Nobody in Def Leppard would settle for anything less than being a rock star. Although the band’s goals began when many of them were still in their teens, they pursued their popularity as if they were Olympic sprinters. Joe Elliott stopped at nothing until he had a hit tune on the radio. While joining in 1983, Phil Collen shared the band’s ideals but realized glam roots couldn’t rival Mick Jagger.
Collen approached music from a different perspective than rock and roll which infuriated the rest of the band. Phil Collen was the group’s technician, creating guitar pieces influenced by everyone from Jeff Beck to Al Di Meola. This was despite Steve Clark’s ability to perform fantastic loud solos.
While technical expertise and rock and roll do not necessarily go together, Collen always knew how to make it work in the context of Leppard. After firing original guitarist Pete Willis on Pyromania, Collen was able to lay down his leads in a couple of days. This created the incredible licks heard on songs such as ‘Photograph’.
Although the band wore inspirations such as AC/DC and Mott the Hoople on their sleeves, even their heroes would admit. They were mimicking what The Stones were doing. While The Beatles demonstrated the fun that can be had in rock and roll, Jagger was the type of rock and roll stereotype. No mother would want their child to associate with him.
Aside from their history as one of the greatest bands of the British invasion, Jagger had a role. He ushered in the glam style that propelled Leppard. Even though history suggests that the genre originated and ended with David Bowie, Jagger’s experimentation with makeup stood out. His outstanding dancing skills at the band’s gigs kept the crowd entertained night after night.
Leppard depends on vocals as much as guitar licks; Phil Collen regarded Jagger as the gold standard. He told The Rock Show, “I think Mick Jagger was the gateway or the bridge that kind of influenced everyone who sings rock music.” Mick Jagger and the Stones recognized this early on and developed it into their own Rolling Stones phenomenon. I was completely inspired by that, and I still am.”
After the success of Pyromania, Leppard faced a difficult task. They needed to create a pop masterpiece that could compete with what they had recently written. Even though the band was dealing with everything from long hours to Rick Allen losing an arm in a car accident. Collen remembered why he got into rock and roll after hearing Jagger perform around the same time.
When Jagger was called to the studio for his impending solo album, he was taken aback by how smoothly he sang. He noted, “It was surreal, he was doing a live vocal to one of the songs in the control room.” It was such an incredible experience for me. You’re always afraid to meet your idols in case they disappoint, but he didn’t. For a variety of reasons, that is my Rock God.
Jagger hasn’t shown any symptoms of slowing down, either. He continues to stride around the stage at every opportunity and preserves his voice as much as possible whenever he returns to The Stones. Def Leppard may not have the same star power as The Stones just yet. However, Collen’s experience of hearing Jagger sound magnificent after years of wear and tear is an encouragement to every musician. It’s difficult to beat the odds, yet it is sometimes feasible to improve with age.
