Jonathan Cohen, Billboard, has issued the report regarding Def Leppard new album:

Veteran British rock outfit DEF LEPPARD will begin recording its next studio album in January at frontman Joe Elliott's house in Dublin. Basic ideas were hashed out on the road during the band's extensive tour in support of this year's covers album Yeah!, a first for Def Leppard.

"We've got about five or six songs on the go, and there'll be 11 or 12 on the final version," guitarist Phil Collen tells Billboard.com. "We're trying to get it out for next summer, which for us would be amazing. But we've never been this far along. We come off tour, wait six months, then we start writing. We've already got that sorted out."

Collen says the songs thus far have "absolutely" been influenced by the process of making Yeah!, which featured Def Leppard's spin on songs popularized by THIN LIZZY, THE FACES and MOTT THE HOOPLE. "We did that so quick," he says. "It was raw, and it didn't demand we sit around for months or years. That really inspired us."

"A lot of the songs are anthemic sounding," Elliott adds. "I wouldn't say they could have been on Pyromania or Hysteria but they're in the vein. Sonically, it's a little more like Back In Black than, say, Hysteria. It's more driving. The songs we've got so far are leaning that way."

Says Collen, "It's a rawer kind of vibe - more menacing. More of a live sound. Not too glossy."

While on tour with JOURNEY this year, Def Leppard found themselves in the unlikely role of mentor to singer/songwriter Stoll Vaughan, the opening act for the shows.

"He actually ended up traveling on our bus because he had something terrible happen to him," Collen recalls. "While we were on tour, he was driving himself in a Winnebago. It got a flat tire, they towed it and it burst into flames. The only thing that survived was the flat tire."

Source Billboard

Mike Osegueda from The Fresno Bee has recently conducted an interview with former Skid Row, Sebastian Bach. Few excerpts are follows:

The Fresno Bee : How do you sum up the difference between guesting on "Gilmore Girls" and touring with Axl Rose ?

Bach : There's a question. One is family entertainment and one is not. "Gilmore Girls" , I like to surprise people. I love that, actually. It's one of the things that I've always strove for, if that's a word. Striven. Strived.

The Fresno Bee : You've done all kinds of crazy stuff — from reality shows, to "Trailer Park Boys" , to performing on Broadway. How do get yourself into these situations?

Bach : I am extremely lucky. I don't know how this happened. I am one of the luckiest performers in this world in that I do get to pick and choose what I do. I've been offered the package tours outdoors with a bunch of bands I didn't particularly like. I've always said I'm not gonna tour until it's really cool. Then my friend Axl Rose called.

The Fresno Bee : Yeah, how did the touring with GUNS N' ROSES thing come about?

Bach : They were playing at Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City for four nights. Axl texted me and says: "Hey Baz , you in NYC? Wanna hang out?" I said, "Who is this texting me, pretending to be Axl Rose ?" I called the number back, and he was like "Hello," and it was him. He has the most unmistakable voice. That was back in May, and here we are in December — still on tour. It's been the most incredible year of my life.

The Fresno Bee : You toured with GN'R in 1991 with SKID ROW . How do you compare that tour to this one?

Bach : Different band members, that's an obvious difference. But the thing is, music is the most visceral art form to me, being that when you hear a song that you loved for years and years and years, it completely takes you to the feeling inside your heart of when you first heard it. You can just feel it in the crowd. When we step on stage and we start into "18 and Life" , it's on.

The Fresno Bee : So being on the road with GUNS N' ROSES , is it as crazy as people would think?

Bach : Yes. You know that episode of "SuperGroup" where I quit drinking? I lied. I did quit for like two months, then I got offered the tour. On the road with GUNS N' ROSES is not the optimum opportunity to quit drinking. We live it up. That's how we do. We have fun. You only have one life.

The Fresno Bee : What exactly should people expect from the show?

Bach : We have a nice long set. We also have HELMET on the bill and the SUICIDE GIRLS . I'm doing the hits and some new stuff, too. Just like every other musician. The GUNS N' ROSES fans are not just interested in old songs. They want to hear "Chinese Democracy" . I even know when it's coming out, but I can't betray my confidence. If you want to hear the songs, come by the show. Axl plays a long time, it's like two and a half … hours.

Source TheFresnoBee