Transcript of Joe Elliott's encore chat on USA Today's Website, 2/15/01 5 to 6 pm EST

We're happy to welcome back Def Leppard lead singer Joe Elliott, who's kindly agreed to try to get to some of the questions he wasn't able to answer during our previous chat. He's here for you. You know what to do.

Comment from USATODAY.com Host: Hi everyone -- we're trying to find Joe. We'll keep you posted.

Rockford, Illinois: Currantly on the VH-1 website you are leading in the "best legs" category for rock stars finest features. Do you think your finest feature really is your legs?

Joe Elliott: I don't even ever think about these things until someone points it out. I suppose I do have half decent legs. They're long and lean. Most of the time, people go on about my eyes. When I was little, people used to call me Ching Chong Chinamen (in the days before political correctness). When I got older, they became a positive feature.

As for my legs, may you keep voting. Better I win than someone else.

Wakefield, MA: Happy belated Valentine's Day, Hot Legs!! :) What is the most romantic thing you've done, on a holiday or not?

Joe Elliott: Buy my girlfriend a bunch of flowers, take her out for dinner. I've never whisked anyone away on a helicopter. Never had the bloody time.

Singapore: Is there any plan for Def Leppard to have a tour in south east asian city exspecially singapore ?

Joe Elliott: I would hope so. We did in 1996 -- in fact we started the Slang tour in East Asia. It's all about demand -- if it's there, we can supply it.

Robyn, Colorado Springs, CO: Hi Joe! I once read that one of the most memorable and emotional times on stage for the band, was the first time Rick was back on stage after his accident and recovery. Can you think of another time that tops that one? Thanks for the years of inspiring music!

Joe Elliott: We'd actually done four warm-up shows before the first "real gig" when Rick came back. That was indeed a pretty emotional time. It was emotional to play the Don Valley Stadium in June of 1993 in Sheffield. Before then, in San Diego -- 55,000 people.

Moscow, Russia: Joe, on behalf of Russian die hard Leppard fans, let me tell you that we don't lose hope to see the band and you're heartily welcome to Russia.Have you ever thought of coming to Moscow and St. Petesburg, Russia and putting an ass busting performance in front of Russian audience? What does your management think of it?

Joe Elliott: Woof! An ass-busting performance.

I don't know about busting people's asses, but we'd love to play Russia. It's just never come up. It's the same reason we've never done Poland or China. It's not because we don't want to -- it's because of time constraints or the opportunity hasn't presented itself.

Kittery, Maine: Joe, Thank you for taking the time to Q & A with us again!I've been a Def Leppard fan since Hello America! When your on the road, do you take a staff with you? Chef, server, bartender etc? If so where to you get your staff? Mary Burgess 36

Joe Elliott: Hahahaha.

We don't have a bartender. We used to take a chef, because Phil, Rick and Viv are our 2 1/2 vegetarians. At that time, vegetarianism wasn't easy to maintain. We had a brilliant cook named Frenchy who was out with us until '99. In 2000, he'd already committed to another tour and we'd decided not to bother.

Comment from Joe Elliott: The day anyone in the band can't pour his own drinks is when we end up in a nursing home.

Where do we get them? There's a circle. We've got managers who put the word out.

Montreal, Canada: Do you guys ever play personal parties like weddings or anniversaries? Gerry Hoch (one of the crazy Canadians from 1999-2000 tour)

Joe Elliott: We never have, but for the right offer we would. Don't leave out bar mitzvahs and 21sts. You supply the PA and the lights, and we'll show up for 500,000 quid or so.

Lake Villa, IL: Hi Joe, Has Def Leppard considered doing any collaborations on the new album, ala Santana's Supernatural. I think it would be a great way to rejuveninate the fan base. Love you guys! Margi

Joe Elliott: Santana did it because he doesn't sing. Collaborations from our perspective would be with producers and songwriting, which we're up for. We've never been dictated to by A&R people, etc. On this record, we may very well collaborate with people.Sometimes a fresh new edge coming in adds to the excitement.

Comment from Joe Elliott: The band worked with the Hothouse Flowers on "Retroactive". They were on bonus tracks on "Adrenalize" also ("Little Wing" and "You Can't Always Get What You Want").

Comment from Joe Elliott: Don't buy the $40 import of the Cybernauts Japanese release, by the way -- the web only release will be available April-ish.

pekin, Illinois: if you had one wish-your hearts desire, what would it be?

Joe Elliott: I'd ask for another ten wishes. But one of those wishes would be for DL to do what Aerosmith did -- reinventing themselves and coming back even stronger. I'd also ask for my own bank.

St. Petersburg, Fl.: When was the band first approached about the movie, and have you guys been offered any "creative control" to ensure that the movie is fair to the band's story?

Joe Elliott: We were first told in the middle of last year. As we speak, the script is being written. We have no artistic control -- however -- any factual corrections will be offered. We don't have any control over who plays us.

To make a movie you have to let go of certain things. Certain things will be invented to make the story line more fun. If it benefits the movie to invent the fact that Sav and I run an emu farm on the side, fine. But if they get the facts on Rick's and Steve's troubles wrong, that's different.

Atkins, Arkansas: What is your golf handicapp?

Joe Elliott: About 18.

Dayton, Ohio: Has Def Leppard every had Action Figures? If not, would you guys put one out.

Joe Elliott: No we haven't, but yes we would. This is the kind of thing you don't do yourself, though. Mattel or someone has to approach you. We are starting to put a little Def Leppard shop together on the website. I don't know whether people would really be that interested, but if someone wants to make a doll of me, fine.

Springhill, NS, Canada: What is your opinion on the English National Football (Soccer) program hiring a coach from Sweden?

Joe Elliott: I have no objections of his nationality, but I question his credentials. I can't fathom a guess at what I think of him until I've seen his performance. I would have picked Teddy Venables. The patriotic aspect of "we need an English coach for an English team" is b******t.

Jackson, TN: What is your favorite book?

Joe Elliott: Probably "Diary of a Rock and Roll Star" by Ian Hunter. I also like Lester Bangs's book.

Bombay, India: I saw you guys perform in Bombay a couple years ago. That was a great show, but i was really dissapointed when the CD Skipped (aka lip sync). Any comments?

Joe Elliott: Guilty as charged. It was a TV show, and everybody except Sting lip synched. It would have been physically impossible to take our equipment to India, and you can't hire gear there. The fact that we performed on a professionally organized show with a skipping tape brought us to our knees laughing.

Wellingborough, Northamptonshire: Hi Joe, Firstly, I hope you and the band are all well and preparing a rocking album for us!My question is, I realise that many successful people feel the need to live overseas (tax, weather or whatever), but do you still feel as "English" as you did when you were younger?CheersGreg

Joe Elliott: I AM English. I was born in England, and I live my life irrelevant of what nationality I am. Occasionally there are things about England that make you very proud -- Monty Python couldn't have happened anywhere else. Then again, we have football hooliganism, which makes my skin crawl.

I live in Ireland because I choose to, and it's not because of the tax. I just happen to like the fact that this country has a population that's half of New York with lots of space. There's plenty to do at night, and it's wonderfully green as well. It's culturally a cool place. The people are friendly and not at all overwrought. They don't pull your hair out and scream.

Realistically, I've never really felt English. I speak English. I'm a human being who exists in a very strange lifestyle. I'm either on an airplane or getting off one. I think we've just become global. I'm an occupant of the global village. I could settle anywhere I need to be.

Portland, OR: Joe, is there one person in the world you truly admire and look up to?

Joe Elliott: Not one, no. There's dozens of them. I'm one dimensional in the sense that most of them are musical. I respect Ian Hunter, David Bowie, Pete Townsend, Tom Waits, Robert Plant. Anybody that does something that touches people's emotions on any scale I have ultimate respect for. I respect survivors like Iggy Pop, BB King, Tina Turner, Aerosmith.

Matosinhos, Portugal: Hello, I'd like to know what was your opinion about Freddie Mercury and if you were any way influenced by him. Keep up the good work!

Joe Elliott: I certainly was. Queen were one of the bands that everyone in this band has looked up to at some stage. Freddy Mercury didn't influence me from a musical point of view, but from the performance point of view -- he was so camp and such a great performer. I didn't study his voice and try to be like him, but there isn't a record made by him I don't own.

Collierville, Tennessee: 'Fess up Joe! Whats your favorite part of being a rock star?

Joe Elliott: Being on stage, really. I can live without making the records or the photo sessions.

When the house lights go down and the crowd goes wild, and then when you hear the applause at the end, it's incredible.

Harare, Zimbabwe: Will you ever be touring South Africa again? And if you do have you ever thought of coming to Zimbabwe for a round of golf... we have some of the best courses in the world.Keep the music coming. :)

Joe Elliott: Again, we went to South Africa for the first time in 1997 -- and the review in the paper said "better than the Stones". It was brilliant. The problem is, when we tour America, we're there for 3-4 months. We've got the clubs stashed in the hold. In South AFrica, the "days off" are normally press days, so you can't stay and play golf. Consequently, we usually play golf in the States or when we're off.

Hershey, PA: Hi Joe! We all know how sex sells, so my question is... has the band made a conscious decision to purposely downplay how sexy you guys are? I know there are millions of us women out here who still lust for you guys! :)

Joe Elliott: Oh really? That's nice to know.

Rock and roll has always been very basic. The actual relationship between a man and a woman is different for everyone on the planet. One of the truest forms of contact is singing about boy-meets-girl.

I can strut like a peacock on stage, but that's about as far as it goes. It's up to other people to see what they see. We're not overtly sexual in the sense that we go around wearing codpieces.

Eastpointe, Michigan: Would you guys ever consider doing Playgirl? Please!

Joe Elliott: Absolutely! But there'd have to be a serious number of naughts in the figure if they'd want me to get my kit off. I'm not a whore.

Kittery, Maine: Hello Joe! I'm a long time fan and was wondering... Has being the ultimate Fantasy man for so many women changed you? How do you view the women that still flash you in a concert and lust for you? Is it humbling to be so adored or is it something you feel that goes with being such a big star?One of your biggest fans!Mary Burgess

Joe Elliott: One of the few things I try to maintain is my enthusiasm. It's very easy to be jaded in this business. You can't deny that part of the attraction for a musician is sexual....I'm not one for chasing women like I might have done 20 years ago since I'm in a steady relationship..but of course when you go on stage, there's part of you being a sexual beast.

Comment from USATODAY.com Host: Well folks, the good news is that Joe was charming as ever. The bad news is that there were more questions than ever. Sorry we couldn't get to them all...and thanks again for showing up.