Def Leppard Look Back With ‘Definitive Visual History’ Photo Book

Def Leppard have released a generously-sized photo book, 'The Definitive Visual History,' featuring pictures taken from throughout the band's history by legendary photographer Ross Halfin.

The book chronicles the band's career from rather humble beginnings back in the late '70s, when Halfin first started traveling with the band, all the way up to their present-day amphitheater headlining tours.

Def Leppard lead singer Joe Elliot wrote the forward for this impressive collection, recounting how their relationship with Halfin progressed from the photo wizard bouncing around in the back of the band's beat-up touring van, to hanging from the lighting rafters in order to get proper shots of the massive "in the round" stage set-up of their 1987-88 Hysteria tour.

Throughout the book, Elliot and his bandmates provide commentary on the photographs, which trace not only the band's meteoric rise to fame but the tragedies they endured along the way, including drummer Rick Allen losing an arm in 1986 and the death of guitarist Steve Clark in 1991.

Also included in the book are some extremely rare photographs of Def Leppard posing as a four-piece band, after Clark's passing and prior to the recruitment of current guitarist Vivian Campbell in 1992.

All in all, the hefty collection contains over 450 photographs, many blown up across two pages to sensational effect. Obviously, it would make a fantastic gift for the Def Leppard fanatic in your life. Those interested can buy it from your favorite bookstore or directly from Chronicle Books.

Def Leppard will also be promoting 'The Definitive Visual History' with a special signing session at Book Soup in West Hollywood, Calif. on Monday, Sept. 5 at 3:00PM PT.