DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen recently spoke with Jeb Wright at Classic Rock Revisited about his new new MANRAZE album, PunkFunkRootsRock, also featuring SEX PISTOLS' Paul Cook on drums, and ex-GIRL Simon Laffy on bass. An excerpt is available below:

Jeb: What is the hope for Manraze? What is it you want to happen with this band?

Phil: "What I want to happen is for one of the songs to get played somewhere, whether it is radio, television or a movie soundtrack. This music sounds great to me. We want to get the word out. We are a really good band and we’re a really good live band. We need to get it into the right hands, or rather, the right ears.The problem with the album is that people are asking, 'What is this?' This is not just regular rock music, as it falls in a lot of different categories. I think if one of these songs gets into the right place, then it will be a different story and we can then tour it properly, we are up for it."

Jeb: How do you get that music to the right people?

Phil: "We need something to take, to stick somewhere. This day and age, it is the same story for everyone. Unless you’re lucky enough to be on a soundtrack or something, then nothing is going to happen. We’re not under any illusion; we know that is how it happens these days. Even THE ROLLING STONES, when they put a new song out, it won’t really do anything other than let you know that they’re going to be going out on tour. Manraze is a different thing as this is a brand new band – well, it's five years old but we still need attention. We need someone in the right place to hear this and realize, this is fucking great."

Jeb: Do you have people trying to force the issue behind the scenes?

Phil: "Yeah, we have that. A lot of the time, you try and put stuff out there and then, all of sudden, luck will happen. With Def Leppard, it just happened with this movie Rock Of Ages. We have a song called 'Rock Of Ages' which is what the play is based on. We were lucky as Tom Cruise is going to be singing, 'Pour Some Sugar On Me' in the movie. Sometimes, you can try till your blue in the face and then something just happens, at the right place, at the right time."

Go to this location for the complete interview.

Tracklist:

'Over My Dead Body'

'I C U In Everything'

'All I Wanna Do'

'Closer To Me'

'Lies'

'Get Action'

'Edge Of The World'

'Dreamland'

'Fire'

'I, Superbiker'

'Bittersweet'

'Dogbite' (Instrumental)