Friday, 21st June 2019
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VIVIAN CAMPBELL On DEF LEPPARD's Download Appearance/UK Audience

Def Leppard 2019. Screenshot

Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell was interviewed at the Download Festival and mentioned the band's history with the event.

Vivian spoke to UdiscoverMusic backstage at the Download Festival on 14th June.

And if you look closely at the video you'll see various other Leppard's wandering around behind him.

Vivian talked about Last In Line, opening Download, Last In Line vs Def Leppard, Download Festival History, what music means to him, Biggest Inspirations and whether he still gets nervous before shows.

He mentioned the tenth anniversary of the first headline appearance at Download and the special significance that it has for him relating to the death of his father later that year in 2009.

Watch the full 7 minute interview video below.


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Udiscovermusic - Vivian Campbell Interview Quotes - (Transcribed by dltourhistory)

Download Festival History

"We did it's actually exactly ten years to the day from when we first played Download. We played here 14th June 2009. And here we are exactly ten years."

"No I remember that because it was the last time I saw my Father was the day before. So it's a very poignant week for me. Yeah so I'll never forget that one."

Really important show today?

"Yes indeed. Dedicated to my Father."

What does it mean to play Download?

"It's wonderful you know for Def Leppard to still be able to command this sort of an audience in the UK. You know I think it's fair to say that Leppard's had a bit of an up and down sort of a relationship with our home audience. You know there was a lot of blowback in the 80s where I think a lot of people over here felt that Leppard had sold out and just gone to America."

"You know but it's very different now. We have such a diverse audience and such a great audience. You know there's people of our own generation who grew up with us and then we've noticed over the years more and more people who are young enough to be our kids coming to the show. And that's been wonderful 'cause with that youthful infusion comes this energy from the audience. And we're a band that really really require our audience to participate. We feed off of that energy. So it's just, it's a very happy coincidence for us to have that. It really kind of lifts our show."

Still get nervous?

"No. Apprehensive maybe but not never nervous any more no. It's an adrenaline rush. You've just gotta learn how to focus that. How to channel it to your benefit. Otherwise it could lead to you being nervous. And then you're not going to have a good show. You've got to be somewhat relaxed and it's always finding the balance between that apprehension, that excitement and not being complacent but you've gotta just find the sweet spot you know. Find your mojo. And it's not an exact science you know. Some nights no matter what it's never quite there."

"Some nights are great and some are not so great and you know for years I would always say what is it about that night that was great. How can I distil that. How can I bottle that so I have it when I need it. And you just can't sometimes you know. You've just gotta go with it and sometimes if you have a bad night. You gotta just know that there's four other guys on stage with you who are really good and they're probably havign a great night. So it's gonna be fine."



Buy Online

  • Vinyl Collection: Volume Two - Amazon (£177.27)
  • CD Collection: Volume Two - Amazon (£66.02)

Buy 'The Story So Far...The Best Of Def Leppard' Online

  • Amazon - (1CD Regular Edition - 17 Tracks)
  • Amazon - (2CD Deluxe Edition - 35 Tracks)
  • Amazon - (2LP Vinyl Edition)
  • Amazon - (MP3 Regular Edition - 17 Tracks)
  • Amazon - (MP3 Deluxe Edition - 35 Tracks)

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Related News - PHIL COLLEN Says DEF LEPPARD Will Finish Half Written New Album In 2020

Related News - PHIL COLLEN On VIVIAN CAMPBELL's Contribution To DEF LEPPARD/Next Album

Related News - JOE ELLIOTT Says DEF LEPPARD Are Constantly Making New Music

Related News - 2019 Def Leppard Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Fan Photo Gallery 1


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