http://www.sundaylife.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=667202

Axe man plays his cards

Ulster rocker includes TWO Rory Gallagher covers in solo album

By John McGurk
30 October 2005 
DEF Leppard superstar Vivian Campbell has a real soft spot for one particular
Ulster guitar legend.

For the Lisburn-born rocker is set to release his first ever solo album -
featuring two tracks inextricably connected to blues and heavy rock virtuoso,
Rory Gallagher.

Vivian - regarded as one of the finest rock guitarists in the world - has
covered former Taste mainman, Gallagher's Calling Card and Messin' With The Kid
songs, as part of upcoming Two Sides Of If album.

The 12-track set, mainly featuring Campbell's take on blues standards by the
likes of Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson and Fleetwood Mac is set for release in
the UK on November 14.

It has taken the former Rathmore Grammar School pupil 13 years to fulfil his
ambition to record a solo set. 

Those plans had to be put on hold, when soft metal group, Def Leppard came
looking for him, back in 1992.

However, Vivian's vivid teenage memories of seeing acts like Rory Gallagher in
Belfast's Ulster Hall in the Seventies fuelled his solo album ambitions towards
final fruition - in 2005!

Said the 43-year old Ulsterman: "It's been a long time coming. After playing in
various bands for my entire adult life, I have finally gotten the opportunity to
put out something with ME at the mic!"

Added Vivian, who also played in metal superbands, Whitesnake and Dio: "Rory
Gallagher was, for those of you who don't know, an Irish blues guitarist, who
happened to be my first album purchase and first concert experience.

"He gave me my first taste - no pun intended - of the power of rock and blues.
He was, most certainly, a blues man - although he brought a strong rock edge
into everything he played." 

Vivian, who has lived in Los Angles for close to two decades admitted: "Calling
Card was the title track of his (Rory's) 1976 album, one of several records that
I shamelessly plagiarised as a guitar-hungry kid!"

He also revealed that Two Sides Of If was recorded live in the studio in just
three days, to make the sound as spontaneous as possible. Guests include ZZ
Top's Billy Gibbons and One Of Us hitmaker, Joan Osborne.

John McGurk - Belfast Telegraph 2005