Its because of the band he was in, its as simple as that, he says surprisingly. On Tuesday 8 January 1991, he was found dead on his couch at his home in Chelsea. From that point until the time Clark died, Collen said in his book that it was almost impossible to find out where Clark was and try to keep him out of trouble. I know Steve would have been with me on that. a back injury. Steve died in his sleep." It was exactly like the dream I had had. He was 56. Stephen Maynard Clark (23 April 1960 - 8 January 1991) was an English musician. "He had been drinking and he cracked a rib earlier on," Collen wrote in his biography Adrenalized. In a way Steve didnt have much choice in the matter, wrote Collen. I heard the first Led Zeppelin album at a friends house and that was it! He passed peacefully surrounded by many of the people he loved most. There is a popular image of Steve Clark as a dual personality: extrovert on stage, introvert off stage. LONDON - Steve Clark, guitarist with the heavy metal band Def Leppard, died of a lethal combonation of alcohol and drugs after a night of heavy drinking, a London coroner ruled today. Justin was hospitalized with pneumonia over the summer, having aspirated vomit in his lungs, and was told by a doctor that he would die if he did not quit drinking, Steve said. As he was classically trained, he believed in writing the right notes which followed the rules of the music while his best friend Cohen jammed everything together. While there, he met a recovering heroin addict, Janie Dean. Steve Clark/Place of death. Steve Harvey Death Hoax Dismissed Since Actor Is 'Alive And Well'. He chose a different way to strum the chords of his guitar. The doctor also told us that the alcohol level in Steves blood was 0.59. It is after Steve joined Def Leppard as guitarist that half of the songs for their debut album and independent E.P, On Through the Night was written. This was written by David Fricke who was the writer for the 1987 'Animal Instinct' biography. Steve used to turn up for soundcheck and make me wear his Firebird just so he could laugh at how ridiculous I looked with the longest guitar strap in the shop., Frontman Joe Elliott remembers Clarks first jam with a fledgling Leppard: He picked up his Les Paul copy from his guitar case and put it on way too low. Janie had found him at his Chelsea house in London. Loudwire contributor Jon Wiederhorn is the author ofRaising Hell: Backstage Tales From the Lives of Metal Legends,co-author ofLouder Than Hell: The Definitive Oral History of Metal, as well as the co-author of Scott Ians autobiography,Im the Man: The Story of That Guy From Anthrax, and Al Jourgensens autobiography,Ministry: The Lost Gospels According to Al Jourgensenand the Agnostic Front bookMy Riot! Who found Steve Clark death? Def Leppard got their big break with the release of Pyromania, in 1983, which launched the band into stardom. He was surrounded by drink most of his life. That was how Steve was. That made it impossible for the five feet, two inches tall Mortimer, who started life in Leppard as Steves guitar tech, to tune them in the usual manner. Like Steve, she also lived her life out of a suitcase. Actor Steven Hill, best known for playing District Attorney Adam Schiff on NBC's "Law & Order," died August 23, his son confirmed to CNN. Steve Clark Death - Fan Club (Coroner's Report) Extract, "This morning, 27th February 1991, Westminster Coroner's Court, after hearing evidence from a number of witnesses, formally recorded that the cause of Steve's death was respiratory failure to a compression of the Brain stem, resulting from excess quantities of alcohol mixed with anti-depressants and pain killers. Then there was Steve Clark of Def Leppard. Despite his tender years, Clark was so cool. It was a long time coming. He had been found in the early hours of the morning by his then girlfriend and was pronounced dead. He had been drinking and he cracked a rib earlier on, Collen wrote in his biography Adrenalized. If youre going to go, thats the one. Steve became an indispensable asset to the band in a short time. Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliott recalled witnessing the personal pain endured by guitarist Steve Clark in the time leading up to his death in 1991. And that was it., Clark and Collen dubbed the Terror Twins by Leppards road crew were more or less glued to the hip from 1983 right up to 87, when the latter decided enough was enough and stopped drinking. So I did what Joe suggested: I threw myself into work. As soon as he died, everyone jumped in with their I knew Steve stories, not trying to help with his addiction but simply based on trying to hang out with a rock star. I remember how [record producer] Mutt Lange summed up Steve one time, recalls Collen. Clark joined Def Leppard in 1978, a year after their formation, and was a key songwriter on the bands biggest albums -- 1983s Pyromania and 1987s Hysteria. Def Leppard guitarist Steve Clark died of a fatal mixture of alcohol and drugs, according to the coroner's report Patsy Clark, a former scrap dealer and nightclub owner, died aged 81 in November 2019. Willis spotted the blue-eyed blonde-haired, 18-year-old reading a guitar book and asked whether the latter played guitar. Steve Clark Death - Fan Club (Coroner's Report) Extract, "This morning, 27th February 1991, Westminster Coroner's Court, after hearing evidence from a number of witnesses, formally recorded that the cause of Steve's death was respiratory failure due to a compression of the Brain stem, resulting from excess quantities of alcohol mixed with anti-depressants and pain killers. Apple co-founder and Chairman Steve Jobs died today. Once completed, Hysteria would propel Def Leppard to a higher level of fame. We flew out to see him immediately. The doctor told him not to drink while taking his pain medication. The postmortem revealed that the cause of death was accidental, due to a compression of the brain stem causing respiratory failure. "In Loving MemoryBenjamin . On Tuesday 8 January 1991, Clark was found dead on his couch by Janie Dean, his girlfriend. We had been trying to keep things real, but also light. Who is the lead guitarist for Def Leppard? Mutt said there are a million session sausages thats what he called session players but they have no ideas, theyre clinical. As the band's success grew, so did Clark's alcohol consumption. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. At one point, he went on a bender in Paris and wound up in a hospital with alcohol poisoning. Too much booze, too much partying, car crashes, groupies. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". He died on January 8, 1991 at age 30, during the making of the Adrenalize album. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Country star Roy Clark, the legendary singer and multi-instrumentalist with an ear-to-ear smile who headlined the hit TV show "Hee Haw" for nearly a quarter century, has died. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Def Leppard announce Classic Rock album Fanpack. Their intentions may have been good and their relationship was strong. Its better to burn out than fade away might be an oft-used phrase, but its one that sums up Steve Clarks life and career in a nutshell. This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 21:05 (UTC). Dean was a recovering heroin addict, and the couple's plans to keep one another clean led, inevitably, to relapse. Nine had died from Lou Gehrig's disease by the time Clark passed away in June at. The remaining Def Leppard members decided to move on after Steve Clarks death. It was instant. That was when Clark's bandmates encouraged him to take a six month break and attend rehab. Off stage Clark was a humble person, with no airs and graces except when he put them on for a laugh. "Mutt gave him a big hug, then we all hugged him and told him that we loved him. It was love at first sight, and he would spend most of his free time practicing, taking classical guitar lessons and becoming technically proficient early in his life. Entertainment. The then Rock Squad fan club commented on the report which can be read along with an article from Rolling Stone. Steve Clark 1/1991. 1 when it was released in 1992; it would be the band's last huge commercial success. Collen states that Janie Dean died a few years later, also as a result of substance abuse. Grieved and angered, Collen quit the band, but vocalist Joe Elliott convinced him that Clark, who was ashamed about his severe alcoholism, wouldnt have wanted Def Leppard to break up because of him. Its really weird, a very strange sensation.. The band worked on High n Dry, their second album, with Steve and Pete Willis sharing the lead guitar duties. He said, Well, what do you want to do? I told him Id rather be a plumber. He was 30 years old. From my seat in the balcony I noticed them getting in a terrible tangle as Clark darted left, right and centre, the lead of his guitar criss-crossing the leads of the other members instruments, until the floor resembled an explosion in a bootlace factory. Published: 12:50 ET, Apr 21 2021. from excess quantities of alcohol mixed with antidepressants and painkillers. The very surreal part about it for me was that I had expected a phone call like this perhaps from Cliff for the past five years, so I wasnt shocked but instead freaked out. According to the report, Clark fell asleep on a sofa after drinking heavily in a local pub with a friend. Phil CollenSince1982Vivian CampbellSince1992 He was very into what he did. Sign up below to get the latest from Classic Rock, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox! Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliott recalled witnessing the personal pain endured by guitarist Steve Clark in the time leading up to his death in 1991. released in London on February 27th. After Ricks accident and amazing recovery, we hadnt thought wed ever have to confront anything like this but now one of us had died. Hulda Clark (1928-2009) was a naturopath, an author and a practitioner of alternative medicine who claimed all diseases were caused by parasitic infections. Gibson Les Paul guitars When Pete had to go, there werent any great protests from anybody in the band., Enter Phil Collen, hotfoot from London-based Hollywood Teasers, Girl. The death of Steve Clark in January 1991 robbed Def Leppard of their heartbeat. Their debut album,On Through the Night along with U.S. tours opening for AC/DC, Ted Nugent and Pat Travers brought them notoriety, as well as early criticism for seemingly forsaking British metal for radio-friendly pop. When I first clapped eyes and ears on an unfeasibly fresh-faced Leppard the date was June 5, 1979 at Crookes Working Mens Club in Sheffield they were clearly a work in progress, despite the excellence of their live performance and the undeniable potency of their songs. By the time we were touring in 1981 Steve couldnt even stand to be in the same room as Pete, because Pete would always be the one who used up all the towels whenever he had a shower, and things like that, Elliott reveals. An autopsy revealed the Clark died from an unintentional overdose of alcohol, Valium and Codeine. Steve Clark at Crookes in Sheffield, 1979. Steve 'Nipper' Ellis revenge clip Essex Boys. He first joined a local band named Atomic Mass. He died when Higgins Clark was 11, and just a few years later, she lost her older brother, too. El Paso Times. After Clark's passing, the members of Def Leppard threw themselves into recording their next album, Adrenalize. Clarkagreed to go to a rehabilitation clinic in Tucson. Steve Earle, who has lived in New York since 2005, came of age in the shadow of Clark and Van Zandt, and he has outlived them both. 3 What kind of guitar did Steve Clark play? While they finished the record as a four piece group, Clark would eventually be replaced in the lineup by Vivian Campbell of Dio. It wasnt until about three months later, when I was stuck in traffic on the 101 freeway in Los Angeles and the Rolling Stones Waiting on a Friend came on the radio that I burst into tears. June 28, 2012. We owe Steve for all these songs we wrote together on this record. He was the richest member of Def Leppard with an estimated 20m fortune. Clark's ability to write catchy, melodic and complex hooks kept the band on the top of charts for years. In January of 1978, he joined Def Leppard and was a constant mainstay until his death. It was like: Holy crap! He also received extra royalties for writing 95% of the bands songs. ", "The Coroner found NO EVIDENCE AT ALL of any suicidal intention or of any cause of death other than the accident detailed above. 26 Years Ago Def Leppard's Steve Clark (Details Of Death Revealed). In 1990, Def Leppard asked him to take a six-month sabbatical to get his life straight and reduce his alcohol consumption. To help out with expenses, Higgins Clark took after-school jobs, including working as a switchboard . We didnt think it could get worse, but it did. Initially, I didnt even want to be in the band after Steve passed. Clark had battled alcoholism for several years and had undergone clinical treatment during the past year and a half. The band offered this tribute to Clark in 2020. The coroner disclosed that the When you hear that original track and there he is, it feels like hes alive. Hysteria would become the band's biggest success to date and Clark's last album. Last year, his elderly parents Doris, 81, and Charles Clark, 78, were accused of being the ones responsible for his disappearance, but they have since cleared their names. Then family members and friends of alcoholics at the facility came in with their stories. Hes still part of us. Born and raised in Sheffield, England, Clark got his first guitar when he was 11 years old. Raising Hell: Backstage Tales From the Lives of Metal Legends, Louder Than Hell: The Definitive Oral History of Metal, Im the Man: The Story of That Guy From Anthrax, Ministry: The Lost Gospels According to Al Jourgensen. Clark died this week at the age of 82. Rick lost control of his left hand drive Corvette Stingray coming off of a sharp left hand turn. Def Leppard guitarist Steve Clark died in January 1991 and on this day 26 years ago the coroner's report into his death was released. Then he went into detail about just how dire it was more statistics about alcoholism, the physiological and psychological toll on the body, everything. He preferred to play guitars manufactured by Gibson Guitars. What kind of guitar did Steve Clark play? The tragic death of Guitarist Steve Clark of Def Leppard fame.SIGN UP for 10 of the Craziest Stories in Rock N' Roll [Secret Playlist]: https://bit.ly/3vVPAE. nato act chief of staff what did steve clark died of. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, We all sat in a circle and we told him, Steve, youre scaring the shit out of us. He sat there with a cigarette taking it all in. Steve didnt have that tough exterior. Stevie Young. The coroner's report, I believe, read that it was due to a swelling of the brain. We both found that we were soaking up all that we could and learning more on the road than we had ever learned at school, with a healthy appetite for new and exciting cultural discoveries. According to Collen, this was around the time that Steve Clark met Janie Dean, the woman he'd spend the rest of his life with, even proposing after just a few months. Like his idol Page, Clark wasn't just about sticking to one aesthetic. from excess quantities of alcohol mixed with antidepressants and painkillers. They came out the other side of the 1980s overweight or severely underweight, in rehab and wanting to be recognized. Now the . Guy Charles Clark, the gravel-voiced troubadour who crafted a vast catalog of emotionally charged, intricately detailed works that illuminated and expanded the literary possibilities of popular. A family member of Garson's confirmed his death to . Alice Clark Brown, pioneering Ringling Bros. circus perfomer, dead at 68 She became one of the first Black women to work as a showgirl, dancer and aerial acrobat with Ringling. Clark had been given time off from the band to deal with his alcohol issues, but failed to survive them. June 4, 2018 5:19 PM PT. So Collen threw himself back into writing and playing, focusing intently on the band so he didnt have to think about Clarks death. 3 How much are the members of Def Leppard worth? England and Wales company registration number 2008885. All eyes would be following Steves parade.". The Westminster Coroner's Court published the details of Steve's death. Its funny many people have said to me over the years, Its great you kept Rick after his accident, as if its only about being in a commercialized music group. with Leppard guitarist Phil Collen playing all of the guitar parts. "The chorus wasnt strong enough, so we changed the chorus. Hi! We chose to be together in this band, and weve spent more time together than most blood-related families. When they both got finished the program the two agreed to hang out and help one another with their addictions. The autopsy revealed traces of Valium and morphine along with a fatal quantity of codeine. Louder is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. This was something very different. (Image credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images), Why I Brian Jones, by Killing Joke's Jaz Coleman, Paul Stanley knows the End Of The Road is nigh, but he's determined to out with a bang, Van Morrison and Billy Bragg are engaged in a bizarre discussion about Covid on Twitter, Heavy Metal Love: The story of Helix, Canada's mightiest hair metal heroes, Every album by The Cult ranked from worst to best, Every issue delivered direct to your door.