DEF LEPPARD's VIVIAN CAMPBELL On New Songs/Technical Hurdles On DIAMOND STAR HALOS

Tuesday, 17th May 2022

Def Leppard 2022

Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell has been interviewed and discussed his experiences recording at home for the new Diamond Star Halos album.

'Diamond Star Halos' is the band's 12th studio album.

As announced on 17th March it will be released on Friday 27th May 2022.

Vivian spoke to Sakis Nikas for Rockpages to promote Diamond Star Halos.

Sakis recently shared his review of the album for the site.

Vivian talked about not being prepared for the album in 2020, recording remotely, Def Leppard's recording process, the variety of the album, Take What You Want, Kick, not writing for this album, possible Stadium Tour 2023, new songs live in 2022, being in the band for 30 years, Mutt Lange, possible future solo album and working with DIO.

View the full 22 minute interview video below and follow the link to view the text interview (Translated).

Technical Difficulties

Vivian explains that he had to re-learn home studio recording for this album with the help of Phil and producer Ronan McHugh.

Not Being Prepared

He also once again mentioned how he was unprepared for the album in early 2020 after the tour was postponed.

The Stadium Tour 2023

Vivian says he does not know if the tour will be in Europe, South America or Japan.

Of course his band mate Mr. Elliott has already told us much more.

Visit the Tour News section. For more news on future tour plans.

Visit the Album News section for more news on new music (based on band member quotes).

Vivian Campbell/Rockpages - May 2022 Interview Quotes - (Transcribed by dltourhistory)

Remote Recording For Diamond Star Halos

"Good and bad. Mostly good. Out of necessity we couldn't get together. Let me touch on the bad part first."

"The bad part, and this is only for me personally, is I am not very good with technology. Si I didn't have any sort of recording set up at home."

"I wasn't prepared for this record at all. I was prepared to go on tour in summer of 2020. And then all of a sudden everything changed and we were making a record."

"So I had a lot of panic. I had to call a lot of clever grown up friends who understand technology. I said 'I need to record, what do I need?'."

"So I had to get an interface. So there was a very rapid and very steep learning curve for me to get over this."

"But once I got over that. I mean I can't say that I got good at it. I didn't even get to the stage where I could edit anything. I would just record whole parts and even multiple times."

"Like guitar parts I would record maybe five, six, seven guitar solos, you know, very similar. I would send them all to our engineer/producer Ronan. Ronan McHugh who's in Dublin."

"And Ronan was a very clever person who put it all together. And when it came time to do a session like a vocal or guitar part. Ronan would send the session to me."

"I was working in Logic. Logic Pro 'cause Phil told me that's what he was using. He said oh don't worry about it. it's really easy to use."

"So I got it and I'm looking at it and I'm thinking 'This isn't easy!. I don't know how to work this!'."

"It's just it's been a long long time since I had a home studio of my own. It was back in 2009 was the last time I had a ProTools home studio. And I've moved multiple times since then and any equipment I had is still in boxes."

"And ProTools has become something different and I've just fallen out of that whole process of being able to record demos."

"Anyway, but once I got over the technical hurdles and managed to get a vocal sound and a guitar sound into the computer, it was actually good to work on my own because there's no pressure."

"There's no one looking over your shoulder. There's no time constraints and because nobody knew we were making a record it was very very casual."

"We had no deadline. We had no schedule. So, you know, every morning I would wake up. I would go to the Dropbox and there would be another session. A song from Joe or a song from Phil."

"And I'd download it and I'd listen to it and I'd think OK I need to live with this for a while. but there was no one calling me and saying 'Hey we need those parts. Hurry up'."

"It was just really really easy. So in that regard, in particular to the guitar parts, it was very easy for me to play a little. Get a sound. Think about the part, record something. Listen to it and think you know and think it's good but it's not one hundred percent yet."

"And then I'd go to take my dog for a walk or go drive my car and come back and, you know, try it again. Until I got it to where I thought OK that's pretty good. I like that."

"And then like I said I didn't know how to edit it or anything. So just to make sure that I had a really good performance or another to make a really good performance, I would do it four, five or six times and send it to Ronan."

"And let him do something magical."

Not Prepared For Diamond Star Halos

"I just was not prepared, I thought we would do a tour, as I said I do not have a home studio this is my studio (shows his phone), my phone. In which I keep ideas, but I do not take them to the next level."

Take What You Want

"As is usually the case with Sav songs, there is a level of complexity in writing not just a straight forward rock song, it has a great influence from the Queen."

Kick

"it is very elementary and very classic rock. It's fun and pop at the same time and it has a glam rock element."

The Stadium Tour 2023

"I heard rumours that maybe next year we will cross the ocean, but I do not know if it means Europe, South America, or Japan."

Read the full interview on the Rockpages website (Link Translated).

Buy 'Diamond Star Halos' Online

Amazon - Regular CD
Amazon - Deluxe CD
Amazon - Vinyl
Amazon - MP3

Diamond Star Halos - Tracklisting

01 - Take What You Want - 4:14
02 - Kick - 3:42 - (Collen) - Amazon - (MP3)
03 - Fire It Up - 3:19
04 - This Guitar [feat. Alison Krauss] - 3:50
05 - SOS Emergency - 3:25
06 - Liquid Dust - 4:01
07 - U Rok Mi - 3:33
08 - Goodbye For Good This Time - 4:27
09 - All We Need - 4:46
10 - Open Your Eyes - 4:19
11 - Gimme A Kiss - 3:12
12 - Angels (Can’t Help You Now) - 4:57
13 - Lifeless [feat. Alison Krauss] - 4:19 - (Collen/Elliott)
14 - Unbreakable - 3:46
15 - From Here To Eternity - 5:37