RICK ALLEN Says ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME Induction Was First Time DEF LEPPARD Felt Supported By Music Industry

DEF LEPPARD was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in March after 14 years of eligibility. While the British rockers are one of the biggest selling bands from their era, critical and industry acceptance has long eluded them. According to drummer Rick Allen, that all changed when the band was onstage accepting their award.

“If you saw the induction ceremony, all those emotions were totally real,” he told Jackson of Atlanta radio station Rock 100.5 (audio below). “They were very close to the surface. I just felt like, looking out there at the audience and looking at people in the industry, it was the first time we’ve really been supported in that way. It was fantastic that it was the fan vote. I think it was the biggest fan vote, which was the most important thing to us, but to get recognition, for all of our history, right from 1977, that was really icing on the cake.”

Asked what keeps DEF LEPPARD going 40 years after the band’s formation in Sheffield, England, Allen said: “Friendship and writing new songs. As long as we keep writing songs — there’s going to be songs that not all of us like, but if you just keep writing songs, some of it rises to the top. It’s a constant process. People say, ‘Are you going to make another record?’ It doesn’t work like that. Making songs that become collections or become albums, that’s how we do it. It’s nice to have a certain attitude if you want to inject that into it. But, really, that’s the most important thing is to stay vibrant and current and just keep writing new songs.”

DEF LEPPARD‘s second Las Vegas residency will take place this summer. The band will take over Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino for 12 explosive nights between August 14 and September 7.

DEF LEPPARD played its first Las Vegas residency five years ago at the Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel, a pioneering effort for a rock band.

DEF LEPPARD‘s brand new greatest-hits collection, titled “The Story So Far – The Best Of”, was released in November.

Fonte: Blabbermouth.net