In 1982, Phil Collen was appointed Def Leppard’s newest electric guitar player following the departure of Pete Willis. That same year, he was put straight to the test as the English rock icons set about recording their third studio album, Pyromania.
Widely considered one of Def Leppard’s finest albums, the diamond-certified LP is seen as a turning point in the band’s discography, and one that would allow them conquer the US. It has also been tipped by some as one of the greatest guitar albums of all time.
That is in part thanks to Collen and his starring guitar work, which can be heard in the form of blinding guitar solos on Photograph, Rock of Ages, and Stagefright.
Indeed, the lead effort that Collen contributed to Stagefright is one of the virtuoso’s most famous guitar solos – but it turns out it was also the first thing he ever recorded for Def Leppard. Not only that, he did it all in one take.
Discussing his standout guitar moments in Pyromania in the new issue of Guitarist, Collen recalls. “The first one I did was Stagefright. Mutt Lange, our producer, said, ‘Take this cassette home and see if you can come up with something for this song.’
“This was my first recording with the band and I literally plugged the [Ibanez] Destroyer straight into the Marshall. It was the only first take on the album. I just plugged in and that’s what came out. That was really exciting.”
Collen’s Stagefright turn is well-documented. In Definitely: The Official Story of Def Leppard (via MusicRadar), singer Joe Elliott recalled how it was at that exact moment that he and the rest of the band “felt like we’d found our Eddie Van Halen.”
Though it was a trial by fire, Pyromania was a huge learning experience for Collen, and it ended up changing his outlook as a guitar player.
“Mutt Lange taught me that there’s a rule,” he reflects. “A lot of rock guitar players don’t really listen to the rest of the band, which is a very self-absorbed approach, so what I learned from him was how to play in time with the rest of the band.
“You can place your focus anywhere on the beat, but Mutt’s whole thing was to delay it a bit, which gives more groove and makes it more sexy. I really brought that aboard to my playing.”
Def Leppard and Journey are headed to Chase Field in downtown Phoenix on a co-headlining tour whose local date includes Steve Miller Band bringing the number of hits you can expect to hear to an even more staggering total.
At the tour launch in St. Louis, Def Leppard’s performance went heavy on highlights of their biggest albums, “Pyromania” and “Hysteria,” signing off with “Pour Some Sugar on Me.”
Journey also played their biggest ’80s hits and reached back to the ’70s for such classics as “Lights” and “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin.'”
This isn’t the first time Def Leppard and Journey have toured. They played Phoenix together in 2019.
The Arizona Republic praised that concert, writing, “On one hand, the tour is a testament to the enduring appeal of the two bands’ catalogs. On the other hand, they wouldn’t still be bringing in those kind of numbers if they couldn’t still be counted on to deliver the goods. And the goods were delivered in full as both bands made their way through hit-filled sets.”
Here’s everything you need to know before you go to see Def Leppard, Journey and Steve Miller Band at Chase Field in Phoenix.
When is the Def Leppard / Journey in Phoenix?
Def Leppard and Journey bring their co-headlining tour to Chase Field in Phoenix on Friday, Aug. 23.
What time should I get to Chase Field for Journey and Def Leppard?
Doors open at 4:30 p.m. Fans are encouraged to show up as early as possible to avoid potential delays at the gates as you get closer to show time.
The concert starts at 6 p.m. with special guests Steve Miller Band.
Heavy vehicle and pedestrian traffic is expected when the concert ends at around 11 p.m.
