Def Leppard News - VIVIAN CAMPBELL On His Very Busy Night At DEF LEPPARD's Sacramento Show

Wednesday, 20th November 2019

VIVIAN CAMPBELL On His Very Busy Night At DEF LEPPARD's Sacramento Show

By dltourhistory

Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell was interviewed last week by New York radio and mentioned the recent Sacramento show.

Vivian spoke to Pat Calamari of The Pat Show on WNXO radio to promote the Last In Line II album.

Vivian talked about being busy, Current Health, back surgeries, Soundcheck Guitar Players, Third Last In Line Album, changing their record label, forming their own label?, Live Music, Rock Star Stu, Sacramento Show, Playing In Last In Line/Def Leppard and Thin Lizzy/T. Rex RRHOF Nominations.

Vivian spoke about the last Def Leppard show of the year and more about his recent back surgery. And happily once again says all is well regarding his ongoing cancer treatments.

Listen to the full 19 minute interview below. Viv's part starts at 3 mins in.

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

The Pat Show - Vivian Campbell Interview Quotes - (Transcribed by dltourhistory)

Being Busy/Two Different Bands

"Yeah it is hard to find the time I gotta say. It's getting to be busy the last couple of years, you know, and I'm sure next year will be no different. But, you know, we're really trying to take Last In Line to that next level and you gotta put the work in you know."

"It's a lot of fun. I mean the travel is always hard work. Especially at that level, but it's great great fun as a guitarist to be able to play in two great bands."

Current Health/Back Surgeries

"The back thing, it's my second back surgery in six years actually. It's a bit of a family issue. You know my brother, and my sister and my Father we all suffered from that. Anyway it was something I was dealing with since May. Chronic Sciatic pain and I just, you know, found it getting worse over the summer when I was working with Def Leppard. So it had to be done. Went under the knife. I managed to take a week off. Which I think is the minimum amount of time you're supposed to take to recover."

"But I've been taking it very easy and the other guys in Last In Line they've been, you know, lifting my suitcase for me and stuff. So they've been helping me a lot. And it's been just over five weeks. Actually it's five weeks to the day since I did the surgery. So, you know, I can do a passable impression of a human being. So no lifting other than a Les Paul and a cold beer."

Cancer Updates

"And the cancer stuff. I'm back here in California at the moment. As soon as we get off the phone here I'm going to the airport to fly to Connecticut for the show. But I get another infusion on Monday and do a PET scan and stuff for the Lymphoma. And that's, you know, it's...to be honest the hardest part about it is the scheduling you know for doing the infusions and the scans and whatnot and the travel involved to do that obviously."

"You know I do treatments in either in Los Angeles or in Boston at Dana-Farber if I happen to be on the East Coast. So it's all good you know. It keeps me out of trouble."

Sacramento Show

"Yeah I mean it was a busy day, you know, 'cause I soundchecked with Leppard. And then soundchecked with Last In Line and then had to go do a Meet And Greet for Def Lepaprd. And then straight go on stage with Last In Line. And then I realised that I hadn't sung in about a month. So I had to do some vocal warm ups before the Leppard show 'cause that's the big challenge in that band is our live vocals you know."

"So it was a very very busy night, but it was great. I was really pleased with the performance of both bands. And I was also exceptionally pleased with what appears to be really solid feedback from people who were at the show who enjoyed not just Def Leppard but Last In Line you know. So that's very satisfying."

Playing In Last In Line/Def Leppard

"Yeah I think that's true with what Phil does with Delta Deep and what Joe does with Down 'n' Outz. Joe's side band. It's nice to be able to go off and do something else. Something different. And then when we come back to Leppard We're not only playing and singing better. But, you know, we're kind of coming back fresh to it after doing something different."

"For me as a guitar player I absolutely feel I'm at the top of my game. I don't think I've ever played as well in my life. And obviously that's due to the intense amount of work I've been doing with Def Leppard and with last In Line. Ans as you mentioned I get to stretch out more as a guitarist in Last In Line. And it's been rally good for me as a player you know."

Thin Lizzy/T. Rex RRHOF Nominations

"Yeah I just got my ballot. I just opened it the other night I haven't even really gotten into it, but..so this will be my first opportunity to vote. And it is amazing that those two bands. And they were so influential to me. I mean Marc Bolan was what started the whole thing rolling with me when I was nine or ten old. I mean that's what set me on the course of my life."

"And Thin Lizzy were such an influential band. I mean I saw them so many times. I opened for them with my first band Sweet Savage dozens of times, you know, in Ireland and England. And I knew Phil, not terrible well, but I gotto spend a lot of time with him. I learnt a lot from watching him."

"And so yeah it's amazing that now I get to vote for those guys. So you can be guaranteed that these guys are getting my vote."