Rick Allen is a walking testament to the resiliency of the human spirit. Despite facing personal tragedy, the Def Leppard drummer has soldiered on to achieve success beyond his wildest dreams. Such accolades include record sales in excess of 100 million (a quarter of those are Hysteria alone), sold out stadium shows across the globe, and induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. For crying out loud, the guy even has his own Funko Pop! Taking all this into consideration, it was an honor to sit down with Allen to discuss his upcoming art shows, the future of Def Leppard, and the undeniable impact the band has had on music and pop culture alike. “Rock of Ages” keeps a-rollin’.
Greetings Rick and welcome to Defenders of the Faith! How are you doing this afternoon?
Rick Allen: I’m really good! You know, just enjoying my summer and looking forward to flying out there to Florida. I leave here on the 18th. I’ve got three in person shows which I haven’t done since March of last year.
Yeah, before we address Def Leppard and all the classic music you’ve created, I want to start with the here and now. Next weekend, you’re going to be appearing at three Wentworth Galleries throughout South Florida where you’ll be debuting brand new pieces of art. Could you give us some background on these shows? What can the fans expect?
RA: Again, it’ll be the first in person shows I’ve done in a long time. It’s gonna be slightly different, but I think people are gonna have a really nice experience. We always do. I’ve been busy in regards to art because obviously I haven’t been out on the road. I’ve been spending a lot of time in my art studio. I came up with a beautiful Johnny Cash and also a Kurt Cobain that I’m really proud of. The problem is I’ve finished these pieces and I don’t want to let go of them, but obviously the gallery doesn’t like that. I’ve gotta give them up.
When did you start painting?
RA: Actually when I was young. Not like I do now. More paint probably ended up on the floor and ceiling than it did on the paper. My youngest daughter was born 10 years ago and I picked it back up again. Me and her started painting together. I’m not formally trained or anything, but I came up with a few really cool techniques that I like. It’s become a huge blessing. It gives me a focus outside of the music and also takes me to that same place of being in the moment. When I’m painting, I’m drooling just as much as when I play drums *laughs*.
The Legends Series really combines that love of music and painting. You’ve got three new pieces in this series, the first being Johnny Cash. What does Cash’s music mean to you?
RA: Oh man, he was the ultimate bad boy. He was getting into trouble before any of us. He just conjures up that rebellion. He had something that was really cool. It was just really sad to lose him. All of the Legends pieces are based on people that I really admire. People that inspired me when I was growing up and were probably responsible for me getting into music in the first place. In fact, the first piece that I did, which was kind of training wheels for the Legends series, was Steve Clark. I sent the picture of it to my mum. My mum, she keeps in touch with Beryl, Steve’s mom. She shed a tear and said to my mum, “It’s so good that Rick captured his essence.” That was a huge compliment. It also inspired me to keep doing these and just dig in and look back at all the people that really gave me inspiration to become a musician myself.
That’s one thing I’ve always respected about you and Leppard. Despite being gone 30 years, Steve’s spirit is always present in the music and the live shows and now your Legends series.
RA: Oh for sure. He was such a beautiful person. It’s just so sad that he didn’t make it through a difficult part of his life. I miss him everyday. I think about him everyday. Even though he’s not here physically, he’s definitely here in spirit and inspires us to be better.
The second legend is the late Eddie Van Halen. I imagine there was some kinship between the two of you as both Van Halen and Def Leppard were giants of 80s hard rock. Are there any Van Halen memories that immediately come to mind?
RA: I remember on the Pyromania tour, I think in ‘83 or ‘84, we played out at the Forum. I remember Alex Van Halen showed up. I think Brian May was there. Nancy Wilson, she was there. I just remember having a blast with Alex Van Halen. Interestingly enough, when I was a kid, my best friend, he lived a few doors up from where I was. He called me up, rotary dial of course, and said, “I’ve got this new record! I want you to come and have a listen to it.” This was 1978. The first time I heard the first Van Halen album, it completely blew me away. I was like, “Man, I’ve never heard playing like this before. This is something really special.” Then a few months later, Van Halen happened to be coming through with Black Sabbath. They were opening. No word of a lie, Van Halen stole that show. They were so hungry and so good.
Fast forward to years later. I moved here to the States in ‘91. I got really friendly with Steve Lukather from Toto. And Steve was really close with Eddie. He called me one day and said, “I’m having a get together at this restaurant. Do you want to come?” “Yeah, I’d love to!” “My friend Eddie Van Halen’s gonna be there. Would you say hello to him?” “Of course!” He was really cool. Very humble and very unassuming. You wouldn’t think that he played guitar the way that he did. I just think it’s cool that I was a huge fan back in my hometown and then I actually got to meet him which was a huge honor.
It’s funny you tell that story about when that first Van Halen record came out. When we talk about the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, so many people attribute Black Sabbath and UFO and Judas Priest and other English bands as being influential to its development. Yet here was an American band that, according to you, was just as influential to the scene.
RA: Oh my God. That was huge! I don’t think since Jimi Hendrix has anybody moved the bar so high as Eddie Van Halen. The rest of the band for that matter too. They were all incredible players in their own right. They maybe became a little overshadowed by Eddie, but as a band, as individual players, they were a monstrous band.
They were a very tight unit, live and in the studio. Just listening to those records, hearing Alex’s drum parts and rhythms, and Dave’s very unique vocal delivery. You put it all together and wow. What a band.
RA: I think they’re one of the most inspirational American bands of all time. Just fantastic. Those songs are indelible. They’re in my DNA. I definitely feel a kinship with those guys.
The third and last legend is Kurt Cobain. Nirvana is regularly credited for the shift in rock music that took place in the early 90s. What was your reaction to Nirvana’s arrival on the scene?
RA: I got a very similar feeling to when I heard the Sex Pistols for the first time. And how the Sex Pistols just shook the whole thing up. Music was never the same. It was to the point 3 or 4 minute songs. No frills, just total attitude. I felt as though Kurt Cobain and Nirvana did the same to music in their time period. Our response to it first was, “Oh man! This may take something away from us.” But we made a record called Slang. Initially, it wasn’t that well received, but it became a creeper. People really got into that record over a longer period of time. A lot of people say that it’s their favorite record that we made. With the background of Nirvana and everything that was coming out of the whole Seattle scene, we just stripped everything away. I dare say that Slang was probably how Def Leppard really sounded.
Didn’t you guys put out a big reissue of that album a few years ago?
RA: Yes we did and it was very well received. Again, people would say things like, “I heard that record for the first time and I didn’t know whether I liked it, but then over time it grew on me.” It was definitely one of those records. It was unexpected, but I think out of that came something really good.
A few weeks ago, I interviewed Mother Love Bone’s drummer, Greg Gilmore. He really gave some insight into the grunge explosion of the early 90s and how all of those bands, Mother Love Bone, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, etc., never intended to be huge platinum selling arena bands. They were just bands combining punk and hard rock.
RA: Right, that’s a really good observation. It was raw. The whole MTV hair band thing…it almost made a mockery of it. There was something really rooty and earthy and raw about the whole Seattle scene. It lit a fire under everybody’s ass.
Proceeds from each fine art sale will go to help our Wounded Warriors through your Project Resiliency. In the 20 years since Project Resiliency’s inception, did you ever imagine that it would grow this large in helping so many in need?
RA: No. Honestly, I didn’t. That’s become a huge blessing. It’s one thing that I can inspire people through my own life experience. But then getting to know some of our Wounded Warriors and having personal relationships with them, I realize that a lot of what I go through, they go through too. There’s a kinship, a bond. I suffer from PTSD. I suffer from traumatic brain injury. I went through the same things: self medication, anger issues. I’m still dealing with that stuff to this day. It gets easier for me, but my affiliation with our Wounded Warriors has really helped inspire me.
Last year, Def Leppard was set to embark on The Stadium Tour alongside Mötley Crüe and Poison. It has since been pushed to this year and is currently set to kick off on Saturday, June 19 in Nashville. Is this tour still happening as planned?
RA: I would like to think so, but first and foremost we need to take safety into account. I think all our sports promoters, music promoters, or anywhere where there are large gatherings, I would hope that there’s some very intelligent decision making going on behind the scenes. If the promoters feel as though it’s not safe to do it, I’m fine, but that decision has to come from them. It’s not really our decision.
That’s understandable. I just had to ask with summer right around the corner. Considering the year we just had, it’s something else that we can even congregate for the art shows you’re having next week.
RA: Yeah for sure. At my age, I don’t necessarily fancy my chances if I get COVID, but the added layer of production that I got is that about three weeks ago, I got my vaccination. That gives me a little more confidence. It’s a difficult time because I’m sure there’s quite a few people that either don’t want to get their vaccination or for whatever other reasons may not get it. The thing that people have to understand is that the longer this virus is in the population, the more chances there are for it to mutate into something more deadly. That’s the thing that I’m afraid of.
It’s been six years since the release of the last Leppard album. Has there been any talk of working on a new album?
RA: We always have new music in the pipeline. People are coming up with ideas all the time which is great. I’m hoping in the not too distant future we can present new music for people. Our ultimate goal is to keep coming up with new songs and not always rely on the classics.
Speaking of the classics, this year marks the 40th anniversary of Def Leppard’s second album, High ‘n’ Dry. It was the band’s first collaboration with famed producer Robert “Mutt” Lange. What did Lange bring to the table for Def Leppard that previously wasn’t there?
RA: I think it was the first time we all experienced really, really hard work. Whenever a band comes out with their first record, those songs have been played in front of audiences. They’ve been worked and re-worked and polished. But with your second album, you reach that point where a lot of these songs you’re creating in the studio. We brought all our ideas to the table. Mutt really helped us shape all the songs on that record and to come up with a sound that evolved. It was a better version of ourselves. I thought it sounded way better than the first record. We just continued working with Mutt and he showed us what a fantastic direction we could go in.
What are your favorite songs off that album?
RA: We used to play all of side one. That used to be a regular thing, kicking off with “Let It Go” into “Another Hit and Run”. They were classic songs, really raw. Just great rock songs, you know?
Of course. My personal favorite is “Lady Strange”. What are your memories of writing and recording that one?
RA: The fact that I got a writing credit on that song in itself was really exciting. It’s a great song! What’s not to like about it?
Those twin leads, the vocals, your drumming…it’s perfection.
RA: Thanks!
Originally, Hysteria was set to be produced by the recently deceased Jim Steinman. How do you think Steinman’s production would’ve impacted the album differently?
RA: I’m not sure he was the right choice for us. I liked Jim. The work that he’s done with Meat Loaf for instance and other significant artists has been really influential. But I’m not sure it was the right direction for us. With me losing my arm and the turmoil that was going on at that time, I’m just really happy that Mutt Lange came back on board and helped us through a really difficult time.
Didn’t he want to take a hiatus?
RA: Yeah, he did. He came to visit me in the hospital and I just remember saying, “Mutt, we’re really struggling. The guys are really struggling with what I’m going through at the moment. I would really, really appreciate it if you came back and gave us some help through this difficult time.” Ultimately he did. I’m very grateful that he did that.
On the inner sleeve of Hysteria, each member of the band is credited by a series of nicknames. You’re credited as Civilian Rick “O.B. Oblivion, Dick, Bus Head” Allen. How did these unique nicknames originate and does the band still address each other as such?
RA: Occasionally. I know Mutt does. Whenever he talks to Phil (Collen), he calls him “Wambo Tap”. He always calls me “Bus Head”. Those nicknames have kind of long gone by now, but they had pretty significant meaning at the time. “O.B. Oblivion”…I remember playing drums in the studio. The guys were trying to talk and I just kept on playing. That’s how I got that particular nickname. “Bus Head” was when I’d get off the bus before we played a show, when we’d roll into town and my hair had a mind of its own. It would just do its thing. That’s where that one came from.
The following is a fan theory I’ve held and you can correct me if I’m wrong. I’ve always believed that musically there was a connection between “Billy’s Got a Gun” and “Women”. Both tracks are grand epics with the former closing Pyromania and the latter kicking off Hysteria. Was this done on purpose or merely coincidence?
RA: I think it’s merely coincidence. A lot of times you try to write the same song, but in a slightly different form. It was a style and a sound and something that we really loved. We really love those two songs. I get what you’re saying. There seems to be a kinship between the two songs.
Dare I say there’s almost a 70s prog structure to those songs.
RA: Oh for sure. If you delve back even further into On Through the Night, and especially some of the live concerts that we did, we were a full on prog rock band. It was pretty out there!
Finally, despite being an English band, Leppard has always had a special relationship with America, going back to 1979’s “Hello America”. Are you amazed that over 40 years later, you’re bigger in America now than ever before?
RA: It’s a blessing. We got to the point in England where we had nowhere else to tour. We played everywhere. It was interesting. When we played America for the first time, we played that show on May 20, 1980 at the Santa Monica Civic opening up for Pat Travers Band. Everybody was singing the words to our songs. We’re like, “What’s going on here?” That wave of success, it just continued. Our fanbase here are super loyal. And then when MTV hit, that was really the icing on the cake.
When you talk about that show with Travers, how long had On Through the Night been out?
RA: Not that long. Probably about 6 months, not even.
So word spread that fast.
RA: Yeah, it was so cool! I guess everybody was into the idea of this young band coming in from England. And the drummer’s only just out of diapers *laughs*!
Rick Allen will be appearing at the Wentworth Gallery at Las Olsas on Thursday, May 20, the Wentworth Gallery at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Friday, May 21, and the Wentworth Gallery at the Boca Raton Town Center Mall on Saturday, May 22. For more information on Rick Allen, visit www.rickallen.com/artist/. For more information on Def Leppard, visit www.defleppard.com.