Vivian Campbell sobre su papel en Leppard y la muerte de Dio.

Recuerdo del primer mensaje :

Interesantes declaraciones de Campbell:

What was the first thought that went through your head when you were approached to join THIN LIZZY?

I remember thinking what an exciting opportunity this was for me. As a guitarist, their music has always been such a huge part of my life. I'm entirely self-taught and taught myself a lot of LIZZY songs. Marc Bolan was my first point of reference as a rock guitarist and then I discovered Rory Gallagher. From there I found LIZZY. It's very exciting to be in this position. It's reconnected me to the electric guitar. I've been in DEF LEPPARD for 20 years, and if I'm honest, it's not a terribly challenging job for me as a guitar player. Phil Collen plays most of the widdly guitar parts and I do what I do. But this job has reignited my love for guitar playing.

If the chance to join LIZZY was a highlight of 2010 then was the passing of your former band mate Ronnie James Dio a low point?

Vivian: You know, I was numb to the whole thing. I hadn't talked to Ronnie in 25 years, so it wasn't as if we were close. My mother died nine or 10 days before him, so I was preoccupied with that. And my father died nine months before that. It was a really tough year on a personal level and I had enough to think about. The news about Ronnie James Dio just bounced off me. It was a difficult relationship on a personal level anyway. I was really proud of the music we made together but it was tough being in a band together. But he died way too young.

Para los que no se defienden en inglés, sobre su papel en Leppard viene a decir que su trabajo como guitarrista no es precisamente un desafio ya que Collen se encarga de las partes más exigentes y sobre Dio dice que habiendo perdido a su padre unos días antes no estuvo muy al tanto.

El amigo Collen dice lo siguiente sobre las declaraciones de Campbell:

There was a recent interview with [fellow DEF LEPPARD guitarist] Vivian Campbell where he said he isn't challenged guitar-wise in DEF LEPPARD, and that you get all the good guitar parts. How do you respond to that statement?

Phil: Because it's all my shit. Vivian joined a band that I helped create. He's coming into my house! It's not all the good parts, it's the DEF LEPPARD sound that me and Steve [Clark; late DEF LEPPARD guitarist] created. We got together with [producer Robert] "Mutt" Lange, and there was already a sound in place. Also, we play all the hits live, which were written before Viv was in the band.

Are there hard feelings when he says something like that?

Phil: No not at all. It’s just the ways it falls. I can't help it that all my shit sounds great!

Resumiendo: Que no es que él toque las partes difíciles, es que es su música. Que es el sonido Leppard que él y Clark crearon. Que las cosas son como son y que no puede evitar que su material suene tan bien.

Jajaja, ha estado curiosa la respuesta. Pero vamos, que no creo que Campbell tuviese intención de crear polémica, supongo que entiende su papel, pero a la vez Phil Collen tiene que entender que para un tío como Campbell, hacer poco más que de guitarra rítmica no es un gran desafío, que al fin y al cabo es lo que dijo.

No me cae nada bien Vivian Campbell... estoy muy influenciado por el haber renegado del metal y de sus años en Dio, por ejemplo... su mal rollo con Ronnie... en fin... y luego entra en Leppard a no tocar ni un pimiento, que cuando le ví en directo con ellos estaba de figurín, poses y poco más... Con Lizzy se ve que toca bastante más en un concierto que en un año con los Leps...

Y efectivamente, Phil Collen toca todo lo de Leppard, es el alma actual de la banda.