Def Leppard have recalled their first ever gig at a Sheffield school 46 years ago, including the trick they used to ‘calm our nerves’.

The heavy metal legends have come a long way since July 18, 1978, when they played in the gym at Westfield School, in Mosborough.

Having sold more than 100 million records worldwide, the Steel City greats looked back to where it all started.

Def Leppard, pictured here in 1998, have recalled their first ever gig, at Westfield School, Sheffield, on July 18, 1978 | National World

placeholder image — Def Leppard, pictured here in 1998, have recalled their first ever gig, at Westfield School, Sheffield, on July 18, 1978 | National World

Taking time out from their tour of the US, Joe Elliott and Rick Savage shared their memories of that auspicious day.

“We didn’t have much gear, we didn’t have a car,” said Joe.

‘The bass drum case was full of beer’

“Two of our friends, Andy and Ian, drove their parents’ cars with all the gear shoved in the back, if I remember rightly, most of it in the bass drum.

“The bass drum case was full of beer, to calm our nerves when we got there.

The old Westfield School site, where Def Leppard played their first ever gig on July 18, 1978, is today a housing estate. Photo: Picture Sheffield/Taylor Richardson Associates | Picture Sheffield/Taylor Richardson Associates

“My outstanding memory of it is Steve Clark’s rock star pose, stood in front of his amps, did his old Pete Townshend windmill and he’d forgotten to turn it on, so nothing came out.”

Taking up the story, Rick said: “From there there’s only one way up really isn’t there. That’s where we went.

‘You’d think we had the plague’

“I remember everyone sat round on the perimeter of the hall. Nobody wanted to get down at the front of the stage until we played like a Thin Lizzy song or something.”

Joe continued: “It’s like you’d think we had the plague, they all stood round the outside.”

Def Leppard at The Leadmill in Sheffield in 2023. Photo: Danny Lawson/PA Wire | Danny Lawson/PA Wire

He added: “We did a 45-minute set of all our own material, which is probably why they did cling round the sides.

“Then for some bizarre reason, when we got back into the classroom/dressing room they all started cheering for another one.”

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The school building in which Def Leppard played that day has long since been demolished, with Westfield School moving to a new site and its old home becoming a housing estate.

Def Leppard would go on to play many more momentous gigs in their home city of Sheffield, at venues including The Limit nightclub, the Wapentake bar and Crookes Working Men’s Club.

The band have never forgotten their roots and received a rapturous reception when they played a barnstorming homecoming concert at Sheffield United’s Bramall Lane Stadium in 2023, just days after a more intimate show at The Leadmill.