Def Leppard is from Sheffield, England and currently consists of five members: Rick Savage, Joe Elliot, Rick Allen, Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell. They first called themselves “Atomic Mass,” but the band changed their name to “Deaf Leopard” as suggested by Elliot. The name was altered to “Def Leppard” to sound less like a punk band. Def Leppard released their first EP in 1978 and quickly gained popularity – they were considered leaders of a “New Wave of British Heavy Metal”. Their second album, “Pyromania” sold 6 million copies in 1983 and was certified “Diamond” by the RIAA.

In 1989 Def Leppard won “Favorite Heavy Metal Artist” as well as “Favorite Heavy Metal Album” for their album “Hysteria” at the American Music Awards, in the first year that the category had been added to the ceremonies. After the album “Adrenalize” was released, the band went on a world tour. On October 23, 1995, they went on record with “Guinness Book of World Records” as the first band to do three concerts on three continents in one day in Morocco, England and Canada. Def Leppard’s most recent album “Songs from the Sparkle Lounge” was released in April 2008 and followed by a tour with Styx and REO Speedwagon in 2008 and with Poison and Cheap Trick in 2009. The band will be taking a year off from touring and will be recording new material to be released in 2010.