How One Song Secured Steve Clark’s Place in Def Leppard

Def Leppard, known for their glam rock style, transformed their music into a world of escapism. While each member contributes to their unique sound, guitarist Steve Clark had a significant impact. Joe Elliott, who was already in the band for two years, said that Clark’s audition was a game-changer.

“His audition was Freebird by Lynyrd Skynyrd, he just did the whole thing on his own, and it was like, wow, this guy is amazing”, Elliott recalled. “And he looked great. He wore his guitar too low; he was too thin and had blonde hair, a denim jacket and no shirt on.”

Flawless performance
Clark’s flawless performance of the iconic song Freebird impressed the band so much that his place was secured, writes Dale Maplethorpe.

Clark died on 8 January 1991 due to respiratory failure caused by a lethal mixture of alcohol and prescription drugs.