Def Leppard / Dio Guitarist Vivian Campbell ‘Out of Action’ While Undergoing Stem Cell Treatment
Def Leppard's public schedule is a bit lighter this fall after spending the summer on tour, and the timing works out perfectly for guitarist Vivian Campbell. The rocker finished the band's summer shows while dealing with cancer treatments and although Campbell recently announced he was in remission for the second time, the guitarist will soon endure stem-cell surgery.
Speaking with Las Vegas' KOMP 92.3 on the '92 Minutes of Hair With Mel' program, Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliott stated, "Vivian, for the second time, is now in remission. The first time we were told he was in remission and he was, but it didn't take. It didn't stay; it came back. But this time, through clever management with his doctors, they were able to monitor him through the whole tour, so he could do the tour with KISS this summer."
Elliott added, "As we speak, he's getting ready to go in to have stem-cell surgery, which will hopefully get rid of this thing once and for all. So, up until Christmas, he's gonna be kind of out of action, because once they start on this, they have to keep him so locked down and away from germs and stuff. I think anybody visiting him has to put on one of those nuclear suits. He'll be locked away and he'll be the boy in the bubble, but he's very confident that he can do this and his spirits are great."
The frontman says that even with the treatment this summer, Campbell was great on tour, but while the guitarist undergoes his treatment this fall, the band is hoping to finish up their next album and Campbell will miss a handful of live appearances. At present, Def Leppard are tentatively eyeing an April or May 2015 release date for their next disc.
Listen to Joe Elliott on Las Vegas' KOMP 92.3 FM