phil collen

In terms of charts and sales, 1996's 'Slang' marks the spot where Def Leppard went from being multi-platinum rock gods to just another veteran act struggling to fit in among the rapidly changing Top 40 trends of the '90s. But for the band members, the record has always meant a lot more.

There was plenty of "hysteria" generated at the University of Laverne outside of Los Angeles on Aug. 17 when Def Leppard lead guitarist Phil Collen joined internationally acclaimed cultural artist Yukiko Matsuyama.

The LP is becoming such an antiquated term that it seems unlikely most music lovers born after 1990 will know what the letters stand for soon. Def Leppard's Phil Collen says most people don't want to buy a full "long playing" album any longer, and he's enjoying what that means.

Def Leppard's Phil Collen has no doubt raised the spirits of those being treated at the Gerson Institute in San Diego, as his 'Wings' guitar just netted $15,000 in an auction with the proceeds going to the organization's holistic cancer therapy efforts.

Def Leppard and Manraze guitarist Phil Collen stopped by the Ultimate Classic Rock offices recently for an extensive two-part interview, the first half of which you can read right here. Luckily for our writers, he also brought along his guitar and serenaded us with a solo acoustic rendition of the smash title track off Def Leppard’s 1987 album ‘Hysteria.’

On March 22, Def Leppard will begin a three-week residency at Las Vegas' Hard Rock Hotel & Casino that will see them perform the 'Hysteria' album in its entirety. In a new interview, guitarist Phil Collen talks about the challenges of playing their biggest album in Sin City.