Rock of ages: Def Leppard

Brit rockers Def Leppard and Seattle's duo Heart have teamed up for a 48-city tour that brings the veteran musicians to Farm Bureau Live at Virginia Beach on Saturday.

With classic hits from Leppard's "Rock of Ages" to Heart's "Crazy on You," the concert is sure to have people out of their seats and on their feet.

"I've never met the girls in Heart, but I'm looking forward to it. They have a lot of great hits," said Def Leppard's guitarist Vivian Campbell of Heart's Ann and Nancy Wilson. Campbell called from his home in Los Angeles.

Campbell, who joined the band in 1992, answered a few questions about "Mirror Ball," Def Leppard's first album of live music, as well as some of his side projects, which include a stint playing with '70s band Thin Lizzy.

Fans have wanted a live album for years. Why now?

Because of the way that technology is - it's so cheap and cheerful - we're able to record stuff at every show and just sift through and compile the best of it. I think we also felt that we are really good live and we keep getting better, as well we should, since we've been doing this for so long. I don't expect we'll win a lot of new fans from the record, but for Def Leppard fans it's nice to have an official recording.

Who came up with the title "Mirror Ball," and why?

That would be Joe Elliott (lead vocalist). It's off the back of "Sparkle Lounge" (2008), which was our last studio album. With the album, we portrayed a catchy theater kind of thing, and a mirror ball was featured somewhere on the artwork. Since these recordings are from the "Sparkle Lounge" tour, it kind of ties it all in.

With three new tracks being released, does that mean another studio album is in the works?

It's our target to put out another album next year, although whether or not it will be a full album remains to be seen. People give me CDs all the time, and for me personally to sit down and listen to 10 or 12 songs in a row all at once - they better be good. I do think the era of the long-playing record is  passé.  I am of the mindset that artists should release more product - more often but with more quality.

Your thoughts on playing with Thin Lizzy?

Thin Lizzy have been nice enough to invite me back when my schedule permits over the next year, so I'm very excited about that. As a guitar player I was a huge Thin Lizzy fan, and they were very influential on me. It's been really, really great for me to get in there, and it has kind of rekindled my passion for the instrument.

(Def Leppard's 2006 covers album "Yeah!" featured Campbell playing lead guitar on the song "Don't Believe a Word," originally performed by Thin Lizzy.)

As far as your musical career, is there anything you're still hoping to accomplish?

I would like to write a bit more, to get more of my music out there. I'm a terrible procrastinator when it comes to writing. It's kind of my goal to go through this load of old, half-written songs and actually finish them.

(Campbell has been working with L.A. producer Robert Cosio and has released the first of these songs: "Seems So Real" is available for free download at www.viviancampbell.com.)

Do you know your Leppard?

Chances are, you know Def Leppard has been around for more than 30 years and has sold more than 65 million records. But did you know that before the guys from Sheffield, England, wore the Union Jack on Music Television in the ’80s, they performed under the name Atomic Mass? With help from guitarist Vivian Campbell, who contributed the first item, we’ve put together a quiz just for fun:

1. Which two Def Leppard members don’t like football (that’s British for soccer)?
(A) Joe Elliott and Vivian Campbell
(B) Phil Collen and Rick Allen
(C) Rick Savage and Rick Allen
(D) Trick question, they all like it

2. Which band member chose to be a rock star instead of playing soccer professionally?
(A) Vivian Campbell
(B) Rick Allen
(C) Joe Elliott
(D) Rick Savage

3. On which single did Def Leppard introduce its official logo as part of the cover art?
(A) “Wasted”
(B) “The Def Leppard EP”
(C) “Hello America”
(D) “Bringin’ on the Heartbreak”

4. Which member is a vegetarian who starred in a video for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals?
(A) Phil Collen
(B) Joe Elliott
(C) Vivian Campbell
(D) Rick Savage

5. While they were playing Norfolk in the early ’80s, someone broke into Def Leppard’s tour bus. What unusual item was taken?
(A) Toilet paper
(B) Fish and chips
(C) Baked beans
(D) Toothbrush

6. In a music video, Vivian Campbell sports a shirt from which Virginia higher education institute?
(A) University of Virginia
(B) Norfolk State University
(C) Virginia Tech
(D) Old Dominion University

ANSWERS

Patty Jenkins, (757) 446-2298, patty.jenkins@pilotonline.com

Answers: 1. B, 2. D, 3. C, 4. A, 5. C, 6. C