Def Leppard Tour History - Vivian Campbell RushOnRock Interview

News - Vivian Campbell RushOnRock Interview

Saturday, 8th January 2011 |

Vivian Campbell was interviewed by UK music website RushonRock recently and he revealed a few interesting things. The band are talking to their old label Universal about re-signing. They are also planning a carreer spanning box set. Vivian also goes into detail about the reasons for the year off, talks about joining Thin Lizzy and defends himself against critics of his reaction to Ronnie James Dio's death.

RushOnRock - Vivian Campbell Interview Quotes

Thin Lizzy

"I've been in Def Leppard for 20 years and if I'm honest it's not a terribly challenging job for me as a guitar player. Phil Collen plays most of the widdly guitar parts and I do what I do. But this job has reignited my love for guitar playing."

Right time for Def Leppard to take a break?

"I don't enjoy taking time off full stop. I don't really agree with the concept of taking a whole year off and so even before the Lizzy thing came along I'd planned to do a lot of work during the last 12 months."

"I do think it was the right time to have a break. For Joe in particular it was important. He was burnt out. We'd been touring for five years without a break and it was starting to take its toll. As for the rest of the guys I'm not sure. I just think Joe wanted a complete break from Def Leppard rather than a break from everything."

Live Album/Record Company/Box Set News

"We've got a couple of new songs on the go. We have a live record coming out in 2011 and we're looking at attaching two, three or four new songs to that album when it comes out. There are also plans for a career-encompassing box set. It will happen but we need to sort a few things out contractually. As it happens we're talking to our old label Universal about re-signing with them. That would make things a lot easier. Leppard will be back this summer and we'll be touring North America and Canada"

Reaction to Ronnie James Dio's death?

"My mother died nine or 10 days before him so I was preoccupied with that. And my father died nine months before that. It was a really tough year on a personal level and I had enough to think about."