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Collen on stage with his signaure Jackson model. Shame how he's just let himself go, isn't it? (© Scott Weiner/Retna Ltd./Corbis)

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When Def Leppard's Phil Collen calls at 8am, it isn't because he's spent the past 48 hours binging and partying and can't get to sleep. In fact, the 52-year-old guitarist and fitness buff - he of six-pack abs that are verging on a 12-pack - is quick to stress that he's had a full night's shut-eye, has already hit the gym and is "literally bursting with energy."

On this particular morning Collen is in Nashville, where he and his songwriting pal, CJ Vantan, are making the rounds with various music execs. "We've been doing some stuff together, me and CJ, working with a bunch of the country writers here," he says. "We've got a batch of cool material and we'll see what happens with it."

During the past few years Def Leppard have dabbled more than just their paws in the country waters: their 2008 collaboration with singer Tim McGraw yielded the hit single Nine Lives; and last year the band teamed up with superstar Taylor Swift for the CMT show Crossroads: Def Leppard And Taylor Swift. "It's sort of surprising that a band from Sheffield, England can have a go at country music and not fall on their faces, " says Collen. "And I must say, it's been immensely gratifying to be accepted by country fans. They remind me of hard rock fans in many ways - they're very loyal."

Despite their newfound success in Music City, USA, Def Leppard "aren't going country," says Collen, who isn't immune to the irony that he's speaking those words from the epicenter of the genre. "We're still a rock band," he says. "We can stretch and go in a few different directions, but our hearts are still in playing good, solid rock 'n' roll. That'll never change."

As Collen prepared for a day of meetings, MusicRadar got the lowdown on his extra-curricular songwriting. In addition, we spoke about his side band Man Raze (which includes ex-Sex Pistols drummer Paul Cook and bassist Sim Laffy, the latter of whom played with Collen in the early '80s band Girl), his signature Jackson guitar, what's next for Def Leppard and why pumping iron beats pounding back the brews.

I understand you've been zipping back and forth between LA and Nashville quite a bit.

"Yeah. It's a really cool town, especially for a musician. You don't have to be a country artist to fall in love with Nashville. And it's sort of become the hip place for songwriters to get together. See, I write all the time; it's something I never turn off. But I don't want to get stuck in any one genre. You look at some of the great songwriters, and one of the reasons why they're so successful is because they didn't stick to just one style or sound. You have to open up your mind to different influences, and Nashville is a fantastic town for doing just that.

"Plus, the caliber of musicians you find here, it's ridiculous! Me and CJ will go out and see these guys play, and we'll be like, 'Now, what is he doing on the guitar there? Can you figure it out?' [laughs] It's crazy!"

So it's pretty safe to say you're a bona fide country music fan now.

"Yeah, I am. I'll tell you who turned me onto it: Mutt Lange. I remember when he was producing our records, country music was all he ever played. I'd get in his car and go for a ride with him, and I'd look around at his music collection and it was all country stuff. No rock. He was very keen on George Jones, I remember. He liked the traditional artists."

Being that you're so impressed by the level of musicianship in Nashville, has it influenced your own playing? Any country licks creeping into your bag of tricks?

"Nahh. I've never really done that, you know, studying music in a literal way. With me, it just gets absorbed kind of organically. When I go to India, say, I hear all these different scales being played by the local musicians. Sometimes I'll notice myself playing something that vaguely recalls what I've heard, but it's not because I sat down and memorized the lines or anything. The trick is just to be receptive and open-minded."

Are there elements of your guitar playing you want to change? Anything you'd like to improve upon?

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