Def Leppard Reveals Their Way On Settling Band Arguments

As the members of Def Leppard addressed how they settle disagreements over future goals, guitarist Vivian Campbell admitted he has been involved in instances of near-violence.

In a recent interview with Classic Rock, the five musicians discussed the 45 years since the band’s formation in Sheffield, England, and the 30 years of maintaining the same lineup. Campbell said:

“There isn’t another band on the planet like this and what it comes down to is a collective sensibility. 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?”

He continued:

“In Def Leppard it’s different. 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.”

The guitarist then admitted:

“I don’t mean to paint a false rosy picture. There’s been times when I’ve had an arm out in each direction stopping members of Def Leppard from fucking killing each other! Shit does happen, you know? But we all see the big picture. Whatever the problem, we work it out. And you can’t be an asshole in this band. There’s no latitude for that at all.”

While drummer Rick Allen discussed the balance between Elliott and bassist Rick Savage, saying:

“Joe is the driving force, the life and soul of the band. If you’ve got a microphone and big PA system, that’s license to make a lot of noise. Sav, on the other hand, is really understated in many ways. Sav is really the thinker in the band.”