Def Leppard was formed in Sheffield, UK in 1977. The
original line-up included Joe Elliot, Rick Savage, Tony Kenning, Pete Willis,
and Steve Clark. 2 weeks into recording their first demo, Tony Kenning
was fired and briefly replaced by Frank Noon. 15-year old Rick Allen
ended up taking the drum stool permanently. In 1980, On Through The Night
was released and a US tour followed. High 'N' Dry was released in 1981
followed by another tour. Pete Willis, However had a serious drinking
problem which became hard to handle and was later fired. Phil Collen
stepped in as a new guitarist and the band became a total success. In
1984, however, tragedy struck when Rick Allen lost his left arm in a car
wreck. He did not leave Def Leppard, instead, he used an electronic drum
set and the band released Hysteria in 1987. More tragedy struck when
Steve Clark was a heavy alcoholic. He was found dead in his home on
January 8, 1991 from a mix of perscribed drugs and alcohol. Vivian Campbell stepped in replacing Steve Clark. The band continued on to this
day.
DEF LEPPARD
