JOE ELLIOTT: DEF LEPPARD Would 'Politely Refuse' ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME Induction

During a February 18 interview with HuffPost Live, DEF LEPPARD singer Joe Elliott once again offered his thoughts on the possibility of his band eventually being inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. He said (see video below): "The biggest compliment I ever got was my first gold disc, or my first platinum disc, because it's the representation of one million people who bought your album, and those million mean a lot more to me than some people that decide whether you're fit for the Hall Of Fame or whether you should have a program made about you, if they make a program — 'Classic Albums' or 'Behind The Music' — you've made it, sort of thing. I mean, it's nice, but it's not that important."

He continued: "I could name you a hundred other artists more important than us that aren't in [the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame]. I did one of the first-ever fundraisers to actually help build the place out in Cleveland, but for some reason that doesn't count for anything. But there you go. That's life. It doesn't bother me at all. It doesn't bother any of us. In fact, we've kind of all decided that, even if we get asked, we're just gonna — how can I put this? — politely refuse, like the SEX PISTOLS did… Unless there was some kind of online campaign by our fans 'cause they were annoyed by us."

Elliott added: "My point is, it's nothing to do with the fans, because they don't get… I think they get, like, six percent of the vote or something. It's people that don't like what we do that decide… We're not R.E.M., we're not [Bruce] Springsteen, U2, Loudon Wainwright, Bob Dylan, etc. They just don't believe we belong. So I don't necessarily wanna be in that particular club anyway.

"I never joined a band so I could get into the Hall Of Fame. I joined a band 'cause I wanted to just do what Marc Bolan and David Bowie were doing on 'Top of The Pops' — wear silly clothes and sing silly songs."

Last July, DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen echoed Elliott's sentiments about the Rock Hall, telling a radio station: "I don't know [if we will ever get inducted] and I don't care, really. I think it's great that KISS got in there. They should be there. They're an American band [that's been going for] 40 years and they've been snubbed [for a long time]…. So, for them, I think [it's great]. For me, I really don't care. [It's, like], whatever. The way I look at it, I've got two diamond albums sitting on my mantlepiece — that's ten times platinum;I've got two albums. That means the fans went out and bought it, so that means a lot more to me, I think."

In an interview with Billboard.com, Elliott stated about the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame: "I imagine the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as this board table with six Mr. Roboto's sitting around, faceless tuxedo-wearing prats. This is the way I look at it as there are two hats. They pull out the one, 'DEF LEPPARD, BON JOVI, KISS, MÖTLEY CRÜE, fuck that, no.' 'Leonard Cohen, John Cougar Mellencamp, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, REM, the PIXIES, we want all them in because they're cool. We don't want RATT, we don't want POISON.' I was really happy when I saw Johnny Rotten tell them to go fuck themselves. That's what I would do… even if I did get talked out of it by the other guys in the band. But I don't care. I don't gain anything from it. If you get an Oscar, your next film you're gonna be offered five times the money of your last film, and better scripts. When you get inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, the next day you wake up in the same bed. You don't get tours thrown at you to open for LED ZEPPELIN or find out Paul McCartney wants to write a song with you. It's rubbish. There's no gain from it."