Rick Allen

IAN - W -

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Rick Allen - The one-armed drummer for band Def Leppard, who keeps on drumming and making a living of it...and is not a joke at all!
He is an strong example and inspiration followed by many people, fans & drummers. They call him "Thunder God" by his inner strength and will to recover from the car accident that caused his arm amputation long time ago...

Raven Drum Circle with Rick Allen & Lauren Monroe (wife):

http://www.ravendrumfoundation.org/programs/resiliency-program/84.html

Enjoy it...
 

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My deepest respect to the band. In a situation where "most" bands would have found another drummer .... Def Leppard put everything on hold, until Rick was able to rehab. and rejoin the band. Rick showed an "amazing" amount of fortitude, to overcome his challenge. Def Leppard showed an "amazing" amount of loyalty, in sticking by his side, and never moving on without him.​
 
You are absolutely right Harry!
Other band would have dumped and replaced the lowly drummer immediately...Both Rick & Def Leppard have showed commitment, comradeship, loyalty and patience in a long term to overcome life bad experiences.
 
Hi all.. So, there are a ton a extremely good drummers on here that have been talked about over and over again. It might just be me, but I just pulled out some old vinyl of High and Dry and Pyromania and now I can't stop listening to them. I'm rediscovering this amazing talent (when he had 2 arms) all over again.

It seems like a shame he lost an arm in a stupid bus accident but I've always been amazed how he overcame that to continue pounding out beats, albeit not as cutting edge as his two armed stuff.

Would anyone like to join me in discussing this gentleman?

Peace, Defender
 
I read he was racing his sports car around and when he hit something, he flew out of the car, but his arm was held in by the seat belt - not true?

I was never a fan of the band, but I thought his road to recovery and continuing on with the band should be seen as an inspiration. Great come back. I did see a present-day Def Leppard concert on AXS tv a few weeks ago and it doesn't sound like I'm listening to a drummer with one arm. More power to him!
 
Adapting the way he did with what he (now) has to work with, to me is saying something. I was never a big fan of Def Leppard myself, but it doesn't mean I can't appreciate and recognize someone's drive and determination to overcome what he was faced with. I would imagine with a lot of drummers, this would've been a devastating, career ending blow.
 
Yes i too had heard he was driving a sports car and lost control..As for his drumming.I dug the band in its heyday.But playing with one arm ,Not only Is inspiring,But Kudos to the rest of the band with sticking with him........
 
Hi all.. So, there are a ton a extremely good drummers on here that have been talked about over and over again. It might just be me, but I just pulled out some old vinyl of High and Dry and Pyromania and now I can't stop listening to them. I'm rediscovering this amazing talent (when he had 2 arms) all over again.

It seems like a shame he lost an arm in a stupid bus accident but I've always been amazed how he overcame that to continue pounding out beats, albeit not as cutting edge as his two armed stuff.

Would anyone like to join me in discussing this gentleman?

Peace, Defender

It was not a bus accident. He totaled his sports car
 
the day I found out that the drumming on Pyromania was a drum machine part of my childhood was stolen to me

now when I hear it I can't believe I never realized it because it is so painfully obvious

I always liked Rick and have much respect for him
 
The drums on Pyromania weren't him playing? Well, if this is true, you just busted my bubble. Can someone please provide a link to such an accusation?


this is no accusation my friend ...

they are very open about it both Pyromania and Hysteria are Mutt Lange and Rick programming a Linn drum machine
 
this is no accusation my friend ...

they are very open about it both Pyromania and Hysteria are Mutt Lange and Rick programming a Linn drum machine

Partly true. The cymbals are acoustic and played by Rick, but the majority of the drum tracks are programmed.

Rick just wasn't good enough with one arm at that point yet.
 
100% agreed. i saw def leppard in the 80s during the pyromania tour [OPENED for Billy Squire at the time. odd "performance"...long story] and it was completely KILLIN. he had that magic rock x-factor even back then: sick groove, behind-the-beat feel, power, musical, single kick greatness. what he is doing in "Foolin' " is just great. cowbell ? yes & yes !

yeah crashed his '84 Corvette in the UK somewhere...seat belt / flip ripped his arm off. too dirty / damaged to sew back on. FUGGG, a drummer worst nightmare. his comeback & drum parts for Hysteria is mind boggling. http://phscollectorcarworld.blogspot.com/2012/10/lost-star-cars-rick-allens-1984-corvette.html
 
Partly true. The cymbals are acoustic and played by Rick, but the majority of the drum tracks are programmed.

Rick just wasn't good enough with one arm at that point yet.

he had two arms for the recording of Pyromania and Mutt still insisted on programming .... and all of the drums on that record are programmed

this isn't some secret they tried to keep

------------------


"While I was talking to them, Rick Allen came up behind me and said, 'I really want to be on this record.'"

"I said, 'Hey! You're the drummer, you'll be on the record!' And then I found out he isn't even on 'Pyromania', it's all machines. He isn't on 'Hysteria' either."

"So we get the drum machine out, like Mutt says, and program it. Rick starts to play along, and he's really good! He was as good as any rock 'n' roll drummer I've ever worked with. So we use all live drums."

"Mutt comes down two weeks into recording, (He had helped the band during pre-production but originally opted out of producing. - Ed.) listens to a little of the drums, which sound perfect to me. And he goes, 'What are you doing? You're gonna throw these poor kids careers' in the toilet!' This was with the drummer right there! So we have to do the drums his way."

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=cache:Yr_bQJX4EjcJ:http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,969303,969395%2Bpyromania++mutt+lange+def+leppard+drum+machine&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&&ct=clnk
 
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I read he was racing his sports car around and when he hit something, he flew out of the car, but his arm was held in by the seat belt - not true?

It was a sports car (Porsche i think). He was driving alone after a party, xmas or new years. It was a one car accident. I can neither confirm nor deny the whereabouts of his arm. He claims he was conscious and aware of the circumstances. On the topic I think it's a very sad story. He was a great drummer. Tasty, good pocket, energetic and dynamic, and still so very young. While it's inspiring that he was able to play again, he was never the same. His playing was unique and deft, and at 21 years old, he still had time to improve and mature.
 
I'd love to hear the original drum tracks for some of these albums where the producer replaced the drummer. I'm trying to imagine how bad they would have to be to affect sales. I'm sure it's legit in some cases where the band's drummer is not able to deliver a satisfactory performance. But I think successful people in this industry tend to be control freaks who are rewarded for doing things their way and there is too much at stake to take chances. So even if there's nothing much wrong with the drummer, it's safer to bring in the known entity.
 
Partly true. The cymbals are acoustic and played by Rick, but the majority of the drum tracks are programmed.

Rick just wasn't good enough with one arm at that point yet.

He still had both for Pyromania. I will never understand why you choose to not play on something you worked your entire life to achieve. Did he get paid, sure. Is it anything to take pride in? Hell no. More like a laughing stock
 
he had two arms for the recording of Pyromania and Mutt still insisted on programming .... and all of the drums on that record are programmed

this isn't some secret they tried to keep

My mistake, I got the album titles mixed up. My point stands though, he still played the cymbals :)

Didn't mean to make it sound like I contradicted you, just wanted to clarify your point.
 
I think I read another article with another member of the band (I forget who), but he said the whole incident really brought out the best in people (sarcastically). They got a lot of calls while Rick was in the hospital about drummers offering their services, and this band member was like, "We're not even thinking of the band right now, we're thinking about Rick".

After observing this music industry for some time now, this doesn't even surprise me. It's sad.
 
I don't claim to be a really good drummer, but I can "get by" on most songs "fine." With that said, I recently learned "Photograph" to play with some local friends and the whole thing felt totally unnatural. I struggled with it. I got it, but I've made fun of myself many times for struggling with a Def Leppard song.

I guess the fact that they were programmed explains it all. I feel "slightly" better about myself right now. Thanks!
 
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