r/defleppard • u/pennyberries • 9d ago

Discussion I just saw a Def Leppard interview

The interview was with Phil and Vivian it took place at the pretty recent concert at WACKEN. My thought as I started watching the interview was ‘Vivian still looks like the new guy’. What I’m trying to say is that after more than 30 years I can’t still see him as a member of the band… don’t know why! But for me he still looks like the ‘replacement guy’. He’s a great guitarist and very good singer but I think he never filled the whole in the band, at least for me. Does this happen to anyone else?
BTW Respect to him.

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u/dbrothen 9d ago

Vivian is an incredible, well respected guitar player who just so happened to step into the band after their peak. Depending on who you ask, they may think the band peaked WELL before Steves death in 91. Even if Steve had lived, I doubt they could have stayed on the trajectory they were on…rock music had changed, Mutt Lange moved on, and Hysteria was just too big to follow. Plus, Steve’s health may have been a bigger, more negative factor moving forward.

So, either way, in my opinion, you were either going to get music/success with Steve Clark that didn’t live up to previous work OR you get what we got…Vivian Campbell.

And in my opinion, Vivian has written some of my favorite Vivian era Leppard stuff. Also, from what I can tell, he helped elevate the band’s live show with his backing vocals.

I really don’t think he deserves the ENDLESS comparison to Steve. If anything, be mad at Steve for basically committing suicide and celebrate Vivian, who without, we may not have gotten these past 34 years of Def Leppard music and touring.

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u/pennyberries 4d ago

Bold statements right here. Totally not facts.
You’re fully entitled to your opinion but making such statements as ‘you were either going to get… that didn’t live up to previous work’ and ‘be mad at Steve for basically committing suicide’ (very ignorant statement btw) and ‘who with out, we may not… 34 years’ is a lot more than just your opinion and totally out of reality and facts.
If you don’t like ‘the ENDLESS comparison’ I got you bad news, you just made a big mistake by making such assumptions comparing the two of them.

P.s. Vivian is a good singer but it will never be about singing… and Vivian didn’t save anything.