Nearly all bands have been forced to adapt to new ways of working together since the onset of the COVID pandemic in March of 2020, and many of them missed the camaraderie of doing it in person. However, guitarist Phil Collen thinks recording an album remotely is one of the best things Def Leppard have ever done, and listed the benefits of doing so.
This Friday (May 27), Def Leppard will release their 11th full-length studio album and their first since 2015, Diamond Star Halos. Although the majority of COVID mandates have been lifted in the U.S. over the last few months, many albums slated for a 2022 release were recorded remotely because some artists simply found the process more convenient.
“[It was] the best thing we ever did. More creative, more creative control for the writing and even recording it. Plus, you don’t have people waiting for each other in a studio,” Collen explained to Loudwire Nights host Toni Gonzalez. “When we did it this way, it was like, everyone’s doing their own part, everyone’s doing their best. Everyone’s a big boy, they can tune their own guitars, they can sing in tune, they can get it right and then you send your best to Ronan McHugh — our producer in Dublin.”
Collen went on to say that the convenience of working remotely saved Def Leppard “so much energy,” which is something they want to be mindful of and conserve at this stage in their career. And, as a result of having more expendable energy, it creates more inspiration.
Going forward, the guitarist is confident that Def Leppard will continue making records remotely because of how happy they were with the process. He had more time to spend with his family because all he had to do was record his guitar parts on his computer.
“I’d get back in and there’d be something in the inbox from Joe [Elliott], and we would just work on songs. He was in Dublin, I was in California, and before we knew it we had this amazing kind of thing going,” he continued. “It was just inspired all the way along.”
Diamond Star Halos will be out May 27 via UME (Universal Music Enterprises). To hear more about the album, tune into Loudwire Nights tonight at 7PM ET. Pre-order the record here, and check out the dates for Def Leppard’s long-awaited 2022 Stadium Tour with Motley Crue, Poison and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts.
Loudwire Nights with Toni Gonzalez airs nightly starting at 7PM ET. You can tune in anytime, from anywhere right here or by downloading the Loudwire app.
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