Def Leppard wanted to get back to the basics, said bassist Rick Savage. But at the same time, the five-man English band didn't want to become a nostalgic act bringing back slickly produced '80s metal anthems.
"The tour and the new record are different than what was done in the last few years," Savage, known as "Sav" by the band, said during a phone call from Oklahoma City. "We didn't want to go through the same recording process as `Hysteria' and `Adrenalize,' which were nit-picky, technical processes that had each of us recording our parts solo. We're a band again. And on that same point, we felt like we were slaves to a big live rock performance. This time around there are no lengthy solos, but we are playing more songs that span our career."Def Leppard - vocalist Joe Elliot, drummer Rick Allen, guitarists Vivian Campbell and Phil Collen and Sav - will play Wolf Mountain Saturday, Aug. 24. The music begins at 7:30 p.m. with guests Tripping Daisy.
Although Def Leppard's creative vibe can be compared to what it felt when it first hit the scene in 1980, "Slang," the band's latest release, is very different than what the band has ever done, said Sav.
"Each song on this album, every track here, was given its own special treatment," he explained. "That's why it sounds so varied. We really wanted to get away from that big computer sound."
The pebble that started the avalanche was Allen's return to an acoustic drum set.
"After Rick's accident, he revitalized his career with that electronic set," said Sav about Allen's unfortunate car crash that left him without a left arm. "He'd always played an acoustic set at home, and he's always liked playing it. When he brought the set into the studio, the physical aspect of that raw sound inspired everyone. It feels like were back in the olden days."
But, Sav added, the new sound will not nullify the band's past.
"During the show we play 23-24 songs and it's a real mix," said Sav, who cited Queen, T-Rex, Sweet and Slade as his influences. "All of our songs in our career are valid, as is the songs on `Slang.' And Rick actually has a mostly acoustic drum set with him on tour, which gives us a good kick in the pants."
Throughout its career, Def Leppard has had its share of trials. Not only did Allen lose an arm, but longtime guitarist Steve Clark succumbed to a mixture of alcohol and Valium. This time around, there were Collen's and Elliot's divorces to wade through.
"It would be easy for us to wrap it up or go through the motions during times like that," said Sav. "But all of us are enthusiasts when it comes to the music. There is a vibrance in the sound again. It's like being in a brand new group.
"We're having a blast," he said. "Surprisingly, the tours in the past have been on a bigger scale, but this time around the vibe is different. It's actually better, because, frankly, we sound better. And it took us a long time to get to this point."