Unlikely Rock Collaboration Steals the Spotlight at Ottawa Bluesfest

Unlikely Rock Collaboration Steals the Spotlight at Ottawa Bluesfest originally appeared on Parade.

Rock history was made at Ottawa Bluesfest when Tom Morello took to the stage with Def Leppard, giving fans an unexpected performance.

At the Wednesday, July 16 festival, fans witnessed an epic collaboration when the Rage Against the Machine guitarist joined iconic British rockers for a special performance of their latest track, “Just Like 73.” The iconic moment, which took place at LeBreton Flats Park, featured Morello, 61, shredding his signature guitar solo on the song, which came out in June.

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“It was an absolute honor to welcome Tom Morello to the stage for ‘Just Like 73.’ Thanks for rockin’ with us at Ottawa Bluesfest!” the band wrote in the YouTube description along with a professional video of the performance.

The unlikely pairing came together after Morello heard the initial demo of the song from Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen. “Tom heard my original demo of the song with just me on…And he's, like, 'Oh my God, this is great,’” Collen, 67, recalled to the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. The chemistry between the two was clear as they worked together to craft the track, with Collen stating, “He really didn’t let us down. I remember talking to him about it, and he said, ‘Well, what do you hear?’ and I said, ‘Well, you gotta do your Tom Morello thing.’”

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Morello’s addition brought the song to life in an unexpected yet perfect way. “[I] heard it back and said, 'This is absolutely perfect,” Colleen gushed. The collaboration draws inspiration from the early ‘70s glam rock era, specifically the music that shaped Def Leppard’s youth. Collen revealed, “The song is about us discovering the music that kind of shaped our lives… he totally got it, and kind of nailed it.”Morello has been staying busy musically as of late, as he recently played a big part in Ozzy Osbourne's last show, the Back to the Beginning Tour, which he played with his former band, Black Sabbath on July 5. The band was joined by other iconic classic rock bangs like Guns N’ Roses, Metallica, and Judas Priest.

Unlikely Rock Collaboration Steals the Spotlight at Ottawa Bluesfest first appeared on Parade on Jul 19, 2025

This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 19, 2025, where it first appeared.