Switched

The Switched Questionnaire: Def Leppard

Def Leppard: Rock legends who sold more than 65 million records and -- apparently -- nerds. We took some time with the British band to get an idea of what they have in their back pockets, and it's not always picks drumsticks: These guys love iPhones, Macs, and even super high-speed Internet.

Def Leppard hits US shores this summer with a huge tour, by the way. They even play with Styx and Foreigner on a couple dates. To see when they'll be playing near you, visit www.defleppard.com.

What gadgets do you always bring with you to the set (for down-time)?
Joe Elliott (vocals): iPod, what else?!
Phil Collen (guitar): I bring my Mac, iPod, and cell phone and my workout bar.
Vivian Campbell (guitar): I'm never without my cell phone and laptop!

What cell phone do you have right now and what do you love/hate about it?
Joe Elliott: LG VX 800i. I love that it opens so you can text on a keyboard – hate that it's really difficult to get mail online!
Phil Collen: I have a Sony Ericcson, which is just fine. My Nokia just crashed and I am waiting for the next generation iPod!
Vivian Campbell: I have a Motorola Razr. I've had it for a few years now and mainly just love that it's small and slim enough to fit into my pocket – that was the big attraction when I first saw one. It's also got a great speaker phone which can be very handy.

Who's the last person you sent a text message to and what was it about?
Joe Elliott: A friend of mine in Sheffield, UK, about, what else, SOCCER!
Phil Collen: I sent one to my daughter, Samantha. She's two-and-a-half!
Vivian Campbell: My trainer, Jean, always texts – it seems like he never answers his phone but will always text me right back. He's French, and I think that it's a very European thing to text as I notice more people seem to do so in Europe than in America ... I could be wrong, it's just my impression.

Where do you go (site or service) pretty much every time you get online?
Joe Elliott: SUFC.com (my soccer team!) It's my home page, so I'm on about 10 times a day!
Phil Collen: I always search Google when I'm not on www.manraze.com
Vivian Campbell: Aside from email, I'm a car porn addict! I spend a lot of time perusing automotive forums and just looking at cars that I can't afford!

What annoys you most about your iPod, cell phone, or laptop (or any other gadget)?
Joe Elliott: About the only thing that ever bugs me is when I run out of space.
Phil Collen: That the incapability with products wears out before my actual product does (ie. my computer!)
Vivian Campbell: Technology's great ... when it works, and fortunately most of the time it does what it's supposed to.

Name one thing you wish your iPod/cellphone/laptop (any gadget) could do that it doesn't do now?
Joe Elliott: Work at super-broadband speed anywhere in the world at any time.
Phil Collen: I can record a full album at home on my Mac, but when I am out on the road, my laptop can't do the same – it's not quite there yet!
Vivian Campbell: My only grumble would be wishing for longer battery life, especially on my laptop.

What upcoming gadget can you not wait to get your hands on?
Joe Elliott: A worldwide iPhone. I live in Europe, and the U.S. one apparently won't work over there.
Phil Collen: iPhone!
Vivian Campbell: The iPhone.

You're stranded on a desert island: What gadget do you bring? (Give reason why.)
Joe Elliott: Not much point in bringing anything electrical is there – flat battery in a day or so. Hmm, I'd bring a portable machine that turns sea water into drinking water! Now how boring is THAT?! Ha!
Phil Collen: My guitar! So I can express myself.
Vivian Campbell: None, as there would be no service with which to connect and the battery would last all of 10 minutes. Guess I'd go old-school and bring a book!

What's the most-played song or artist on your iPod?
Joe Elliott: Hmmm, probably Mott The Hoople or Ian Hunter.
Phil Collen: The Live version of Erykah Badu's "The Other Side of the Game"
Vivian Campbell: "Stop Messin' Round" by the original Fleetwood Mac featuring Peter Green.

Blackberry, Sidekick, or Treo?
Joe Elliott: What?
Vivian Campbell: None, yet.

Are you getting an iPhone-if so, why?
Joe Elliott: See above...
Phil Collen: My guitar tech has one and he does everything via his iPhone, which makes a huge difference!
Vivian Campbell: Yes, I'd like to get one. Apple has consistently developed user-friendly devices, and I'm sure the iPhone will be all that it's supposed to be.

What's the longest time you've ever spent playing a video game in one sitting and what game was it?
Joe Elliott: About 20 minutes in a doctor's waiting room – some crazy golf thing on my cell phone.
Phil Collen: I have never played a video game!
Vivian Campbell: I'm not a gamer.

Do you use/have a Mac or PC? Why?
Joe Elliott: Mac, of course! Came highly recommended by everyone I work with. It seems to be the music industry standard piece of gear. I used a PC a few times, and to me everything seems upside down, inside-out and back-to-front.
Phil Collen: A Mac. It's so much simpler and artist friendly.
Vivian Campbell: I've always been a Mac guy. I first got a computer to record music and Macs are the industry favorite when paired with ProTools. I've always found Macs easier to use, especially since OS X was introduced. The interface seems intuitive.