A question that will never be answered
Okay, so I know there's like almost no one on my friends list who's going to really understand my frustration and be able to respond to this, but I can't stop thinking about it so I'm going to babble a bit. I want to know what Def Leppard would have sounded like had they chosen Adrian Smith instead of Vivian Campbell.
Backstory: One of the original founding guitarists, Steve Clark ♥, died in 1991. One of Lepp's signature sound things involves having two guitarists, so they eventually found a new second guitarist in Vivian Campbell. I remember that when I heard that I made a "Huh??" face because it's just such an odd fit. Vivian used to be in Dio. Dio and Def Leppard go together about as well as plaid and stripes. They're just really different. Of course, Vivian played in other bands as well, but that one really stuck out to me. I don't know why it bothered me so much because I like some of Dio's music. Def Leppard is just much higher on my Like list (sue me, I love hair metal).
Anyway, they made one really good album with Vivian (Slang) and it all went downhill from there. There's been a good song here and there, but basically, their most recent albums have been crap. Fan reaction to Slang was, "This is too different! We hate this, BLAAAAAAAAH!!" Personally, I didn't expect Lepp to sound the same. They couldn't without Steve. He wrote a huge amount of the guitar riffs that made Lepp what they were in the 70's and 80's, and it can't be recreated. I was fine with them sounding different. Slang was really good for what it was: Def Leppard without Steve. But the negative fan reaction made Def Lepp retreat from this new sound and instead, try to do a psuedo-Lepp sound that might please these fans. Now, they sound like they're trying to recapture the classic Lepp sound and failing miserably. It's really sad.
I could have accepted Lepp with Vivian if they had stuck with their new sound, but the fact that they're trying to be the same without Steve when they could NEVER be the same without Steve has me looking at Vivian and going, "YOU did this." And I know that's not totally fair, but I can't help it. I never thought he was a good choice. He just doesn't fit.
Then, recently, I read online that Def Lepp had considered Adrian Smith at one time. It was one of those V-8 moments where you slap yourself in the forehead. Yes, Iron Maiden and Def Leppard are quite different as well, but Adrian is just the BETTER choice and that's that. At that time, he had played in a band for years that had two guitarists, so he was used to doing things this way. (I say it like that because he's back in Iron Maiden now, but back then, he had left the band.) His typical guitar sound is something I think would compliment Phil Collen's. There are superficial reasons as well - not only is he from England like the rest of the band, but he also LOOKS more like someone who would be in Def Leppard. (Yeah, I know, that kinda stuff shouldn't matter, but it just does. Band members need to compliment each other, not clash.) I don't know, with Vivian, it was like forcing a round peg into a square hole. Adrian just seems to slide in a bit easier. (Get your mind out of the gutter. You know what I mean.)
So now, I'm obsessed with knowing how Def Leppard would have sounded had they chosen Adrian Smith. Would I like their most recent albums better? The clincher is, I'LL NEVER KNOW. >:(
I have no Def Leppard icons. You get Bon Jovi instead. 'Cause, you know, music.
Backstory: One of the original founding guitarists, Steve Clark ♥, died in 1991. One of Lepp's signature sound things involves having two guitarists, so they eventually found a new second guitarist in Vivian Campbell. I remember that when I heard that I made a "Huh??" face because it's just such an odd fit. Vivian used to be in Dio. Dio and Def Leppard go together about as well as plaid and stripes. They're just really different. Of course, Vivian played in other bands as well, but that one really stuck out to me. I don't know why it bothered me so much because I like some of Dio's music. Def Leppard is just much higher on my Like list (sue me, I love hair metal).
Anyway, they made one really good album with Vivian (Slang) and it all went downhill from there. There's been a good song here and there, but basically, their most recent albums have been crap. Fan reaction to Slang was, "This is too different! We hate this, BLAAAAAAAAH!!" Personally, I didn't expect Lepp to sound the same. They couldn't without Steve. He wrote a huge amount of the guitar riffs that made Lepp what they were in the 70's and 80's, and it can't be recreated. I was fine with them sounding different. Slang was really good for what it was: Def Leppard without Steve. But the negative fan reaction made Def Lepp retreat from this new sound and instead, try to do a psuedo-Lepp sound that might please these fans. Now, they sound like they're trying to recapture the classic Lepp sound and failing miserably. It's really sad.
I could have accepted Lepp with Vivian if they had stuck with their new sound, but the fact that they're trying to be the same without Steve when they could NEVER be the same without Steve has me looking at Vivian and going, "YOU did this." And I know that's not totally fair, but I can't help it. I never thought he was a good choice. He just doesn't fit.
Then, recently, I read online that Def Lepp had considered Adrian Smith at one time. It was one of those V-8 moments where you slap yourself in the forehead. Yes, Iron Maiden and Def Leppard are quite different as well, but Adrian is just the BETTER choice and that's that. At that time, he had played in a band for years that had two guitarists, so he was used to doing things this way. (I say it like that because he's back in Iron Maiden now, but back then, he had left the band.) His typical guitar sound is something I think would compliment Phil Collen's. There are superficial reasons as well - not only is he from England like the rest of the band, but he also LOOKS more like someone who would be in Def Leppard. (Yeah, I know, that kinda stuff shouldn't matter, but it just does. Band members need to compliment each other, not clash.) I don't know, with Vivian, it was like forcing a round peg into a square hole. Adrian just seems to slide in a bit easier. (Get your mind out of the gutter. You know what I mean.)
So now, I'm obsessed with knowing how Def Leppard would have sounded had they chosen Adrian Smith. Would I like their most recent albums better? The clincher is, I'LL NEVER KNOW. >:(
I have no Def Leppard icons. You get Bon Jovi instead. 'Cause, you know, music.