10 Rock Bands That Survived The Deaths Of Key Members
4. Def Leppard - Steve Clarke
By the mid-80's, Def Leppard had truly done the impossible with their album Hysteria. Not only had the band outdone their previous effort Pyromania, but they rose above adversity after the sudden accident of their drummer Rick Allen, who proceeded to drum without one of his arms. That wasn't to say the band was bulletproof though.
The band had always been concerned for the drug habits of guitarist Steve Clarke, but things reached a fever pitch when he was found in a gutter with a BAC double the lethal dose of John Bonham. After one last attempt to get him clean, Clarke died in his sleep in his home due to heart failure. While still in the middle of recording their album Adrenalize, the band decided to finish the record as a four-piece band. With some trepidation, the band met up with other guitarists before drafting Vivian Campbell, whose guitar playing in Dio had impressed the band.
With a few warmup shows, the band returned at the Freddie Mercury Concert of Life, wowing the audience as Campbell provided Clarke's signature leads with the right balance of respect and gusto. It took a long road to recovery, but Def Leppard bounced back from hard times while keeping the raucous spirit of Clarke present at every show.