Rick Allen (Derbyshire, England, 1963) is one of the most beloved musicians of the rock world today. Fans know his tragedy and overcoming story. 38 years ago, this charismatic drummer was in a car accident and lost his left arm. Everything seemed to indicate the end of his musical career at the time, but Allen found the support of his friends and band members and decided to face what seemed a priori impossible.
He received thousands of letters from his fans during his stay in the hospital, and it was then that he decided to exchange tears for the effort and regrets for a challenge: playing the drums again. It wasn’t a stubbornness or a utopia, it was just a calm reflection of all it takes to get back to the beat of a rock band with one arm and two legs.
On December 31, 1984, Rick was 21, and for six years he was the drummer for the British hard rock band Def Leppard, which had become one of the biggest in the genre. That day, the British musician was behind the wheel of a Corvette near Sheffield, England, with his girlfriend, Miriam Baredsen. A vehicle blocked the road ahead. It was an Alfa Romeo that was speeding past him before. Allen says that every time he tries to overtake, the Alfa Romeo accelerates and blocks him. He pushed the gas pedal to the ground until he got tired, the musician’s Corvette roared hastily and shifted into the right lane to pass him. But the curve closed unexpectedly for Allen, and he lost control. The car veered off the road and skidded over a stone wall into a nearby field. The young musician was thrown from the sunroof, but his left arm was broken when the seat belt was untied. An ambulance arrived at the scene 45 minutes later. Allen was still conscious. He knew he had lost his arm. When he got to the hospital, he fell into a coma. It would be like this for two weeks.
“I will not play again”
Doctors reinserted the member, but a serious infection forced them to step back. He later found out when he woke up from his coma. Then he realized the enormity of the tragedy. I’ll never play again, he thought.
His love for drums has been there since childhood. At the age of five, he spent hours beating kitchen utensils in his home. With On, he managed to get his family to buy him a battery and began taking lessons.
In 1978, a band calling themselves Def Leppard posted an advertisement stating they were looking for a drummer. It was Rick’s mother, who was still a teenager, who responded, and her son took his chance, and on November 28 of that year, at just 15, became drummer in the band.
His talent was indisputable. They quickly went from playing in garages to AC/DC power-on. In 1980 the band released their debut album, On Through the Night. Then came High’N’Dry (1981) and Pyromania (1983).
After the accident, Allen was in the hospital in low spirits, unsuccessfully trying to think calmly. “What am I going to do with my life now?” he asked himself over and over. Until one day a different question was posed: “What if I could play the drums with one arm?” Allen replied to himself: “I want to try.”
He brought it up with his bandmates. Vocalist Joe Elliot would admit years later that they were shocked by the accident and doubted Allen would play again, but did not consider leaving him. “We couldn’t run a ‘Drum Wanted’ ad, that’s not what the British do,” he would say. One of the most supportive of the drummer was guitarist Phil Collen. With the love of his family and fans, his visits have become indispensable so that Allen does not throw in the towel.
Def Leppard has returned to the studio to work on a new album. Still in the hospital bed, Allen realized that he could play some of his favorite songs using his feet. He began to analyze what steps he had to take to continue playing the drums. One of the people who was initially determined to face my challenge was Status Quo drummer Jeff Rich.
Also key was electronic drum manufacturer Simmons, who developed a custom drum kit for Allen that included a foot-operated trigger. After Allen left the medical center, he locked himself in this new device and started practicing.
Allen’s new drum kit featured the main drums in the center and to his right, so he could use his arm on that side, while the main pedals were placed to his left to trigger the toms and snare drums.
back to the stage
It took five months of practice to get used to this new way of playing with a new hybrid drum kit. He then went to the Netherlands and took part in mixed drums in the studio where Def Leppard was making progress on the new album. There he played a song by Led Zeppelin in front of his friends and left them speechless.
In the summer of ’86, Def Leppard went on a mini tour that included concerts at some of Europe’s biggest festivals, as well as some pubs in Ireland. At some of these concerts, Allen played electronics, while Jeff Rich (Status Quo) shared the stage with the acoustic drumming band. After several performances, the final test came: to play without Rich’s support. Def Leppard’s drummer spin passed the test.
The following year, the band released their new album, Hysteria, which sold over 30 million copies. Since then, Allen has continued to participate in all of the band’s recordings and tours.
Next June, Def Leppard will be performing again in Madrid with another classical band, Mötley Crue. And on stage, behind a giant drum set, will be Rick Allen, the musician who refuses to give up on his childhood passion. Today, years later, he continues to play all parts of his special drums with the enthusiasm he used to beat kitchen utensils as a child.