SPEAKING OF STEVE:

MEMORIES OF A LEGEND

Thoughts and comments from other people & sources about Steve in their own words.

TOMMY SKEOCH (EX-TESLA)

Their cover of the Five Man Electrical Band song “Signs” became their second top-10 hit and helped solidify Tesla as a top rock act. The next album “Psychotic Supper” was followed by a headlining tour and included the song “Song and Emotion” in tribute to Def Leppard’s guitarist Steve “Steamin’” Clark who had died after years of substance abuse. “It was devastating,” Tommy recalls. “Steve was really one of the main focuses for me. From their first record on, he was a fuckin’ rock star, with the attitude and everything. And I like playing guitar and being creative, but I also dig the attitude of the rock star trip. Not being an asshole or any of that stereotypical thing, but just some kind of suave coolness, and Steve had it. We were really bummed out, so we wrote that song.”

Interview from Music Morsels – October 2001.

SIR BRIAN MAY (QUEEN)

“And Steve Clark, for God’s Sake! He’s the originator of riffs, you know. He’s the lynch pin, you know. He’s one of the great writers and riff-makers of our generation…”

September 2000 at Def Leppard’s induction into the Hollywood Rock Walk,CA.

PHIL COLLEN (DEF LEPPARD)

“All of his [Steve’s] song writing things, really, just the way he done the versions of chords and stuff, it was not typical of all the other rock guitarists – it was defiantly unique to see. It was different things, it was very different. I have played with a lot of different guitar players, go and jam, there’s a certain amount of thing they all kinda blend in. But Steve had something that was different, and that was really cool. That you can really hear in the songs, especially, more than anything, [on] Pyromania and Hysteria. I remember when I joined the band, they said go have a listen to this and learn this stuff. I was like WOW, I never heard anything like that.”

From a Q & A  session with Brooks Burton of Brooks Guitar World 2004. (Thanks to Brooks)

STEVE BROWN (TRIXTER/TOKYO MOTOR FIST)

Speaking in 2017 about the time when he played a few shows with Def Leppard in 2014, he had this to say when asked about learning the songs:

“I will say this; the Def Leppard catalog is not the easiest thing to learn. There’s some very intricate guitar parts, very unique guitar parts. Steve Clark wrote things in shapes and boxes that I haven’t played before. So it was challenging for sure.

I have said this to friends of mine that are guitarists, “Man, the Leppard gig isn’t as easy as you think it is.” It was a challenge to dig in and learn the Mutt Lange/Def Leppard collection.”

Interview which appears on Sleaze Roxx. com

STEVE CONTE (EX-NEW YORK DOLLS/STEVE CONTE NYC)

“I was a fan of those 2 big Def Leppard albums; Hysteria and Pyromania so it was great to meet him [Steve Clark].

I was glad that he was such a down-to-earth dude, one who would come to a blues jam and not be afraid to wing it.- to plug in someone else’s amp and play unrehearsed tunes with a bunch of people he never met.

I am one of those guys so I really appreciate that in someone else! That’s a musician with no fear. ”

November 2014. Thanks to Steve Conte.

FRANK HANNON (TESLA)

“I point up to Heaven at the end of the guitar solo and think of him. So yes, when we were on tour Steve [Clark] gave me a red Gibson SG because he noticed my love for that type of guitar. No one had ever just given me a guitar before!”