Miscellaneous Words
"He doesn't apply himself, but we think he might have a knack for music."
Rick's sixth grade teacher's comment on his report card.
"The first time I ever saw them...they were the worst live band I had ever seen - the singer split his pants, the guitarists were out of tune. The best musician was the drummer and he was 15 or something!" - 1995
Peter Mench, Manager
"Richard started drumming when he was 10, playing workingmen's clubs - places where they sell a lot of beer, play bingo and see an act once a night. When Richard joined (in November '78), I was determined not to work for 'em." (but of course he did!) - 1983
Robert Allen, Rick's older brother
On Rick's shananagins during the recording of the "On Through the Night" album:
"We were working at Ringo's place in Ascot - the huge house he bought from John Lennon. There were 80 acres of grounds - a really huge Park. The album was made either side of Christmas and Rick Allen came back in the New Year with two motor bikes. It had snowed quite heavily and he and the engineer Louis Austin raced around Ringo's grounds every night in the dark to our considerable amusement - I don't suppose Ringo was very amused when he saw the state of his lawns after the snow melted! - 2011
Tom Allom, Producer on "On Through the Night"
"When I arrived at the hospital I could see that he was really down. I mean, he was trying to keep a pretty brace face, but he was frustrated, I mean really frustrated at that point not knowing which limbs were going to work at all. And then I just mentioned to him that he could conceivably, if he could get his right hand to work again, he could actually play the drums by repeating the sounds on the top and the bottom. And he then, as he lay there, he started just doing that thing with his limbs and I could actually see almost a light shine in his eyes in terms of, he thought 'Yea, that's actually the one way out if it,' you know? And literally from that day on in my perception the few times I saw him, he had a cause." - 1989
Mutt Lange, Producer
"All the time he was just playing in his bed, in his mind, he was trying to coordinate his limbs...then he got some local Sheffield guy who got him some makeshift peddles...and he started getting it right. He would just come into all of us every now and again and say `What do you think of this?' and go (Mutt makes drum sounds) or something and we'd go `Great Rick' (laughs), ya know? But apart from that...he actually had to create rhythm and be as powerful as he was and he did it. He did it on his own - completely." - 1988
Mutt Lange, Producer
"He is today probably as good or better as he was before the accident. The man has never played a bad gig. He plays a great show every time he goes out there. If anything, he plays more focused now then he ever did before and when you go see a Def Leppard show today, you may be thinking "I'm gonna watch this guy whose a one-armed drummer" and I guarentee you after the first 30 seconds you've forgotten about it. He's just a drummer, and he's a dam good one." - 1989
Cliff Bernstein, Manager
"During the show I crouched down in the darkness behind Rick's drum riser. It's OK - Rick asked me if I'd like to - and I watched the boy work. I looked on bleary-eyed as he romped through a blistering "Rock of Ages," his right arm doing what it always did; barefoot, raining down hard and with precision upon the pedels. Can he still rock? Do fish f*** in water? See for yourself, then you tell me." - 1987
Mick Wall, music journalist
"Rick Allen and I talk photography and swap photo ideas and tips. It's really cool that he has such an interest in photography. He always has his camera with him and is constantly taking pics and trying new things. Rick asks if next time I'm in LA shooting if he can come along and assist me during the shoot. How cool to have Def Leps drummer helping me shoot another band! Bet it freaks out whatever band it is! It'd be great having Rick along, he's really easy to get along with and has great creative photo ideas." - 2008
Ash Newell, photographer
"Rick Allen is my child of the group. His (wardrobe) case is a mess. He never wears any of his clothes, he throws them all on the floor, but you know, he's a good guy and I love him." - 2011
Lesley Mortimer, wardrobe manager
"I have known Rick Allen now for about 6 years. We wrote and recorded the song titled Brink for the Disney movie Brink. He is a great guy and one of the most talented musicians I have worked with. I don't think I have ever laughed as hard as I do when Rick is in the studio. He has a great sense of humor and is a great human being! - 2001
Mark Mason, singer/guitarist for the Mark Mason Project
"I was doing another charity and it was just him and his...I don't know if it was his girlfriend or his wife, but they were having dinner, and I bumped into him in the bathroom. And I said `Oh my God! I'm sorry, this is awkward. We're here in the bathroom together, but I have to shake your hand. I'm SUCH a fan!" It think he's amazing. I really kind of studied what he did with his kit. It's really kind of inspirational in how he changed how people with all four limbs feel about how they use them." - 2001
Josh Groban, singer
"It was a bitterly cold day, and there was a biting wind coming down the valley. I couldn't find anyone at first, and then I saw this girl running around in the field, looked over the wall and saw this boy. He said...his first words to me were "I'm a famous drummer, and I've lost my arm. I'm Def Leppard." Well, I'd never heard of Def Leppard. So I got a handkerchief and some towels and just pressed on. The clots were starting to form around the area, which had been torn off. He wanted his mum, I remember him saying that to me, which I thought was rather sweet. The next friendly voice over the wall was (an off-duty policeman) and I just looked up and said, "Oh thank God, can you find his arm?" - 1997
Doreen Billington, nurse at the scene of the accident
"Richard said that life was too easy, he was doing exactly what he wanted, he was traveling the world, and this was the kick up the backside that he needed. And I said, "Richard, it did not need to be such a HARD kick!" - 1997
Kathleen Daly, Rick's mother
"I think Rick Allen is a very deep person and we've had some great conversations. He's been through so much and he's doing the work it takes to heal himself from the inside out. I have a lot of respect for him and I think he understands me more now too, so our friendship had grown." - 2001
"Rick is the rock in the band. He's is the backbone, no doubt. He is a soul searcher like me, and he has strength of heart and compassion for others. I relate to him the most at this time in our lives because our priorities have shifted towards helping and healing others through our own life experiences. Rick's wife Lauren is a blessing to him and has helped him learn to heal himself." - 2010
Lorelei Shellist, Steve Clark's ex-fiancee
"Rick Allen’s one arm drumming technique continues to be an amazing sight to behold. The man has more talent in one arm then most drummers have with two!" - 6/10/05
Jeb Wright, music journalist
On the atmosphere of recording Hysteria, after Rick's accident:
"The atmosphere generally in the studio was great...I hadn’t seen Rick Allen since before his accident when I turned up at the studio in Dublin so wasn’t sure what to expect. He seemed to be totally accepting of what had happened to him and at the same time so determined to perfect his new drumming technique that I couldn’t help but be in awe of him. In his mind there was never any question of him not returning to the drum stool. He also managed to retain his sense of humour which was very uplifting to see. The rest of the band and management all stood by him and gave him as much time as he needed to work out his new drum technique which is a testament to the family environment of the band and how they were all willing him to succeed." - 2011
Rocky Newton, backing vocals on Pyromania and Hysteria
"I went to Dublin to meet the band, where they were living in tax exile. They're great kids, but they were like little boys lost. 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." - 1989
Jim Steinman, producer
"Rick is a drummer who will give you 100% of everything he can play, but because of the problems with his kit, he can only give 85%. You only hear him playing what fits the songs at a show. He doesn't go overboard. But in the studio, he'd get there about a half hour before everyone else and would play some incredible things. Sometimes I'd have my back turned and he'd be playing and I'd think, `How'd he do that?' It's too bad the audience doesn't hear him immprovise, because when's he just messing around, he's playing some great things. But he's improving constantly, and when we get the ultimate kit, watch out!" - 1988
Derek Simpson, Rick's drum tech during Hysteria
"Rick ended up playing entirely acoustic (on X), without any electronic pedals. It was amazing! He just dug in and laid down some of the fattest beats to date. He smiled the whole time and hit with total intensity (and you WILL feel it)!.." - 2002
Jerry Johnson, Rick's drum tech
"(The Donington Festival) was '87. Def Leppard were on it 'cause I remember it was Rick Allen's return after losing his arm. So yeh, that was pretty special man. I was friends with Rick before and he was very cool. For him to pull through like that, I just think that was f*cking amazing. Nothing short of a miracle. That Castle Donington experience was like unbelievable. I'm pinching myself onstage. I'm with Ozzy and there's like a 100,000 crazy leather jacketed Brits man, moving in one huge.. more like a heartbeat all at once. Jumping up and down."
Randy Castillo, Motley Crue drummer
(NOTE: It was '86 Randy!)
"The world’s greatest one-armed drummer (and one of its greatest even with both limbs), is Rick Allen. Allen is worth the price of admission alone, triggering his toms and snare with his left foot, showing a tremendous amount of concentration. I think his handicap has made Allen even a better drummer than before, and he hammered home every song with nary a change to the legendary recorded versions." - 2002
Dan Wall, music journalist
"But you know what was kickass about that, you came back and you even drum better with one arm! I was always amazed. This is a lesson to all drummers." - 1999
Howard Stern, Radio Talk Host, speaking to Rick in an interview.
"The fact you were sitting there in the hospital bed figuring out how you could play the drums with your feet, and how you could make it work...that was fantastic to know there there's someone like you who'd already gone through something so much bigger than I had to go through and you'd done it, so you are an inspiration to us all." - 2010
Billy Idol, musician, speaking to Rick in a radio interview.
NEW
"I've known you before your accident and I remember seeing you in Ireland I think...I remember you were recuperating. I don't think you hadn't even gone on tour yet. And I remember you were very self-deprecating...we were sitting at the pub I think and you were getting ready to leave and I think I felt uncomfortable, you know...and I remember you said 'Well I gotta go now' and you looked down and you said 'Oh my God, someone stole my watch!' I'll never forget that joke!" - 2012
Don Dokken, musician, speaking to Rick in a radio interview
