DEF LEPPARD kicked off their 2025 concert tour last week at the Feria Estatal De León in León, Mexico. However, similar to their October 14, 2024 private show in Nashville (during the Daimler Truck Customer Appreciation Event), guitarist Vivian Campbell was absent from the performance. Filling in for Campbell was John Zocco, Phil Collen’s guitar technician.
Before launching into “Foolin'”, the fourth song of the evening, DEF LEPPARD’s lead singer Joe Elliott addressed the audience, explaining that Campbell was unable to attend due to “recovering from some treatment for his cancer.” He then introduced Zocco as Campbell’s temporary replacement, saying, “Please say hello to the guy standing in for tonight, Mr. John Zocco.”
In 2014 and 2015, TRIXTER’s Steve Brown substituted for Campbell during several shows while he underwent treatment for Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Brown’s first appearance with DEF LEPPARD took place in September 2014, during a pregame performance for one of the NFL’s International Series games.
Campbell, now 62, provided an update on his ongoing battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma during a November 2023 interview on the “Lymphoma Voices” podcast. Diagnosed in 2013, Campbell explained that his fight with lymphoma has been a “consistent battle,” though he has been able to manage it relatively well. “It’s sort of like — it’s an American expression — whac-a-mole. You beat something back, and then it pops up somewhere else,” he said. However, he has continued touring without significant difficulties.
From June 2015 to the end of 2022, Campbell received immunotherapy through a drug called pembrolizumab, which was part of a clinical trial. Although he had to balance the treatment with his touring schedule, he reported very few side effects. In 2022, however, the drug’s effectiveness diminished, prompting Campbell and his doctors to explore other treatment options. As a result, he began a new combination therapy that included chemotherapy and immunotherapy drugs.
Campbell shared that one of the side effects of the treatment is hair loss, which led him to recently cut his hair short. Reflecting on his first experience with hair loss during chemo, he recalled the emotional challenge of losing his long hair, which had been part of his identity for much of his life. However, Campbell quickly adapted, opting to go public with his cancer diagnosis instead of hiding behind a wig.
“I decided to just go public about my cancer diagnosis,” Campbell said. “I was able to speak directly to DEF LEPPARD fans via social media and sort of tell them, ‘Well, this is what’s going on with me.’ I think it helped to share it with the fans before they saw me completely bald.” For Campbell, the experience turned out to be liberating. “I had nothing to offer on stage but my talents as a musician, and in a way, it was somewhat liberating for me.”
Looking back on the emotional journey, Campbell noted that, while the experience was personal, he embraced the positive side of it. “There’s no shame in having cancer, no shame in going through treatment, and no shame in wearing the effects of treatment physically,” he said. “It allowed me to focus on the essence of who I am as a musician and to just put it all out there.”
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