be in.” But if anything, Elliott was even more excited by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s decision to induct another band — namely Roxy Music. “I’m ecstatic that Roxy Music are in,” the singer explained. “Many Americans probably didn’t know much about Roxy Music until Avalon [in 1982], but the truth is in 1972 when they put out ‘Virginia Plain,'” between them and David Bowie they instantly, overnight changed the face of pop music.” Elliott added, “It’s almost like there should be a sub-ceremony for the British Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in London that can acknowledge bands that did something over here and didn’t necessarily make a big impact in America.” Source
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Post by rbtyrone on Mar 30, 2019 7:37:33 GMT -8
really is fantastic watching all these videos and speeches from last nights ceremony. joe spoke really well and certainly brought a tear to my eye with everything he said. i regret not going to this now but have vegas to look forward to in august.i am sure steve was looking down on the band last night. i am really happy for vivian also as he is a great ambassador for our wee country northern ireland after all its troubles.long may the band continue with their success . thanks also to cindy and the forum team for the constant updates and hard work .really appreciate it
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Post by Shawn on Mar 30, 2019 8:10:46 GMT -8
I'm walking around today thinking about the past week with a stupid grin on my face.
Last night was a moment in time that a lot of us will remember for the rest of our lives.
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Post by Shawn on Mar 30, 2019 8:47:53 GMT -8
Brian really did a great Job last night.
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Post by tsmith on Mar 30, 2019 8:49:44 GMT -8
Yep I vividly remember when I was younger, cranking the Pyromania album in my room. My Dad came in one time telling me to turn that crap down. I remember telling him it wasn't crap and that Def Leppard was awesome. I remember him saying that they were just a flash in the pan in would be forgotten soon enough. Obviously he was wrong....very wrong lol. Great day for the band and their fans. I'm walking around today thinking about the past week with a stupid grin on my face. Last night was a moment in time that a lot of us will remember for the rest of our lives.
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Post by CindyJ on Mar 30, 2019 8:50:53 GMT -8
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Post by CindyJ on Mar 30, 2019 8:51:09 GMT -8
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Post by CindyJ on Mar 30, 2019 9:18:17 GMT -8
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Post by tamariskie on Mar 30, 2019 9:20:14 GMT -8
MANY, MANY thanks to all the bloggers who posted pics and videos. I was glued to this forum last night, checking for updates. What a great night for the band! Once again, they showed the world how it's done by being classy, gracious, and awesome performers! I echo Martyd that I have never been more proud to be a fan.
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Post by CindyJ on Mar 30, 2019 9:26:17 GMT -8
Excerpt: Queen guitarist Brian May took the stage for the final induction: his longtime friends Def Leppard. He recalled first meeting them backstage at a concert in 1981, saying, “Hi, I’m Brian May from Queen” and they replied, “No sh–.” He singled out singer Joe Elliott as one of his best friends and noted that when Leppard guitarist Steve Clark died of alcoholism-related illness in 1991, May was one of the first people to call Elliott, and that when Freddie Mercury died not long after, Elliott was the first to call him. Elliott gave a gracious and very well-written speech in which he gave considerable credit to the contributions from Clarke as well as founding guitarist Pete Willis, producer-cowriter Mutt Lange and early managers Cliff Burnstein and Peter Mensch. Yet the evening’s most emotional moment came when he addressed the lows that have come with their spectacular highs: Clarke’s death, guitarist Vivian Campbell’s ongoing battle with cancer, and drummer Rick Allen losing an arm in a 1984 car accident. “Although there seemed to be a looming sense of tragedy around every corner, we just wouldn’t let it in,” he said. “It did seem that every time we made some musical headway, life would knock us back down somewhat. [The group’s 1983 album] ‘Pyromania’ is a raging success, then Rick has a life changing accident. He survived it and came out the other side stronger.” He paused as the crowd gave a rousing standing ovation that didn’t stop after the usual standing-ovation timespan — it grew as everyone gradually realized, seemingly in unison, that this guy really overcame odds that anyone would consider unbeatable. The applause grew louder as Allen noticeably teared up, giving a thumbs-up sign to the crowd and getting hugs from his bandmates, a couple of whom were weeping as well. Elliott then picked up the narrative of the band’s wildly dramatic career, which has seen them rise and fall in popularity along with the tragedies. [The 1987 blockbuster] ‘Hysteria’ gave us the global success that we’d always craved… and then we lost Steve. But we survived and came out the other side stronger people. And that’s the way it’s always played out throughout our career. So let’s face facts here, if alcoholism, car crashes and cancer couldn’t kill us, the Nineties had no f—ing chance! The group then knocked out three of their biggest hits, “Hysteria,” “Rock of Ages,” “Photograph” and “Pour Some Sugar on Me,” although the performance could not match the drama of the speeches. After a few desultory minutes, Def Leppard was joined onstage by May — brandishing his trademark red guitar — Hoffs and various Zombies and, surprisingly, Mott the Hoople frontman Ian Hunter, for a finale of Mott’s 1972 hit “All the Young Dudes,” which was penned by David Bowie and has only a tangential connection to the evening’s honorees (May and Def Leppard performed it at Freddie Mercury’s tribute concert in 1992). And with that, a few minutes after midnight, the show wrapped. Source
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Post by CindyJ on Mar 30, 2019 9:31:44 GMT -8
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