Joe Elliott
| Joe Elliott | |
|---|---|
Elliott live in Winnipeg, Manitoba on 13 August 2008. Photo by Matt Becker
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Joseph Thomas Elliott Jr. |
| Also known as | Joe, Zeff |
| Born |
1 August 1959 Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England |
| Genres | Glam metal, hard rock, heavy metal |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer-songwriter, producer |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1975–present |
| Labels | Island, Mercury, Polygram |
| Associated acts | Atomic Mass, Def Leppard, Cybernauts, Down 'n' Outz, Kings of Chaos |
| Website | defleppard |
Joseph Thomas "Joe" Elliott Jr. (born 1 August 1959) is an English singer-songwriter and musician, best known as the lead singer of the English rock band Def Leppard. He has also been the lead singer of the David Bowie tribute band the Cybernauts and the Mott the Hoople cover band Down 'n' Outz. He is one of the two original members of Def Leppard and one of the three to perform on every Def Leppard album.
Joseph Thomas Elliott Jr. was born in Sheffield and was educated at King Edward VII School. Elliott met Pete Willis, a member of a local band called Atomic Mass, in November 1977 after missing a bus. Upon finding out that they were both musicians, Elliott met the rest of the Atomic Mass members. The band spent hours talking and listening to records in Elliott's bedroom. Elliott tried out as a guitarist and, though the band had not heard Elliott sing, they were impressed by "his attitude and his ideas about being in a band" and he became the band's vocalist instead. The other members also took Elliott's suggestion to change their name to "Deaf Leopard." Elliott had invented the name for the band in youth. Tony Kenning suggested they change the band name to "Def Leppard" to distinguish them from contemporary punk bands like The Flying Lizards and Boomtown Rats. The band claims that any apparent similarity of the name Led Zeppelin to Def Leppard was unintentional. Elliott soon became an integral part of the band while also contributing his songwriting skills.
As a songwriter, Elliott has drawn from his eclectic tastes in music (ranging from pop-rock to folk) as sources of inspiration. He has noted that the lyrics to Def Leppard's music are rarely personal; they are meant to be easily accessible to the listener. He also plays guitar and drums as well as piano and electronic keyboard.
Elliott currently hosts a radio show on planetrock.com on Saturday nights.
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Wikipedia