Def Leppard's Phil Collen talks guitars, songwriting and new album

When Def Leppard's Phil Collen calls at 8am, it isn't because he's spent the past 48 hours binging and partying and can't get to sleep. In fact, the 52-year-old guitarist and fitness buff - he of six-pack abs that are verging on a 12-pack - is quick to stress that he's had a full night's shut-eye, has already hit the gym and is "literally bursting with energy."

On this particular morning Collen is in Nashville, where he and his songwriting pal, CJ Vantan, are making the rounds with various music execs. "We've been doing some stuff together, me and CJ, working with a bunch of the country writers here," he says. "We've got a batch of cool material and we'll see what happens with it."

During the past few years Def Leppard have dabbled more than just their paws in the country waters: their 2008 collaboration with singer Tim McGraw yielded the hit single Nine Lives; and last year the band teamed up with superstar Taylor Swift for the CMT show Crossroads: Def Leppard And Taylor Swift. "It's sort of surprising that a band from Sheffield, England can have a go at country music and not fall on their faces, " says Collen. "And I must say, it's been immensely gratifying to be accepted by country fans. They remind me of hard rock fans in many ways - they're very loyal."

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