Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell: “Music was an escape from the conflicts.”

Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell said that when he performed during the “Troubles” era in Northern Ireland in the late 1970s, they sometimes had to “remain silent on stage” due to the tensions. Campbell, who was touring with the band Sweet Savage at the time, stated that the members, who came from different religious backgrounds, saw the music as an escape from politics.

“Belfast has changed a lot, and for the better,” said Campbell, emphasizing that he believes music is a unifying force for the audience: “We need more love, more music.”

The artist said that he was fully recovered for the first time after 12 years of treatment for Hodgkin Lymphoma and that he felt like “the luckiest man in the world.” He stated that the stem cell transplant process was challenging but the results were fantastic: “I am physically very strong, my energy is high.”

Campbell, who joined Def Leppard in the early 1990s, is known for the band’s hit songs such as “Animal”, “Pour Some Sugar On Me” and “Let’s Get Rocked”. The Lisburn-born musician stated that he tries to return to his hometown every year and said that playing on the Belsonic stage next summer would be a great “privilege” for him.