Def Leppard News - DEF LEPPARD Rehearse DIE HARD THE HUNTER/To Film 2nd Vegas Residency

Thursday, 8th August 2019

DEF LEPPARD Rehearse DIE HARD THE HUNTER/To Film 2nd Vegas Residency

By dltourhistory

Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell was recently interviewed ahead of the second Las Vegas residency and revealed more details.

Vivian spoke to Mitch Lafon for his Rock Talk podcast.

Vivian talked about the 2019 Las Vegas Residency, rare songs, soundcheck.rehearsals, 2019 Residency show theme, Die Hard The Hunter, show details, early songs he wants to play, next Def Leppard album, next Last In Line album, filming Residency and the 2019 Canadian tour.

He revealed more details about the residency setlist.

And by the way, not to excite anyone too much, but Vivian played 'Die Hard The Hunter' only once at his very first show in Dublin, Ireland on 15th April 1992. If you require medical assistance dial your local emergency number now.

He also spoke once more about the next Def Leppard studio album without giving any new info.

Listen to the full 19 minute interview below.

Visit the Tour News section. For more news on future tour plans.

Visit the Album News section for more news on new music (based on band member quotes).

Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon - Vivian Campbell Interview Quotes - (Transcribed by dltourhistory)

2019 Las Vegas Residency/Rare Songs

"It is indeed. Yeah we're actually rehearsing frantically for the show. We've left it all a bit last minute you know. And we've been soundchecking and rehearsing backstage. And today's actually a day off but we brought some acoustic guitars and we're bashing out songs so as soon as I'm done with these interviews I'm heading back downstairs to get back into rehearsal 'cause you know we want to make it a really special show in Vegas. We gotta make it something different from our regular touring show and that's the great thing about doing a residency in Vegas. You really have license to mix it up and we're gonna be playing some songs we've never played and some songs we haven't played in close to three decades or so you know. It'll be good."

Soundcheck Songs/Rehearsals

"No probably not. No you know we want to keep it a bit of a surprise at least for the first night although it is gonna be different you know. We are gonna mix it up a little bit night to night. We have, I can't remember how many shows it is, aa three week residency but we wanna try and make every show at least different by one song you know. And we haven't even decided on the exact set. And we're still even debating on what we're gonna open with. The reveal of the show and all that. So yeah last minute Larry's you know what I mean."

Oops - DEF LEPPARD Rehearse BILLY'S GOT A GUN And Other Rarities For VEGAS Residency .

2019 Residency Show Theme

"There is no specific focus unlike the VIVA! Hysteria. That was the first tie we'd ever done an album in sequence and we had to build a show around that. So we broke that show up into parts. This show's gonna be a bit more career retrospective. There's gonna be some very new material that we've never played before as well as some very old material that I think there's a song that actually we're working on today that I think I played with the band once in a club in Dublin which was my very very first time on stage with Def Leppard. It was a couple of days before the Freddie Mercury Aids Awareness Benefit which was the big reveal."

"So I think that was the only time that we played this particular song. So you know it is more a career retrospective show. We are gonna try and have part of the show that's gonna be more intimate. Not quite acoustic but you know we're gonna strip it down and kind of I think focus on the vocal aspect of the band. I mean it's something that we're pretty well known for is being a hard rock band with really strong vocals. But you know to put it in a more intimate setting so we can make that be a focal point of the show as well."

"And like I say you know it's all still being decided. Literally and it will be right up to the last minute. You know we're going into Vegas a few days early to rehearse and work on the stage show and how we're gonna present it. It's exciting, you know, it's a different thing for us. It's very different to do a Vegas show than to do a normal touring show."

Playing Rarer Songs

"Yeah but some of the big hits, you know, there's certain songs I think we always have to play. Like you mentioned Sugar. I think that's gonna feature in every single Def Leppard show from now till eternity you know. Because, yeah it is a special show in Vegas and we will have a lot of hardcore fans flying in from around the world. Specifically because they know they're gonna hear something they're not gonna hear on a normal touring show. But at the same time it's Vegas you get a lot of casual fans who see that Def Leppard are doing a residency and they'll come along and they'll want to hear Pour Some Sugar On Me. They'll wanna hear Photograph. So it's just a question of finding the right balance you know."

"And the other great thing about Vegas is we're not open to a hard curfew, You know we can play as long as we want. And it's a pretty cushy schedule I gotta say, you know, we're only doing about three shows a week. And we're not travelling in between so you know we'll be well rested and I think we'll be well up for giving people they're money's worth you know."

Early Songs You Want To Play?

"You know for me as a guitar player it's always more interesting to play a rock focused song as opposed to a pop song you know. And they're certainly are more of those in the earlier Leppard albums. You know you take it back to the High 'n' Dry record and Pyromania you know. I get to stretch a little bit more when we do that. So yeah I'm nudging 'em there and we're gonna be playing some of that in Vegas for sure."

Next Def Leppard Album/Vegas Shows

"There's always songs on the go, you know, everyone in the band is a song writer. You know we all have these little ideas in our back pocket. It's all a question of making the collective effort to get together and actuall start recording something. You know there's been rumours of maybe addressing it at some time in 2020."

"I don't know if it'll be an album. I doubt it, you know, but I think probably what will happen is we'll go into the studio and we'll just try and focus on two or three or four ideas and see what comes out of it. But the last time we did that it ended up being an album. You know which was the eponymous Def Leppard album in 2015."

"So you know it is about time and we gotta keep exercising that muscle you know. As creative beings and as a creative until, you know, we have to keep doing that. Even if it's, you know, it's just an excuse to go on tour because hey, we got a new album you know. But it's important for us as musicians that we keep doing that and there is a certain percentage of the Leppard fan base that really really are hungry for new music you know."

"But then there's a whole other generation of people that are just discovering Def Leppard for the first time and coming to our shows and they wanna hear the hits. So I don't think we'll be focusing on writing in Vegas. So I'd say the first week is gonna be pretty hectic. Trying to finalize some of the songs. Like I said we wanna make it a little bit different every single shows that we're doing out there. So we're constantly gonna be rehearsing I think even on days off and finessing the show and right up until the last week."

Filming/Recording 2019 Residency?

"We are actually thinking about recording this one as well yeah as a visual package. But obviously to do that we've gotta make it very different from VIVA! Hysteria which we intend to do anyway and it also has to be different from any other live recordings that we've done over the last several years. Which is why there's no such thing as a day off. If you're on the road you're really. We're really focusing our efforts on trying to make this Vegas show something very unique because we know that it has to be unique. First and foremost and especially if it's gonna be televised at some stage. So we'll see. You know if we do that it's obviously gonna be at the end of the run. You know 'cause you gotta finesse all the songs."