Here Are 20 interesting facts about Rick Savage, best known as the the bass guitarist and one of the founding members of "Def Leppard".
(Photo: Wikipedia)
1. He was born on December 2, 1960 in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England. His full name is Richard Savage.
2. In his youth, he learned to play guitar along with his older brother, covering songs like "Maggie May" and "American Pie".
3. Despite pursuing a football career with Sheffield United, Savage's passion for music led him to choose a musical path.
4. His early musical influences were "Queen", "Led Zeppelin" and "Black Sabbath".
5. Along with his schoolmates, Tony Kenning and Pete Willis, Savage, formed "Atomic Mass", covering songs by "Queen", "Slade", "Deep Purple", and Jimi Hendrix.
6. Recognizing Pete Willis as the superior guitarist, Savage switched to playing the bass guitar, a pivotal moment that would shape the future of the band's sound.
7. In November 1977 Pete Willis met Joe Elliott at a bus stop.
8. Elliott tried to get accepted to "Atomic Mass" as a guitarist, but eventually, they got him as a singer.
9. "Atomic Mass" then changed its name to "Def Leppard" a name suggested by Joe Elliott.
10. Together with "Def Leppard" Rick Savage he has released 12 studio albums to date.
11. He is among the 2 original members of the band together with Joe Elliott, and one of three who have taken part in all of the band's albums since its inception together with drummer Rick Allen.
12. Rick Savage played a crucial role in the band's debut album, "On Through the Night," released in 1980.
13. "Def Leppard" achieved international fame with their third album, "Pyromania" (1983), in which Savage played a significant part.
14. The band's fourth album, "Hysteria" (1987), became one of the best-selling albums of all time, featuring hits like "Pour Some Sugar on Me" and "Love Bites," with Savage contributing to the album's success.
15. "Def Leppard" has become one of the best-selling bands in the world with sales of over 100 million albums.
16. "Def Leppard" is one of 5 bands that has two studio albums that have sold more than 10 million copies - "Pyromania" and "Hysteria".
17. Notably, Savage is a dedicated user of a plectrum or "pick" as his preferred playing style. In an interview with Bass Guitar magazine, he emphasized his reliance on a pick for consistency in sound across the fretboard, citing challenges with fingerstyle playing.
18. In 1994, Savage faced a health challenge when he was diagnosed with Bell's palsy, causing partial paralysis of facial muscles. Despite visible effects, he has since recovered.
19. "Def Leppard", with Savage as bassist, has received numerous awards and nominations, including induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019.
20. The band is one of VH1's 100 greatest artists of all time list.