DEF LEPPARD guitarist Vivian Campbell spoke to Canada's The Province about the band's forthcoming studio album, which is expected before the end of the year."The first thing we did was go into the studio and set up live," Campbell explained. "I know a lot of bands do it, but we haven't done it since 1996. Then we get analytical. It's tough for me and I wasn't around.""There's a lot of talk before we make an album," Campbell said. "With this album there wasn't as much talking but there is an awful lot of experimentalism that goes on with a LEPPARD record. Once we find our direction, we're very quick."Everybody brings something to the table," he added. "I'm not as verbose as the other guys. I'd much rather be hands-on."Campbell, who has been battling Hodgkin's lymphoma for the last couple of years, revealed: "I was there for the first session and I was there for the third. I missed the second session and, in a way, I'm glad I did. It was the toughest."Regarding the musical direction of the new DEF LEPPARD CD, Vivian said: "It's diverse, but it all sounds like DEF LEPPARD. It's the best album we've made in 23 years."He added: "If the band had continued to be a hard rock band it would have been successful. But we've been able to progress and still we've been true to our hard rock roots. We're one part AC/DC and one part QUEEN."Frankly, candidly, we could go year after year playing our hits. A record for us is kind of a loss leader. A new record is something we do for us."A recent advertisement for DEF LEPPARD's upcoming U.K. tour with WHITESNAKE revealed that DEF LEPPARD's eleventh album will be a self-titled affair. DEF LEPPARD will return to the road April 15 for a Canadian tour, followed by Europe in May and June. A U.S. tour with STYX and TESLA will kick off June 23 in Tampa, Florida.
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