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What is Joe Elliott’s Net Worth?
Joe Elliott is a British singer-songwriter and musician who has a net worth of $50 million. Joe Elliott plays guitar, keyboard, drums, and piano and is a founding member and lead vocalist of the hard rock band Def Leppard. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the band has sold over 110 million records worldwide.
Early Years
Joseph Thomas Elliott was born on August 1, 1959, in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, to Joseph William Elliott and Cynthia Gibson. He attended King Edward VII School in Sheffield and went to his first concert at the age of 11 – a performance by T. Rex at Sheffield City Hall. Nine years later, Elliott would be performing there with Def Leppard.
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Def Leppard
In 1977, Elliott met English guitarist Pete Willis of the newly formed rock band Atomic Mass, who introduced Elliott to the other members and asked him if he would be interested in joining the band. Elliott accepted the invitation and later suggested they change the name of the band to Def Leppard.
Def Leppard played their first show on July 18, 1977.
The “Def Leppard” E.P. was released in 1979. The “On Through the Night” album was released in 1980. The “High ‘n’ Dry” album was released in 1981. The “Pyromania” album was released in 1983 and reached #2 on the Billboard charts, while the song “Rock of Ages” off the album reached #10. The “Hysteria” album was released in 1987 and reached #1 on the Billboard charts. The “Adrenalize” album was released in 1992 and reached #1 on the Billboard charts. The “Retro Active” album was released in 1993 and reached #9 on the Billboard charts. The “Slang” album was released in 1996. The “Euphoria” album was released in 1999. The “X” album was released in 2002. The “Yeah!” album was released in 2006. The album “Songs from the Sparkle Lounge” was released in 2008 and reached #5 on the Billboard charts. The album “Mirrorball: Live and More” was released in 2011. The album “Viva! Hysteria” was released in 2013. The album “Def Leppard” was released in 2015 and reached #10 on the Billboard charts. The album “The Story So Far – The Best Of” was released in 2018. The album “Diamond Star Halos” was released in 2022 and reached #10 on the Billboard charts. In 2023, the band released the album “Drastic Symphonies,” collaborating with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on remixed songs from their catalog.
In 2024, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the band’s massive hit album “Pyromania,” the album was re-released as a compact disc and Blu-ray collection which includes previously unreleased demos, recording session mixes, two live concert performances and the singles’ videos. The collection reached #2 on the Billboard album chart and has sold over 10 million copies in the United States.
Past members of Def Leppard include Tony Kenning, Steve Clark, and Pete Willis, who was cut from the band due to excessive drinking. Present members, besides Elliott, include Rick Savage on bass and backing vocals, Phil Collen on guitar and backing vocals, Vivian Campbell on guitar and backing vocals, and Rick Allen on drums. In 1984, Allen’s arm was injured during a motor vehicle accident. Doctors had to amputate the limb when an infection developed. He continued playing drums with the use of a custom-made electric drum which he is able to operate with his feet.
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Early Money Problems
Fans may be surprised to learn just how tight money was up until the band’s truly big break in 1983. Says Elliott:
“Money was tight until about 1983. We had signed a record deal in ’79, but that all that money went into running the band. We got about 30 quid a week, which wasn’t even enough to buy stage clothes.”
That translates to less than forty bucks a week, so the comment about clothes probably isn’t an exaggeration. During this period, Def Leppard saw mild success opening for bigger bands across the country, and Elliott says if anyone was making money from the band during this time, it wasn’t the band itself:
“All the profit from the shows went into getting a tour bus, so we never saw a penny.”
Finally, in January 1983, that big breakthrough that all musicians dream of came in the form of the record Pyromania, which took just three months to be officially certified platinum, and in October of that same year, it had sold some six million copies. On the financial ramifications of this phase of the band’s career, Elliott says that even then, they weren’t exactly rolling in dough like you might expect because after paying off all their accumulated debt, they weren’t even making medical school money:
“And when you spread that over seven years, it only worked out to a decent income, probably less than your average doctor. It was seven years of poverty and borrowing off our parents.”
Down ‘n’ Outz
Joe and several other members of Def Leppard are also bandmates in a group called Down ‘n’ Outz. In 2010, they released the album “My Regeneration.” In 2014, the album “The Further Adventures Of” was released. In 2017, the album “The Further Live Adventures Of” was released. In 2019, the album “This Is How We Roll” was released.
Other Work
In 2003, Elliott produced Ricky Warwick’s album “Tattoos & Alibis.”
In 2012, he went on tour with the “Rock & Roll All Stars,” which later changed its name to “Kings of Chaos” and featured members of well-known bands such as Sebastian Bach of Skid Row and Duff McKagan of Guns N’ Roses.
In 2022, Def Leppard took part in the “Stadium Tour” with Motley Crue, Poison, and Joan Jett & the Blackhearts. It was the 8th highest-grossing tour that year, earning over $173 million.
In 2023, the Def Leppard memoir “Definitely” was published by Genesis Publications. A history of the band as told by its members, the book contains press clippings, photographs and memorabilia images.
Elliott has also been the lead vocalist in the David Bowie tribute band “The Cybernauts,” the Mott the Hoople tribute band “Down ‘n’ Outz,” “King of Chaos” and “Re-Machines: A Tribute to Deep Purple’s Machine Head.”
Personal Life
In 1989, Elliott married Karla Ramdhani 1989. They divorced in 1996.
In 2004, he married Kristine Wunschel, and the couple had three children: Finlay in 2009, Lyla in 2016 and Harper in 2020.
Health
A 2015 bout with pneumonia caused long-term damage to Elliott’s throat and vocal cords. Ten tour dates had to be postponed, and Elliott had to undergo several months of recuperation. His physician urged him to retire.
In February of 2023, while Def Leppard was on tour with Motley Crue, just prior to taking the stage in Bogota, Columbia, Elliott was hospitalized due to respiratory issues. He was treated and released prior to the start of the show.
Accolades
In 1995, Def Leppard entered the Guinness Book of World Records after they performed three concerts in three days on three different continents.
In 2000, Def Leppard was inducted into Hollywood’s RockWalk on Sunset Boulevard.
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