Def Leppard are an English rock band formed under the name Atomic Mass in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the new wave of British heavy metal. At the time of the band changing their name to Def Leppard, they consisted of bassist Rick Savage, lead singer Joe Elliott, guitarist Pete Willis and drummer Tony Kenning. The band currently consists of Savage and Elliott alongside drummer Rick Allen (since 1978) and guitarists Phil Collen (since 1982) and Vivian Campbell (since 1992).

History Def Leppard evolved from Atomic Mass after vocalist Joe Elliott joined Atomic Mass in November 1977. The lineup of Elliott, drummer Tony Kenning, bassist Rick Savage, and guitarist Pete Willis was completed by the addition of guitarist Steve Clark in January 1978. The band played their first show on 18 July of that year, before recording their first EP in the fall with session drummer Frank Noon after Kenning's departure.

With the drummer position open, Rick Allen joined the band. Def Leppard recorded On Through the Night and High 'n' Dry as the five-piece of Savage, Willis, Elliott, Clark, and Allen before Pete Willis was fired in July 1982. Phil Collen of Girl replaced Willis, and the band went on to the most commercially successful period of their career, the releases of Pyromania and Hysteria.

31 December 1984, Rick Allen was involved in a car crash which involved the loss of his arm. Despite his injury, he continued to drum with the band, playing his first post accident show in Cork on 5 August 1986 with Status Quo drummer Jeff Rich providing backup.

On 8 January 1991, during a leave of absence from the band, guitarist Steve Clark was found dead in his home. Savage, Elliott, Allen, and Collen recorded their next album Adrenalize as a four-piece before Vivian Campbell joined as a second guitarist. The lineup of Def Leppard has not changed since Campbell joined the band on 15 April 1992, and is thus the longest standing lineup of the band since it began. The current lineup has released four compilations, three live albums, and seven studio albums, most recently Diamond Star Halos on 27 May 2022.

Members Current Image Name Years active Instruments Release contributions 1977–present all Def Leppard releases 1978–present all Def Leppard releases from On Through the Night (1980) to present 1982–present all Def Leppard releases from Pyromania (1983) to present 1992–present all Def Leppard releases from Retro Active (1993) to present

Former Image Name Years active Instruments Release contributions 1977–1978 none 1977–1982 all Def Leppard releases from The Def Leppard E.P. (1979) to Pyromania (1983) 1978–1991

Touring Image Name Years active Instruments Notes August 1986 Played alongside Rick Allen for the first live shows back since the 1984 accident that resulted in the loss of Allen's left arm. 2012 fiddle Trixter guitarist Steve Brown stepped in for Vivian Campbell in 2014 and 2015 while Campbell underwent treatment for Hodgkin's lymphoma. Brown also filled in for Phil Collen in May 2018 due to the birth of Collen's child.John ZoccoPhil Collen's guitar tech Zocco filled in for Campbell when the guitarist underwent treatment for cancer.

Session Image Name Years active Instruments Release contributions 31 October 1978 drums The Def Leppard E.P. (1979) December 1979 synthesizers "Hello America" from On Through the Night (1980) 1982 keyboards Pyromania (1983) , credited as Booker T. Boffin , credited as Stumps Maximus 1987 lead vocals "Release Me" B-side from Hysteria singles (2009) 1991–1996 1991 backing vocals Adrenalize (1992) keyboards "Stand Up (Kick Love into Motion)" from Adrenalize (1992) April 1992 backing vocals "Action" from Retro Active (1993) April 1993 string arrangement "Two Steps Behind" from Retro Active (1993) 1993 March 1992 tin whistle grand piano mandolin 1996 string and percussion arrangement "Turn to Dust" from Slang (1996) string leader dohl Sarangi intro for "Turn to Dust" from Slang (1996) outro for "Turn to Dust" from Slang (1996) 1998–1999 guitar end solo on "Demolition Man" from Euphoria (1999) 2002 shredding tele licks on "Gravity" from X (2002) 2003–2005 saxophone backing vocals "Hell Raiser" from Yeah! (2006) "The Golden Age of Rock 'n' Roll" from Yeah! (2006) mellotron "Drive-In Saturday" and "Little Bit of Love" from Yeah! (2006) "The Golden Age of Rock 'n' Roll" from Yeah! (2006) "American Girl" from Yeah! (2006) 2008 lead vocals "Nine Lives" from Songs from the Sparkle Lounge (2008) 2011 "Kings of the World" from Mirror Ball – Live & More (2011) backing vocals 2022 "Kick" and "Fire It Up" Diamond Star Halos (2022) lead vocals "This Guitar" and "Lifeless" from Diamond Star Halos (2022) piano Goodbye for Good This Time" and "Angels (Can't Help You Now)" from Diamond Star Halos (2022) string arrangements "This Guitar", "Goodbye for Good This Time" and "Angels (Can't Help You Now)" from Diamond Star Halos (2022)

Atomic Mass members (1977) ImageNameYears activeInstruments July–October 1977 vocals July–September 1977 bass July–August 1977 guitar September–October 1977 bass October 1977 vocals

Timeline

Lineups Period Members Releases July – Early August 1977 Nicholas Mackley – vocals Pete Doubleday – guitar Rick Savage – guitar, backing vocals Paul Hampshire – bass Tony Kenning – drums none Early – 10 August 1977 Nicholas Mackley – vocals Pete Doubleday – guitar Rick Savage – guitar, backing vocals Pete Willis – guitar, backing vocals Paul Hampshire – bass Tony Kenning – drums 10 August – September 1977 Nicholas Mackley – vocals Pete Willis – guitar, backing vocals Rick Savage – guitar, backing vocals Paul Hampshire – bass Tony Kenning – drums September – Early October 1977 Nicholas Mackley – vocals Pete Willis – guitar, backing vocals Rick Savage – guitar, backing vocals Andy Nicholas – bass Tony Kenning – drums Early – 25 October 1977 Paul Holland – vocals Pete Willis – guitar, backing vocals Rick Savage – guitar, backing vocals Andy Nicholas – bass Tony Kenning – drums 25 October 1977 – 29 January 1978 Joe Elliott – lead vocals, guitar Pete Willis – guitar, backing vocals Rick Savage – bass, backing vocals Tony Kenning – drums 29 January – 31 October 1978 Joe Elliott – lead vocals Pete Willis – guitar, backing vocals Steve Clark – guitar, backing vocals Rick Savage – bass, backing vocals Tony Kenning – drums 31 October – 1 November 1978 Joe Elliott – lead vocals Pete Willis – guitar, backing vocals Steve Clark – guitar, backing vocals Rick Savage – bass, backing vocals Frank Noon – drums The Def Leppard E.P. (1979) 1 November 1978 – 11 July 1982 Joe Elliott – lead vocals Pete Willis – guitar, backing vocals Steve Clark – guitar, backing vocals Rick Savage – bass, backing vocals Rick Allen – drums, backing vocals On Through the Night (1980) High 'n' Dry (1981) 11 July 1982 – 8 January 1991 Joe Elliott – lead vocals, additional guitar, keyboards Phil Collen – guitar, backing vocals (tracks 1–3, 6 & 7 on Pyromania) Steve Clark – guitar, backing vocals Pete Willis – guitar, backing vocals (on all of Pyromania) Rick Savage – bass, backing vocals, keyboards Rick Allen – drums, backing vocals Pyromania (1983) Hysteria (1987) 8 January 1991 – 15 April 1992 Joe Elliott – lead vocals, guitar, keyboards Phil Collen – guitar, backing vocals Rick Savage – bass, backing vocals, keyboards Rick Allen – drums, backing vocals Adrenalize (1992) 15 April 1992 – Present Joe Elliott – lead vocals, additional guitar, keyboards Phil Collen – guitar, backing vocals Vivian Campbell – guitar, backing vocals Rick Savage – bass, backing vocals, keyboards Rick Allen – drums, occasional backing vocals Retro Active (1993) Vault (1995) Slang (1996) Euphoria (1999) X (2002) Yeah! (2006) Songs from the Sparkle Lounge (2008) Def Leppard (2015) Diamond Star Halos (2022)

See also Def Leppard discography List of awards and nominations received by Def Leppard

References

External links Official Def Leppard website