Thirty years later, in the very same room in which it happened, Viv looks back on his Def Leppard audition. Video: Ryan Sebastyan. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Ticket (numbered 0001) for Viv's first performance with Def Leppard, McGonagles, Dublin, Ireland, 15 April 1992. The show gave the band an opportunity to officially welcome Viv to the Def Leppard family, as well as warm-up for the televised Freddie Mercury tribute a few days later. From the Collection of Joe Elliott.​

Article clipped from Metal Edge magazine featuring an interview with Viv on his new role as Def Leppard guitarist, 1992. From the Collection of Joe Elliott.​

"If I play guitar long enough, I can always find interesting ideas. Effort is always rewarded, and ideas are always there as long as you’re open to receiving them." ​

​Portrait of Viv, circa 1996. Photo: Ross Halfin. From the Collection of Def Leppard.

Portrait of Viv, circa 1996. “We’re all made up of our influences, so I bring a heavier element to the Def Leppard both in the studio and when we play live, but we all share that same mentality of being in service of the song.” Photo: Cynthia Levine. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

"I started playing Les Pauls...I vibrato my chords, so I play a lot more in tune on a Les Paul. It's a solid thing and a more natural sustain. I've had to rearrange my playing a bit, but it's worth it." ​

​Portrait of Viv, circa 1996. Photo: Cynthia Levine. From the Collection of Def Leppard. ​

"We’re still rock musicians by nature. When I plug my guitar into an amplifier, I’m still turning it up, you know? That’s just me. I can’t play delicately."​

​Colour portrait of Viv with a Gibson Les Paul Standard, circa 1996. Photo: Cynthia Levine. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Viv enjoys a cup of coffee at a diner bar in this 1995 portrait. Photo: Cynthia Levine. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Faxed correspondence from 26 August 1996 of a freshly re-written spotlight on Viv for Gibson USA. The article draft covers Viv's love of Les Pauls and the importance of playing emotionally. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Sticker featuring a young, pre-Def Leppard Viv playing his legendary black Gibson Les Paul, 1983. From the Collection of Joe Elliott.​

Portrait of Viv in support of Slang, circa 1996. Photo: Ross Halfin. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Viv crouches on a roof at dusk with his Gibson Les Paul Gold Top Reissue. Photo: Ross Halfin. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

The 20 June 1992 issue of Kerrang! featured a cover story on Viv joining Def Leppard, and included not one, but two puns in the headline alone. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Vivian gets a quick football break in. Photo: Ross Halfin. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Phil and Viv have a bit of fun before an interview in support of Slang, circa 1996. Photo: Ross Halfin. From the Collection of Def Leppard.

Contact sheet of twelve portraits of Vivian in support of Yeah!, Los Angeles, 2006. Photos: Mick Rock. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

"My work...defines who I am, it always has. It has always brought me great joy. I’ve always felt very privileged to be able to do this. That’s all I ever wanted to do with my life - play guitar in a rock band. And I got to do it..."​

​Viv leans against a touring transport, circa 1996. Photo: Ross Halfin. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Portrait of Viv and Phil in support of the Slang World Tour, circa 1996. Phil explains some of Viv's magic within Def Leppard: "He brought something that was so amazing... he came in and all of a sudden it's like, right, okay, there's another piece of the jigsaw puzzle and we just filled it." Photo: Cynthia Levine. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Viv holds a Gibson Les Paul in this promotional photo for X, 2002. Photo: Clive Arrowsmith. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Viv and the band relax beachside in this Slang promotional portrait taken in Los Angeles, circa 1996. Photo: Kevin Westenberg. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Viv's limited-edition model Gibson Vivian Campbell Signature Les Paul Custom with an antrim basalt black burst finish. Viv explains the brushed chrome look of the guitar: "I never liked shiny guitars. I've always appreciated a patina...a guitar that tells a story." Photo: John Zocco. From the Collection of Vivian Campbell.​

"Cait", Viv's Gibson Les Paul Gold Top 1956 reissue. Viv enjoys playing this guitar on songs like "Love Bites" as it produces a slightly more nuanced sound. Photo: John Zocco. From the Collection of Vivian Campbell.​

Viv's green Gibson Les Paul is named “Quadrofenian”, a reference to The Who’s Quadrophenia. Vivian’s guitar tech Wolfie says: “This guitar is simply a Les Paul that I was able to set up for Viv. He wanted something to show his Irish ethnicity and we came up with ‘Quadrofenian' off a tail fin photo of a British fighter plane.” Photo: Jennifer Johann. From the Collection of Vivian Campbell.​

Viv's red Anderson guitar was significantly used during the 1992 Adrenalize “Seven Day Weekend” Tour. Viv also played purple, cream, blue, orange, and natural finish Andersons on the tour to keep things colourful. Photo: Jennifer Johann. From the Collection of Vivian Campbell.​

Viv captured mid-solo on the Euphoria Tour, Colorado State Fair Events Center, Pueblo, Colorado, 6 September 1999. From the Collection of Joe Elliott.​

Viv performs on the Slang World Tour, circa 1996. From the Collection of Joe Elliott.​

Viv talks to reporters at a press conference in support of the Slang World Tour performances in South Africa, December 1996. From the Collection of Joe Elliott.​

Giveaway notice clipped from Metal magazine, 1987. Viv (then in his Whitesnake era) judged submissions of guitar solos to win a green B.C. Rich. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Viv and Phil provide dual guitar action on the Euphoria Tour, Colorado State Fair Events Center, Pueblo, Colorado, 6 September 1999. From the Collection of Joe Elliott.​

Article from Australia's The Canberra Times, 23 April 1992, announcing Viv joining Def Leppard. Joe is quoted: "In Vivian Campbell, we exceeded our wildest expectations. We found a great player, an excellent singer, a terrific human being, and a British and Irish passport holder. A perfect fit." From the Collection of Joe Elliott.​

Clipping from Adelaide's The Advertiser, 9 July 1992, that details Viv joining Def Leppard as a rare match for the band's extraordinary work ethic and proficiency. From the Collection of Joe Elliott.​

Viv participates in a press conference in support of the band's performance at The Capitol Radio Coca-Cola Music Festival, London, June 1992. Photo: Ross Halfin. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Viv flashes a big smile to Ross Halfin during a performance on the Euphoria Tour, circa 1999. Photo: Ross Halfin. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Viv performs on the Euphoria World Tour, 1999. Photo: Ross Halfin. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Viv warms up during a Euphoria Tour sound check, 1999. Photo: Ross Halfin. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Advert for the NightSwan guitar created by Vivian Campbell and Buddy Blaze for Kramer, 1988. Photo: Glen LaFerman. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Portrait of Viv against a night sky, circa 1999. Photo: Ross Halfin. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Viv plays on the roof for this Euphoria-era portrait, circa 1999. Photo: Ross Halfin. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Viv rehearses inside Joe's studio lounge, Dublin, Ireland, circa 1999. Photo: Ross Halfin. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Viv poses with his guitar "Quadrofenian". Put together by GMP Guitars, it boasts the three colours of the Irish flag. Photo: Ross Halfin. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Joe and Viv at the stairs to the stage before sound check, circa 2019. Photo: Ross Halfin. From the Collection of Def Leppard.

Viv performs with pure joy in front of ENGL 4x12 cabinets loaded with Celestion Vintage 30s, circa 2019. Photo: Ross Halfin. From the Collection of Def Leppard.

Viv and Sav tear up the Las Vegas Strip during the Def Leppard residency at Zappos Theatre at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino, 2019. Photo: Ross Halfin. From the Collection of Def Leppard.

Soundcheck or not, some performers always give their all. Photo: Ross Halfin. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Viv backstage under a Def Leppard backline sign. "Backline" refers to everything you need to put on a show, minus the P.A. system and monitors. Photo: Ross Halfin. From the Collection of Def Leppard.

Viv and Stu take a moment out of their busy schedules to sign copies of Definitely: The Official Story of Def Leppard. Photo: Ryan Sebastyan. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Viv lifts his Gibson up for some fancy finger work in Minneapolis during the 2022 Stadium Tour. Photo: Ryan Sebastyan. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Viv presents us with half a peace sign backstage in Houston on the 2022 Stadium Tour. Photo: Kevin Nixon. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Boston's legendary Fenway Park audience was so bright, Viv needed shades, August 2022. Photo: Ross Halfin. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Viv is the face of this scoop on Dio's 1984 The Last in Line UK tour. The piece is written by pioneering metal journalist Malcolm Dome and features a photo by Ross Halfin. From the Collection of Def Leppard.

Viv lights up this 1993 calendar mock-up design for June, featuring a live Adrenalize "Seven Day Weekend" Tour photo. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

A mock-up design for Def Leppard's 1993 Calendar. Viv sports neon hues for October. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

A power duo in perfect synchronicity. Viv and Phil lay it down during the Adrenalize "Seven Day Weekend" Tour, circa 1992. Photo: Ross Halfin. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Viv works his magic during the Adrenalize "Seven Day Weekend" Tour, 1992. Los Angeles Daily News reported that the band's work on the tour "...established Def Leppard as one of rock and roll's class acts. The band never once resorted to grandstanding or vulgarity to get fans involved." Photo: Ross Halfin. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Viv and Phil pose for a Euphoria Tour promo photo, circa 1999. In a review of the tour, the Saint Louis Post-Dispatch declared, "Guitarists Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell both offered up fiery solos, and drummer Rick Allen provided a rock-solid bottom that gives Def Leppard one of the only danceable sounds in metal." Photo: Danny Clinch. From the Collection of Def Leppard. ​

Viv plays his acoustic during the Slang Tour, 1996. Heavily influenced by grunge, Slang marked a style departure for the band. Photo: Ross Halfin. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Viv takes center focus in this advert for Vault: Def Leppard Greatest Hits (1980-1995). From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Art mock-up from Vault: Def Leppard Greatest Hits (1980-1995) that spotlights Viv joining the band in 1992. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Viv smiles during the band's very first appearance in Arlington, Texas at Globe Life Field, 22 August 2022. Photo: Kevin Nixon. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Viv enjoys a tuneful stroll across the stage of Detroit's Comerica Park Stadium, 10 July 2022. Photo: Kevin Nixon. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Viv bends the d-string of his Gibson Les Paul at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, 30 June 2022. Photo: Ryan Sebastyan. From the Collection of Def Leppard.​

Let's Get Shamrocked custom printed multi-purpose CLEAR pint glasses. You can use them as cocktail shakers or glasses for hot and cold beverages - even beer!