Happy birthday, Qui-Gon Jinn!

Liam Neeson, born June 7, 1952 in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, is an Oscar nominated actor and played Qui-Gon Jinn in Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace (my favorite role of his). He has continued to voice Qui-Gon Jinn in other Star Wars productions.

He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his work in Schindler's List. He's been nominated for 3 Saturn Awards and 3 Golden Globe Awards. He received a Grammy nomination in 2001 for Best Spoken Word Album for Children for The Polar Express. He has also been nominated for two Tony Awards.

He appeared in Excalibur where he met Helen Mirren and began a relationship with her.  He later appeared in Krull in 1983 with Robbie Coltrane. He starred in Suspect with Cher in 1987.  Neeson appeared in Wrath of the Titans with Ralph Feinnes 

Happy birthday, Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell!

Vivian Campbell, born August 25, 1962 in Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, is best known for being a guitarist for Def Leppard since 1992.  Okay, that was before I became a fan, but I'm enjoying him.  He worked with Thin Lizzy and Whitesnake.  He replaced Steve Clark, who passed away in January 1991. 

He has recorded with Def Leppard since Retro Active in 1993.

Def Leppard released "Euphoria" 1999

Def Leppard released their seventh studio album Euphoria June 8, 1999.  Three years after Slang, it was a breath of fresh air.  It reached #11 on Billboards 200 and went gold in the U.S., Canada and Japan.

My favorite track is Paper Sun, which was written about the car bombing in Omagh, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.