Robert Cavuoto of Myglobalmind recently conducted an interview with DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below. Myglobalmind: So many rock bands have faded into history or retired, you're still one of the most beloved rock bands who still tour steadily. What's your secret? Collen: "We really love what we do and believe in what we do. I think that is the main thing. We believe in the band as a whole and it's more important than anything else. You have to maintain that and it takes a lot of hard work. With other bands, after a few years, it becomes a chore. Many musicians are flakey and elitist and it doesn't help. We see it as a blessing and proud of what we do — to just keep pushing the boat out." Myglobalmind: I follow the band on Facebook and Twitter and see there is a lot of idol worship from your legion of fans. What do you make of that and when do you consider it to be too much? Collen: "It reveals itself when it gets into your personal space and people start taking liberties. That's when it becomes weird and 'stalkery.' I've seen it happen to females with people showing up to their door or climbing over walls. It's really full-on creepy. It's little different because we are grown men, but we have been doing this for years, so we are over it. When you see it coming, you just cope with it. I don't let it freak me out. We have all been fans of someone out there. I was just in Japan and got to play with Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. Jimmy was giving me insight on how to play a part on guitar. It was so phenomenal, I was such a fanboy! I was trying to keep it in check and playing it really cool on the outside, but on the inside I was, like, 'Wow!' [Laughs] There a bit of respect and experience that supersedes a lot of things like that. If that can happen to me, then I can accept someone might be a fanboy around me. Sometimes it's okay, and other times it clearly isn't, like when its gets to the stalking point." Read the entire interview at Myglobalmind.
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