By Mitch Lafon

One-time New Wave Of British Heavy Metal band DEF LEPPARD are back with their first-ever live album, Mirror Ball. The set was recorded at various stops around the world and marks the band’s first partnership with big box retailer, Walmart, in the US and Canada. Mirror Ball features such rock classics such as 'Animal', 'Pour Some Sugar On Me', 'Photograph', and 'Rock Of Ages, along with three brand new studio tracks: 'Undefeated', 'Kings Of The Word' and 'It's All About Believin'. The album will include a 50 minute DVD that contains live performances and intimate backstage footage of the band captured on the road. A special limited vinyl edition will also be made available. Mirrorball will also be available online, marking the first time the band's music will officially be made available for digital purchase. To mark the album’s release the band will hit the road this summer on a bill with classic rock icons, HEART.

Guitarist Phil Collen called in to BraveWords.com’s headquarters to give us a quick run down of the band’s 2011 summer plans.

BraveWords.com: The band’s first ever live album, Mirror Ball, has been a long time coming. Why have you chosen now to release this album and why did you wait so long to release a live album?

Phil Collen: “Traditionally when you’re with a major record label, they don’t like doing live albums. They don’t sell as well as a studio album and we’ve always been in that cycle of album-tour-album-tour. Last year was actually the first time we’ve had off in thirty years and we weren’t with the label anymore, but I’m not blaming them. So, we had had a little time off and all of a sudden a live album seemed like a good idea. It was just the right time to do it and with the bonus tracks, it’s just great. It’s a nice way to get some of our new stuff out without spending a year doing a recording. It just all worked out perfect and the album wasn’t just ‘were recording live tonight’. It was actually recorded over a two year period.”

BraveWords.com: You signed a deal with Walmart for North America. How does it feel to try this independent route instead of working with a major label?

Collen: “It’s totally necessary in this day and age. There are hardly any labels left and probably in two years they’ll be releasing nothing, but catalogue. There are only a few massive artists left: LADY GAGA, BEYONCÉ, RHIANNA, TAYLOR SWIFT and a few others. So, it’s become less and less important (to have a label), but it’s absolutely crucial to get your music out. Walmart offered us something that allows that and I actually think that’s very cool. We’re in survival mode here and we’re not going to go with a major label because that’s suicide. So, Walmart is a great idea plus we’re going to be on iTunes.”

BraveWords.com: Up until now, you’ve had no presence on iTunes – why is that? Will we see Pyromania or Hysteria on iTunes soon?

Collen: “We’ve had a legal thing going on and that’s why we haven’t been able to be on iTunes and it’s only with this album that were allowed to finally do that (be on iTunes).”

BraveWords.com: I know that with AC/DC, they don’t want to be on iTunes because they contend that they’re an album band and they don’t sell single tracks…

Collen: “I would love for us to be on iTunes. I think it’s a crime that 'Pour Some Sugar On Me', 'Hysteria', 'Animal', 'Photograph'… are not on there, but there’s nothing we can do about it.”

BraveWords.com: Mirror Ball comes with three new tracks – is that a preview of the musical direction of the next studio album?

Collen: “It means this is how we sound right now and I don’t know what we’ll sound like in a year’s time or whenever we decide to do the next album. I loved doing just the three songs because we got to put a lot of energy into them.”

BraveWords.com: I interviewed Vivian recently (while he was on the road with THIN LIZZY). He mentioned that he would like the next studio album to go back to that High N’ Dry sound. Is that what you would like to do as well?

Collen: “That’s exactly what I’d like to do. Well, I’d actually like to do a mixture of probably four songs like that with a couple of super-polished studio songs like 'Love Bites'. You know we’ve never ever played that song live in fact a lot of the songs like 'Pour Some Sugar On Me' – we never played them as a band until the album came out. I think it would be a good thing to do a combination. It would be great to do that High N’ Dry approach to some songs. It doesn’t work with every song, but for some it would be perfect.”

BraveWords.com: Is it difficult given the ‘situation’ with Rick (and I don’t mean that in an insulting way)?

Collen: “He loves his electronic drum kit and stuff, but I’ve jammed with Rick in a bar. He got on the drummer’s kit with one arm and killed it. He absolutely killed it. It sounded amazing. He feels more comfortable with his kit because he has more access. He’s got all his foot peddles and all this great stuff, but I don’t think that’s a problem at all and I can attest to that because I’ve been playing with him for many years. We’ve jammed in local bars and everybody’s jaw dropped because he’s able to play stuff that’s pretty amazing even for someone with two arms. So, it’s not a problem.”

BraveWords.com: You’re also releasing a new MANRAZE album this summer, punkfunkrootsrock. Will you be touring the album at all?

Collen: “We’re going to do our first official US show the week of August the 2nd in L.A. That’s where were launching it.”

BraveWords.com: As a little birthday present for Joe Elliott (born August 1st).

Collen: “I know, but I don’t think he’ll come. He’ll probably be back in Dublin. Hopefully, we’ll be able to get a tour lined-up. I would love that.”

BraveWords.com: The other touring news this summer is that Def Leppard hits the road with HEART. Most people would say that Def Leppard should be touring with BON JOVI, POSON or any glam ‘80s band and, of course, Heart is not that. So, why – Heart?

Collen: “It’s really important that the band has hits. Whenever, we’ve gone out with bands like Poison, CHEAP TRICK, BRYAN ADAMS, JOURNEY… they’ve all had major hits and Heart falls into that category. I think it’ll work great actually.”

For more info visit Defleppard.com.