Forgotten Fretmasters #10 - Steve Clark

#defleppard #steveclark #hysteria
What is the price of fame? As music fans, we look at our heroes, often with envy. We see the fancy cars, the big houses and, most importantly, the awesome guitars and gear that they can afford on a whim. The girls. Or guys. The tours and the lights… but, all too often, there’s a dark side. Drugs. Alcohol. The musician we will be talking about today was a consummate musician. Classically trained. Versatile. Melodic. And in one of the biggest rock bands of the 1980s, who were literally ruling the charts and the arenas with millions of records sold and packed worldwide tours. But the price of fame might have too high, and it swallowed him up and made him yet another guitarist who left us way too soon. Today, we’re going to look at Steve Clark of Def Leppard, next, on Forgotten Fretmasters.

[derekwilliams]

Steve Clark is not forgotten because people keep saying that Def Leppard is not the same without him. And they keep playing the songs he helped write.

[a.c.]

Thanks for honoring Steve. He was a genius.

[Garfield-zlog]

Steve Clark as long as we fans have breath in our bodies Steve Clark with never be forgotten!!

[briansmith]

Steve Clark was so innovative. I wish he was still with us.

[geno]

"God's Of War" was the epitome of what Steve brought to the band. Riff after riff. That song is over 6 minutes long, and I don't think it repeats a riff. So important to the band!

[jocelynharris-fxho]

Steve will NEVER be forgotten. 😞🎸🎶💔🥀 He was the heart and soul of Def Leppard --- they will never be tbe same without him. I am glad that they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It's bittersweet that Steve wasn't there to share in that glorious moment.

[heatherwade]

The RIFFMASTER will never be forgotten.

[mattonbass]

You simply can't look cooler on stage than Steve Clark.

[chucktaivalkoski]

Steve Clark, one of the best rhythm/lead guitarists of all time. He's the one that brought us the intro's to numerous songs. I'm still trying, as a guitarist, to duplicate his riffs. Sure you can read the tab, watch UTubers but you'll never have the heart, the soul this man projected into his playing. I miss his openings and all he put into each and every Def Leppard song. Rock on Steve.

[EVEROSFP]

The fact that they never let down Rick after his accident show how brilliant his bandmates are...Also Steve was a music mastermind and amazing guitarist...RIP.

[ziggylayneable]

I'm 48 years old.I CANNOT watch anything about steve(except this)....It kills my heart.He was a GREAT guitar player & such a tragedy

[karenglenn]

This was not easy to watch. Still breaks my heart that he's not here. So much talent, but no self belief. Beautiful soul deserved better.

[bmwelch]

Steve Clark was a true guitar god and 1 of a kind! There are few words that can truly describe just how good he was! I consider myself blessed to have seen him play live twice on the Hysteria Tour in 1988 - Rochester, NY and Toronto, Canada. Both amazing shows!

[edwinwise]

As a bogey guit player myself … I regarded Steve Clark as one of the most melody driven guitar players on the planet… there is no one I would like to emulate …. This guy was the one exception…… genius

[violr]

Steve quite simply is the Jimmy Page of the 1980s.. the rhythm leads, the melodic hard-hitting attributes. The suave.

[williambroadstreet]

Thanks SO very much for this. Steven Maynard Clark was a once in a lifetime genius. He had it all. He worshipped Page, his love of Gibsons, strapped SO low he did not pinch of Page however the influence remains clear. Vivian sums up what Steve meant to Leppard in a verbatim quote, humbly so as Viv is imo a beast of a guitarist and plays Phil under the table. Viv "90% of what we play Steve left us". Without him Leppard's touring set list would be very different. He was the genius rock star oozing cool live. A man who as Phil said "had quirky tastes but could hear something and make it commercial". Leppard and Van Halen are the only 2 rock bands to have 2 record certified Diamond in the US. 25+ for Hysteria, 25+ million for Pyromania. Mutt mined the diamonds. "The Riffmaster" blew away the stadiums, creating iconic melodies, harmonies, bends, hooks and riffs, while penning so many historic songs. Period.

[jdl]

I think Steve's playing & more importantly his songwriting created the foundation of Def Leppard. I don't know of any guitar player that could play a variety of solos & rhythms, then decide (particularly in the case of Pyromania), that he didn't want to do solos on all tracks & shared them out with Phil Collen. A lot of Hysteria's guitar parts were the result of their musical partnership & Steve's classical training. People forget too about the success of the guitars he played too. Steve & Slash were the only mainstream hard rock guitarists playing Les Pauls at a time when Kramer, Jackson & Charvel ruled the 80s. Sure Gibson is the brand that it is today but its a shame that a Signature model hasn't been made for Steve as a tribute. This a great segment on Steve too!

[re]

Great stuff. I am a huge fan of Steve Clark and yes, he is criminally underrated.

[rugdnit]

Coming up on Steve’s birthday… I’m left longing for what could have been and grateful for what was and continues to live on: the music.

[toriackley]

I miss Steve he was the mastermind behind some of def leppards greatest hits no one could ever replace his talent he will be remembered for his talent 💕