DEF LEPPARD On Recording Songs In PUERTO RICO/Vivian Campbell Return

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Friday, 30th May 2025

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Def Leppard have revealed the recording of new songs this month and commented on the return of Vivian Campbell.

The band returned to action earlier this month with two more shows on the ongoing 2025 tour.

Vivian returned for two shows in Puerto Rico and Ocean City, MD.

A new Behind The Scenes video captures the action from both shows and reveals some interesting information about new recordings.

Recording Songs In Puerto Rico

During the video one of the most interesting things is the mention of "studio work" by Sav.

And also that they "needed to record some songs".

Interestingly worded and footage shown in the background of the band recording vocals together.

This follows up Joe's news on his most recent Planet Rock show when he said "we did some recording" in Puerto Rico.

As for what is coming - album, single, EP. etc...we'll have to wait and see.

The next scheduled release is the limited edition GREATEST HITS Colour Vinyl album in August for Walmart.

Vivian Campbell Return

The band also celebrated the return of Vivian at the two shows in San Juan and Ocean City.

Phil adding that "he’s sounding great".

After Joe's statement about San Juan that "the best thing about tonight" was Vivian's return alongside footage of his introduction before 'Armageddon It'.

Read some quotes below and follow the YouTube link to view the full 12 minute video.

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).

Def Leppard 2025.

Def Leppard May 2025 Video Quotes - (Transcribed by dltourhistory)

New Recordings/Puerto Rico Show

Rick Savage:

So here we are — a day off, recuperating from travel. Beautiful San Juan, Puerto Rico.

A few holes of golf with Mike Kobayashi and the masterful Ryan Sebastyan. Having a great time.

It's nice to be back with everybody.

Start rehearsals tomorrow and a few bits of studio work. Ready for a cracking show here in Puerto Rico next Thursday.

Joe Elliott:

It's f***ing cold in this arena.

He's boiling on the outside and humid, and in here it's smoky and freezing — which is really good for your voice when you're singing the first one back after six months.

Anyway, welcome to Puerto Rico.

Vivian Campbell:

We're back.

Not as much hair, but we're back.

Phil Collen:

So, we've got our first day of the tour.

This year we're in Puerto Rico. We're actually rehearsing here.

I mean, it's just a wonderful place to rehearse. We wake up in the morning — five o'clock — and there's the beach. Watch the sun come up and it's just stunning.

It's just amazing. It's really warm. People here are lovely.

We've played here a few times in the past, and we're having a great time.

It's going to be amazing tomorrow.

It's a great place to kick off.

The fact that we've kind of been local here for a little while as well really helped.

So that was fun.

We'd like to do that again.

Def Leppard 2025.

Vivian Campbell:

Hello again, Ryan. Did you miss me?

It's been a while. Here we are in Puerto Rico.

The show is tomorrow.

I'm really hoping my hair grows ferociously overnight so I've got a little bit more.

But it'll come back.

Def Leppard 2025.

Vivian Campbell Return

Joe Elliott:

Captain's log. May 15th, 2025.

San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The first night of the tour, but actually the second gig of the year because we did play León, Mexico, in January.

Welcome back, everyone, to the world of Def Leppard.

And here we are in Puerto Rico, celebrating the fact that this is the first night of the tour.

So, good health.

Great start. Really great start.

And the best thing about tonight was the fact that Vivian Campbell is back.

Because we’ve had to do a couple of gigs with Phil’s tech, John Zocco, standing in for Viv.

Zocco is a great guitarist, and he even took singing lessons — let’s say — so we didn’t have to get outsiders in or anything like that.

We kept it in-house, and Zocco is great. But Viv is Viv.

And having this band back together, where all five of us have been together since — 33 years — this lineup’s been together.

It just makes us all feel warm and cuddly, that we’re all still doing this.

It’s a great start.

So tomorrow we jump on an airplane and fly to Ocean City, Maryland, for a big festival — which apparently is already sold out.

Def Leppard 2025.

Ocean City Show/Recording Songs

Rick Allen:

I have no clue what we're doing. Apparently there's a large rock show.

And it actually reminds me — where we are — of the show we did after the Wembley show in England.

A place called Lytham.

Hopefully we don’t get the wind.

Where are we again, Ryan?

Ocean City.

Oh, we’re in Ocean City, which is somewhere I’ve never been.

There’s a massive pod of dolphins in the ocean, swimming around the surface this morning.

So come on out, have a good time.

We’ll be here. There will be rock — as always.

So, see ya.

Joe Elliott:

And then this is the second gig.

We’ve evacuated from Puerto Rico.

We’ve been here a couple of days.

Then we’re actually off after this show for three and a half weeks.

So this is just a couple of shows to get the rust off before we really go for it — in June, July, August, etc., etc.

Rick Savage:

What a great time we had in Puerto Rico.

We got there a few days early because we wanted to chill out.

We also needed to record some songs and do a little rehearsal as well.

But in between, we had bike rides.

We had pickleball.

Had a game of golf.

It was just a great way to start a tour — nice and relaxed.

Phil Collen:

So we just done Ocean City, Maryland, with about 55,000 people.

It’s actually on a beach, and it was lovely.

It was like 75 degrees. It was beautiful.

I’m just so impressed with how we sound.

We’ve had a break.

It was Vivian’s second show back after the operation and all the stuff that he went through with the cancer.

And he’s sounding great.

It just locked in.

We just had this kind of communal spirit. It’s very weird — but yeah, we lock in.

And we did that tonight.

Just great. Everyone was on.

Joe Elliott:

The setlist today was similar to Puerto Rico, but because we had a really tight out — in other words, we had to be offstage by 11 p.m. — we had to drop a song, which is sad.

But at least it was a different set, you know?

So Take What You Want from Diamond Star Halos got dropped tonight.

It will come back — don’t worry, it will come back.

But it was a great gig because we’re on a beach, right?

It was really wide.

It wasn’t all down the middle.

It was huge — from left to right.

We couldn’t see the back. It was fantastic.

And you know, we were on fire. It was good.

The Puerto Rico gig was our first show since January — so you get the ring rust out.

And tonight, it just breathed a little differently.

It was nice.