Def Leppard closed out the annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony on March 29, 2019, with a four-song greatest hits mini-concert—“Hysteria,” “Rock of Ages,” “Photograph” and “Pour Some Sugar on Me”—before joining several of the night’s other inductees, presenters and a special guest for the traditional show-closing jam.
For this year, the song of choice for that jam was David Bowie’s “All the Young Dudes,” appropriate because Def Leppard has always cited the British band Mott the Hoople, which had a hit cover with the song, as one of their prime influences. Mott’s lead singer Ian Hunter in fact joined the band onstage for the jam, as did the E Street Band’s Steve Van Zandt, the Bangles’ Susanna Hoffs, the Zombies’ Rod Argent (the Zombies were among the evening’s other inductees—read about it here) and Queen’s Brian May.
Watch the closing “All the Young Dudes” jam
It was May who’d just had the job of inducting Def Leppard, after which the band’s singer, Joe Elliott, paid tribute to fans, family and his bandmates, touching on key moments in Def Leppard’s career. Seven members of Leppard—Elliott, Rick Allen, Vivian Campbell, Phil Collen, Steve Clark, Rick Savage and Pete Willis—were inducted at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center along with Stevie Nicks, Janet Jackson, Radiohead, The Cure, Roxy Music and The Zombies.
Watch the trailer for HBO’s official Rock Hall 2019 presentation
Related: 10 things you may not know about Def Leppard
In attendance from Def Lep to accept their honors were Elliott, Collen, Allen, Savage and Campbell. Steve Clark died from alcohol poisoning in 1991; Willis was fired from the band in 1982.
Watch Def Leppard’s induction speech
In an often humorous speech, Elliott touched on the band’s m.o., among other things: “Those songs we’ve written over the years were always our main priority; you just have to check out our misguided fashion sense over the years and you’ll understand where I’m coming from here. And although there seemed to be a looming sense of tragedy around every corner, we just wouldn’t let it in. But it’s true, it did seem that every time we made some musical headway, life would knock us back down somewhat. Pyromania is a raging success, then Rick has a life-changing accident. He survived it and came out the other side stronger. Hysteria gave us the global success that we’d always craved, and then we lost Steve. But we survived and came out the other side stronger people. And that’s the way it’s always played out throughout our career. So let’s face facts here, if alcoholism, car crashes and cancer couldn’t kill us, the ’90s had no fucking chance!”
Watch Def Leppard speak backstage following their induction
Def Leppard have a significant tour planned for 2024, with co-headliners Journey, with support by Heart, the Steve Miller Band and Cheap Trick on various dates. Tickets are available here and here.
Their 1983 blockbuster, Pyromania, is getting expanded for its 40th anniversary with previously unheard demos and live performances from the era. The album launched the band into rock legend status, with the global hit singles, “Photograph” and “Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)” and “Rock of Ages.” The new editions, available on 2-CDs, a 4-CD/Blu-ray Super Deluxe Edition and half-speed master LP arrive April 26, 2024, via Island Records.
