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Def Leppard
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"What we got out of the whole punk scene was really the short to-the-point pop song, instead of these giant epics that likes of Emerson, Lake and Palmer and Deep Purple—although we really liked those guys—we were more into that whole short pop song." - Rick Allen
"I wouldn't change anything, not even the accident. Even that was a part of coming into manhood and taking responsibility for the things that I had done, the things that I've experienced. I think it was all leading up to what I am doing now with the Foundation."
- Rick Allen
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2.10.03
Def Leppard's Rick Allen: Rock 'n' Roll Survivor Making A Difference
by Paul Rosner
Rock stars have long been held on a level that approaches idolatry, often giving them a sense of invincibility and insulating them from the rest of society. This insulation is perhaps necessary because of the adulation and exaltation of overzealous fans, who cease to realize that their heroes also have personal lives. Even so, some of these same rock "gods" buy into their star status so completely that they forget they belong to the same species. Ultimately, the fault rests with both the stars themselves and their eager worshippers, who are all too willing to forgive almost anything if the hits keep coming.
Though the so-called "god complex" can have long-lasting negative effects on those it engulfs, the true measure of a human being is found in that person's response to trying circumstances (and having fans throw money, praise, and their bodies at you could certainly be considered trying from a moral perspective). When 15-year-old Sheffield drummer Rick Allen was tapped in 1978 by English rockers Def Leppard to join their ranks, his own test would come quickly. Less than one year after joining, Allen and the band were opening dates for the Australian giant AC/DC, who was just entering the biggest, most popular stage of their career. In 1981, Def Leppard released High 'N' Dry, which soared on the wings of the MTV favorite "Bringin' On The Heartbreak." But that was just a warm-up for what was to follow in the next few years, beginning with the 1983 release of Pyromania. That international smash record featured three top 40 hits, highlighted by the '80s rock standard "Photograph," and sent Def Leppard's stock into the stratosphere. After nearly a year of solid touring in support of the album, Def Leppard was one of the biggest bands in the world. Hopes were understandably high for the group's fourth record.
For Rick Allen, who was riding a wave of energy from adoring fans around the globe, life was about to change in a way that no one could have predicted. On New Year's Eve in 1984, Allen was driving well over the speed limit when his car overturned, throwing him from the vehicle and severing his left arm. While many of us would surely have dropped into deep depression following such a loss, Allen renewed his faltering love affair with the drums and became determined to overcome any obstacle in his path. The results speak for themselves: after Allen taught himself to play one-armed with the aid of an adapted electronic kit, Def Leppard produced the phenomenally successful Hysteria. That 1987 effort featured an astounding six top twenty hits, including a No. 3 ("Armageddon It"), a No. 2 ("Pour Some Sugar On Me"), and a No. 1 ("Animal").
More importantly, Allen realized the importance of taking nothing for granted. As he readily admits, the accident made him a different and better person—it spiritually transformed him. More than a decade removed from the dizzying heights of Hysteria, Allen and Def Leppard are still at it, recently releasing their tenth album, the aptly titled X. Perhaps even more impressive is Allen's 2001 creation with massage therapist/healer Lauren Monroe, the Raven Drum Foundation. This not-for-profit organization was established to "provide free educational programs in the arts and opportunities for personal growth during times of adversity"—the same personal growth Allen himself experienced during his own difficult and trying time.
Musictoday recently spoke with Allen by phone from his home in Southern California. We talked about the highs and lows of rock stardom, how long Def Leppard can go on, and Allen's passion for making a difference in the lives of other people. We came away impressed by the drummer's honesty, conviction, and absolute lack of a "god complex." We also spoke with co-founder Lauren Monroe about the Raven Drum Foundation. With the creativity, energy, and desire Allen and Monroe bring to the table, big things are certainly on the horizon for their organization. Did Rick Allen pass the many tests laid before him? Judge for yourself...we certainly think so.
Musictoday: What led you to the drums of all instruments?
Rick Allen: A friend of mine, John Richardson, he told me that he'd been given a guitar. And then when he got this guitar and started playing it, I felt a little left out. So, I went home and asked my folks if it was okay if I got a drum kit, and of course, their answer was no, because we came from not very much money. You know, both my parents worked. But, my mum was great. She said, "Okay, we'll start putting money into a fund." Actually, that's what we did—we put a drum kit on lay-away and kept going down there and giving my little bit of spending money every week and my mum kept putting money in and they were really smart, my parents. They were really smart, because [they said], "Instead of you getting a drum kit right off the bat, why don't you start going to lessons and seeing if its something for you. We don't want you to lose interest after a couple of weeks"—you know what kids are like, short of attention and everything. So I started going for lessons, and I went to this guy who played with Joe Cocker—who was also from my hometown of Sheffield—and he showed me how to read and all the basic rudiments of playing, and that was all I needed. I just needed someone to show me the basics and I was away. I really developed a passion for playing. So, really, it was humble beginnings of my friend getting the guitar…and then when I finally did get the drum kit, then the two of us formed that first group called Glad.
Mt: Who were your early heroes on the drums?
RA: Actually, Stewart Copeland [Police]. I used to listen to a lot of big band stuff like Kenny Clarke. I started listening to Billy Cobham. So my influences were really varied. Actually, just recently I got to meet Billy Cobham for the first time, having seen him and listened to him on records for years, and he's the sweetest guy—really nice. But it was a whole variety. And then when I met Steve Clark with Def Leppard, he kind of introduced to me to listening to Led Zeppelin more and more, and John Bonham really became a sort of a guiding light, as it were. So, it wasn't necessarily one drummer, it was many different styles. I was fishing in those days for what felt good to me, and it was really a good thing for me to depict many different types of drummers…and also marching bands. Fortunately, where I lived, there was always a marching band. Every couple of weeks, every Sunday, they'd go out there on the streets playing, and that was also something that really interested me.
Mt: Did you ever get into any of that marching band music yourself?
RA: Not necessarily, but I played around with it at home, imitating my version of bass drum booming and snare drum rudiments—only really at home, I never really did that as a profession, per se.
Mt: Who out there right now really catches your ear?
RA: I've been listening to Coldplay. They're an English band, and I've really been listening to them. I've really been more about a song's drummer, as opposed to a drummer's drummer, if you know what I mean. I love the idea of being able to listen to a song and read what's good for the song, not necessarily what's good for me. As I get older, the idea of self-indulgence really doesn't interest me; it's more what's good for the whole. What sounds good for the whole song. And then I've been listening to U2 and those guys for years. But there's some good players out there, some really good players.
Mt: Describe the early days on the road with Def Leppard—your initial club dates, the first excursion that you made around the U.K—what were those days like for you?
RA: Really humble beginnings, playing local bars, local clubs, and trying to make a stir. From 1978 onwards, and then sometime around '79, early '80, we were really fortunate that we got a record deal, which is pretty unheard of these days, to only have been going for a short time. But we thought that the songs that we were writing were good. We were influenced by some of the greats, but we thought that a lot of the music around that time was very self-indulgent. What we got out of the whole punk scene was really the short, to-the-point pop song, instead of these giant epics by Emerson, Lake, & Palmer and Deep Purple—although we really liked those guys. We were more into that whole short pop song. The beginnings of Def Leppard…it was good because we involved all our friends. My brother was doing the sound at the time. It was really fun; it was like school kids. And it was positive, because it kept us off the street corners. And when we finally made a trip overseas, one of the first shows that we ever played was right here at Santa Monica Civic Center, and that was opening up for Pat Travis. It got a little crazy after that, because we started to experience some of the excesses of rock 'n' roll. Some [of those] people were professionals at doing that.
Mt: And you were, what, seventeen at the time?
RA: Yeah.
Mt: When you first hit big, how did life change for you?
RA: For a start, I woke up one day and realized I had a bank account. It was like, "Wow, this is unheard of; this is really odd." Fighting with growing up and being in this situation of endless possibilities, and it was difficult at times, but really, really fun at others—polar opposites, if you know what I mean. It was being a young man and grappling with growing up, becoming a man, and all the temptations that go with being in that situation.
Mt: By the time Hysteria comes along in 1987, you're a 24-year old multi-millionaire, a huge rock star. How do you keep your head?
RA: Well, I think the fact that we remained friends with the band; we all support each other to this day. Three of us live over here [in the States]. I am really fortunate, because we did start out as friends and we remained friends. It's sad when bands go the opposite way, and I don't think it would have been very much fun had we not been friends—it kept us all enthusiastic and wanting to make music. I think if we were on the road and didn't like each other, it would be a really, really painful experience. Everybody has their own idiosyncrasies—you know when to avoid them—but at the same time, we always knew that we had somebody within the band that we could go and ask for help. You know, "I need to talk about this with you," and it was a good experience. I wouldn't change anything, not even the accident. Even that was a part of coming into manhood and taking responsibility for the things that I had done, the things that I've experienced. I think it was all leading up to what I am doing now with the Foundation.
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