Def Leppard have released a cover version of Stand By Me, the soul classic that was originally a hit for Ben E. King in 1961. Proceeds from sales of the song will be donated to FireAid, the charity dedicated to rebuilding communities devastated by the Californian wildfires.
"Los Angeles and its surrounding area has always played a central role in Def Leppard's career," says frontman Joe Elliott, "from it being where some of us are based and it being our US hub for rehearsals, to being the city where we played our first-ever American gig.
"We feel blessed to be able to dedicate this song and give all the royalties to the amazing heroes in LA helping those affected by the fires. No better song."
The release of the song comes a day after the much-heralded FireAid concerts in Inglewood, California, which included a four-song set from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, pop star Pink nailing a version of a Led Zeppelin classic, and a surprise reunion of the surviving members of Nirvana.
The concert also featured performances from a reunited No Doubt, Stevie Nicks, Green Day, Olivia Rodrigo, Sting, Lady Gaga and more.
The worst of the ongoing wildfires is the Palisades fire, which broke out on January 7 west of downtown Los Angeles, and is the third most destructive in Californian history. It has burned more than 23,400 acres but is now 98% contained. Overall, the fires are known to have killed 29 people and forced more than 200,000 to evacuate.
