One member of Def Leppard was absent during the band’s first performance of the year. On Saturday, January 18, the rock band kicked off 2025 with a performance at the Feria Estatal De León in León, Mexico. However, there was a notable absence — Vivian Campbell, the band’s longtime guitarist.
Instead of Campbell, who is 62, John Zocco, a touring guitarist and photographer for Def Leppard, stepped in for him.
“Vivian Campbell cannot be with us tonight,” lead vocalist Joe Elliott informed the audience, according to Ultimate Classic Rock. “He’s just recovering from some treatment for his cancer. So, manfully, please say hello to the guy standing in for him tonight, Mr. John Zocco on guitar.”
Campbell was first diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system, in 2013.
“I feel fortunate that my cancer sent me an alarm call in the form of ‘the cough that wouldn’t quit,’” he shared on Facebook in 2013 while undergoing chemotherapy. “Otherwise, how would I have known?”
In November of that year, Campbell shared the good news that he was “officially in remission from Hodgies,” and in 2014, he confirmed that his cancer remained in remission, though with cautious optimism.
“I’m trying not to get too excited about it as I heard that same phrase late last year only to be disappointed again a few months after when it returned,” he wrote on Facebook. “The plan is to do a stem cell transplant as soon as the tour is finished.”
However, in June 2015, Campbell revealed that his cancer had returned, making the announcement on his Facebook page.
He has since been open about his ongoing battle with the disease, speaking about it during an episode of the Lymphoma Voices podcast in 2023.
“I’m still dealing with the lymphoma,” Campbell shared. “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, though not too difficult for me. I deal with it fine. I’ve been able to live my life.”
He went on to explain, “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.'”
Campbell added, “So I managed to get on the trial, and I’m happy to say that it worked well for me.”