PHIL COLLEN / DEF LEPPARD

With 100 million records sold worldwide and two prestigious Diamond Awards to their credit, Def Leppard --Joe Elliott (vocals), Vivian Campbell (guitar), Phil Collen (guitar), Rick "Sav" Savage (bass) and Rick Allen (drums)—continues to be one of the most important forces in rock music. Over the course of their career, the band has produced a series of classic groundbreaking albums that set the sound for generations of music fans and artists alike. The group’s spectacular live shows, filled with powerful melodic rock anthems, have become synonymous with their name. For more than the past 30 years the band’s concerts have become must-see events and have quickly made them an institution in the touring industry, as they continue to sell out arenas worldwide.

For Collen, this illustrious career dates back to age 14 when he heard the electric guitar at a Deep Purple rock concert back home in England. He got his first guitar at 16, splitting his time learning the instrument and working in a factory and as a dispatch rider. He quit his day job to tour as a guitarist with the London-based post-punk glam rock band Girl before joining Def Leppard in 1982 during the Pyromania album recording sessions.

Born:

Hackney, East London, England

Side Projects:

In 2004, Collen formed Manraze with Simon Laffy from his old band Girl and Paul Cook from the Sex Pistols. The London-based act takes an alternative dub-punk-rock approach to their music.

At 2009's Download Festival, Collen was the only artist to play with two bands – handling both Def Leppard and Manraze responsibilities.

Hobbies:

Collen trains as a practicing Muay Thai kickboxer under the watchful eye of his trainer, Muay Thai kickboxing champion Jean Carrillo.

Life Choices:

Collen is a vegan and lives alcohol-free.