DEF LEPPARD drummer Rick Allen spoke to Anne Erickson of Audio Ink Radio about his band's March 2019 induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame at Brooklyn, New York's Barclays Center. Asked what the experience was like, he said: "To be honest, when I first heard it, we just got off the road, so it was a bit of an inconvenience, 'cause I just really wanted to be at home; I was just really tired. We'd been out on the road. But then we went to New York about four or five days before the ceremony, and I just realized how much of a big deal it was, doing all the press and everything. And then, I think the realization that it was the largest fan vote in history for the Hall Of Fame, I think that was one of the things that really registered with us. Because we always felt as though we didn't get enough love from the industry anyway, but we always did from our fans. So it was nice that they influenced the decision for us to be inducted." He continued: "But, yeah, it was cool. Brian May and Ian Hunter being there and then finally standing up on the stage and looking out and seeing the whole industry just really rooting for us, and then seeing all our fans, it was actually pretty overwhelming. I shed a few tears, 'cause it was a long time coming. And I just really got how important that was." DEF LEPPARD's performance at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony was released on vinyl for "Record Store Day" in August 2020. Only 4,000 copies of the five-song EP were made available. For the performance part of the evening, DEF LEPPARD chose to play four of its biggest hits: "Hysteria", "Rock Of Ages", "Photograph" and "Pour Some Sugar On Me". The 2019 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame concluded with an all-star performance of David Bowie's "All The Young Dudes", featuring DEF LEPPARD, Ian Hunter, May, Steve Van Zandt, THE BANGLES' Susanna Hoffs and THE ZOMBIES' Rod Argent. DEF LEPPARD was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 14 years after the British rockers first became eligible. The 34th annual ceremony saw DEF LEPPARD inducted by QUEEN's Brian May. DEF LEPPARD members entering the Rock Hall included the current lineup — Allen, Joe Elliott, guitarists Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell, and bassist Rick Savage — along with founding guitarist Pete Willis and LEPPARD's late guitarist Steve Clark. HBO broadcasted a truncated version of the ceremony in April 2019.
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