Rick Allen (drummer)
Richard John Cyril Allen ( born 1 November 1963 in Derbyshire, United Kingdom ) is an English musician and since 1978 the drummer of the hard rock band Def Leppard. In 1985, he lost to a car accident his left arm had to be amputated at the shoulder. However, he remained a member of the group and is still their drummer. He is also co-founder of " Raven Drum Foundation ", a foundation that works for disabled veterans and people in crisis situations.
Def Leppard
In November 1978, Allen was a member of Def Leppard, in which he replaced Tony Kenning. The group was the opening act for Sammy Hagar and AC / DC on tour and released their debut album titled On Through the Night on 14 March 1980. Since Allen is consistently a member of the group.
The accident and its consequences
On December 31, 1984, Allen with his car on the way to a New Years Eve party at his family home in Sheffield. During an overtaking maneuver he overlooked a curve and lost control of his car, which broke through a stone wall and crashed into a field. Allen was thrown from the vehicle, his left arm was severed at the shoulder it by the seat belt is not properly applied. The car remained on the roof; Allen's girlfriend, Miriam Barendsen, was held by her in the seat belt and was only slightly injured. She found Allen in the field. Doctors tried to reattach the arm again, but the wound became infected; the arm had to be amputated.
Although Allen was sure never to play the drums again and therefore have to leave the band, the band members saw it differently. Together with the company Simmons electronic drum kit was developed that was able to play all the remaining arm and especially with the feet.
On August 16, 1986 Allen performed for the first time since his accident back on with Def Leppard. The band played on this day at the Monsters of Rock Festival in Donington, and only a year later appeared with Hysteria one of the most successful hard rock albums of all time, which sold more than 20 million times. The album reached # 1 on the album charts in the U.S., the UK, Norway, Australia and New Zealand.
Allen was conducted in 2008 by the magazine Gigwise seventh place of the list of " greatest drummer of all time ."
Private
Allen was married in 1991 with his wife, Stacey, and the couple had on 20 May 1997 a daughter (Laura ). In 2000, Rick and Stacey Allen divorced. In 2003 he married Lauren Monroe, with whom he had the daughter Josefine since 2010.
Discography
( studio albums only )
- On Through the Night ( 1980)
- High ' n' Dry ( 1981)
- Pyromania ( album ) ( 1983)
- Hysteria (1987 )
- Adrenalize (1992 )
- Retroactive (1993 )
- Slang (1996 )
- Euphoria (1999)
- X ( 2002)
- Yeah! (2006)
- Songs from the Sparkle Lounge ( 2008)
Swell
Joe Elliott • Vivian Campbell • Phil Collen • Rick Savage • Rick Allen
Pete Willis, Steve Clark • (†) • Tony Kenning • Frank Noon
On Through the Night • High n 'Dry Pyromania • • Hysteria • Adrenalize • Slang • Euphoria • X • Yeah! • Songs from the Sparkle Lounge
Hysteria Remixes
Mirror Ball • Viva! Hysteria
Retroactive • Vault: Def Leppard Greatest Hits • Best Of • Rock of Ages: The Definitive Collection
Discography
- Def Leppard
- Rock musician
- Drummer
- Briton
- Born in 1963
- Man