Legendary English rock band Def Leppard is finally in India, a visit they have eagerly awaited for decades, especially after coming close to performing here nearly 20 years ago. With the band performing in Mumbai on Friday — after opening their India tour in Shillong and before concluding it in Bengaluru on March 29 — Phil Collen, its lead guitarist and co-vocalist, told mid-day, “I’d been looking forward to it for so long. I`ve been to India; the first time I came was in 1987. I travelled to many places, you know, when Bengaluru was called Bangalore, and all of that. This is the first time we are actually touring India.”
Euphoric 50 years
Def Leppard has endured for nearly five decades by keeping things simple since their formation in 1977. Collen explained, “It is because we all get along. For example, we share one dressing room. We see other bands and don’t really understand why they have separate rooms or don’t get along.
Phil Collen, lead guitarist and co-vocalist of Def Leppard. PIC/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
We’ve been through everything together — births, deaths, marriages, divorces, and children. We’ve supported each other through all of it. It truly feels like a family.” Reflecting on his personal journey, the guitarist, who joined the band in 1982, added, “I’ve spent more time with [lead vocalist] Joe Elliott than I did with my own mother, who passed away about 20 years ago.”
Many bands struggle to last that long, often breaking up to pursue solo careers, but Collen believes the root cause is clear. “I see a lot of ego trips across bands, artists, musicians, sportspeople, politicians — you name it. Ego will trip you up. We don’t allow that to happen.”
Artistic preservation
Lead singer and founder of the group Def Leppard, Joe Elliott, performs at Jio World Garden, Bandra Kurla Complex, as part of their India tour, on Friday
Thriving as a band for five decades is no small feat, especially in an industry that has transformed significantly over the years. Collen has witnessed these changes firsthand. “English rock music has evolved quite a bit since we started, but something important happened — music became more of an industry, driven by business agendas. We’ve managed to preserve the artistic side. You can balance both. You can meet business expectations while still staying true to your art.”
Musical integrity
Bassist and founder: Rick Savage. PICS/SACHIN KALBAG
He added, “We still create new music. We still write songs, and we remain artists — and that’s crucial. Some people say you don’t need to record new music anymore, but I disagree. That’s what keeps us fresh. There’s still integrity in what we do. We actually sing live.” Collen pointed out that many artists rely heavily on pre-recorded tracks.
Guitar and backing vocals: Vivian Campbell
“We do use some keyboard samples, but our vocals are real. We spend hours on vocal warm-ups every day, and it makes a difference. We are a genuine live band, and we take pride in that. If we didn’t, we wouldn’t be where we are today.”
Mumbai darshan
Guitar and backing vocals: Phil Collen
As the band enjoys their time in the country, Collen’s fascination with India remains strong. He arrived early to explore more of the country before diving into performances. “I’ve been here before, but in Mumbai, you can take a ferry to the Elephanta Caves. I’ve visited twice and will probably go again. There are monkeys everywhere stealing food — it’s quite an experience,” he said, before hinting at future plans. “We’ve already worked on around 15 songs. About 11 of them are ready, and we’re planning to release them next year.”
