This past January 8th marked the 19th anniversary of the untimely passing of original DEF LEPPARD guitarist Steve "Steamin'" Clark. On January 8, 1991, 30-year old Clark died at his Chelsea home after taking a combination of prescription drugs and alcohol.

Malvin Mortimer (aka Stumpus Maximus) - "Def Leppard's tour manager, cook, caretaker, sixth member, friend, tech guy, glue-that-holds-the-band-together, Welshman, etc. and has been with the band for more than three decades" - has written the following diary about how he met Steve Clark on the band's official website:

"I first met Steve Clark towards the end of 1982 at Battery Studios in London, England - Phil Collen had recently joined the band replacing Pete Willis. I had been told that I had the job as guitar tech for Def Leppard and my visit to Battery Studios was just to introduce myself. At the exact moment of my arrival, another chap showed up. He actually opened the gate for me as we both ventured inside looking for the Def Leppard guys.

They were putting the finishing touches to the Pyromania recordings and I walked into a studio room where my soon to be good friend Russ Major was attending to a garden of cymbals on stands. I had never, even in a music store, seen as many cymbals on stands at one time. This, I learned, was the Mutt Lange method of choosing the right cymbal sounds. (There must have been 30 or 40 different styles and sizes) But I digress.....

Now, there was only one job on offer here and I had been told by the band's lighting designer that the job was mine.....so what was this other bod doing here? Well, it turns out that he had been sent along by management, who obviously had not been informed that the position had already been filled (by ME!)

We sat, Steve, Phil, this other bloke Mike Rogers and me, in the courtyard on a nice September day in NW London and we chatted politely. Eventually the conversation turned to guitars. Phil and Mike were really animated in their chat about the latest and greatest guitars and guitar stuff. Steve and I chatted less about work stuff and generally enjoyed each other's company. I was disheartened but not upset.... After an hour I decided that the other chap had probably got the job so I made my leave and bade everyone a pleasant day.

Four days later I got a call from Phay McMahon (the person that had given me the job) telling me that I now definitely got the job. "How come?" I asked. Well, it turned out that Steve liked me and really wanted me to work for him, and Phil really wanted Mike. So, an extra job was created so that both of us could be taken on. Mike and I became best of friends and a great team to boot. Steve called me to chat about what we would be doing in preparation for the Pyromania tour and we were both excited at the prospect.

I worked for him, sometimes lived with him, laughed and cried with him until his unfortunate demise 19 years ago yesterday. I will always carry a mental picture of Steve, bouncing his guitar off his knee as he sped across the stage, hair flowing behind as if it was being blow dried by a gigantic hair dryer.

That is my everlasting image of Steve Maynard Clark - the epitome of a musician enjoying his work."