Def Leppard are demoing songs on and off in Dublin and hope to have a new album out by the end of the year according to drummer Rick Allen. Allen told "Metal Edge" editor Gerri Miller that the band hopes to be in the studio, again most likely in Dublin, recording for real next month. He added that the initial idea was to get Bob Rock to produce but that they were "open to suggestions." Def Leppard's last album was the self-produced "Slang" in 1996.

Meanwhile, the AOL & Hard Rock Hot Spot's Andrew McNeice reports that guitarist Vivian Campbell is in Los Angeles working on a side project called Clock with former Foreigner drummer Mark Schulman. The line up, says McNeice, also includes P.J. Smith (No Sweat) on keyboards, and Sascha Krivstov on bass.