AceShowbiz - Rockers Def Leppard have confirmed they are taking a one-year hiatus because life in the band has become so "stressful". The "Hysteria" hitmakers prompted rumors of a split late last year when they canceled 23 dates on their North American tour, citing "unforeseen personal matters".

Frontman Joe Elliott later revealed they axed the tour so he could fly home to be with his pregnant wife ahead of the birth of their first child. And now the singer has confirmed the band is not planning to work together for at least another year because they all need some time to recuperate and focus on other projects.

He tells Britain's Metro, "We're taking a year off. I'm doing this (new band Down 'N Outz) because I have the time. After you have a hit like Hysteria and you're signed to the corporate machine it becomes an albatross around your neck. As much as our music is anthemic rock 'n' roll it's a business at the end of the day. It's stressful and gets harder each time you make a record. No one's comparing this to Hysteria, it's got nothing to do with it. It's a refreshing change. It's like being a teenager in a 50-year-old body."