Several times in Def Leppard’s 30-year existence, the band has dabbled in politics, including the song “Gods of War.” The songs have talked about sadness a couple of times too, famously via “Bringing on the Heartbreak” and “Love Bites.”
Then, there are songs such as the hair metal romp “Pour Some Sugar On Me,” about feeling sticky sweet from head to feet.
“I think, for the most part, our music is frivolous,” says Vivian Campbell, one of Def Leppard’s two guitarists.
“The great thing about Def Leppard is escapism.”
The group, which formed in England in 1977, has been providing ear candy for decades, recording dozens of hits, including “Photograph,” “Foolin’” and “Animal.” Another of the band’s songs, “Rock of Ages,” inspired the title for the ’80s movie musical “Rock of Ages,” which visited theaters this summer and the Walton Arts Center stage live last fall.
The members of Def Leppard know a thing or two about piggybacking on popularity, too, so they labeled their current excursion across the country the “Rock of Ages” tour and booked a series of dates with Poison. Those two bands and guest Lita Ford will visit the Black Oak Mountain Amphitheater near Lampe, Mo., on Wednesday night.
Campbell, who joined the band in 1992 after the 1991 death of guitarist Steve Clark, says he has not watched the film but has been told it’s very good for what it is - a Broadway musical featuring familiar songs.
Of course, Campbellknows the real thing, and the popularity of the tracks he and his bandmates perform all over the world has not waned over the course of the past few years. In recent tours with like-minded acts such as Journey and now, Poison, Campbell has watched enthusiastic crowds scream in response. He credits the band’s continuing success to the death of the traditional album. Music piracy and the ease of distribution on the Internet have watered down and fractured the industry.
As a contrast, two of Def Leppard’s albums in the 1980s achieved diamond-selling status, meaning the two recordings - “Pyromania” and “Hysteria” - sold more than 10 million copies each.
That kind of feat is unheard of now, and the top-selling act of 2011, Adele’s “21,” sold just more than 5 million.
“(Current bands) don’t have the catalogs we do.
We’ve been very fortunate,” Campbell says.
As recording artists, Def Leppard has experienced some of the same difficulties in releasing new music. The band’s latest studio album, “Songs From the Sparkle Lounge,” debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard album sales chart and a subsequent livealbum with a few new tracks, “Mirrorball,” debuted at No.
16 in 2011.
The band does have plans to record in the spring,but the destination for those tracks is yet to be determined. The “Rock of Ages” tour won’t feature much of that material,Campbell acknowledges, in large part because the crowds demand the hits.
There are no shortage from which to choose.
Whats Up, Pages 17 on 08/24/2012