Def Leppard confirmed

[WildChildRockChick]

2 years ago man. 2 years ago.

[gibbydanzig]

^^nah i dont reckon Van Halen pulled out on him, i think Van halen are the band he's already booked for 2012. But he must of got an awful lota snubs to book Def leppard again. Very poor booking. But tbh Sonisphere looks pretty poor also, so the headliners arnt really about this year. So no Download for me this year. 1 okay headliner in SOAD and 2 poor ones so Nova Rock it is!

[lharris92]

Doesn't sound realistic to me. Don't Soni have a Euro-fest exclusive contract with Metallica still?

[kaosmark2]

They don't it's just that their EU booking agent, Mr John Jackson - also the agent for many big acts like Maiden, Slipknot etc... - cofounded sonisphere, so Soni has the leg up on Download when it comes to those bands generally. Metallica almost did Download, but then the possibility for more big4 shows came about so they opted to do a big4 thing at Soni instead. Simple.

[jump]

Andy has just posted this on the official forums

''I am on a train and the signal is not working that well...I'm not scared...I book Download to the best of my ability and with what is available...if you don't like it, there is nothing I can do about that. I'm built of stern stuff, I can take criticism but some of the comments, as ever, are ill-informed, wrong, unfair and downright rude! Download is a festival of numerous stages and numerous bands and an awesome atmosphere. That never changes year on year. Some bands you like, some bands you don't...I have always tried to mix it up. I have had to put up with many posts saying that I have abandoned the classic day/stage...clearly I have not. Some of the suggestions I have heard year on year have been laughable but I just crack on. I personally thought the three headliners that were delivered in 2010, were the three best festival headliners ever....my opinion. However, I got roasted because, as like all bands, they are not to everyone's tastes...I take it all on the chin and carry on. If people honestly think that Def Leppard has ruined the festival, then I am flabbergasted. You wanted a classic rock headliner...you got one. If you don't like them...go watch Pendulum or Danzig....there's something for everyone. No one forces anyone to a) watch a specific band at any one time, as there are always other choices and remember last year not one band was prepared to go up against AC/DC. If you didn't want to watch AC/DC, you could go grab a drink, get some food, get an early night...in fact you could do whatever you wanted...it's your festival, no one is forcing you to do anything. Download's atmosphere will never change...Donington has something no other festival has...I don't know what it is but it's there and it's great...regardless of who is playing. You should just come and enjoy yourselves...Korn, Alice Cooper, System Of A Down, Alter Bridge, Rob Zombie, Pendulum, Linkin Park, Avenged Sevenfold, Bullet For My Valentine, Twisted Sister, Def Leppard, Down...what a mix. Maybe expectation levels are too high because you expect so much & rightly so but for God's sake before you condemn the festival & me...look at what you get as whole. Download is Download is Download, always was, always will be. Andy (Maverick) ''

[duggie20]

Andy has just posted this on the official forums

''I am on a train and the signal is not working that well...I'm not scared...I book Download to the best of my ability and with what is available...if you don't like it, there is nothing I can do about that. I'm built of stern stuff, I can take criticism but some of the comments, as ever, are ill-informed, wrong, unfair and downright rude! Download is a festival of numerous stages and numerous bands and an awesome atmosphere. That never changes year on year. Some bands you like, some bands you don't...I have always tried to mix it up. I have had to put up with many posts saying that I have abandoned the classic day/stage...clearly I have not. Some of the suggestions I have heard year on year have been laughable but I just crack on. I personally thought the three headliners that were delivered in 2010, were the three best festival headliners ever....my opinion. However, I got roasted because, as like all bands, they are not to everyone's tastes...I take it all on the chin and carry on. If people honestly think that Def Leppard has ruined the festival, then I am flabbergasted. You wanted a classic rock headliner...you got one. If you don't like them...go watch Pendulum or Danzig....there's something for everyone. No one forces anyone to a) watch a specific band at any one time, as there are always other choices and remember last year not one band was prepared to go up against AC/DC. If you didn't want to watch AC/DC, you could go grab a drink, get some food, get an early night...in fact you could do whatever you wanted...it's your festival, no one is forcing you to do anything. Download's atmosphere will never change...Donington has something no other festival has...I don't know what it is but it's there and it's great...regardless of who is playing. You should just come and enjoy yourselves...Korn, Alice Cooper, System Of A Down, Alter Bridge, Rob Zombie, Pendulum, Linkin Park, Avenged Sevenfold, Bullet For My Valentine, Twisted Sister, Def Leppard, Down...what a mix. Maybe expectation levels are too high because you expect so much & rightly so but for God's sake before you condemn the festival & me...look at what you get as whole. Download is Download is Download, always was, always will be. Andy (Maverick) ''

[t8yman]

people obviously said he was scared to face the music because he was awol from twitter and the forum after the dl shitstorm

[bekimo]

this is utter bollocks I'm afraid. he must have gone to the alastair campbell school of spin, because its so transparent its laughable.

I like most of you have spent the last coupla months trawling the web for any info on who might be the 3rd headliner, and any lineup hints whatsoever. the one thing I havent come across anywhere is anyone asking "who is going to be the classic rock headliner".

"you wanted a classic rock headliner"? - no we didnt.

I wanted a lineup that justifies me giving you £360 before a band is announced. and now I've been burned and wont be prebooking RIP again for next year.

There is no justification for booking DL again after only one year off and with no new product in between. they were a spurious booking in 09, and whilst a lot of people say they did a great set, I watched a bit of them and they sounded just as f**king shite as they were back in the day (and I bought pyromania on vinyl when it came out)

"if you dont like them, go watch pendulum or danzig" - thanks andy, I can either go and watch a poor drumnbass crossover act, or stand outside a tent hoping to see the top of glenn danzigs head and listen to the crowd singing because the pa wont reach outside.

[t8yman]

here it starts

[bekimo]

here it starts

[t8yman]

I know, I've just chipped in. might end up regretting getting involved.

[biffoire]

DL and Soni are both on a par for me atm. Both have 2 headline acts!

Although that said, I think DLs undercard is stronger than Sonis but dls headliners don't stand up to sonis.

I'm guessing with the way Linkin Park are doing the rounds that they'll become the new metallica?

Reading, DL, Soni, year off. Reading, DL, Soni, year off. Reading, DL, Soni, year off.

[DougS]

Apologise if this has been posted elsewhere but it made me laugh

[bekimo]

I know, I've just chipped in. might end up regretting getting involved.

[kipper64]

T

[Old Mosher]

Or if they had to do the classic thing, do Alice Cooper subbed by Rob Zombie. That would have killed!

[thedudeman]

To be fair, yeah its shit that def lep are bk so soon, especially since AC slagged soni off for their repeat bookings when metalica were announced.

But i like def lep, seen them a couple of times, n thought they were ace in 2009 dl.

So yeah, it is a bit of a waste of slot in some ways, but if i were to go to download id be at the mainstage friday and id enjoy them regrdless.

[Spengs Muck]

im from sheffield and take exception to the fact we all automatically love def leppard, i like them but not because theyre from sheffield. they shouldnt headline again though.

Dont see the issue with giving the headline spot to zombie or cooper.

[loscfestivals]

Absolute joke booking.

Didn't see anyone asking for a classic rock day. 90% of what Copping writes is just bollocks. I don't even get why he is some kind of public figure either, clearly just craves the attention that he gets. He just writes complete bollocks though, can't wait for all his tickets selling out comments again this year (yeah right!)

Pretty much everything on that lineup has played before. I like Bullet but they headlined 2nd stage last year and did their biggest ever tour a few months ago and now they are back again.. just overkill on the same bands and it is not appealing. I'm sure on the day if I was there and they were playing I'd be excited but not sure it's worth 200 quid to go and see what I've just seen.

Even the bands who haven't played before,or haven't played in a while like A7x and Rob Zombie have all toured recently. There is nothing to get me excited. Come the week before if I can pick up at pair for 250 or less on fleabay then I'll probably go but with the prices as they are nowadays there is noway i'm forking out for repeats and acts who've I just seen for a lot less than 200 quid (+at least 150 in fuel,parking, food and booze)

I think I could have accepted any original headliner, even if I hated them over this. Such a backward booking, I was convinced he wouldn't book a third headliner who has already done it but he goes and picks the most uninspiring of the lot!

[Spengs Muck]

its years like this im actually glad Download is a festival that doesnt sell out in hours like Leeds/Reading and Glasto etc.

I couldnt handle buying a ticket without knowing what im paying for.

[bekimo]

Absolutely ! saw Alice at the Roundhouse for halloween last year and he kicked ass.

[WildChildRockChick]

here it starts

[bekimo]

Thanks - I worked backwards through that thread yesterday, looking for exactly that place. Looks like I gave up about 5 pages too early!

There comes a point where a festival has to book repeat bands. Either because they got bigger (look at Bullet now compared to the first time they played DL), or because they're touring, or being asked for, or still popular, or even because they're available!

This sticks in my throat more because of the speed of the repetition than because of the band that's been booked. I can't be the only one who's thinking like that?

[luckysalt]

I think people would have kicked up less fuss if it had been Slipknot who were announced and they both played the same time, but then a lot has changed for Slipknot in those two years as we all know.

I don't think the majority of the people complaining have anything against Def Leppard as a band, I just think people were expecting a new headliner, and feel let down.

I'm going to the Fan Forum in London tomorrow, and I will be very interested to hear what Andy says now the dust has settled!

[Old Mosher]

Oh I so wish I'd gone to that.