Vivian Campbell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vivian Campbell
Campbell with Def Leppard in 2019
Background information
Birth name	Vivian Patrick Campbell
Born	(1962-08-25) 25 August 1962 (age 62) Belfast, Northern Ireland
Genres	Hard rock blues rock heavy metal glam metal
Occupations	Musician
Instruments	Guitar
Years active	1977–present

Vivian Patrick Campbell (born August 25, 1962) is a talented musician from Northern Ireland. He became well-known in the early 1980s as the guitarist for the band Dio. Since 1992, he has also been the guitarist for the famous rock band Def Leppard. Vivian Campbell has played with many other bands too, including Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, and Sweet Savage.

Vivian Campbell's Musical Journey

Campbell and Brian Downey in Thin Lizzy

Vivian Campbell started playing guitar when he was 12 years old. He used a Telecaster Thinline guitar and a Carlsbro Stingray amp. When he was 15, he joined a band called Teaser. This band later became Sweet Savage, which was a NWOBHM band.

In 1981, Sweet Savage released an EP with four songs. Their first single was "Take No Prisoners." Another song by the band, "Killing Time," was later covered by the band Metallica. Vivian Campbell left Sweet Savage in 1983 to join the band Dio.

Joining Dio: A New Chapter

When Vivian Campbell joined Dio, the band members had already written most of the songs for their album Holy Diver. This album was a big hit! It included Dio's most famous song, "Rainbow in the Dark." The band also played at big music festivals like Monsters of Rock in England and Germany.

Dio then recorded their next album, The Last in Line. This album was also very popular, reaching No. 23 in the US. Songs like "The Last in Line," "We Rock," and "Mystery" became popular on the radio.

Their next album, Sacred Heart, was also a success. It featured hits like "Rock N Roll Children" and "Hungry For Heaven." Campbell recorded one more song with Dio, "Hide in the Rainbow," for a movie soundtrack. He left the band in 1986.

Years later, in 2012, Campbell joined some original Dio members to form a new band called Last in Line. This showed that he had come to appreciate his time in Dio more positively.

Playing with Whitesnake

In 1987, Campbell joined the English hard rock band Whitesnake. The band had just recorded their very successful album, Whitesnake. The lead singer, David Coverdale, was forming a new lineup for the band.

Vivian Campbell, along with other new members, appeared in the music videos for the album. However, they did not play on most of the songs. Campbell did re-record the guitar solo for the single "Give Me All Your Love."

Campbell left Whitesnake in December 1988 due to creative differences. His relationship with David Coverdale was difficult for many years. But in 2008, when Def Leppard and Whitesnake toured together, they were able to resolve their past issues. Campbell later said that he doesn't see Whitesnake as a very important part of his musical career.

Other Bands and Projects

After leaving Whitesnake, Campbell played on Lou Gramm's solo album, Long Hard Look. He then joined the band Riverdogs and helped create their first album in 1990.

In 1991, Campbell teamed up with Lou Gramm again to form a new band called Shadow King. They released one album and a music video. Soon after, Campbell left Shadow King to join Def Leppard.

Joining Def Leppard

Campbell performing in 2007

In April 1992, Vivian Campbell joined the famous rock band Def Leppard. He joined after their album Adrenalize was released. He took the place of their previous guitarist, Steve Clark, who had passed away.

The other guitarist in Def Leppard, Phil Collen, said that Campbell fit into the band very naturally. Campbell's first show with Def Leppard was in a club in Dublin. A week later, on April 20, 1992, the band played at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert. They performed their songs "Animal" and "Let's Get Rocked," and also the Queen song "Now I'm Here" with Brian May.

Even while receiving treatment for Hodgkin's lymphoma, Campbell continued to tour with Def Leppard. He has remained a key member of the band.

Solo Work and Other Bands

In 2005, Vivian Campbell released his own solo album called Two Sides of If. This album features cover versions of his favorite blues songs and one original blues song. Famous musicians like Terry Bozzio, Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top, and Joan Osborne also played on the album.

In 2010, Campbell joined Thin Lizzy, which was one of his favorite bands. After touring with them, he decided to start a new project. He asked Jimmy Bain and Vinny Appice, who were original members of the band Dio, to join him. This project became the band Last In Line. With singer Andrew Freeman, they recorded the album Heavy Crown. Last in Line has continued to make music, releasing two more albums, II in 2019 and Jericho in 2023.

Vivian Campbell's Life

Vivian Campbell lives in New Hampshire. He has two daughters with his ex-wife, Julie Campbell. In 2014, he married his longtime girlfriend, Caitlin Phaneuf. He also enjoys playing football regularly with Hollywood United F.C., a team made up of celebrities and former professional players.

In 2013, Campbell shared that he has Hodgkin's lymphoma, a type of cancer. He has received various treatments, including stem-cell therapy and immunotherapy. He continues to manage his health while performing with Def Leppard.

Discography

Studio albums

• Two Sides of If (2005)

with Sweet Savage

• "Take No Prisoners"/"Killing Time" (1981)
• "Whiskey in the Jar" (2009)

with Dio

• Holy Diver (1983)
• The Last in Line (1984)
• Sacred Heart (1985)
• The Dio E.P. (1986)
• Intermission (1986)
• At Donington UK: Live 1983 & 1987 (2010)

with Hear 'N Aid

• "Stars", "Hungry for Heaven" (1986)

with Whitesnake

• "Give Me All Your Love ('88 Mix)" (1988)

with Riverdogs

• Riverdogs (1990)
• World Gone Mad (2011)
• California (2017)

with Shadow King

• Shadow King (1991)

with Def Leppard

• Retro Active (1993)
• Slang (1996)
• Euphoria (1999)
• X (2002)
• Yeah! (2006)
• Songs from the Sparkle Lounge (2008)
• Mirror Ball – Live & More (2011)
• Viva! Hysteria (2013)
• Def Leppard (2015)
• Diamond Star Halos (2022)

with Bunny Brunel

• Bunny Brunel's L.A. Zoo (1998)

with Clock

• Through Time (1998)

with Last in Line

• Heavy Crown (2016)
• II (2019)
• Jericho (2023)

Selected guest appearances

• "Desperate" acoustic guitar (from the Vixen album, Vixen) (1989)
• "Broken Dreams", "Hangin' on My Hip", "Day One" guitars (from the Lou Gramm album, Long Hard Look) (1989)
• "Firedance", "Get Down" lead guitar (from the Gotthard album, Gotthard) (1992)