DEF LEPPARD’S JOE ELLIOTT SAYS VH1’S MOVIE ABOUT THE BAND WAS “THE BIGGEST PLIE OF S–T EVER MADE”

Patrick Doyle of Rolling Stone spoke with Def Leppard, prior to the band’s induction to the Rock Hall. Excerpts from the interview appear below.

Rolling Stone: You played Madison Square Garden this last year, and you played Wembley just recently. What is it like to be in that position at this point in your career?

Phil Collen: We are having an Indian summer and it’s because we have this integrity. We never stopped actually in the 40-odd years that the band’s together, we just keep going through thick and thin, all the bad stuff, good stuff. And I think that shows, and we’re just enjoying this Indian summer.

Rolling Stone: Why do you think that’s happening right now?

Phil: Everyone else is falling off. There’s a lot of other bands who are not doing it. And to be quite honest, a lot of other bands don’t put the effort in. You’ll hear later on. I’ve got to say we’re really badass. We actually just improve all the time, and that’s because we are consistent and we love what we’re doing. The songs are great, we craft and we spend a lot of time. We used to get a lot of flak and shit for doing [that] and spending so long. But the reason we did that is so that we are here now.

Rolling Stone: What are you working on right now?

Phil: New album. We’re constantly working.

Rolling Stone: The last thing is: The Queen film you were talking about, does that bring to mind doing a Def Leppard movie?

Joe Elliott: We were subjects of a VH1 movie 20 years ago that was the biggest pile of s–t ever made. I doubt very much anybody would be really interest[ed] in making another one. We’ll see. We’re open to anything. Somebody comes along because we want to make a movie about you guys, why not?

Read more at Rolling Stone.