The famous English rock band Def Leppard has been around since 1977. Some members have come and gone. However, this particular band doesn’t boast a history of band members coming and going en masse like many of their hard rock contemporaries. Once you’re in Def Leppard, you tend to stay. One can’t help but wonder why that is.
In a 2022 interview with Classic Rock (now Louder), Def Leppard’s guitarist Vivian Campbell was pretty frank about how the band members avoid drama with one another. And honestly, it seems like it all comes down to emotional maturity and common sense. Imagine that!
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In the interview, Vivian Campbell brought up the above-mentioned notion of rock band members hating each other and constantly replacing members. According to Campbell, Def Leppard avoided that kind of mess. And they did so simply because the members of the band have a “collective sensibility.”
How Def Leppard’s Band Members Have Historically Dealt With Band Member Disputes
“There isn’t another band on the planet like this, and what it comes down to is a collective sensibility,” said Campbell. “My two big experiences prior to Def Leppard were with Dio and Whitesnake, and neither situation worked out well for me. Ronnie James Dio named the band Dio, which tells you all you need to know. And Whitesnake… Has there ever been a band in the entire history of rock music that’s had as many musicians pass through the turnstiles?”
Campbell’s never been one to mince words. And really, he is right about what he said. Def Leppard, alternatively, is simply a differently built band when it comes to communication and friendship, it seems.
“In Def Leppard, it’s different,” Campbell continued. “Joe [Elliott] isn’t your typical ego-driven singer. There’s more humility to it. We’re all in service of the music. And we all look after each other to a certain extent.”
However, being part of Def Leppard apparently hasn’t always been sunshine and rainbows. Campbell admitted that there were times he “had an arm out in each direction stopping members of Def Leppard from f*cking killing each other.” But the fact that he had his arms out at all proves that Def Leppard operates with some sense of crisis control.
“You can’t be an asshole in this band,” Campbell continued. “There’s no latitude for that at all.”
You heard it here second, folks. Be sensible, don’t let ego take over, and be a driving force of good between your band members. That’s really all it takes when it comes to band longevity.
Photo by Ross Halfin (Courtesy the Oriel)
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