Def Leppard evolved from Atomic Mass after vocalist
Joe Elliott joined Atomic Mass in November 1977. The lineup of Elliott, drummer Tony Kenning, bassist
Rick Savage, and guitarist
Pete Willis was completed by the addition of guitarist
Steve Clark in January 1978. The band played their first show on 18 July of that year, before recording their
first EP in the fall with session drummer
Frank Noon after Kenning's departure. With the drummer position open,
Rick Allen joined the band. Def Leppard recorded
On Through the Night and ''
High 'n' Dry as the five-piece of Savage, Willis, Elliott, Clark, and Allen before Pete Willis was fired in July 1982. Phil Collen of Girl replaced Willis, and the band went on to the most commercially successful period of their career, the releases of Pyromania and Hysteria''. 31 December 1984, Rick Allen was involved in a car crash which involved the loss of his arm. Despite his injury, he continued to drum with the band, playing his first post accident show in Cork on 5 August 1986 with
Status Quo drummer
Jeff Rich providing backup. On 8 January 1991, during a leave of absence from the band, guitarist Steve Clark was found dead in his home. Savage, Elliott, Allen, and Collen recorded their next album
Adrenalize as a four-piece before
Vivian Campbell joined as a second guitarist. The lineup of Def Leppard has not changed since Campbell joined the band on 15 April 1992, and is thus the longest standing lineup of the band since it began. The current lineup has released four compilations, three live albums, and seven studio albums, most recently
Diamond Star Halos on 27 May 2022. == Members ==