- Title: SOUTH AFRICA: ROCK BAND 'DEF LEPPARD' PERFORM IN JOHANNESBURG
- Date: 4th December 1996
- Summary: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (DECEMBER 4 1996) (RTV) *RTV - PERFORMACE FOOTAGE MUST BE CLEARED BEFORE RE-USE* (DECEMBER 4, 1996) BAND AT NEWS CONFERENCE BEING PRESENTED WITH GOLD DISC AWARDS FROM RECORD COMPANY MERCURY/POLYGRAM LEAD SINGER JOE ELLIOT (SOUNDBITE ENGLISH) SAYING WHEN STEVE PASSED AWAY, 80 PERCENT OF THAT TEAM IS STILL THERE - IT'S FIVE YEARS AGO SINCE
- Embargoed: 19th December 1996 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
- Country: South Africa
- Reuters ID: LVABZMBA39KFNAIDQEOK00JWMMUY
- Story Text: Def Leppard, one of Britain's most enduring and internationally renowned rock acts, turned up in South Africa to perform on one of the last legs of their world tour.
The veteran group from Sheffield, north England, are promoting their new album "Slang", released earlier this year.
The band, who have dominated the adolescent hard rock market for years, paid tribute to their original guitarist Steve Clark five years after his death.
"We've moved on emotionally and musically since then. We've got the Slang album out which is the first thing Vivian has contributed to," lead singer Joe Elliot said at a news conference.
Three of the original band members remain in the band.
Guitarist Vivian Campbell joined Def Leppard in 1992 to fill the breach left by Clark.
"Slang" is Def Leppard's sixth album in an 18-year career. The collection marks a new musical direction for the band.
Critics have hailed it as a polished collection of contemporary influences combined with the band's firmly established commercial formula.
Although guitarist Phil Collen laughed off suggestions that the band would branch out further into other musical styles, he acknowledged the result of modern musical trends.
"Even on 'Slang', there's a hip-hop groove - you can use the influences and make it your own," he said. "That's one of the advantages of being an open-minded band." Def Leppard emerged from the British Metal scene of the late 1970s. With their albums "Pyromania" and "Hysteria", they became the first ever group to sell more than eight million copies consecutively in America.
The band have had more than 14 Top 40 UK hits in Britain and their albums have sold around 40 million copies world wide.
Def Leppard hit the headlines earlier this year when one-armed drummer Rick Allen pleaded guilty during the summer to beating his wife after an argument in Los Angeles.
Allen joined Def Leppard when he was only 15, and lost his left arm in a traffic accident in england in 1984.
He rejoined the band after a year and learned to play the drums again using computers and a specially designed drumkit.
Deff Leppard plan to tour in South America next Spring. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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