Greece-based RockPages.gr continue their long running DEF LEPPARD behind-the-scenes special with former MSG bassist Rocky Newton, who sang backing vocals on the Leps' hit albums Pyromania and Hysteria. An excerpt is available below:

Rockpages.gr: How are the Def Leppard guys as people? Especially, what are you memories of the late Steve Clark?

Rocky Newton: "I’d known the guys since 1978 way before they were famous and to me they are still the same down to earth guys that they always were. They always seemed to have an honesty about them that goes right back to them, especially Joe, being fans themselves and never losing sight of how that feels. One of the things I like is the pythonesque sense of humour and the countless in-jokes that you get with a lot of bands. They were also very generous to me - it was my birthday when we were in Dublin and they took me out for a really nice dinner and gave me a card signed by Mutt and the band.

Steve Clark was probably the hardest one of the guys to really get to know as I think he was constantly battling with his personal demons and therefore not as easy to get close to. I will always remember him as being the most incredible stage performer. When I was in MSG we toured Europe as support to Def Leppard on the Hysteria tour and one of my abiding memories is of Steve pirouetting round the stage with his guitar slung almost down to his knees. How he managed to play it like that was unbelievable but it looked fantastic and he had an amazing stage presence. What a tragedy that his life was cut short in such awful circumstances."

Rockpages.gr: Did you expect that those two records would gain such a huge commercial success?

Rocky Newton: "The success of Pyromania took everyone by surprise as High ’n’ Dry had some success but had not gone Mega like Pyromania did. By the time they were doing Hysteria, I think the expectation was very high and the album had so many false starts, took so long to finish, and cost so much that anything less than Platinum would have been a disaster. Thankfully for the guys it took on a life of its own and propelled them into the Super League. I, for one, was extremely proud to have been involved, albeit in a minor way, with the making of such an iconic album that is widely regarded as a milestone in recording history. It set new benchmarks in recording standards and influenced a generation of bands that were to follow."

Go to this location for the complete interview.