“When we saw the bill afterward, that’s why we’re in this room now”: Joe Elliot offers a tour of the home studio he built to save Def Leppard money after the cost of making Hysteria

via MusicRadar

“Here we are 35 years later and we’re still using it” – Joe Elliot is a smart guy, and he also seems humble for a man whose band has sold 100 million records. But a big part of Def Leppard‘s continued success is this mix of business and musical savvy, with feet firmly on the ground. And it led Joe Elliot to invest in a studio in his Dublin home after their biggest-selling album, when others might have been far more reckless with their cash.

In a new video tour with AMS Neve, Joe takes us around the space that was previously three bedrooms. Established in 1988, he calls ‘Joe’s Garage’ a “fun” studio but the band has done serious work here since their Adrenalize album in 1992.

“I bought all the gear and I was happy to do that because it was my studio and I was going to have it forever,” Joe tells Neve. “We’re still using it, I’ve pretty much recorded something on every album since Adrenalize in this studio.”

Def Leppard’s 1983 album Pyromania (that will see a special 40th anniversary reissue in April) proved to be a huge breakthrough for the Sheffield band in the US, and a far cry from the NWOBHM tag they’d picked up in their early years. For this third album they fully embraced the technology of the time.

“What has happened between ’81 [and then] was just drum machines and synthesizers, and how bands like Joy Division or New Order or the Human League had used all this technology and it just became a talking point, like, wonder what it would sound like if a rock band incorporated some of that into the standard rock sound?” reflects Joe.

But it was the long multi-year process of recording the band’s follow-up, 1987’s masterpiece Hysteria that prompted Joe’s decision to create a home recording facility. Because long also meant costly when it came to studio time.

“Hysteria was recorded in Dublin, Holland, a little bit in France,” explains Joe in the video above. “We went through all sorts of emotional trauma recording that record – Rick lost his arm [drummer Rick Allen was in a car crash during this time and had to effectively relearn to play using a modified drum kit], Mutt (Lange, producer] had a car crash, everyone got sick. We started it with Jim Steinman, it didn’t work out, Mutt wasn’t gonna do it then he came back and he was, we wasted an entire year – if not more – and scrapped it and started again.

“Then it was the raging success that it was,” reflects Joe. “It’s one of the biggest-selling albums of all time. But then when we saw the bill afterward, that’s why we’re in this room now. Because that was another learning curve – if we’re gonna make another record of that standard, we’re not paying that amount of money for it.”

Building a studio for the band meant they could “turn the clock off” while recording when it came to studio hire fees. And it’s paid dividends for other projects too – including the most recent Thin Lizzy album remixes where Joe worked alongside Leppard’s live and studio engineer Ronan McHugh, with Lizzy’s Scott Gorham and Brian Downey.

Joe’s Garage hosts a Neve 8424 console (we later discover he actually bought two) a purchase prompted by Ronan’s suggestion. “This is my first analogue console since 1988,” notes Joe. For Ronan it was a huge advantage to get back to the studio workflows he’d been used to in the past.

“We had a controller before and trying to do everything in the box – like multi-input guitar tracking and that kind of thing – is quite fiddly,” he notes.

“It’s just more natural, it’s easier – it’s faster. We had a bunch of stuff but it was all in racks. Now it’s all here in front of me and it makes life easier.”

The second 8424 is at Ronan’s studio space ten minutes down the road where he can continue to work on projects; “All editing, arrangements – that kind of stuff,” he explains. Def Leppard’s most recent album Diamond Star Halos was mixed on it too.

“It sounds like it could have been recorded in Abbey Road,” notes Joe. “This is the use of technology – Bounce Boss was this incredible filing system that we used to send stems to each other, and you could work on your own leisure.

JOE ELLIOTT’S SONGS FROM THE VAULT – SIRIUS XM (JANUARY 2024 EDITION)

GREETINGS MUSIC LOVERS – AND WELCOME BACK TO JOE ELLIOTT’S SONGS FROM THE VAULT SHOW ON SIRIUSXM’S DEEP TRACKS CHANNEL.

In the JANUARY 2024 hour’s show, Joe highlights and tells stories about some of his favourite songs and artists from his own personal collection.

January’s Show features music and stories from Be-Bop Deluxe, The Stranglers, The Pretty Things, Montrose and more!

WHO: Def Leppard frontman, musician, and musicologist Joe Elliott

WHAT: Joe Elliott’s Songs from the Vault

WHERE: SiriusXM’s DeepTracks (Ch. 27)

WHEN: Show Schedule HERE

MORE:

In his youth, Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliott was creatively influenced by the music of the late 60’s and early 70’s. From legendary acts like T. Rex, Mott The Hoople, David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust and so many others. Each month, listen to Elliott play “Deep Tracks” from his personal music collection. Expect to hear songs from Joe’s vault and some of the stories behind them.

DEF LEPPARD AND JOURNEY ANNOUNCE SUMMER STADIUM TOUR 2024 WITH STEVE MILLER BAND, HEART AND CHEAP TRICK

ROCK BRIGADE PRE-SALE TUE. DEC 12
TICKETS ON SALE FRI. DEC 15

Def Leppard and Journey are teaming up for the Summer Stadium Tour 2024 with Steve Miller Band, Heart, and Cheap Trick! The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Icons are once again coming together for a night of hits.

Rock Brigade Concert Club members will get exclusive first access to pre-sale tickets and VIP Packages starting Tuesday, December 12 at 10am local time. 

Visit DefLeppardRockBrigade.com to sign-up and claim your tickets.

Def Leppard VIP Packages Include:
• A Premium Ticket
• Individual Photo with Def Leppard
• Exclusive Merchandise
• And More!

General tickets for all dates will go on sale Fri. December 15 at 10am local time.

2024 TOUR DATES
July 6 – St. Louis, MO (Busch Stadium)^
July 10 – Orlando, FL (Camping World Stadium)^
July 13 – Atlanta, GA (Truist Park)*
July 15 – Chicago, IL (Wrigley Field)*
July 18 – Detroit, MI (Comerica Park)*
July 20 – Nashville, TN (Nissan Stadium)*
July 23 – Philadelphia, PA (Citizens Bank Park)*
July 25 – Hershey, PA (Hersheypark Stadium)*
July 27 – Pittsburgh, PA (PNC Park)*
July 30 – Cleveland, OH (Progressive Field)+
August 2 – Toronto, ON (Rogers Centre)+
August 5 – Boston, MA (Fenway Park)+
August 7 – Flushing, NY (Citi Field)*
August 12 – Arlington, TX (Globe Life Field)*
August 14 – Houston, TX (Minute Maid Park)*
August 16 – San Antonio, TX (Alamodome)*
August 19 – Minneapolis, MN (Target Field)*
August 23 – Phoenix, AZ (Chase Field)*
August 25 – Los Angeles, CA (SoFi Stadium)*
August 28 – San Francisco, CA (Oracle Park)*
August 30 – San Diego, CA (Petco Park)*
September 4 – Seattle, WA (T-Mobile Park)^
September 8 – Denver, CO (Coors Field)^

*with Steve Miller Band
^with Cheap Trick
+with Heart

Register for General Pre-sale on Tue. December 12 (11am) at https://defleppardjourney2024.com/

Joe & Phil on Tim Burgess’s Listening Party Podcast

Joe & Phil recently joined Tim Burgess for a listening party to talk about the brand new album Drastic Symphonies, recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. They go through this record of reimagined classics with the help of orchestral arranger Eric Gorfain, speaking about how they managed to take some of classic rock’s greatest songs and give them a new classical edge.

Listen HERE

 

 

Joe Featured on Ian Hunter’s New Album Defiance Part 1

“My long-time hero & now mate Ian Hunter just released his incredible new album #DefiancePart1! I’m honored to be featured on the tracks “Guernica” and “This Is What I’m Here For.” Go give it a listen it’s an awesome bit of work! I’m off to listen to it …. AGAIN !!! – Joe

Order Ian Hunter’s Defiance Part 1 HERE

Listen to Defiance Part 1 HERE

IAN HUNTER’S DEFIANCE PART 1 RELEASED ON THE LEGENDARY SUN RECORDS LABEL SEES COLLABORATIONS FROM LATE, GREAT JEFF BECK, JOHNNY DEPP, JOE ELLIOTT (DEF LEPPARD), BILLY F GIBBONS (ZZ TOP), TAYLOR HAWKINS (FOO FIGHTERS), DUFF McKAGAN (GUNS N’ ROSES), TODD RUNDGREN, SLASH (GUNS N’ROSES), JEFF TWEEDY (WILCO), ROBERT TRUJILLO (METALLICA), WADDY WACHTEL (STEVIE NICKS, KEITH RICHARDS), BRAD WHITFORD (AEROSMITH), DANE CLARK (JOHN MELLENCAMP), BILLY BOB THORNTON & J.D. ANDREW (THE BOXMASTERS) and DEAN DELEO, ROBERT DE LEO & ERIC KRETZ (STONE TEMPLE PILOTS)

 

JOE ELLIOTT’S SONGS FROM THE VAULT – SIRIUS XM (MARCH 2023 EDITION)

GREETINGS MUSIC LOVERS – AND WELCOME BACK TO JOE ELLIOTT’S SONGS FROM THE VAULT SHOW ON SIRIUSXM’S DEEP TRACKS CHANNEL.

In the MARCH 2023 hour’s show, Joe highlights and tells stories about some of his favourite songs and artists from his own personal collection.

February’s Show features music and stories from Stevie Nicks, U2, Ian Hunter, Cheap Trick, Doctor Of Madness, and more! 

WHO: Def Leppard frontman, musician, and musicologist Joe Elliott

WHAT: Joe Elliott’s Songs from the Vault

WHERE: SiriusXM’s DeepTracks (Ch. 27)

WHEN: Show Schedule HERE

MORE:

In his youth, Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliott was creatively influenced by the music of the late 60’s and early 70’s. From legendary acts like T. Rex, Mott The Hoople, David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust and so many others. Each month, listen to Elliott play “Deep Tracks” from his personal music collection. Expect to hear songs from Joe’s vault and some of the stories behind them.