Def Leppard confirms GHIV appearance

Band guitarist Phil Collen now on record saying "Photograph," "Animal," and "Rock of Ages" will be in Activision's Guitar Hero IV.

Last week, rumors surfaced by way of Guitar Hero fan site GuitarHeroNews.com that '80s pop rock staple Def Leppard would at long last bring the rock for the next installment in Activision's highly lucrative rhythm game franchise. The news purportedly came by way of Rockline Radio's live interview with Def Leppard, wherein guitarist Phil Collen said "Photograph," "Animal," and "Rock of Ages" will appear in Guitar Hero IV. However, the report couldn't be completely verified, as Rockline could not rebroadcast the show, which it typically does, as it contained unreleased music from Def Leppard's upcoming studio album.

However, last night, Rockline sent word that it had updated its Web site with an extracted audio clip from the Def Leppard interview in which Collen definitively states the band will be included in the next installment in Activision's Guitar Hero series. "We do!" Collen says, continuing, "It's on Guitar Hero IV. We just had to clear a few things like publishing, record company, and all that stuff. But we're going to have, like, three songs, I think, on Guitar Hero IV."

There's also little wiggle room on which edition of the game the band was referring to. Responding to the host's question, "So it is coming out? [GH3] is already out," Collen says, "No, it is coming out, it would have been out earlier, but we didn't get around to it." Collen then reaffirmed which songs would be included in the game, saying, "Yeah, I think Photograph, Animal, and Rock of Ages...something like that, yeah."

Unfortunately, as of press time, neither Activision nor RedOctane have been willing to confirm Def Leppard's statement. However, the publisher was similarly mum when Aerosmith lead guitarist Joe Perry revealed to Billboard.com that the publisher was at work on a Guitar Hero spin-off devoted to his band.

57 Comments

  • D_Streetz

    Posted May 9, 2008 11:51 am PT

    never understood y so many ppl hate on GH3... i got that and rock band and personally i play GH 3 more than rock band... (plus i only like playing guitar / bass) i like the fact that GH has harder songs, i flew through RB without failing any of the songs on the first play through... ah well just my opinion

  • hello12367890

    Posted Apr 9, 2008 1:45 pm PT

    i never i thought this would happen but activision completely ruined guitar hereo although those songs are great but gh3 blows.the dlc is the worst.its not even fun anymore gh2 was and still is so much better.atleast rock band keeps up with there dlc

  • FM6669

    Posted Apr 7, 2008 8:57 am PT

    it'd be nice if he was just throwing three popular song titles out there to create smoke and they really released a GH3 pack containing Die Hard the Hunter, Mirror Mirror, and Heartbreak / Switch 625.

  • The_Dude1212

    Posted Apr 6, 2008 9:35 am PT

    Fix WiFi. Actual DLC. 360 gets a Mjolnir Remix, but we can't even get Super Mario? Or even the Tom Morello/Slash battles, and not even multiplayer Devil Went Down to Georgia?

    B.

    S.

    It definitely could've been better for Wii. Much better.

  • jakob_187

    Posted Apr 4, 2008 3:56 pm PT

    Why Guitar Hero IV?! COME ON! Don't they know that one-armed drumming is the challenge we've been looking for on Rock Band? ^_^

  • comfnumb82

    Posted Apr 4, 2008 12:19 pm PT

    whether a track pack or it's going to be on GH IV, it's about damn time Def Lep apeard on guitar hero. one of my absolute fav bands.

  • keyser27

    Posted Apr 4, 2008 10:42 am PT

    Sounds like a track pack for 3. Photograph is a GREAT song. The rest sucks. By the rest, I mean every other song in their catalog and by sucks I mean on par with the rest of GH3 DLC. Way to ruin a franchise, Neversoft.

  • Get_Shorty

    Posted Apr 4, 2008 10:41 am PT

    Hello "Pure some Sugar on Me"!!

  • badfish420420

    Posted Apr 4, 2008 10:24 am PT

    why do they need 3 songs...

  • stratplayr16

    Posted Apr 4, 2008 5:41 am PT

    if they really wanted to do the best Def Leppard song for GH, they would put in Heartbreak/Switch 625

  • MarShionnach

    Posted Apr 4, 2008 5:23 am PT

    What has nine arms and sucks?

  • David_Kniffin

    Posted Apr 4, 2008 4:42 am PT

    Yes!! I can't wait to play "Photograph". I've been wanting that song since GH1!

  • raze-boi

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 11:47 pm PT

    They gotta make a guitar for both Rockband and GH, I'm so tired of chasing for Guitars.

  • RHCPFunk2

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 10:14 pm PT

    Yeah not like them (completely excluding GH:Aerosmith) to put more than one song by the same band on the game. Bad marketing move. And Bret Michaels/Poison doesn't count...

  • Spyhunter_101

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 10:02 pm PT

    sounds like its just dlc rather then gh4, but i could be wrong

  • Recboy

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 9:31 pm PT

    "Def Leppard Sucks"

  • DaClint91

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 9:06 pm PT

    This just gave me a reason to buy GHIV.

  • donnyslingblade

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 9:03 pm PT

    GH is cool, Def Lep is awesome! However I think they need to go the route that RB did with full instruments. Also, bring back the Grim Reaper!!!

  • DaClint91

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 8:53 pm PT

    Seriously people, me so horny right now over this news. I could kill a bear from how happy I am. My life has a new meaning. After their legendary tour, who could hate the Best Band of the 80s?

  • DaClint91

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 8:51 pm PT

    YES YES YES OH YES!!!! OHH MYYYY GOOOODDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    And they picked 3 of their best songs. Even with the absence of Pour Some Sugar on Me (which is ranked #4 on my list) and Foolin' (#6), at least they picked Photograph (#1), Animal (#3), and Rock of Ages (#5).

    I would be mad at Hysteria (#2) being absent from this list, but it's coming out for Rock Band, so I'm cool

  • kevin45

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 7:39 pm PT

    its official....guitar hero is now overated i mean seriously they are now making guitar hero aerosmith i mean come who gives a **** they are just trying to make you buy more and more i would say its pointless really

  • SuperYoshi987

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 7:32 pm PT

    Def Leppard is amazing. I'm psyched for Guitar Hero IV now!

  • ctg867

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 5:59 pm PT

    I really, really hope Guitar Hero IV ends up being subtitled "Rock Hero" and has the full band experience like Rock Band. Except it focuses on guitar and bass, keeps the real quality note charts, and the style that Guitar Hero has as compared to Rock band, which is totally different.

  • RockToTheLed

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 5:46 pm PT

    lmao at delcidanddarth

  • tubbablubba

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 4:39 pm PT

    It's most most likely that this is dlc for the game.

    But more importantly, where's pour some sugar on me?

  • delcidanddarth

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 4:23 pm PT

    nothing for rock band? I want me some one-armed drumming!

  • ocdog45

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 4:23 pm PT

    sick of GH

  • halomonkey1_3_5

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 4:02 pm PT

    To Sk8ter_213: Umm it's a video game which is mainstream so it can't really sell-out. Besides if you're gonna say someone sold out so Harmonix did for going to EA.

    they didnt sell out to EA they sold out to viacom aka MTV

  • frogiggy323

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 3:47 pm PT

    I think they may have gotten confused and are really coming out as a Guitar Hero DLC. 3 songs from the same band hasn't happened in any guitar hero. Well except Aerosmith, but the whole game's dedicated to them.

  • hiimfletcher

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 3:40 pm PT

    O and as long as the def leppard song comes on and the drummer has one arm, i'll be impressed

  • hiimfletcher

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 3:37 pm PT

    sounds like DLC to me for guitar hero Aerosmith, cause i highly doubt that they will release the aerosmith game and GH4 at the same time.....and all along i tohught GH:Aerosmith was GH4 haha

  • Fireball2500

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 3:16 pm PT

    Unless it's an even-number Call of Duty game or Guitar Hero 2, I don't think I'm getting another Activison game ever. Sorry, but I'm simply too busy with COD2 and soon to be(hopefully) Rock Band, not to mention the odd-numbered COD games will suck now and the Tony Hawk series went downhill starting with THUG2, though Project 8 was very good IMO.

  • Dapsone

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 3:12 pm PT

    The fact that exactly three songs are mentioned, makes me think this will be DLC instead of songs added to the tracklist of a future game. My 2c.

  • killpop13

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 3:11 pm PT

    ya well idk i just hope guitar hero can get more DLC and beat rock band

  • icarus212001

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 3:10 pm PT

    i can understand 1 Def Leppard song in the game, but 3? its not happening unless one is in the GH: Aerosmith game, one is in the DS game (or GH4), and the other is DLC...or Activision and Neversoft are running out of songs to put in which is unthinkable because there are hundreds maybe even thousands of songs they can put in it...unless they just wanna cater to the mainstream "i think Tenacious D is a real band!!!" crowd that listens to emo and "punk." *shrugs*

  • I_AM_AROD______

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 2:59 pm PT

    To Sk8ter_213: Umm it's a video game which is mainstream so it can't really sell-out. Besides if you're gonna say someone sold out so Harmonix did for going to EA.

  • Links24

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 2:53 pm PT

    better be good songs on this one. GH3 had some awesome songs, Rock Band had many awesome songs but the guitar sucked. GH4 just needs many songs and DLC. and im gonna point out that the rock band equipment breaks 10 times easier and the singing was horrible.

  • Kenshin836

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 2:46 pm PT

    Yawn. *goes back to Rock Band*

  • thewolf619

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 2:29 pm PT

    I'm thinking this is either DLC for GHIII or they're going to be in the Aerosmith game.

  • ashuncc2

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 2:28 pm PT

    I bought GH2&3. I am really bummed at their customer support. Too bad they couldn't provide us with more content, aka Rock Band. I won't be purchasing GH4, unless it is practically free.

  • Generic_Dude

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 2:25 pm PT

    Wrong ship, guys. The SS Guitar Hero jumped the shark big time... while Harmonix took the life boat to smoother seas.

  • Sk8ter_213

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 2:18 pm PT

    Guitar Hero sold out thanks to Activision

  • TheVinster

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 2:14 pm PT

    K, let me go back to Rock Band. Guitar Hero has already become a trash series since the only thing they do is take out fan-favorite characters, replace them with terrible stereotypes featuring zero customization. Once their sequels look to be more than cash rake-ins and a new, terrible setlist, I may buy one. The series stopped being good after the first one, in my opinion.

  • SkellitonKiller

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 2:11 pm PT

    Sounds cool but I really don't care for Rock Of Ages as much as the other two songs but still cool but this game needs a more varitey of songs from diffrent bands such as ac/dc and bon jovi and zz top and such.

  • Pete5506

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 1:52 pm PT

    They have some good songs but I would still like to see some better bands

  • imautobot posted Apr 3, 2008 1:49 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    imautobot

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 1:49 pm PT (hide)

    Finally a reason to buy that crappy game!

  • Somebody89

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 1:48 pm PT

    Maybe in GH 4 they will fix their DLC cus just admit it , Rock Band's DLC is simply unbeatable.

  • DarqFlare

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 1:46 pm PT

    Now they just need to get some Van Halen in there and GH4 will be the best ever.

  • juicenpancakes

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 1:44 pm PT

    All I think of when I hear the name "Def Leppard" is Kid Rock (Robbie) in Joe Dirt yelling to Joe "Run! Run sissy boy! Def Leppard sucks!"

  • dmish82

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 1:43 pm PT

    No thank you

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