Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell missed the band’s first concert of 2025 due to his recovery from cancer treatment.
Frontman Joe Elliott, 65, informed gig-goers at the ‘Pour Some Sugar On Me’ group’s concert at Foro Mazda in León, Mexico on Saturday (18.01.25) as to why Vivian, 62, was absent as he introduced his replacement, co-lead guitarist Phil Collen’s guitar technician John Zocco.
He said: “Vivian Campbell cannot be with us tonight.
“He’s just recovering from some treatment for his cancer. So, manfully, please say hello to the guy that’s standing in for him tonight, Mr. John Zocco on guitar.”
Vivian has battled with Hodgkin lymphoma since 2013 and has undergone immunotherapy treatment and was part of a clinical trial for the medication pembrolizumab.
Speaking on the ‘Lymphoma Voices’ podcast in 2023, he said: “I’m still dealing with the lymphoma.
“It’s sort of like – it’s an American expression – Whac-a-Mole. You beat something back and then it pops up somewhere else. But it’s been a pretty consistent battle, but it hasn’t been too difficult for me. I deal with it fine. I’ve been able to live my life.
“For the bulk of those 10 years, I actually was doing immunotherapy. Starting in June of 2015, I started taking a drug called pembrolizumab. I remember at the time my doctors wanted me to do radiation and maybe a combination of radiation and chemo. And I just thought, ‘Well, let’s just try this immunotherapy thing. Let’s see if this works.’ So I managed to get on the trial. I’m happy to say that it worked well for me.”
It’s not known what type of treatment Vivian had this time.
John previously stepped in for Vivian when the rock group made a surprise appearance at the Daimler Truck Customer Appreciation Event at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium in October.
Prior to then, he completed their 27-date ‘Summer Stadium Tour’.
The ‘Love Bites’ rockers have a gap now until they play Puerto Rico on May 15.