Def Leppard is introduced by their friend Brian May from QUEEN

Jim Lad  holds up the LA Mayor's proclamation making this Def Leppard Day in Los Angeles, California

Def Leppard was formed in September, 1977 by Joe Elliott, Rick "Sav" Savage, and Pete Willis.  Guitarist
Steve Clark joined the band in January of 1978, and original drummer Tony Kenning was replaced with
15-year-old drummer Rick "Thundergod" Allen in 1978.  In January of 1979, Def Leppard's EP, "Getcha
Rocks Off" was released and played on Radio Hallam.  The EP eventually sold over 900 copies in the
first two weeks.

Shortly thereafter in August of 1979, Def Leppard was signed to the Phonogram label.  Little did the
label know this band would rise through setbacks that would make most bands crumble.
 

Rick Allen lost his arm in an auto accident, and in January of 1991, 30-year-old guitarist Steve Clark passed
away in his home in London.  He was replaced by ex-Whitesnake guitarist Vivian Campbell in April of 1992.

Through tragedy came triumph.  Their first album, "on Through The Night", peaked at #51 on the Billboard
chart.  Their next album, "High 'n' Dry", produced the single "Bringing On The Heartbreak" that peaked at
#38 on the US charts.  In 1983, their third album, "Pyromania", sold 100,000 copies for most weeks that year.
Their fourth effort, "Hysteria", went straight to #1 in the UK and was on the UK charts for 95 weeks.  The
song, "Let's Get Rocked" from their 1992 release, "Adrenalize", was a #2 hit in the UK in 1992.

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