Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen has opened up about the band’s creative approach to their forthcoming album. He explained how they’re drawing inspiration from Queen’s legendary collaborative songwriting process. In a recent interview, Collen shared an anecdote about the band’s dedication to their craft. He recounted how drummer Rick Savage played a 12-string acoustic guitar for 12 hours straight until his fingers bled while working on a track called “This Guitar.”
Collen described how the band is intentionally adopting what he calls the “Queen method” of songwriting. Every band member contributes fully to each other’s compositions rather than treating songs as fixed individual demos. “What Queen would do, you know, they would let Freddie Mercury take the stage and go, ‘Okay, we’re gonna put all this stuff in,'” Collen explained. “Roger Taylor doing all these high vocals and everyone put everything into other people’s songs, but it still had that Queen mark to it. But it also had something different.”
The guitarist reflected on how the band’s previous album, Diamond Star Halos, was created during the COVID-19 pandemic with frontman Joe Elliott. He described it as an amazing experience where ideas were exchanged remotely. However, Collen emphasized that working together in person has allowed them to refine their approach further. “If we’d have been together, we would have been doing it different. It would have ended up differently,” he noted, highlighting how physical collaboration has enhanced their creative process.
The band’s commitment to this collaborative methodology is already yielding impressive results. The upcoming album is shaping up to be their most diverse work to date. The band has recorded approximately 18 songs from which they will select between 10 and 11 tracks for the final release. This abundance of material reflects the band’s prolific output during the current recording sessions. Frontman Joe Elliott confirmed that they have essentially recorded enough material for two albums but plan to consolidate it into one densely packed record.
The diversity of the new material extends across multiple musical styles and tempos. Elliott indicated that the album will feature both the fastest song the band has ever written and an over-the-top, bombastic track. Substantial material spans the spectrum between these extremes. This varied approach represents a deliberate departure from formulaic songwriting. The band is embracing different sides of their musical identity and refusing to be confined by expectations.
The new album is expected to arrive in early 2027. It marks the follow-up to Diamond Star Halos, which was released in 2022. Collen’s description of the creative process underscores how Def Leppard continues to evolve as musicians while maintaining the distinctive sound that has defined their four-decade career. The band’s willingness to experiment with collaborative arrangements and embrace musical diversity suggests that fans can expect a fresh yet recognizably Def Leppard experience when the album finally arrives.
