Man, do Melinda and I have all the luck or what? We got yet another amazing guest to sit down with us a few weeks ago (or really, sit down with Melinda, as I was phoning in from Las Vegas). Phil Collen, superstar guitarist for Def Leppard and Manraze (his band with Paul Cook of the Sex Pistols and Simon Laffy of Collens Girl), had a friendly chat with us which was ridiculous, raucous fun. We discussed Manraze’s new EP, “I Surrender,” Def Leppard’s next album, his in-the-works autobiography, his amazing abs, veganism and, yes, those infamous Def Leppard backstage passes.
Warning: Phil’s team just happened to pass along the image below, as it was something we discussed during the podcast. Alas, it may not be suitable for your workplace. You’re welcome. Here’s the rundown:
58: The creative outlet Manraze gives him that Def Leppard doesn’t.
2:50 The backlash against the “Slang” album.
3:35 How he came to get Sex Pistol Paul Cook on board.
4:20 Why he likes to get it in one or two takes for Manraze
5:33 Viva Hysteria — what was it like revisiting that album
6:45 Rick Allen’s realization that he’d last performed “Good Morning Freedom” with two arms.
7:30 How the album brought back memories of Steve Clark
8:40 The new Def Leppard album
11:32 The band’s fake names for hotel check-in
13:48 He has amazing abs!
14:35 Vegan diet
17:20 Phil’s take on country, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw.
19:00 No sugar, no alcohol and no processed food equals instant weight loss.
21:10 The vegetarian bus and the non-vegetarian bus
22:00 Phil’s advice — eat one meal a day the right way.
22:50 Working out like an athlete
23:55 There may be a Phil Collen workout video someday!
24:15 He’s working on an album of nasty, dirty real blues as Delta Deep.
25:00 How it feels to have been in one band since 1982.
26:10 His fellow Def Leppard member Vivian Campbell’s cancer.
29:10 What he went through in recording after Steve Clark died.
31:35 A sneak peek from his autobiography — “the girl stuff.”
35:05 The Boiler Pass — you’ve got to hear this.
37:25 Getting touched by girls in corporate today
38:20 Raising funds for the Gerson Institute and how it led him to work on his autobiography.
38:40 Keith Richards’ book.
41:00 Bands who are tough and the new kids who aren’t.
42:30 The story of what happened to his hand, which isn’t fun at all.
Thanks for listening! And oh, that infamous backstage pass…