True story…Me and 2 friends went to see Ozzy at Pine Knob outside Detroit 1981 Def Leppard opened for them. We weasel our way down to front row right before Leppard hit the stage. We like them and just started getting into their music, even though Ozzy and Randy were the ultimate…anyway, they looked like kids, barely older than us…Pete Willis played right in front of us at the edge of the stage and we were digging it and Pete appreciated the enthusiasm from us because we were the only ones getting into it…at one point my friend lights up a joint and the song they were playing ends, so my friend reached out with the joint and Pete grabs it, takes a toke and passes it back, I grab it and Pete gives a thumbs up and looks over at the band and goes into playing Wasted and we went nuts and Pete was pretty much just playing for us and it so cool…he was a kid and we were kids and just had this 45 minute connection with him, one of the best concert memories I have.
I saw that tour in grand rapids . We were kids in a band and loved Def Leppard . Never listened to sabbath . But when we saw Randy Rhoads we were completely blown away . We were like “who is that guitarist?” I’ve seen a lot of shows but that one was the best. My 12 yr old son plays guitar and is obsessed w Randy.
Fuckin love Pete Willis!!! He was an integral part of early Leppard and he was a renegade!! His stage presence along with Steve(RIP) was like 2 guns blazing!! That E.P.,On Through The Night and High N' Dry are in heavy rotation in my DMP!! He had this cool Shenkeresque style to his phrasing and notes and just Fuckin Ripped for lil' guy!!! All those songs on On Through The Night "Answer to the Master" "Rock Brigade" "Dont Matter" "When the walls came tumbling down" "It Could Be You" "Wasted"!!! I mean c'mon killer killer riffs!!! On High N'Dry "Let it Go" song and Video they were unstoppable at that time!!! "Saturday night High N Dry" Another killer riff!!! "Mirror Mirror" "Lady Strange" it goes on and on!!! No disrespect to Phil Collen he brought in that "Shredder" element into the Lepps and has feel but they lost that reckless abandon attitude after the firing of Pete Willis and understandably so they had no choice but to let him go but you can't deny his major contribution and loyalty to that band and so happy the Lepps gave him his writing credits on Pyromania cause despite whatever tensions they might have had with Pete they acknowledged him!! Ive always admired that about The Lepps they are really stand up guys and for that and the way they treated Rick after the accident.
Pete Willis and High n Dry. Phill Collin, brought his voice, and that is just my opinion. By Pyromania, I'm sure Joe was feeling the burn touring HnD. He's much more Bon than On through the Night. Granted Pete may have been a trainwreck by then. He probably wasn't helped by the fact his rock n roll band was becoming a pop band.
And they included him in the band when inducted to the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. Pete has said getting fired from the band most likely saved his life. He's done well for himself since. Pretty successful.
Pete was great, but drinking can be a huge issue sadly. I went to see these guys at Crazy Larry's on their second album tour where they were signing autographs. Pete was chugging on a huge wine bottle like a half gallon bottle. I saw joe lean over a few times and say something in his ear. Pete looked like he was just kind of shrugging off whatever was said. It was pretty interesting. We hung out until they were leaving. I stood by Steve Clark as he was shopping in the store when the signing was over. I watched Joe Elliott get so excited about getting an Ian Hunter poster from the record store. Wonder if Joe still has that. It was in Grand Rapids MI. Amazing experience to think about all these years later. My girlfriend got them to autograph that wine bottle as it was empty by the time they were leaving and she also got a postcard signed. Wish I still had those mementos. Sadly she got them in our split.
I met Pete and Steve October 17, 1981. St. Louis, Missouri. I was 17, was totally into Def Leppard and leaning towards the NWOBHM bands...Naive AF...for all I knew I thought NWOBHM was the sound that a guitar makes...Think about it! NWOBHHHHHHHHHMMMMM I was such a dork. I guess I had a crush on Pete and wanted to meet the band just to tell them how much I loved their music...and I got to. I was probably one of two people in my hometown who had bought On Through the Night in 1980 and the t-shirt. Its always refreshing to see a band (if you were young like I was) in their very early 20s make it in this business. They were on the verge back then. I met Pete...in a bar called Michael T's just a couple of blocks from the Kiel Auditorium... Pete was so very gracious as I asked for his autograph and snap a few pictures. I was kind of sad when he was replaced by Phil Collen. However, it didn't take long to see that they couldn't have picked a better guitarist than Phil. I met him too, in Nashville, Tennessee, and he was just as gracious to me as Pete was. For me personally, those were the days. They were our Beatles.
Sorry to say this, but Mutt never liked Steve. It wasn't because of his addiction because Mutt knew that Steve ALWAYS performed and recorded TOTALLY SOBER. Joe told Mutt but Mutt made Joe tell Steve to take that infamous "break." As we know, that 6 month break is when Steve's drinking and addiction increased. He had stated that he didn't want to be alone.... THINK ABOUT THAT. You NEVER tell an addict to go home and be alone so you can "work on your addiction." Poor beautiful Steve.
Too right, it's the last thing you do! I wonder if they hadn't told Steve to take that bloody 6 mth break he'd still be playing now.. he was attached at the hip to his guitar, it was part of him. Playing music with the band and gigs were his life..
Steve should've joined Robert Plant. Plant asked for it,it would be awesome. Steve way of playing rhythm is unique,it fits to Plant' music at that time
Joe mentioned that David Coverdale was recording in the same building. One take and David was perfect and had the rest of the day off. Joe took multiple takes on multiple songs and took a great while to finally have a realized track. It really wore on Joe how much David was a better singer and able to get it right the first time, almost with ease.
The proof is in the pudding though, White Snake was meh decent but Def Leppard's songs and albums were far better. You are right it probably drove Joe nuts at the time.
Coverdale got 10-11 years under his belt as a singer...joe started singing with def leppard,it's his first band,. Joe admitted his a pop singer,but listen how he sings live nowadays, he's able to stay controlled,compared to coverdale.
_On Through the Night_ is a good album and they played those songs great, live. _High and Dry_ is a very good album. Pete Willis was a great guitarist too. I still wonder which guitar parts are Pete's on 'Pyromania'?
@@creeper2054 Not quite. Pete performed backing tracks on all songs along with Steve Clark. Steve performed 5 solos - Too Late for Love, Die Hard The Hunter, Coming Under Fire, Action Not Words and Billy's Got A Gun, Phil performed the solos on Rock Rock Til' You Drop, Photograph, Stagefrightt, Foolin' and Rock of Ages. Steve did all the other guitar tracks.
I roadied for Def during Hysteria tour. Girls were everywhere and anywhere. Europe was the opener band. They’d all play soccer. Outdoor Summer shows. Clark was wispy and pale as a ghost. Drummer had a very unique technical rig.
Me and pal worked one show and quit. It was way too much. Plenty of good food. After the show 20-30 bodies in the medical tent. At least. The amount of stage clothing they had to was completely ridiculous. Singer for Europe looked Ike a god. Long time ago - lol
@@seagullpoet wow....that must have been the "In the Round" tour? I saw that show in Sacramento, Ca USA. It must have been Europe with the stage clothing? Def Leppard seemed to have a pretty simple wardrobe back then. Pretty cool.
Jebus! I never even knew that there were Epiphone Explorers in the late seventies and early eighties! Pete is holding one at 3:44!!! That is a really skinny headstock as well!!!
Um, hate to break it to ya but what Pete is holding at 3:44 is CLEARLY a Gibson E/2 Explorer. The give away is the E/2 Truss rod cover and then the GIBSON Logo across the tip of the headstock. Epiphone didn't make Explorer models until 1986 (Well past that photo) when Henery J (The owner of Gibson back then) aquired the Epiphone brand. You also have to remember that both Pete, Steve and Rick all played Hamer Standards which were shaped like Gibson Explorers during the early years of Def Leppard.
Pete addressed his firing. Pete was saying that the way Mutt pushed every member drove him to drink more and more. Mutt had said he literally could not play because he was so drunk while trying to record a solo for Stagefright. Mutt told him to go back to Sheffield to sober up. Mutt played the tape of Pete trying to play the guitar and the band made the decision it was time for Pete to go. The band had given him so many chances and he would still continue to drink which affected his playing. Joe feared that Mutt wouldn't take the band seriously and quit. Pete would say later it was probably the best thing for him for his sanity and health.
Between his real estate business and royalties Pete is good to go! Personally I’ve always thought that he was the smart one. If he’d of stayed you’d have two dead founding members instead of one. I’m also confident that Pete’s wife and kids appreciate him for surviving very well after the band and he also got the drinking crap under control. If that would’ve been me I’d be dead. Way too much stuff available at a young age.
@@Gratefulman1965 me too. lol its good to know pete went on to have a good life nobody wants to be judged their entire life by what you did when you were 20 years old. your still a kid
I’d like to quote Dave Mustaine at this point regarding Pete Willis: “What, no second chance?” Pete Willis is what made the band for me. His guitar tone was phenomenal!
People say that all the time, and objectively it's true. However, it's one of those causation vs correlation things. The sound change was down to Mutt Lange and the band's love of 70s glam and impeccably produced rock music (Queen, Bowie, etc.). It's what they wanted to be as a band. It wasn't a dramatic shift because Pete was out, then replaced by Phil, so that the very soul and direction was forever lost. If Pete could have stayed sober during production, been able to play his parts in studio, Pyromania would still have been Pyromania.
@@janandd1 the only thing that would have been different about pyromania are the solos on rock rock till you drop, photograph, stagefright, rock of ages, and foolin. that's it.
@@ktbeatty well ,I also wonder if Steve Clark literally died of alcoholism...how bad could Pete have been ? I read somewhere that Joe got rid of Pete in a power struggle...It was Pete's band to begin with & Joe wanted to rule the roost...
@@janandd1 functional alcoholism would be the best description… the Sheffield boys were all degenerate drunks to an extent, but could balance it with professional responsibilities and grew out of it. Pete was the kind that couldn’t party like a rockstar and be functional, Steve was the kind that could, on the surface. Pete lost out on the band’s success as a result, Steve lost out on most of his life. Neither path of alcoholism is a winner.
Def Leppard basically made a deal with the devil when they brought in Mutt Lange. They got what they wanted but it cost them them their soul. Pete Willis had (and probably still has) an awesome, heavy rhythm guitar sound. A great example is "Stagefright".
@@deanladue5367 Ah. I see. I didn't read hardly any of the info in most albums I listened to in the 70's or 80's. I was too busy ROCKIN'🤟 Thanks for the info. I like HND the most and Pyromania 2nd. Both I believe done by Lang?
@@deanladue5367 He turned Shania Twain into a superstar too. I know an image consultant in Nashville that worked with her too and between the 2 of them she "made it" big.😉
On second thought,, I realize that times were different and I guess they did what they could do. I think everybody bemoans Pete for what could have been had those guys kept it together.
Steve Clark and Pete Willis were a Phenomenal duo. No disrespect to Phil, but the sound they had with Willis was great. After Pyromania they turned pop.
Since he is my favourite guitar player in Def Leppard I am glad that he stil got writing credits on 5 songs on Pyromania 👍 What a bummer if he didn’t, since the album sold over 7 million.. And thats only how much it sold in the 80s I think, so maybe even more today! (At least thats the number I have seen before) Edit: 7 million was in the U.S. alone! ”The album sold over 7 million copies in the USA by late 1988 and by 2004 had sold over 10 million and earned the band its second Diamond award.” (Source: Def Leppards official homepage)
pete willis was def leppard prematurely sack so wrong they really lost there sound and way and drifted in to a total different sound willis and clark wre amazing toghther
What I remember reading is that Mutt told Joe something needed to be done about Pete who showed up to record so drunk that he could not play. This is after Pete had been warned numerous times about how his drinking was affecting his playing. Joe ran it by the other guys in the band who agreed Pete had become a big problem. They then tried to get their manager Peter Mensch to fire Pete. Mensch told them that there was no way he would fire a founding member and if they wanted Pete gone, they would have to do it themselves. Joe was then tasked with the job of telling Pete. Later, all the band members met with Pete and told him it was a group decision.
Only song I liked after Pyromania was Animal. They got too poppy for me. I think it worked out for the best. I've been around drunks and druggies and it's not easy. That being said, I like them better with Pete but if he was a mean drunk then I can see why they fired him. Phil is a good player too but they lost that grit with Pete. I think it worked out best for Pete too. If he quit the booze and drugs then the firing saved his life and he is still famous but without all the b.s. attached to it, plus all the stress. And he's in the RR Half of Fame which is cool. Good legacy.
From all the interviews over the years, it sounded like Steve Clark was sent home to 'sober up' and Pete was then called in to track with Mutt and was so shitfaced he couldn't even play. I suppose he pissed off Mutt enough to bring it up with Joe.. and the rest is history. But he did cash in $$$ with song credits on pyromania.
How ridiculously hypocritical is that? Steve gets sent away to sober up. So now Pete has to do his and Steve's guitar work. He has to do the job of two people while recording with Mutt Lange who is notorious in making bands do dozens of takes. Pete gets fired for drinking, while Steve gets a vacation because he's drinking to much, lol
@@MrOctober44 According to Joe, Steve could still function as a guitarist and tour even though he was drinking much of the time. Pete could not so he was canned.
@@chriskitchen4772 Which leads to the question why did Steve not do the backing tracks. Pete did 90% of the guitar work on Pyro, Steve approximatly 10%, Pete did a small solo part on Billy's Got A Gun, the rest of the solos were Phil and Steve. Why keep Pete's work if he couldn't function, it doesn't make sense.
Where did you get that information ? I think Steve would have done more as I believe he was also writing songs. Pete's work was kept because it was good work when he was sober. I think Pete was more obnoxsious when drunk also. I think there was a video of Pete being interviewed and I believe he stated that he was glad he got canned in the end because the pressure of being in a popular band was too much for him. Even though he joined another band after DL.@@TenMinutesLyne
Pete Willis belonged in that band...Period !! If they could wait for Rick Allen to get through losing an arm and re-inventing a drum kit to work with foot triggers. Than, they could have thrown Pete in a re-hab for a month. He wrote & played on the best album they ever did (high n' dry) and wrote half of Pyromania ! No offense to Phil, but Pete was a better fit for me.
I liked pete Willis, he was more raw, pete & steve were great together I do think it was best move letting him go Pyromania ( my opinion) Is the album that lep really came together ...Dont hate on me to much for this next part.... if I was in lep I would have fought to let Rick go after the accident I HIGHLY respect Rick as a person His hard work, heart, dedication, drive to keep going is one of the most inspiring stories one can tell As a person he seems Down to earth, humble, real cool guy However I wouldn't want the one arm jokes Or That's the band with one armed drummer Most importantly I absolutely would not want electronic drums In the music 🤷♂️ Sorry I dont like electronic drums Before you start No they dont sound the same Especially in mid 80s At the same time I respect the hell out of the lep guys for standing behind and supporting there brother Def leppard are a true class act
Yea, I hear ya....But letting Pete go ?......I often try to search logic and reasoning with that decision.....There was probabably not alot of similar situations with super stars to help with a bandmate who has a vice of sorts.......I'm one who wishes they would have put him in a rehab......and accepted him back when he was ready,,,,,no matter how long......
@@charlieswitzer9931 According to Def Leppard and even Pete himself, the problem when Pete got drunk was that it brought out a violent personality to the point where it got too much. Plus even though Steve was an alcoholic, he never got drunk before playing on stage and the same couldn’t be said for Pete.
@@charlieswitzer9931 It was a systematic takeover, probably arisen from when Joe met Phil at Reading festival, Phil who was extremely ambitious was getting nowhere with his current band Girl, he was a changling a bit like Midge Ure with Lizzy. It didn't really matter who they got, Mutt had got them on the cusp of greatness, same as AC/DC, he picked his clients wisely. Pete stood in his way for the pop machine, lowest common denominator music that lay ahead. One or two albums after full saturation point with the public and then forever more basically a tribute band to the good old days, churning out the best of's and rehashing new mixes of the same songs. New material didn't sell, you can't really envisage what could have happened had they not sold out, but I should imagine most other artists recognise they did sell out and became overly reliant on Mutt.
It's just that...Valvestate didn't come out before 1991. I guess you mean the transistor series Marshall combos from the 1980s or even the JCM800 series that came in 1982. Virtually the same amps as the 1959, 2203 of the 1970s but they don't sing :( And on Hysteria they went with Randall instead :)
I was pissed that Pete got fired & it was the band that did it not Mutt. But getting fired probably saved him from the same fate as Steve Clark. They mostly all drank a lot but apparently Pete was the only one that couldn't function. Also, if they had a normal producer who knows without the extra pressure Pete may have made it through without getting fired.
He said Pete was drinking to much, while they let Steve drink himself to death later on. Also, Phil had said that he only had to do 2 solo's to finish up. The album was pretty much done and they sacked Pete. At least they paid him royalties on the album.
Pete's drinking was affecting his performance and his relationships with the other members of the band. He was fired after many warnings. The band did NOT allow Steve to drink himself to death. Phil quit drinking and tried to get Steve to join him, but Steve refused. Even Joe quit drinking for a while to support Phil and to encourage Steve to quit. Steve's long time girlfriend also tried to help him and finally left him because of his alcoholism. The band did everything they could to help save him, including interventions and supporting him for rehab.
@@gulfgal98 Obviously they didn't do enough. They could of stayed around because they knew how serious this was affecting him. They threw him in rehab while they went back on tour. It takes two, but they definitely had the resources to do more for him and they didn't help there "friend" enough.
Seems maybe Pete getting canned was his drinking by along with maybe him not being as professional as the others or as good. A Producer can without a doubt can change the lineup of a band if they feel the person is not cutting it. Look at George Martin and Another Pete, Pete Best.
Funny how he keeps quickly trying to change the subject when asked about Pete Willis other than throwing him under the bus. Sounds like the band was persuaded to let Pete go by Mutt's influence.
Finally, all of my drunken days in Boston talking to Irish bartenders pays off! Although this guy sounds Scottish AND it's an international cell call is the real issue here. But he's right about those absolute S**T Marshall heads, with their "mosfet" technology back then. I had one and "gote red ov et en da doompstar" myself.
You can slow down RUclips speeds in the RUclips settings and if you do that, put on headphones. That makes it a lot easier to understand him. He almost comes across like Brad Pitt’s shitty Pikey accent in the movie Snatch lol
I can barely make out one out of 10 words. HA! That accent always gives me a headache. ha Pete and Steve were the heart and soul of the band. High n Dry is their best album IMO
Probably the most drastic example of a band's sound completely changing with the change of one member. They were a "metal" band to start, and a bubblegum pop band with Phil Collen.
I distinctly remember Willis did not play well on the high n dry tour. Actually ruined his solos, but I love that guy, he did excellent stuff in the studio...
You guys look so young and hot Steve Clark was a grate guitarist and when he died I was hart broken Ann in Huddersfield West Yorkshire 💕 Def leppard hysteria is still my favourite Def leppard cd and a personal favourite Def leppard song ❤you guys especially Joe Elliott and rick savage these guys are so 🔥 and sexy
@@deanladue5367 That's really so wonderful to hear that he's had a great life! Who knows...had he stayed in the band the opposite may have happened. I almost agree with you, it was a win-win for everyone except those of us who had to listen to "An-ni-mal" on the radio, as I don't think Pete would have allowed the band to go in the pop direction. ...but maybe he would have after Rick lost his arm, I'm sure that limited them playing like they did on the early songs.
@@deanladue5367 Thanks man. Glad to hear they were looking out for him and kept in touch! And very cool you lived the life as well, glad you made it through ok!
@@deanladue5367 I remember Pyromania coming out like it was yesterday. I saw that tour in Biloxi about a week before graduating high school. Show opened with Krokus and Jon Butcher Axis. I was blown away by how good Rick Allen was at such a young age, he played the mess out of those drums! So glad I got to see him before losing his arm. My favorite by them will always be High n Dry. I couldn't get enough of it or Van Halen's Fair Warning, I wore 'em both out that year. Every time I hear 'Let it Go' I have this incredible urge to pull T-tops out, burn a cig and the back tires and blast it for everyone to hear! What was the name of your band? Glad you had a great time giving it a shot, there's no way to make it big if you don't try. But having fun and enjoying life when you're young is a treasure, much more valuable than riches. "Every man dies...not every man really lives."
So Steve drank himself to death but they kept him until his death. Pete drank but they booted him. Should've given Pete the time and effort they gave Steve.
The difference from what I read is that Pete's drinking affected his performance both on stage and in the studio. Pete was given numerous warnings by the band. According to Joe, Steve never played drunk.
The difference being that Steve was always sober when called upon. Pete often wasn't. On saying that though, in my experience, he was a really kind bloke.
@@craigthomson7964 Yes I've read several different reasons behind it. Pete wasn't a happy drunk and he got belligerent when he was drunk. I've read that Joe didn't like Pete. But I still see that they gave Steve more than just hey get sober thing. They were willing to give Steve all the time he needed. Unfortunately that time gave Steve time to drink himself to death. I'm a way Pete being given the boot saved Pete's life and I think he's said that in interviews. I would've loved to see how Hysteria would've been with Pete though. Name a rockstar back in those days that didn't get shitty drunk. I've seen Steve play drunk or at least definitely under the influence in concert
@@RachelAnneAmbrose 1979 Sheffield Show. Joe comes off stage and says to his mother, that was like the Fucking Pete Willis Show ! He was so angry, it never changed, until Pete lost his confidence, then it was blame time for others, he would have died in that band like Steve had he not gone. Honestly if that man could blame Pete for some of the music they've made in the past 30 years and their lack of sales he would.
Def Leppard we’re all drunks but only Pete got fired hysteria and pyromaniac were good for the time but I’d never play that shit now I don’t even know what they did after that .high n dry now that’s a good one
The first minute or so this guy sounds really coked up. Yes, poor Pete. Suffered from small mans disease. Drinking too much. He said that he was glad that it happened. Big fame. Can't be too easy. Killed many a good man. Hey, he's still around. And then Steve Clark. But those two were definitely a big part of Def Leppard becoming huge. Mutt Lange pushed and they delivered a couple of the biggest albums ever in rock history. a great movie was made with actors....covered the whole thing. With end notes of where are they now. Cool.
That movie did NOT cover the whole thing. They only went up until Steve was in rehab. They purposely didn't film scenes where he dies and the others find out. It was out of respect for his real life friends and family who'd been devastated by it.
That’s not an accurate depiction of the situation at all. Mutt wanted Pete out because he was a free thinker. Pete didn’t like Mutts style and EVERYONE knows this. It’s awful strange how only Joe speaks out about Pete. You never will here an interview where Rick or Steve bad mouth Pete. They were all alcoholics and druggie. Bottom line, the riffs left when Pete did… end of story.
You pull these facts outta your ass? Nowhere has there ever been anything where it said Pete was a freethinker etc... What has been said is a lot of his ideas were essentially ripoffs of other bands and Steve would have to rework those parts so they weren't so obvious. That's fact.
The Def Leps seems to keep their alcoholic and substance abuse in the low side away from the public, their management Qprime did a great job in doing so. There’s never news that they hung out to party with example Motley Crue or GnR until way way way later. In one of Joe’s interview stated he dabbled into drugs and last drug MDMA that was late or mid 2011 or 2015 or earlier than that. When they do a documentary the band doesn’t state of their alcoholism or drug use…only…state about Steve Clark. I know in a few interviews people that hung out or friends with the Leps do state they had their own substance abuse/alcohol issues also…IMO…when the band requested Steve go into rehab he didn’t take them seriously because the band dabble with drug and alcohol…only…difference is Steve was no longer functional when under the influence.
@@frasiercraine1776 Christ if that's not the pot calling the kettle black I don't know what is, Joe Elliott's trip down memory lane never ends, even to the point of trying to get his childhood hero's into the Rock and Roll hall of fame, no disrepect to the Mott, but it's a bit self indulgent and narcisistic to think everyone should like what you do, with his constant nodding in songs to glam rock, and it appears the rest of the band must follow suit, I sometimes feel sorry for Phil and Viv as they have been versed into liking what he does, along with 'I've been here from the start Sav.'
@@frasiercraine1776 Yes that's been the story for many years until recently when Joe's changed his tune and started preaching that the only song Steve wrote fully was Wasted. I wonder what's brought that about. There's always a reason with Joe.
They fired Pete for drinking to much and not putting in 100%...yet Steve was a drunk and had issues of attendance and outbursts for a long time. It is who's ass you kiss that makes the difference. I like the early sounds of the bands albums.
@@matthewcranney6576 Really have a look at Leppard playing at the Roxy, he looks blasted. Probably why the comments have been turned off. Just like on many of Phil's videos, comments off, no such protection for Pete.
Hi N Dry is still, by far, their masterpiece. perfect blend of whiskey, testosterone and raw youthful energy.
Jeff Blevins. I totally agree!!!
And....didn't Steve write most of the songs on it?
I agree with you 💯!
Let is rock!
Absolutely!!!
True story…Me and 2 friends went to see Ozzy at Pine Knob outside Detroit 1981 Def Leppard opened for them. We weasel our way down to front row right before Leppard hit the stage. We like them and just started getting into their music, even though Ozzy and Randy were the ultimate…anyway, they looked like kids, barely older than us…Pete Willis played right in front of us at the edge of the stage and we were digging it and Pete appreciated the enthusiasm from us because we were the only ones getting into it…at one point my friend lights up a joint and the song they were playing ends, so my friend reached out with the joint and Pete grabs it, takes a toke and passes it back, I grab it and Pete gives a thumbs up and looks over at the band and goes into playing Wasted and we went nuts and Pete was pretty much just playing for us and it so cool…he was a kid and we were kids and just had this 45 minute connection with him, one of the best concert memories I have.
I saw that tour in grand rapids . We were kids in a band and loved Def Leppard . Never listened to sabbath . But when we saw Randy Rhoads we were completely blown away . We were like “who is that guitarist?” I’ve seen a lot of shows but that one was the best. My 12 yr old son plays guitar and is obsessed w Randy.
Will at that time Def Leps where still teenagers. Don’t forget Allen was 16, Sav/Steve/Willis 17 or 18, Joe 19 when touring with Ozzy.
Very cool memory. They WERE kids.Rick Allen was 17 when I saw them open for Ozzy in Aug.of '81.🤘
You always know something is made up when it starts with "true story"
@@cylcoco772Steve would’ve been 20 or 21 he was born in 1960
I have total respect for Pete Willis on through the night, high n dry, pyromania, which songs he played on he's jamming it
"HIGH AND DRY" IS an amazing R n R album with NO filler! Just AMAZING piece of work BACK when the Leppard were young and wantin to just ROCK! 🤘
Fuckin love Pete Willis!!! He was an integral part of early Leppard and he was a renegade!! His stage presence along with Steve(RIP) was like 2 guns blazing!! That E.P.,On Through The Night and High N' Dry are in heavy rotation in my DMP!! He had this cool Shenkeresque style to his phrasing and notes and just Fuckin Ripped for lil' guy!!! All those songs on On Through The Night "Answer to the Master" "Rock Brigade" "Dont Matter" "When the walls came tumbling down" "It Could Be You" "Wasted"!!! I mean c'mon killer killer riffs!!! On High N'Dry "Let it Go" song and Video they were unstoppable at that time!!! "Saturday night High N Dry" Another killer riff!!! "Mirror Mirror" "Lady Strange" it goes on and on!!! No disrespect to Phil Collen he brought in that "Shredder" element into the Lepps and has feel but they lost that reckless abandon attitude after the firing of Pete Willis and understandably so they had no choice but to let him go but you can't deny his major contribution and loyalty to that band and so happy the Lepps gave him his writing credits on Pyromania cause despite whatever tensions they might have had with Pete they acknowledged him!! Ive always admired that about The Lepps they are really stand up guys and for that and the way they treated Rick after the accident.
Pete Willis and High n Dry. Phill Collin, brought his voice, and that is just my opinion. By Pyromania, I'm sure Joe was feeling the burn touring HnD. He's much more Bon than On through the Night. Granted Pete may have been a trainwreck by then. He probably wasn't helped by the fact his rock n roll band was becoming a pop band.
I totally agree. I dug pete willis
@@benbaird2129 I don't think he was concerned about them adding more pop style by then. He was fully into Pyromania.......that's been well documented.
And they included him in the band when inducted to the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. Pete has said getting fired from the band most likely saved his life. He's done well for himself since. Pretty successful.
Yeah can't stand Phil and when Steve died it was over
I’m 64, collected a lot of music, High N Dry is still my favorite album. God bless the great Steve Clark.
Love Pete Willis
I STILL turn High 'n Dry up to 11!!
Pete was great, but drinking can be a huge issue sadly. I went to see these guys at Crazy Larry's on their second album tour where they were signing autographs. Pete was chugging on a huge wine bottle like a half gallon bottle. I saw joe lean over a few times and say something in his ear. Pete looked like he was just kind of shrugging off whatever was said. It was pretty interesting. We hung out until they were leaving. I stood by Steve Clark as he was shopping in the store when the signing was over. I watched Joe Elliott get so excited about getting an Ian Hunter poster from the record store. Wonder if Joe still has that. It was in Grand Rapids MI. Amazing experience to think about all these years later. My girlfriend got them to autograph that wine bottle as it was empty by the time they were leaving and she also got a postcard signed. Wish I still had those mementos. Sadly she got them in our split.
Hey I grew up in GR and I remember Crazy Larry's. I had no idea that DL had played in town and was it at the old Welsh Auditorium?
High N Dry easily their best album!
On Through the Night was pretty good too.
Almost need English subtitles
right, I was having such a hard time I actually tried hitting the captions button but they are not available for this video.
Ya a Scottish accent can do that sometimes 😊
@@tommywallbangerBastards! 😂 No captions!
I met Pete and Steve October 17, 1981. St. Louis, Missouri. I was 17, was totally into Def Leppard and leaning towards the NWOBHM bands...Naive AF...for all I knew I thought NWOBHM was the sound that a guitar makes...Think about it! NWOBHHHHHHHHHMMMMM
I was such a dork. I guess I had a crush on Pete and wanted to meet the band just to tell them how much I loved their music...and I got to. I was probably one of two people in my hometown who had bought On Through the Night in 1980 and the t-shirt. Its always refreshing to see a band (if you were young like I was) in their very early 20s make it in this business. They were on the verge back then. I met Pete...in a bar called Michael T's just a couple of blocks from the Kiel Auditorium...
Pete was so very gracious as I asked for his autograph and snap a few pictures. I was kind of sad when he was replaced by Phil Collen. However, it didn't take long to see that they couldn't have picked a better guitarist than Phil. I met him too, in Nashville, Tennessee, and he was just as gracious to me as Pete was.
For me personally, those were the days. They were our Beatles.
Sorry to say this, but Mutt never liked Steve. It wasn't because of his addiction because Mutt knew that Steve ALWAYS performed and recorded TOTALLY SOBER. Joe told Mutt but Mutt made Joe tell Steve to take that infamous "break." As we know, that 6 month break is when Steve's drinking and addiction increased. He had stated that he didn't want to be alone....
THINK ABOUT THAT. You NEVER tell an addict to go home and be alone so you can "work on your addiction." Poor beautiful Steve.
Too right, it's the last thing you do! I wonder if they hadn't told Steve to take that bloody 6 mth break he'd still be playing now.. he was attached at the hip to his guitar, it was part of him. Playing music with the band and gigs were his life..
Steve should've joined Robert Plant. Plant asked for it,it would be awesome. Steve way of playing rhythm is unique,it fits to Plant' music at that time
Mutt wasn't even involved in producing adrenalize. Are you dyslexic or something?
Joe mentioned that David Coverdale was recording in the same building. One take and David was perfect and had the rest of the day off. Joe took multiple takes on multiple songs and took a great while to finally have a realized track. It really wore on Joe how much David was a better singer and able to get it right the first time, almost with ease.
The proof is in the pudding though, White Snake was meh decent but Def Leppard's songs and albums were far better. You are right it probably drove Joe nuts at the time.
Probably wouldn't have been one take if Mutt was the one producing... :P
Whitesnake isn't as listenable as Def Leppard
Coverdale got 10-11 years under his belt as a singer...joe started singing with def leppard,it's his first band,. Joe admitted his a pop singer,but listen how he sings live nowadays, he's able to stay controlled,compared to coverdale.
@@yudhasibarani8476David is older than Joe.
I met Def Leppard in 1982, in store appearance. I couldn't believe how short Pete was. But he had a great look.
How tall was Pete to you???
@@cylcoco772 I was only 12 years old at the time, and he looked to be around 5 feet or something. He was maybe an inch taller than me.
Saw the first line up in Memphis opening for Ozzy's first tour with Randy Rhoads. I think Rick Allen was around 14. They rocked.
Rick 16, Sav/Steve/Pete 17 or 18, Joe 19
I like Pete Willis' solos more than Phil Collen's.
AWESOME BAND!!!! HIGH N DRY MY FAVORITE ALBUM!!!!🎶🎵🎶🎵
_On Through the Night_ is a good album and they played those songs great, live. _High and Dry_ is a very good album. Pete Willis was a great guitarist too. I still wonder which guitar parts are Pete's on 'Pyromania'?
Everything except the solo on Photograph.
@@creeper2054 Not quite. Pete performed backing tracks on all songs along with Steve Clark. Steve performed 5 solos - Too Late for Love, Die Hard The Hunter, Coming Under Fire, Action Not Words and Billy's Got A Gun, Phil performed the solos on Rock Rock Til' You Drop, Photograph, Stagefrightt, Foolin' and Rock of Ages. Steve did all the other guitar tracks.
High and Dry is a GREAT album.
Because he wrote them
You must know more than the band themselves. Watch the Behind the Music episode on them.
High and dry is still my favorite
I roadied for Def during Hysteria tour. Girls were everywhere and anywhere.
Europe was the opener band. They’d all play soccer. Outdoor Summer shows.
Clark was wispy and pale as a ghost. Drummer had a very unique technical rig.
You were a roadie that worked the entire Def Leppard tour or you worked one city?
Me and pal worked one show and quit. It was way too much.
Plenty of good food. After the show 20-30 bodies in the medical tent. At least.
The amount of stage clothing they had to was completely ridiculous.
Singer for Europe looked Ike a god. Long time ago - lol
@@seagullpoet wow....that must have been the "In the Round" tour? I saw that show in Sacramento, Ca USA. It must have been Europe with the stage clothing? Def Leppard seemed to have a pretty simple wardrobe back then. Pretty cool.
Yes ! In the Round tour ! Nice research !
@@seagullpoet Tesla opened for them. Great show for the Sacramento boys. The bands have been friends ever since.
ALWAYS the BEST INSIGHTFUL INTERVIEWS I APPRECIATE YOU! 🙌💯🙌
God bless you if you can make out what the guy is saying
Next time y’all interview Groundskeeper Willie, how about some subtitles?
I laughed out loud very hard reading that. And I love Pete Willis
Jebus! I never even knew that there were Epiphone Explorers in the late seventies and early eighties! Pete is holding one at 3:44!!! That is a really skinny headstock as well!!!
Um, hate to break it to ya but what Pete is holding at 3:44 is CLEARLY a Gibson E/2 Explorer. The give away is the E/2 Truss rod cover and then the GIBSON Logo across the tip of the headstock. Epiphone didn't make Explorer models until 1986 (Well past that photo) when Henery J (The owner of Gibson back then) aquired the Epiphone brand. You also have to remember that both Pete, Steve and Rick all played Hamer Standards which were shaped like Gibson Explorers during the early years of Def Leppard.
Is there an english version of the interview?😁
Pete addressed his firing. Pete was saying that the way Mutt pushed every member drove him to drink more and more. Mutt had said he literally could not play because he was so drunk while trying to record a solo for Stagefright. Mutt told him to go back to Sheffield to sober up. Mutt played the tape of Pete trying to play the guitar and the band made the decision it was time for Pete to go. The band had given him so many chances and he would still continue to drink which affected his playing. Joe feared that Mutt wouldn't take the band seriously and quit.
Pete would say later it was probably the best thing for him for his sanity and health.
at least he got a piece of pyromania album im sure he doing ok financially
Between his real estate business and royalties Pete is good to go! Personally I’ve always thought that he was the smart one. If he’d of stayed you’d have two dead founding members instead of one. I’m also confident that Pete’s wife and kids appreciate him for surviving very well after the band and he also got the drinking crap under control. If that would’ve been me I’d be dead. Way too much stuff available at a young age.
@@Gratefulman1965 me too. lol its good to know pete went on to have a good life nobody wants to be judged their entire life by what you did when you were 20 years old. your still a kid
Motley Crue should take an example through Def Leppard on how to treat an ex-member (Mick Mars). What is your take on that guys???
I’d like to quote Dave Mustaine at this point regarding Pete Willis: “What, no second chance?” Pete Willis is what made the band for me. His guitar tone was phenomenal!
I Absolutely agree 110%.
Steve made the band. Steve was far more vital to their sound than Pete. Pete was a great rhythm player but Steve was the composer.
The best Def Leppard was the Pete Willis era
indeed
Absolutely
seen them with ossy. the rods opened the show. utica, ny. pete was fantastic, that classic line up was fantastic.........
The true Leppard sound was never the same after Pete was gone...
People say that all the time, and objectively it's true. However, it's one of those causation vs correlation things. The sound change was down to Mutt Lange and the band's love of 70s glam and impeccably produced rock music (Queen, Bowie, etc.). It's what they wanted to be as a band. It wasn't a dramatic shift because Pete was out, then replaced by Phil, so that the very soul and direction was forever lost. If Pete could have stayed sober during production, been able to play his parts in studio, Pyromania would still have been Pyromania.
@@ktbeatty they say it cause it's true...
@@janandd1 the only thing that would have been different about pyromania are the solos on rock rock till you drop, photograph, stagefright, rock of ages, and foolin. that's it.
@@ktbeatty well ,I also wonder if Steve Clark literally died of alcoholism...how bad could Pete have been ? I read somewhere that Joe got rid of Pete in a power struggle...It was Pete's band to begin with & Joe wanted to rule the roost...
@@janandd1 functional alcoholism would be the best description… the Sheffield boys were all degenerate drunks to an extent, but could balance it with professional responsibilities and grew out of it. Pete was the kind that couldn’t party like a rockstar and be functional, Steve was the kind that could, on the surface.
Pete lost out on the band’s success as a result, Steve lost out on most of his life. Neither path of alcoholism is a winner.
Def Leppard basically made a deal with the devil when they brought in Mutt Lange. They got what they wanted but it cost them them their soul. Pete Willis had (and probably still has) an awesome, heavy rhythm guitar sound. A great example is "Stagefright".
You are not wrong.. it’s sad. But you’re still not wrong.
@@deanladue5367 But the sound on Back In Black and For Those About To Rock is awesome!
@@deanladue5367 Ah. I see. I didn't read hardly any of the info in most albums I listened to in the 70's or 80's.
I was too busy ROCKIN'🤟
Thanks for the info.
I like HND the most and Pyromania 2nd.
Both I believe done by Lang?
@@deanladue5367 Well. I'm no music engineer or expert but. That makes sense.
@@deanladue5367 He turned Shania Twain into a superstar too.
I know an image consultant in Nashville that worked with her too and between the 2 of them she "made it" big.😉
Pete was a great riff writer
It was Steve that was the big riff writer.
All the people bemoaning petes sacking , have you ever been in a band with somebody whos drunk permanently ? It’s a nightmare .
You’re right but what I don’t understand is if they felt that way then why let Steve drink himself to death?
On second thought,, I realize that times were different and I guess they did what they could do. I think everybody bemoans Pete for what could have been had those guys kept it together.
@@auorda2295Steve wasn't violent or aggressive. There's a difference.
Def lepped what down hill after Steve Clark passed away such a great guitar player.
I hope he still gets royalty checks and publishing.
This guy tells the interviewer that he accidentally came up with the name of the album but got ignored. That's big.
This interview was brutal… really need captions to understand this guy. Can’t understand enough to follow what’s being said
Even closed captioning gave up translating his accent.
Steve Clark and Pete Willis were a Phenomenal duo. No disrespect to Phil, but the sound they had with Willis was great. After Pyromania they turned pop.
Since he is my favourite guitar player in Def Leppard I am glad that he stil got writing credits on 5 songs on Pyromania 👍 What a bummer if he didn’t, since the album sold over 7 million.. And thats only how much it sold in the 80s I think, so maybe even more today! (At least thats the number I have seen before)
Edit: 7 million was in the U.S. alone! ”The album sold over 7 million copies in the USA by late 1988 and by 2004 had sold over 10 million and earned the band its second Diamond award.” (Source: Def Leppards official homepage)
3:00 Mutt Lange went for a Sears Portrait.
Thank You
I wish Mutt produced that interview..than I would have had a clue what they were saying..and it would have been a top 10 hit!!!
pete willis was def leppard prematurely sack so wrong they really lost there sound and way and drifted in to a total different sound willis and clark wre amazing toghther
I wonder how many record producers are responsible for kicking out band members?
It wasn’t Mutt. Joe thinks he’s in charge although certainly not the most talented.
What I remember reading is that Mutt told Joe something needed to be done about Pete who showed up to record so drunk that he could not play. This is after Pete had been warned numerous times about how his drinking was affecting his playing. Joe ran it by the other guys in the band who agreed Pete had become a big problem. They then tried to get their manager Peter Mensch to fire Pete. Mensch told them that there was no way he would fire a founding member and if they wanted Pete gone, they would have to do it themselves. Joe was then tasked with the job of telling Pete. Later, all the band members met with Pete and told him it was a group decision.
pete Willis for rock and creations
Only song I liked after Pyromania was Animal. They got too poppy for me. I think it worked out for the best. I've been around drunks and druggies and it's not easy. That being said, I like them better with Pete but if he was a mean drunk then I can see why they fired him. Phil is a good player too but they lost that grit with Pete. I think it worked out best for Pete too. If he quit the booze and drugs then the firing saved his life and he is still famous but without all the b.s. attached to it, plus all the stress. And he's in the RR Half of Fame which is cool. Good legacy.
I only understood about 20% of the interview his accent is so strong. But loved it anyway. 8)
The interview was conducted over a very bad phone line. Plus the fact that I'm Scottish probably didn't help!😂😂😂😂
From all the interviews over the years, it sounded like Steve Clark was sent home to 'sober up' and Pete was then called in to track with Mutt and was so shitfaced he couldn't even play. I suppose he pissed off Mutt enough to bring it up with Joe.. and the rest is history. But he did cash in $$$ with song credits on pyromania.
How ridiculously hypocritical is that? Steve gets sent away to sober up. So now Pete has to do his and Steve's guitar work. He has to do the job of two people while recording with Mutt Lange who is notorious in making bands do dozens of takes. Pete gets fired for drinking, while Steve gets a vacation because he's drinking to much, lol
@@MrOctober44 According to Joe, Steve could still function as a guitarist and tour even though he was drinking much of the time. Pete could not so he was canned.
@@chriskitchen4772 Which leads to the question why did Steve not do the backing tracks. Pete did 90% of the guitar work on Pyro, Steve approximatly 10%, Pete did a small solo part on Billy's Got A Gun, the rest of the solos were Phil and Steve.
Why keep Pete's work if he couldn't function, it doesn't make sense.
Where did you get that information ? I think Steve would have done more as I believe he was also writing songs. Pete's work was kept because it was good work when he was sober. I think Pete was more obnoxsious when drunk also. I think there was a video of Pete being interviewed and I believe he stated that he was glad he got canned in the end because the pressure of being in a popular band was too much for him. Even though he joined another band after DL.@@TenMinutesLyne
@@chriskitchen4772 According to Joe 🤣
They should have never fired Pete Willis. Def Leppard was Steve and Pete's guitar sounds that put them on the rock and roll map.
I agree 100%
So just keep things as they were and not be able to complete records or play concerts because he was drunk most of the time ???
Him being fired is probably the only reason Pete is still alive.
Pete Willis belonged in that band...Period !! If they could wait for Rick Allen to get through losing an arm and re-inventing a drum kit to work with foot triggers. Than, they could have thrown Pete in a re-hab for a month. He wrote & played on the best album they ever did (high n' dry) and wrote half of Pyromania ! No offense to Phil, but Pete was a better fit for me.
I liked pete Willis, he was more raw, pete & steve were great together
I do think it was best move letting him go
Pyromania ( my opinion)
Is the album that lep really came together
...Dont hate on me to much for this next part....
if I was in lep
I would have fought to let Rick go after the accident
I HIGHLY respect Rick as a person
His hard work, heart, dedication, drive to keep going is one of the most inspiring stories one can tell
As a person he seems
Down to earth, humble, real cool guy
However I wouldn't want the one arm jokes
Or
That's the band with one armed drummer
Most importantly
I absolutely would not want electronic drums
In the music
🤷♂️
Sorry I dont like electronic drums
Before you start
No they dont sound the same
Especially in mid 80s
At the same time I respect the hell out of the lep guys for standing behind and supporting there brother
Def leppard are a true class act
Yea, I hear ya....But letting Pete go ?......I often try to search logic and reasoning with that decision.....There was probabably not alot of similar situations with super stars to help with a bandmate who has a vice of sorts.......I'm one who wishes they would have put him in a rehab......and accepted him back when he was ready,,,,,no matter how long......
@@charlieswitzer9931 According to Def Leppard and even Pete himself, the problem when Pete got drunk was that it brought out a violent personality to the point where it got too much. Plus even though Steve was an alcoholic, he never got drunk before playing on stage and the same couldn’t be said for Pete.
@@charlieswitzer9931 It was a systematic takeover, probably arisen from when Joe met Phil at Reading festival, Phil who was extremely ambitious was getting nowhere with his current band Girl, he was a changling a bit like Midge Ure with Lizzy. It didn't really matter who they got, Mutt had got them on the cusp of greatness, same as AC/DC, he picked his clients wisely. Pete stood in his way for the pop machine, lowest common denominator music that lay ahead. One or two albums after full saturation point with the public and then forever more basically a tribute band to the good old days, churning out the best of's and rehashing new mixes of the same songs. New material didn't sell, you can't really envisage what could have happened had they not sold out, but I should imagine most other artists recognise they did sell out and became overly reliant on Mutt.
@@fallingdunes --Well said !!
@@andrewhudson7108 This is how I remember reading it.
I'd rather deal with Pete Willis, than try to understand Mutt.
Why didn’t he come to the RnR HoF induction? I was hoping to see him playing with them…..
Agree with U true rock heads who here the sound without Pete Willis Leppard lost that great rock guitar sound .
Pete and Steve the best hands down
This as usual, is brilliant stuff my first jcm800 valve was dodgy but when it worked the neighbours new
It's just that...Valvestate didn't come out before 1991. I guess you mean the transistor series Marshall combos from the 1980s or even the JCM800 series that came in 1982. Virtually the same amps as the 1959, 2203 of the 1970s but they don't sing :( And on Hysteria they went with Randall instead :)
Between the audio quality and Thomson's accent, it's rather difficult to understand much of what he's saying.
When Pete left, Def Leppard lost that heavy rough vibe that attracted me to their music. I lost interest after HighnDry
I was pissed that Pete got fired & it was the band that did it not Mutt. But getting fired probably saved him from the same fate as Steve Clark. They mostly all drank a lot but apparently Pete was the only one that couldn't function. Also, if they had a normal producer who knows without the extra pressure Pete may have made it through without getting fired.
He said Pete was drinking to much, while they let Steve drink himself to death later on. Also, Phil had said that he only had to do 2 solo's to finish up. The album was pretty much done and they sacked Pete. At least they paid him royalties on the album.
Pete's drinking was affecting his performance and his relationships with the other members of the band. He was fired after many warnings. The band did NOT allow Steve to drink himself to death. Phil quit drinking and tried to get Steve to join him, but Steve refused. Even Joe quit drinking for a while to support Phil and to encourage Steve to quit. Steve's long time girlfriend also tried to help him and finally left him because of his alcoholism. The band did everything they could to help save him, including interventions and supporting him for rehab.
@@gulfgal98 Obviously they didn't do enough. They could of stayed around because they knew how serious this was affecting him. They threw him in rehab while they went back on tour. It takes two, but they definitely had the resources to do more for him and they didn't help there "friend" enough.
Seems maybe Pete getting canned was his drinking by along with maybe him not being as professional as the others or as good. A Producer can without a doubt can change the lineup of a band if they feel the person is not cutting it. Look at George Martin and Another Pete, Pete Best.
never as rocky after pete
@Chatsworth Osborne, Jr. they became that for sure but the early stuff was pretty good rock music...
Comparing Joe Elliot with David Coverdale is like comparing Phil Collin to Eddy Van Halen. They're all good but the latter two are levels above...
Funny how he keeps quickly trying to change the subject when asked about Pete Willis other than throwing him under the bus. Sounds like the band was persuaded to let Pete go by Mutt's influence.
Wish I could’ve understood 2 damn words the guy SAID😳!
All about willis and clark and the first 2 albums..lost interest after pete got sacked....still rock put to higj n dry and on thru the night
Pete Willis was the heart and soul of Def Leppard. When he was gone, the band lost the magic. The sound just wasn’t the same.
😅😅😅😅
It's like listening to a blender under water...
I've been working on that for years!
Umm..... What?
Fixed the audio
Killer!
unfortunately i can't understand what this guy is saying
Just as well really.
Pete willis was a great compliment to steve clarks playing ...the first 2 def leppard albums are ledgendary for riffs the rest are commercial cheese
Dude the musuc for the show is a bad funeral dirge
I can't understand an f'n word this guy is saying.
You & me, both! 🤷♂️❓
😆😆
Me three
Finally, all of my drunken days in Boston talking to Irish bartenders pays off! Although this guy sounds Scottish AND it's an international cell call is the real issue here. But he's right about those absolute S**T Marshall heads, with their "mosfet" technology back then. I had one and "gote red ov et en da doompstar" myself.
You can slow down RUclips speeds in the RUclips settings and if you do that, put on headphones. That makes it a lot easier to understand him. He almost comes across like Brad Pitt’s shitty Pikey accent in the movie Snatch lol
Pete Willis played rhythm guitar on ALL tracks, I would most definitely like to hear the solos he played which were replaced by Phil
He played none.
@@frasiercraine1776 I heard somewhere that his solos were recorded but just replaced by Phil after Pete was sacked? I could be wrong though....
@@rustyroosterrecords295the solos weren't even recorded when he left.
I can barely make out one out of 10 words. HA! That accent always gives me a headache. ha Pete and Steve were the heart and soul of the band. High n Dry is their best album IMO
PETE WAS GREAT
Probably the most drastic example of a band's sound completely changing with the change of one member. They were a "metal" band to start, and a bubblegum pop band with Phil Collen.
I know a world away from the first three albums at least Hysteria gave us some comedy gold. 😂
I distinctly remember Willis did not play well on the high n dry tour. Actually ruined his solos, but I love that guy, he did excellent stuff in the studio...
Their last listenable record was because of Pete Willis.
I can't decipher what he is saying.
It is indeed a shitty sound, and badly edited!
Sounds like Robin Williams with a Scottish accent
I must change my dealer!
🤘
Pyromania album for me! Thanks! Lot of people like the hysteria album but for me its sounds too much! Like psychedelic hard rock
You guys look so young and hot Steve Clark was a grate guitarist and when he died I was hart broken Ann in Huddersfield West Yorkshire 💕 Def leppard hysteria is still my favourite Def leppard cd and a personal favourite Def leppard song ❤you guys especially Joe Elliott and rick savage these guys are so 🔥 and sexy
I don't get it...Pete asks Joe and Steve to be in the band and they vote him out? Something just not right about that.
@@deanladue5367 Thank you , Dean. It's too bad PW couldn't control his drinking and stay in the band.
@@deanladue5367 That's really so wonderful to hear that he's had a great life! Who knows...had he stayed in the band the opposite may have happened. I almost agree with you, it was a win-win for everyone except those of us who had to listen to "An-ni-mal" on the radio, as I don't think Pete would have allowed the band to go in the pop direction. ...but maybe he would have after Rick lost his arm, I'm sure that limited them playing like they did on the early songs.
@@deanladue5367 Just curious Dean, are you a friend of Pete's?
@@deanladue5367 Thanks man. Glad to hear they were looking out for him and kept in touch! And very cool you lived the life as well, glad you made it through ok!
@@deanladue5367 I remember Pyromania coming out like it was yesterday. I saw that tour in Biloxi about a week before graduating high school. Show opened with Krokus and Jon Butcher Axis. I was blown away by how good Rick Allen was at such a young age, he played the mess out of those drums! So glad I got to see him before losing his arm.
My favorite by them will always be High n Dry. I couldn't get enough of it or Van Halen's Fair Warning, I wore 'em both out that year. Every time I hear 'Let it Go' I have this incredible urge to pull T-tops out, burn a cig and the back tires and blast it for everyone to hear!
What was the name of your band? Glad you had a great time giving it a shot, there's no way to make it big if you don't try. But having fun and enjoying life when you're young is a treasure, much more valuable than riches. "Every man dies...not every man really lives."
So Steve drank himself to death but they kept him until his death. Pete drank but they booted him. Should've given Pete the time and effort they gave Steve.
The difference from what I read is that Pete's drinking affected his performance both on stage and in the studio. Pete was given numerous warnings by the band. According to Joe, Steve never played drunk.
The difference being that Steve was always sober when called upon. Pete often wasn't. On saying that though, in my experience, he was a really kind bloke.
@@craigthomson7964 Yes I've read several different reasons behind it. Pete wasn't a happy drunk and he got belligerent when he was drunk. I've read that Joe didn't like Pete. But I still see that they gave Steve more than just hey get sober thing. They were willing to give Steve all the time he needed. Unfortunately that time gave Steve time to drink himself to death. I'm a way Pete being given the boot saved Pete's life and I think he's said that in interviews. I would've loved to see how Hysteria would've been with Pete though. Name a rockstar back in those days that didn't get shitty drunk. I've seen Steve play drunk or at least definitely under the influence in concert
@@RachelAnneAmbrose 1979 Sheffield Show. Joe comes off stage and says to his mother, that was like the Fucking Pete Willis Show ! He was so angry, it never changed, until Pete lost his confidence, then it was blame time for others, he would have died in that band like Steve had he not gone.
Honestly if that man could blame Pete for some of the music they've made in the past 30 years and their lack of sales he would.
@@craigthomson7964 You do realise Pete's mom died during the making of Pyromania.
Yeah, they were really kind.
Def Leppard we’re all drunks but only Pete got fired hysteria and pyromaniac were good for the time but I’d never play that shit now I don’t even know what they did after that .high n dry now that’s a good one
Brits and their alcohol.
HE'S NOT A BRIT. HE'S A LOWLY SCOT
The first minute or so this guy sounds really coked up. Yes, poor Pete. Suffered from small mans disease. Drinking too much. He said that he was glad that it happened. Big fame. Can't be too easy. Killed many a good man. Hey, he's still around. And then Steve Clark. But those two were definitely a big part of Def Leppard becoming huge. Mutt Lange pushed and they delivered a couple of the biggest albums ever in rock history. a great movie was made with actors....covered the whole thing. With end notes of where are they now. Cool.
That movie did NOT cover the whole thing. They only went up until Steve was in rehab. They purposely didn't film scenes where he dies and the others find out. It was out of respect for his real life friends and family who'd been devastated by it.
That’s not an accurate depiction of the situation at all. Mutt wanted Pete out because he was a free thinker. Pete didn’t like Mutts style and EVERYONE knows this. It’s awful strange how only Joe speaks out about Pete. You never will here an interview where Rick or Steve bad mouth Pete. They were all alcoholics and druggie. Bottom line, the riffs left when Pete did… end of story.
You pull these facts outta your ass? Nowhere has there ever been anything where it said Pete was a freethinker etc... What has been said is a lot of his ideas were essentially ripoffs of other bands and Steve would have to rework those parts so they weren't so obvious. That's fact.
The Def Leps seems to keep their alcoholic and substance abuse in the low side away from the public, their management Qprime did a great job in doing so. There’s never news that they hung out to party with example Motley Crue or GnR until way way way later. In one of Joe’s interview stated he dabbled into drugs and last drug MDMA that was late or mid 2011 or 2015 or earlier than that. When they do a documentary the band doesn’t state of their alcoholism or drug use…only…state about Steve Clark. I know in a few interviews people that hung out or friends with the Leps do state they had their own substance abuse/alcohol issues also…IMO…when the band requested Steve go into rehab he didn’t take them seriously because the band dabble with drug and alcohol…only…difference is Steve was no longer functional when under the influence.
@@frasiercraine1776 And where do you get these 'facts' from, were you with Steve and Pete whilst they were writing songs ?
@@frasiercraine1776 Christ if that's not the pot calling the kettle black I don't know what is, Joe Elliott's trip down memory lane never ends, even to the point of trying to get his childhood hero's into the Rock and Roll hall of fame, no disrepect to the Mott, but it's a bit self indulgent and narcisistic to think everyone should like what you do, with his constant nodding in songs to glam rock, and it appears the rest of the band must follow suit, I sometimes feel sorry for Phil and Viv as they have been versed into liking what he does, along with 'I've been here from the start Sav.'
@@frasiercraine1776 Yes that's been the story for many years until recently when Joe's changed his tune and started preaching that the only song Steve wrote fully was Wasted. I wonder what's brought that about.
There's always a reason with Joe.
Where's the translator?
Can't understand a word he's saying and you speaks too fast
I can’t understand a f**kin word this guy is saying…..
I guess you've not experienced Scottish accents much.
They fired Pete for drinking to much and not putting in 100%...yet Steve was a drunk and had issues of attendance and outbursts for a long time. It is who's ass you kiss that makes the difference. I like the early sounds of the bands albums.
Steve wasn't an asshole when drunk, he also never got drunk before a live performance.
Your reading comprehension must be at a 3rd grade level. They never had attitude problems with Steve.
@@matthewcranney6576 Really have a look at Leppard playing at the Roxy, he looks blasted. Probably why the comments have been turned off.
Just like on many of Phil's videos, comments off, no such protection for Pete.
More than pete drank in def leppard,,,,