The song that made Def Leppard choose their guitarist
Earlier this year, for Record Store Day, Def Leppard released an album of their live set, which was recorded at the legendary Sheffield venue, Leadmill. The band played the venue decades after initially forming, but as can be heard on the record, they haven’t lost their ability to play, and their sound is as infectious as ever. In between every song, the crowd went as loud as they would have done when the band started making music, and their undeniable sound contributed to this obsession.
Def Leppard is a band from Sheffield with a style of music that doesn’t limit itself to a location. While many other northern English bands cement themselves in their actions and their location, Def Leppard branched into a world of escapism, one of shimmering glam rock that has been getting people dancing, moshing, and singing along for years.
Each member contributes to this style of music; however, one of the biggest impacts is guitarist Steve Clark. Joe Elliott had already been in the band for two years before they formed. He had planned the name, designed posters and had an idea for the kind of music he wanted to make; however, it wasn’t until Clark joined that that sound started to form.
It was a no-brainer for the band that Clark had to be a part of their musical outfit. When he auditioned, he turned up looking the part and delivered a solo performance that blew the rest of the band away. The song, in particular, was one that, if played correctly, would cement any guitarist as a master of their craft.
Joe Elliott spoke about his audition saying, “His audition was ‘Freebird’ by Lynyrd Skynyrd, he just did the whole thing on his own and it was like, wow, this guy is amazing,” he said, “And he looked great. He wore his guitar too low; he was too thin and had blonde hair, a denim jacket and no shirt on.”
‘Freebird’ is a song that completely defines Lynyrd Skynyrd as a band. It’s hard to hear the track and not be moved. The guitar begins simple, sweet, and melodic, mirroring the sentiment of being in love but not being able to commit. The solo then progresses the song to another level, as what began as a jam ended up becoming one of the most recognisable and exciting guitar solos in rock history.
The fact that Clark rocked up to his audition and played that song faultlessly, it was always going to be difficult for the band to turn him down. The rest is history after that, as Clark brought a flare to the band that cemented them as one of the most exciting and versatile acts around at the time.
