Happy Birthday, Pete Willis!

If you don’t know who he is, are you even a true Def Leppard fan? 

Pete Willis was Def Leppard’s original guitar slinger, riff master, and the man who helped build the band’s foundation before the hysteria (pun intended) took over. If you’re an old-school Leppard fan, you know Pete was a crucial ingredient in the band’s early magic—before MTV hair-sprayed them into arena rock history.

Born on February 16, 1960, Willis co-founded Def Leppard and brought that raw, relentless edge to On Through the Night and High ‘n’ Dry—two albums that still hit harder than a Joe Elliott high note in ’83. His riffs on “Wasted” and “Let It Go”? Pure, unfiltered rock ‘n’ roll. He had that punchy, no-frills playing style that gave early Leppard its grit. No synths, no gloss—just pure, sweaty pub rock ready to explode.

Then came the classic rock ‘n’ roll tale—success, pressure, and one too many drinks. By 1982, Willis was out, and in came Phil Collen, ushering in the band’s more polished, radio-friendly era. And yeah, Pyromania and Hysteria turned them into gods, but let’s be real: Without Pete’s foundation, none of it happens. The guy was the secret weapon behind the band’s early bite, and even after his exit, his fingerprints were all over Pyromania—his rhythm work still lurks under those glossy Mutt Lange harmonies.

While Willis stepped away from the spotlight, his contributions never faded. He may not have strutted through the MTV era in Union Jack shorts, but (iykyk) he’s the reason Def Leppard had that initial fire—the sound before the polish, the attitude before the anthems.

After stepping away from the band, Pete built a life outside of rock stardom—settling down in Sheffield with his wife and two sons. These days, last I heard, he runs a property management company. No guitars, no spotlights, but hey, as long as he’s doing well, that’s what matters.

So here’s to Pete Willis: the underrated, underappreciated, and absolutely essential piece of Def Leppard’s legacy. Raise a glass (but maybe keep it to one or two this time) for the man who helped ignite the flame. 

Happy Birthday, Pete!

Rock on (and drink responsibly), 

Sam