Vivian Campbell
Vivian Campbell
Vivian Patrick Campbellis a Northern Irish rock guitarist. He came to prominence in the early 1980s as a member of Dio, and has been a member of Def Leppard since 1992. Campbell has also worked with Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, Sweet Savage, Trinity, Riverdogs, and Shadow King...
NationalityIrish
ProfessionGuitarist
Date of Birth25 August 1962
CityBelfast, England
CountryIreland
days earliest guitar playing since
Since the earliest days of my guitar playing adventures,
expect
Don't expect much and you won't be disappointed!
band bona consider great grown privilege rock watched
I... consider it a great privilege to be part of a band who, as a fan, I have watched grown from young hopefuls to a bona fide rock institution.
climate industry return sort took warming
Slang' was a really stripped-down, live-sounding record. But this time, we wanted to return to our sort of sound, because the climate in the industry was warming up to it, ... We put on 'Hysteria' and 'Pyromania' and took our sonic cues from those albums.
blues history music traits
into the history of blues music itself, and into my own traits as a musician, too.
girls marc nine saw
When I first saw Marc Bolan I was like nine years old, I said, 'That's what I want to do.' The long hair, the makeup, having girls around was cool.
grew listen time wanting
Yeah, Yngwie Malmsteen is mind-blowing, but I can't listen to it! At the time I couldn't listen to it! But I grew up wanting to be like that.
bigger bit gamble grunge huge music people respond
Yes, it's a bit of a gamble that people are going to respond to the album, but I think that grunge has run its course. That's not to say our music is going to be huge today, but we have a much bigger chance, because people will be more open-minded.
hero guitar important
Being a songwriter, singer, and a great part of a unit is more important than being Joe Guitar Hero.
cutting technology doe
Technology has made it much easier to make and manipulate music. Studio-driven, machine-driven music does not always transcend into being a good live act. Many current acts are great live, but many cannot cut it live. The music is not organic.
thinking years get-better
I'm a big, big blues fan and the last several years I've really invested in the blues a lot, and I think my playing is getting better because of it - not necessarily better on a technical level, but certainly on a level of appropriateness.
doors fields musician
The Internet has definitely opened doors and leveled the playing field for musicians.
guitar worn
I like my guitars to be kinda worn. I don't like it when they're all shiny.
people together realizing
I still have people saying to me, 'Oh, you're still together?' They don't realize Leppard's been around this whole time, because people just don't get to hear us.