Why Vivian Campbell Didn’t Write Any Songs on New Def Leppard Album
Def Leppard's new album Diamond Star Halos will be out tomorrow (May 27), which is their first release since 2015. While guitarist Vivian Campbell has contributed to the songwriting on all of their original albums since he joined in 1992, he didn't write any on new songs for this one.
"I just wasn’t prepared. I thought we were going on tour," Campbell admitted to the Greek publication Rock Pages, adding that he uses his phone for recording because he doesn't have a home studio.
The rocker acknowledged that he could've learned how to work from his phone, but the rest of the band had come up with a lot of songs very quickly anyway.
"It was just coming in thick and fast. I just wasn’t prepared for the record, to be honest, but I don’t think it’s a bad record as a result," he continued. "I mean, the songs are great. There’s 15 of them and it covers a lot of different musical spectrums. I think we’re good. So having said that, I do feel bad because I, you know, I feel like I just wasn’t prepared. I didn’t do my homework.”
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On the contrary, bandmate Phil Collen loved being able to work remotely and use technology to make Diamond Star Halos. In a new interview with Loudwire Nights host Toni Gonzalez, he declared recording remotely the greatest thing Def Leppard have ever done, and he's hopeful that they'll continue to work that way for future albums.
"When we did it this way, it was like, everyone's doing their own part, everyone's doing their best," Collen explained. "Everyone's a big boy, they can tune their own guitars, they can sing in tune, they can get it right and then you send your best to Ronan McHugh — our producer in Dublin."
Pre-order your copy of Diamond Star Halos here, and see the dates for Def Leppard's 2022 Stadium Tour with Motley Crue, Poison and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts at this location.