Def Leppard confirmed

[luckysalt]

Heres the original source, NME reporting of it seems twisted around a bit

http://www.rockaaa.com/news/copping-defends-leppard-and-claims-metallica-are-over-exposed-3350

Download Festival booker Andy Copping has branded the backlash over his announcement of Def Leppard as final headliner for the festival as ‘unjustified’ — but admits the list of classic rock bands he considers big enough to headline the main stage one day every year is ‘wearing a bit thin.’

Copping says Def Leppard have earned their spot and insists festival-goers who don’t want to see the Brit rockers will have plenty of alternatives on the other stages at the festival.

In a RockAAA exclusive Copping said:

“I booked Def Leppard because they deserve it, because they are big enough to do it, they are coming out with a new record and are about to start touring the world but their first date will be at Donington and because we always want to have a classic rock element on the main stage one day as it has been massively successful.

“Def Leppard did headline two-years ago but there are not many bands who fit that remit and are big enough to headline a classic rock stage. They are, as are Van Halen, Bon Jovi and Aerosmith but it is now starting to wear a bit thin who can fit that remit. There are other really good bands like Poison, ZZ Top and Journey who would be great at the festival but I can’t see them as a valid headliners.

“People have complained they headlined two years ago but if you don’t want to watch them they there will be other bands on other stages for people to watch.

“The reaction to Def Leppard has been interesting but it is something not exclusive to Download and is a reaction all festivals get.

“Whatever band you book you will always get some kind of backlash but a lot of it has been unjustified. I even had it last year after I booked ACDC who I felt, and still feel, are the biggest active rock band playing in the world today.

“Only Led Zepplin or a reformed original Guns N’ Roses line-up would be bigger but for active bands. there are none bigger than ACDC and I felt they were an amazing and inspired booking especially as they are a band who don’t play festivals anymore.

“But even then people still said they didn’t think it was a good booking which was unbelievable. It can be a thankless task at times but as booker of the festival I try to cover as many genres of rock as I can. We like to mix it up and as I’ve said before it is brilliant to see people in Aerosmith t-shirts checking out Machine Head, or people in Limp Bizkit t-shirts rocking out to Whitesnake.

“I love to read the message boards after the festival and read stories from people saying they discovered a new band they hadn’t heard of at Download.

“That’s one of the beauty’s of Download – you not only get to see bands you love but you can also discover new bands too.

“If people look down the list of bands and tick off 18 bands they want to see then that works out at around £11 per band – based on £200 for a camping ticket with car parking. That doesn’t even include all the other bands people might stumble across and become fans of so that’s real value for money.”

Every year the rumour mill around the Download headliners goes into overdrive but this year seems to have been ever wilder than usual with dozens of bands suggested including Van Halen and Metallica.

The latter are instead headlining rival festival Sonisphere but Copping feels Metallica are coming close to outstaying their welcome in the UK.He continued:

“Metallica are a great band, make no bones about it. But I’ve been vilified for Def Leppard when Metallica have toured extensively and have been here for seven of the last eight summers.

“For me that is definitely over doing it but if people want to see them again then that’s fine – the same as Def Leppard.

“Metallica are a great band but if they went away for three or four years then come back then they’d be even bigger. When they keep coming back they become boring. It can be applied to any band you want to name like U2, the Rolling Stones or Madonna but if they keep touring it does get boring.”

On Van Halen, Poison and a recent rumour suggesting the Darkness were set to reform Copping adds:

“Like a lot of bands they (Van Halen) are not active right now although they are starting to become active. But their focus is going to be on the US where they are a massive band. They are not that big in the UK or Europe so they will concentrate on the market that is more lucrative to them. Only when that starts to wear out will they look at other markets.

“Van Halen will not headline Download this year. They might in 2012 or alternatively they may never do it. It took us a long time to get Aerosmith back over. Bands are business machines who try and make us much money as they can so for some of them to come to Europe for a smattering of shows isn’t cost effective.

“There are not many acts in the industry who do it for the love of it anymore and sometimes festivals fall into place with a band’s touring schedule.

“Poison are another band who aren’t as big in the UK as they are in America so to come all the way over for a one-off performance is a pretty tall order. Sweden Rocks did it two-years ago but I know it cost an enormous amount of money.

“I have spoken to them before and who’s to say we won’t get them over one year and we get to see them in the same way we got to see Cinderella last year on what was there first time over in the UK in something like 20-years.

“It’s great to be able to get the odd-band over to play at the festival who haven’t played in a long time – like Danzig – who I can’t wait to see play.

“The rumour mill has been unbelievable this year, I’ve heard The Darkness, Soundgarden, Tool, Van Halen and Black Sabbath. I’ve also hear Rammstein are going to be special guests under Def Leppard. That’s just not going to happen.

“The rumour mill has just been awash this year but I don’t even think the Darkness exist as a band anymore.”

[Old Mosher]

Weeeeelllllll . . . . . I understand a lot of what he said . . . BUT . . I still think Leppard are a bad choice. Even in their heyday they just weren't that big. He's got bands on lower slots that would make much more sense as headliners.

Ah, well, I suppose I'm wrong, and of course I don't write the cheques

[rivalschools.price]

yet again he rubbishs the darkness rumour.does this mean(hopefully) that the sub headliner is not going to be them? or is it a bizarre way of trying to make it more dramatic when darkness get announced?

remember that the darkness rumour first came about just before def leppard got announced,perhaps he realised that if he announced it then the boards would go even more into meltdown so he waited a while til it all died down.

common sense says that subbing main stage is a ridiculous position for the darkness,but then again,common sense says that def leppard wouldnt be headlining twice in two years.

on another point,it amazing how poor the darkness look when AC listed the rumours-darkness,tool,soundgarden,van halen,sabbath,ramstein.theyre not in the same league as those bands(unless of course he listed them alongside those bands to make it seem like darkness were level with them,ha ha)

[kaosmark2]

This amused me.... http://www.metalhammer.co.uk/news/dom-lawsons-blogs-of-war-stop-whinging-about-download/

[crosswillcastyourshadow]

Why aren't melvin benn or michael eavis updating us with these neurotic, paranoid, self justifications?

I guess the ticket sales at download will decide whether or not Mr copping has done a good job.... and if there really are 110,000 people who are willing to pay £200 to see a bill consisting of 95% bands who have played before, then I guess we're all wrong. Otherwise, download needs re-thinking.

As much as his tweets make me cringe, he did book arguably the best set of headliners in the history of british festivals last year. Gotta give him credit for that.

[thedudeman]

Meh. People have a right to complain. I've never bought tickets pre-lineup and - at least at the big festivals where the experience is IMO heavily dependent on the lineup - never will. Those who have though, on the basis of expecting a lineup as strong as the last couple, have a right to be pissed off. It's natural. And the internet is always going to be full of people who moan. It's a bit pointless moaning about that.

Of course, some people do take it too far, and ultimately, if you don't think it's worth it, you don't go. I'll probably get a couple of Saturday day tickets for SOAD when they go on sale, but won't go otherwise. It's disappointing, but maybe I'll prefer it next year.

Still, as many people have said, Andy Copping draws attention to himself. He bigs himself, his bookings, and the festival up. So when people feel let down, they attack him. Sometimes excessively, but he invites it.

Regardless, thinking that people moaning on the internet when they're disappointed with what they've got compared to what they expected deserves a boringly swear-filled rant is arrogant and c**tish behaviour. Oh well.

[bekimo]

Regardless, thinking that people moaning on the internet when they're disappointed with what they've got compared to what they expected deserves a boringly swear-filled rant is arrogant and c**tish behaviour. Oh well.

[kev1664]

“I booked Def Leppard because they deserve it, because they are big enough to do it, they are coming out with a new record and are about to start touring the world but their first date will be at Donington and because we always want to have a classic rock element on the main stage one day as it has been massively successful.

“Def Leppard did headline two-years ago but there are not many bands who fit that remit and are big enough to headline a classic rock stage. They are, as are Van Halen, Bon Jovi and Aerosmith but it is now starting to wear a bit thin who can fit that remit. There are other really good bands like Poison, ZZ Top and Journey who would be great at the festival but I can’t see them as a valid headliners.

[LethalLegacy]

This whole thing is simply out of control. Copping and the Download media team really aren't handling this very well, are they?

I cottoned onto the Dom Lawson Metal Hammer article yesterday and was announced on Download's Facebook page as 'This man speaks the truth!'. I know they're trying to hype up the fest and whip up positivity but, with the way things are on the forums and social networking sites, combined with the way Copping handling of the whole situation, including the numerous statements he keeps putting out, it's almost car crash entertainment. Metallica 'boring'? You could say the same thing for bands like Pendulum and Bullet For My Valentine, who are both frequently at either Download or Sonisphere as well.

That's not a potshot at any band, regardless of my personal opinion, but surely that argument could have been constructed slightly better. But I can't help but feel he's taking another shot at Sonisphere in this instance, and if the rumours are true that he tried (and failed) to book Metallica for this year's festival, it all looks a little bit hypocritical.

There seems to be a lot of people who are genuinely unhappy and putting across reasonable arguments as to why they're not going. I'm not going this year, not because I'm off to Sonisphere instead, but rather because it's just not a worthwhile investment to me anymore. The organisers seemed to have overlooked the constructive and reasonable negative criticism, and instead focused some ire on the people who just turn up to profanely rubbish the bands, big up rival festivals, suggest who should be on the bill, etc. It's very well suggesting that it's their loss, but what about those who genuinely feel the festival is decreasing in quality?

It's putting them across as ignorant and perhaps a little bit disrespectful, and I honestly think that if they're going to be putting themselves in the spotlight like this, they need to learn to take the rough with the smooth, and more importantly, listen - something they don't appear to be doing very well at the moment.

[Spengs Muck]

This whole thing is simply out of control. Copping and the Download media team really aren't handling this very well, are they?

I cottoned onto the Dom Lawson Metal Hammer article yesterday and was announced on Download's Facebook page as 'This man speaks the truth!'. I know they're trying to hype up the fest and whip up positivity but, with the way things are on the forums and social networking sites, combined with the way Copping handling of the whole situation, including the numerous statements he keeps putting out, it's almost car crash entertainment. Metallica 'boring'? You could say the same thing for bands like Pendulum and Bullet For My Valentine, who are both frequently at either Download or Sonisphere as well.

That's not a potshot at any band, regardless of my personal opinion, but surely that argument could have been constructed slightly better. But I can't help but feel he's taking another shot at Sonisphere in this instance, and if the rumours are true that he tried (and failed) to book Metallica for this year's festival, it all looks a little bit hypocritical.

There seems to be a lot of people who are genuinely unhappy and putting across reasonable arguments as to why they're not going. I'm not going this year, not because I'm off to Sonisphere instead, but rather because it's just not a worthwhile investment to me anymore. The organisers seemed to have overlooked the constructive and reasonable negative criticism, and instead focused some ire on the people who just turn up to profanely rubbish the bands, big up rival festivals, suggest who should be on the bill, etc. It's very well suggesting that it's their loss, but what about those who genuinely feel the festival is decreasing in quality?

It's putting them across as ignorant and perhaps a little bit disrespectful, and I honestly think that if they're going to be putting themselves in the spotlight like this, they need to learn to take the rough with the smooth, and more importantly, listen - something they don't appear to be doing very well at the moment.

[bekimo]

Im actually so fed up of the whole argument now! It's just going on and on and on

Instead, I intend to simply put on my optimistic boots and look forward to an awesome weekend with fabulous people and some smashing bands!!

That is after all what festivals are all about and guys, if u think we have it bad, we could always have festival organisers like they have at V Fest! Im not looking forward to be subjected to that crap again. But for Eminem, I will put myself through just about anything!!!

[Salt_On_Everything]

Here's the solution, do what I'm doing and go here instead! ;-)

http://www.hellfest.fr/artistes

[thedudeman]

Here's the solution, do what I'm doing and go here instead! ;-)

http://www.hellfest.fr/artistes

[cornucopia]

It will be nothing less than a tremendous weekend and the people that think otherewise can think just that.

[kaip]

No thank you

http://www.graspop.be/2010/en/bands.html

Heres where i'll be

[thedudeman]

looks good that, is it hard to get to

[kaosmark2]

Ermmm... surely if you are willing to submit your opinion on someone elses choices, then other people are also entitled to submit their opinion. So yes they do deserve it in that respect. Just as Im sure you would argue Andy Copping deserves the tirade of abuse he puts up with. Not everyone puts their point across eloquently and without the use of vulgarity on both sides of the fence! 'kay?

I still found his post very amusing and a nice contrast to the similar rantings people have been spouting on the other side of the argument. I don't think Dom is saying "don't have an opinion, don't voice it" I think he's just saying, "right we've heard your opinion now, so can you stop repeating it over and over again"!!

[t8yman]

copping is full of shit. he makes out he is badly done to with people moaning about him booking AC/DC? no they didnt, they gave him shit for selling his soul to AC/DC and selling the festival out. "ac/dc dont play festivals any more"???? wtf, if you look at the official tshirts - they didnt.

and as for his justification for booking Def Lep again

“Def Leppard did headline two-years ago but there are not many bands who fit that remit and are big enough to headline a classic rock stage"

its a classic rock stage is it? since when are alter bridge classic rock?

he talks out of his arse, trying to put a positive spin on what is clearly a clusterf**k of epic proportions. yes the lineup is reasonable, and I will be attending having bought my ticket in december (because I had to dudeman - rip tickets sell out before general sale starts) and I will have a belting time. copping needs to get his pr sorted, either take the rough with the smooth - or simply shut up. he sets himself up for every fall by hyping shit up "3 brand new headliners" "no rob zombie" and "monster friday sub"

This may be my last year at download. I might go further afield next year. because for many of the reasons stated above - donington has lost its edge.

[bekimo]

T8yman. Thank you for giving me my word of the day... "clusterf**k"! Now to use it in general conversation at work!!!

[t8yman]

Always a pleasure!

[bekimo]

By the way, sitting at your desk giggling and muttering "clusterf**k" when someone asks you what ur giggling at, probably not the best idea if you're trying to persuade people you are sane!!

[fred_flintstone]

I might be reading between the lines too much here but from that interview I think its pretty certain that Download at least spoke to Bon Jovi about headlining this year. The main problem there I would think is that JBJ doesn't like to be associated with hard rock or heavy metal these days.

[luckysalt]

I might be reading between the lines too much here but from that interview I think its pretty certain that Download at least spoke to Bon Jovi about headlining this year. The main problem there I would think is that JBJ doesn't like to be associated with hard rock or heavy metal these days.

[mrtourette]

I don't think Hard Rock Calling has much to do with hard rock either, unless it's what 40-year-old Daily Mail readers consider to be hard rock.

[bekimo]

I might be reading between the lines too much here but from that interview I think its pretty certain that Download at least spoke to Bon Jovi about headlining this year. The main problem there I would think is that JBJ doesn't like to be associated with hard rock or heavy metal these days.