We had a fabulous show for the legendary Rick Allen of Def Leppard and all of his rockin' fans! Rick Allen was born in 1963, in Sheffield, England. Allen began playing the drums when he was 10 years old. By the age of 12, he became so proficient, he began playing with local groups.
Before he turned 15, a local band called Deaf Leopard had just lost their drummer and was looking for a replacement. Allen called up, auditioned, and got the job. After Def Leppards first two releases, "On Through the Night" in 1980 and "High and Dry" in 1981, the band was considered to be one of the leaders of the New Wave of the British heavy metal movement. In 1983, their hit Pyromania became their breakthrough album, selling over 9 million copies in the U.S. alone.
In 1984, the band was taking a break before working on their follow up album, when tragedy struck. Allen was involved in a car accident near his hometown on New Years Eve. He was thrown from his vehicle, his left arm severed. His band members stood behind him and convinced him to stay with the group. He constructed an electric drum set that was partially controlled by his feet. By 1987, Def Leppard was ready to perform again with their fourth album, Hysteria, which outsold Pyromania. The band was beset with other setbacks, but continued to perform and create a number of other albums throughout the 1990s and beyond.
Allen is passionate about his new project, making art out of his music. Images are created from the computerized tracking of his drum strokes. LED lights are attached to the tips of the drum sticks, while a camera takes long exposures of the trailing lights created by Allens strokes. What results are stunning abstract works that capture the intensity of Allens strokes combined with the rhythm of the music. His Electric Hand Series is a collection of works that was influenced by a visit with a Mexican shaman years ago who told him of the blue hand in Mayan symbolism. It represents the ebb and flow of life, and has become a symbol for the fact that he only has one hand to work with.
Rick Allen, now 50, has been living in California for the past 24 years. He resides with his singer-songwriter wife, Lauren Monroe, along with their 3 yr old daughter. Together they live a life comprised of art, music and philanthropy, having founded the Raven Foundation, an organization whose mission is to serve, educate, and empower veterans and people in crisis.
Before he turned 15, a local band called Deaf Leopard had just lost their drummer and was looking for a replacement. Allen called up, auditioned, and got the job. After Def Leppards first two releases, "On Through the Night" in 1980 and "High and Dry" in 1981, the band was considered to be one of the leaders of the New Wave of the British heavy metal movement. In 1983, their hit Pyromania became their breakthrough album, selling over 9 million copies in the U.S. alone.
In 1984, the band was taking a break before working on their follow up album, when tragedy struck. Allen was involved in a car accident near his hometown on New Years Eve. He was thrown from his vehicle, his left arm severed. His band members stood behind him and convinced him to stay with the group. He constructed an electric drum set that was partially controlled by his feet. By 1987, Def Leppard was ready to perform again with their fourth album, Hysteria, which outsold Pyromania. The band was beset with other setbacks, but continued to perform and create a number of other albums throughout the 1990s and beyond.
Allen is passionate about his new project, making art out of his music. Images are created from the computerized tracking of his drum strokes. LED lights are attached to the tips of the drum sticks, while a camera takes long exposures of the trailing lights created by Allens strokes. What results are stunning abstract works that capture the intensity of Allens strokes combined with the rhythm of the music. His Electric Hand Series is a collection of works that was influenced by a visit with a Mexican shaman years ago who told him of the blue hand in Mayan symbolism. It represents the ebb and flow of life, and has become a symbol for the fact that he only has one hand to work with.
Rick Allen, now 50, has been living in California for the past 24 years. He resides with his singer-songwriter wife, Lauren Monroe, along with their 3 yr old daughter. Together they live a life comprised of art, music and philanthropy, having founded the Raven Foundation, an organization whose mission is to serve, educate, and empower veterans and people in crisis.