DEF LEPPARD Bassist Says Band May Release Covers Album Via Their Web Site

DEF LEPPARD bassist Rick Savage has told Sheffield Today that the future of the band's reently completed covers album is uncertain. "It started out as a bit of a laugh and started taking on a life of itself," he said. "It is something we always wanted to do and had not really had the time. The record company started to get enthusiastic and it looked like they would want to put it out. Since then there have been a few changes of personnel."

With the success of the band's "Best of" CD in the U.K. — it entered the charts at number six and has now gone gold  — the covers LP has been shelved for now.

"And we don't really want to give it away," Rick said. "But if 'Waterloo Sunset' [THE KINKS cover on the 'Best Of' CD] gets well received on the hits album, it gives us a bit more leverage to put out the whole record.

"It was a vague plan and as things stand it is all up in the air. We are due to have a meeting with the record company. If they don't want to release it I have no hard feelings."

One theory is the record caught their label off guard. LEPPARD used to take years between albums — suddenly they are ahead of themselves.

Rick said the covers would make it out in some shape or form, either as b-sides for singles from the next original album or as something sold via their official band web site, if the label agrees.

"We never sat down and said, 'Let's do a covers album'," he added. "We said, 'Let's have some fun rather than being under that pressure of writing new material. If it turns out good, then great. If not, no one is going to hear the songs'. It was always very open-ended."