Def. Leppard’s Joe Elliott Discusses “Best Four Minutes Onstage”
Def. Leppard’s Joe Elliott, also known as Thomas Elliott Jr, was born in 1959. He is a songwriter, musician, record producer, and radio presenter. He is known to be a lead singer and a founding member of a band called English Hard Rock. In 1977 he met Pete Willis, a member of a local band called Atomic Mass, and he was introduced to the rest of the band members. Joe Elliott started by playing the guitar, and he would sing while he played the guitar. The rest of the band members were very impressed by his singing. They, therefore, requested him to become their vocalist. Thomas Elliott then suggested that the band members change the band’s name from atomic mass to Def. Leppard, which they agreed on wholeheartedly. According to loudwire.com, he discusses of best four minutes which can be attributed to several wonderful things that are discussed below.
Sharing the same stage with famous singers
Elliott’s stated that one of his favorite moments in his career was when he shared the stage to perform at the Freddie Mercury tribute concert with members of Queen. They played in a stadium fully packed and was broadcasted on television and radio stations all over the world life. When they did the song, it was estimated that there were about 90 000 fans in the field and a whopping 1.5 billion fans following on TV. The event provided Elliott with a platform to interact with renowned musicians like Roger Daltrey and Robert Plant and other bands that performed in that event, including GN’R (Guns N’ Roses). Elliott felt that that was a dream come true as he himself did not have a say like those other singers, yet they were sharing the same stage.
A spectacular performing moment
Previously they had performed at Wembley stadium and done well. An example is a time that Queen Band performed for two consecutive nights doing live rock in 1986, an event globally considered to be one of those outstanding and memorable events in the annals of history. They could also count to have been up there in the music arena with records like Adrenalize, although it was not just for Elliott and his colleague’s others like Mott the Hoople also had the same feat. However, Elliott made this special because he observed such a collaboration with people he considered important to him and that they were making an impact in their generation. Therefore, to Elliott, this moment was like no other he had ever performed.
Doing it for a different cause
This performance was special as it was not just for entertainment but also for celebrating Freddie Mercury. Freddie Mercury was a famous musician who it is said sold about 3 million records. He had unique characteristics, one being that of his vocal range, which was described as four-octave. Therefore, Elliott felt honored to be among those paying tribute. Another thing was that Freddie had not revealed his HIV status until the last day before his death. According to stacker.com, this did not go well with the fans, as they felt if he had done it on time, people would have been motivated to contribute toward mitigating the effects of the disease through research, prevention, or even effort to get the drugs for the cure. This underscores why Elliott was so excited that they were now creating AIDS awareness to the whole world, which has been the fans’ desire.
Being In the Right Place at the Right Time
Elliott considered this event to have been a pure master class. This is because the track they performed was not their choice but other respectable members like Brian and Roger. Though he remembers many fantastic performances they had done before and which they continue to do, Elliott considered that being on stage for these 4 minutes was the climax of them all, according to showbizhype.com, what made it even more sensational that even in the interview, he felt that it was emotionally affecting his body because, during those 4 minutes, it was like those moments that one did not plan for. Still, it happened because he was at the correct place at the right hour.
Chance to Perform With the Queen Band
Joe Elliott was very happy that the present band members of Queen Band, which had never performed with any other band apart from opening for the Mott band and at a glamorous occasion like the one they were performing, had allowed him to perform with them. Elliott could have been considered inferior to those members of the Queen Band as they had had a glamorous career that they had built for a long time. It is also worthy to note that the death of Clark in 1991, like unto other members, also gave Elliott a chance to perform. The consideration, therefore, of the song he himself had written to be played on this special occasion, and not their own songs, was surely a special moment for him as it meant a lot to the group and himself.
Singing With Phil Collen
Elliott considered Philip Collen a great friend of ten years who could perform together was such a pleasurable moment. Phil has been bosom friends with another member of the band known as Clark, such that they were called “Destroyer Twins,” but unfortunately, he passed on. The trauma from the death of this death and added responsibilities of a recording made Phil think of quitting the group. Elliott could hear none of it to the extent that he said he would rather stop singing and do drainage and pipes fixing. It was no wonder that Phil was hesitant to perform when this moment arose. Still, Elliott was so excited about this chance that he literally dragged him, jokingly threatening him with dire consequences if he wasted that special moment. In his own words, Elliott feels that it is not easy to redo the experience they had that day.