Def leppard drummer biography
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"When he introduced me so beautifully, and the roar of the crowd was so loud, I burst into tears": the story behind Rick Allen's triumphant comeback
On August 16 1986, Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen made his first live appearance since losing his arm in a car crash. This is what happened that day, in his own words
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Driving on the A57 near Sheffield with girlfriend Miriam Barendsen on New Year’s Eve 1984/85, Def Leppard's Rick Allen lost control of his black 1984 Corvette Stingray and hit a brick wall. His seatbelt came undone and took off his left arm as the drummer was thrown through the sunroof.
After being told he wouldn’t play again, Allen began a lengthy recovery programme that culminated in his return to the stage in August 1986. This is the story of how he got there.
Coming round in hospital after my accident, I was told that I woul
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Rick Allen (drummer)
English drummer for Def Leppard
Rick Allen | |
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Allen performing in 2018 | |
| Birth name | Richard John Cyril Allen |
| Also known as | The Thunder God |
| Born | (1963-11-01) 1 November 1963 (age 61) Dronfield, Derbyshire, England |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
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| Instrument | Drums |
| Years active | 1978–present |
| Member of | Def Leppard |
| Spouse | Stacy Lauren Gilbert (m. 1991; div. 2000)Lauren Cuggino Monroe (m. 2003) |
| Website | rickallen.com |
Musical artist
Richard John Cyril Allen (born 1 November 1963) is an English musician who has been the drummer of the hard rock grupp Def Leppard since 1978. He overcame the amputation of his left ledd in January 1985 and continued to play with the grupp, which went on to its most commercially successful phase. He is known as "The Thunder God" by fans.[1][2 • For 41 years, Rick Allen has played drums with the bestselling hard-rock outfit Def Leppard. With hits like “Pour Some Sugar on Me” and “Photograph,” the group has sold 100 million albums worldwide, all with Allen at the sticks. But Def Leppard almost disbanded in January 1985, after Allen’s Corvette rolled over near Sheffield, England, and his left arm, entangled in his seatbelt, required amputation. Allen initially concluded that without his arm, his career and life were over; but when encouraging letters poured in from around the world, he decided to try to find a way to continue playing. To create the sounds his left hand had played, Allen ordered specially designed electronic drum foot pedals to imitate the hi-hat, bass drum, snare, and tom. The setup worked and today, the 59-year-old, known to his fans as the “Thunder God,” continues to play
Q&A: Def Leppard Drummer Rick Allen