DEF LEPPARD Guitarist Vivian Campbell - "I Had A Real Bad Reputation For Not Being Able To Work With People"
April 20, 2008, 16 years ago
To promote the new DEF LEPPARD album, Songs From The Sparkle Lounge, guitarist Vivian Campbell was interviewed by the New Zealand Press Association from Los Angeles. The exclusive interview covers multiple topics from the past 16 years that include the audition process to replace Steve Clark, the Tim McGraw collaboration, touring New Zealand, and more. Here are a few excerpts from the chat:
Despite the years in the band Campbell describes himself as the Ronnie Wood of Def Leppard.
"No matter after how many years I'll always be the new guy."Campbell was hired in 1992 to replace Steve Clark who died, raising more than a few eyebrows.
"I'd been in a few bands and I'd been fired from every band. I had a real bad reputation for not being able to work with people."Lead singer Joe Elliott had mutual friends with Campbell and "knew the real me".
While Elliott felt Campbell would be right for the band he had a hard time selling it to the other guys, so they went through an "audition process" involving movies and dinner.
Elliott made it clear to Campbell he had great ambitions -- for Def Leppard to be one of the great British rock institutions.
"He wanted them to be up there with QUEEN and THE ROLLING STONES."(Thanks The Def Leppard Satellite Of Love)
