Def Leppard’s Vivian Campbell: Newer Bands ‘Don’t Have Balls’
Rock and roll is far from dead, but it certainly is different from what was prominent 30 years ago. Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell attributes this difference to a major shift in attitude amongst bands, stating that newer ones "don't have balls."
"You've gotta find the right balance between being good at your craft and still having the right attitude," Campbell told Graspop Metal Meeting. "Bands who come out in this day and age, a lot of 'em, what is missing… I mean, they have talent, they can write songs, they can sing, they can play, but they don't have balls. And you listen to something back from the '90s or the '80s or '70s, there was something earthy about it, there was an intent you had to have."
Musicians who experienced a rise to fame in the '70s and '80s may be a bit older today, but Campbell says they still have the same attitude they had back then. "Phil [Collen] is 61. I'm not far behind. We're all at a certain level and we've gotten really good at our craft, but we still go out there and we play it with a real fucking rock attitude."
Watch the full interview below.
Def Leppard recently granted the producers of the musical Rock of Ages permission to use their music for its 10th anniversary shows in New York City. The band will also be playing a second Las Vegas residency later this year, see the dates here.
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