http://www.thevalleychronicle.com/articles/2008/04/25/entertainment/01godef.txt

Def Leppard to rock Soboba Casino

By VALERIE DETWILER/The Valley Chronicle 

Def Leppard will bring more than 30 years in the music industry and material 
from their new album to Soboba Casino on April 27.

The legendary rock group's new album, "Songs From the Sparkle Lounge," will be 
released Tuesday.

The album was put together in a different manner than Def Leppard had done in 
the past - and what resulted was a more personal album than band members (Joe 
Elliot, Phil Collen, Vivian Campbell, Rick "Sav" Savage, and Rick Allen) are 
used to.

"It's not that we really intended the album to be so personal," said guitarist 
Vivian Campbell. "We didn't collaborate so much on these songs. We just 
realized that we had an album's worth of songs already written."

Normally, said Campbell, the members of the band work on their own material and 
then bring it to the other band members. The group than reworks the songs to 
"perfect" them.

This time, when the guys came together, they decided not to rework their stuff. 
They just went into the studio and began recording, said Campbell.

"A lot more of the personal songs got through," he said.

What resulted were tracks such as "Only the Good Die Young," a song written by 
Campbell about former Def Leppard guitarist Steve Clark, who died in 1991 at 
age 30 of a combination of alcohol and prescription drugs.

The band recently honored what would have been Clark's 48th birthday.

Another track, "Tomorrow," was written by guitarist Phil Collen about the death 
of his father.

Not only did the album "Songs From the Sparkle Lounge" turn out to be personal, 
but it also has what would appear to be an unlikely collaboration on it: "Nine 
Lives" features country music star Tim McGraw.

Campbell said that, much like the album's personal tone, the pairing wasn't 
intentional.

"This wasn't really by design," Campbell said. "(Drummer) Rick Allen's little 
brother is Tim McGraw's tour manager. We've been hearing for years how Tim 
McGraw and his wife, Faith, were big fans of ours," Campbell said.

Campbell said that at a show at the Hollywood Bowl in 2006, Tim McGraw showed 
up and wanted to perform "Pour Some Sugar on Me" with the group.

"After that show, he was all enthusiastic," Campbell said. "He came to us and 
said, ‘I've got a title for a song' and he worked with Phil Collen and the two 
of them bashed it out."

Campbell said he sees "Nine Lives" as more of a Def Leppard song than a Tim 
McGraw song.

He also said working with McGraw was a good time.

"The enthusiasm that he brought to the project made it really infectious to be 
around him," Campbell said.

In addition to the new album coming out next week, Def Leppard's music is 
featured on "Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock."

The game, which is for sale today, features a sneak peak at "Nine Lives" as 
well as a chance to become a rock legend with the tracks "Photograph" and "Rock 
of Ages," both from Def Leppard's "Pyromania" album.

Campbell admits that he isn't really a gamer, but he said he understands how 
important it is in terms of a changing industry.

"I'm so behind the curve on this stuff. I've never even actually tried to play 
it," Campbell said. "But I do understand its relevance in the market place, and 
I appreciate the fact that it is a wonderful opportunity for us and for our 
audience. It's just another facet in the increasing musical landscape."

Campbell said Def Leppard's Soboba show will be a good one.

"We always go out and give everything we've got," Campbell said. "We are very 
professional and we're very serious about what we do. We have a very cohesive 
show and a collective work ethic.

"It's a high-energy show. We've got a truck load of hits, which we are very 
blessed to have, but the X-factor really all depends on the audience."

Campbell said the band feeds off of what the audience gives them, so a 
performance can depend on the crowd's enthusiasm.

And why should you go see Def Leppard perform?

"Because we're the best in the business - and I kind of really mean that! When 
you refer to bands of the ‘80s, we really have very few peers - and we have no 
peers when it comes to our live interpretation of our music."

Campbell said many other groups "cheat" when it comes to live shows by using 
vocal tips. But Def Leppard does not - what you hear is how they sing.

"I always have people coming up to me asking if we use vocal tips and I take it 
as a backhanded compliment," Campbell said. "We're very good at what we do and 
we get better every year we do it."

The concert is at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Soboba Casino arena. Tickets start at 
$55. For tickets or information, call (866) 4-SOBOBA, visit www.soboba.net, or 
www.ticketmaster.com. 

Copyright © 2008 The Valley Chronicle