Rock Of Ages opens today, featuring songs by a number of ‘80s stars including Pat Benatar, Foreigner and Twisted Sister. Unlike the Broadway show of the same name (which the movie is based on), the film includes Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar On Me” and “Rock Of Ages.”

It turns out that the band actually declined to let the stage version of Rock Of Ages use any of their music. As a general policy, they don’t like to be lumped in with other artists, and usually don’t allow their music on “various artists” compilations.

But after the show was such a smash on Broadway, the producers came to them and begged to have their music included in the Hollywood version, which includes A-listers like Catherine Zeta-Jones, Alec Baldwin, Mary J Blige, and in the main role of Stacee Jaxx, Tom Cruise. It turns out that Cruise, who never sang before, took vocal lessons to prepare for the role.

By coincidence, Def Leppard had a day off from their tour last summer, and were in Florida near the film’s set, on the day that Cruise performed his version of “Pour Some Sugar On Me.” They were impressed by how hard the Hollywood star worked on his performance.

“Pour Some Sugar On Me” and “Rock Of Ages” are both in the film, and, not coincidentally, Def Leppard recorded new versions of both songs and released them on iTunes.

Next week, Def Leppard kick off a tour with Poison, whose “Nothin’ But A Good Time” and “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” are also in the film. The name of the tour? “Rock Of Ages.”

– Brian Ives, CBS Local