Saturday, 11th January 2020
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RICK ALLEN On DEF LEPPARD's 2020 Stadium Tour/Artwork (Video)

Rick Allen 2020. Screenshot

Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen was interviewed yesterday by Florida radio and talked about the Stadium Tour.

Rick spoke to Jodi Stewart of The Gater 98.7 FM radio to promote his artwork The Stadium Tour 2020.

Rick is attending art events at the Wentworth Gallery in Fort Lauderdale, FL, Hollywood, FL and Boca Raton, FL.

Rick talked about his artwork, Painting Drums, Veterans Charities, The Stadium Tour 2020, Pre-Tour Rituals, 2019 iHeartRadio Music Festival Show, Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction/Brian May, Who He'd Like To Be In The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, Joining Def Leppard Aged 15, and Wentworth Gallery Exhibitions.

The Stadium Tour

Rick said the band were instrumental in getting Motley Crue on board for The Stadium Tour and therefore back into touring again.

Watch the full 13 minute interview video below.

You can also view many of the photos posted so far by fans who met Rick yesterday and today.


Visit the Tour News section. For more news on future tour plans.

Visit the Album News section for more news on new music (based on band member quotes).


The Gater 98.7 FM - Rick Allen Interview Quotes - (Transcribed by dltourhistory)

Finding Time For His Artwork

"I always find time. There's always time. I've had quite a bit of time off the road and I'm always building up the inventory. So yeah I find time."

Latest Art Collection

"Well the latest addition is, you know, since the fires in the rain forest in Brazil I did a whole series of rain forest sort of paintings. And, you know, I just wanted people to know that I'm aware of that stuff. You know my life experience has taken me to all kinds of different countries. And, you know, everything you see with the art collection is really based on you know my life experience."

"So I just want people to be aware that I care and that people can contribute in one way shape or form."

Painting Drums

"Oh yeah I started decorating drums. A lot of drums that I've used over the years. And I wrap these things in these beautiful sort of flag sort of wraps. And then paint a drum head. And people love them. They use them as coffee tables or you know you can actually play them."

Veterans Charities

"Well it's the least I can do really. You know I suffer with PTSD myself. Even though it's not combat related. When I first met up with some of our Wounded Warriors back in like 2006, I visited Walter Reid and, you know, they were speaking the same language as me. I could totally relate to what they were going through. You know isolation, anger issues, this that and the other."

"So for me to give back is really the least that I can do. And over the years it's really helped me to manage my own PTSD."

The Stadium Tour

"I think we were more the catalyst for, you know, getting everybody together. These are all bands that we've played with. And we just did press pretty recently in L.A., you know, with all the bands involved and I remember I just went up to Nikki. I said there's a real camaraderie with you guys, 'cause at times it's been a bit you know tentative."

"He was like last show, last tour you know we did the movie and you know we all kind of realised that we had a pretty good life you know and things had gone really well for us. You know they've had a lot of achievements. So I think it just took for us to say 'You know what let's go out on tour together'. To sort of get them to realise that it would probably be a good thing."

"After them, you know, sort of writing up this contract saying that they'd never play with each other again. They basically tore it up."

Pre-Tour Rituals

"Just eating as healthy as I can. I've been vegetarian/vegan for years. That helps. And then just really playing my drums as much as possible. Just familiarising myself with the songs as much as possible. And just getting into the physicality of, you know, driving a band like Def Leppard. The more I play, you know, the better I'll be."

"And then just just getting outdoors and just being as active as I could possibly be."

2019 iHeartRadio Music Festival Show

"That was cool. That was great and Miley was great you know. She came to visit us in the dressing room and she tore it up that night. She did a couple of covers. I think she did. I think Rock And Roll. And then she did Comfortably Numb. And it was fantastic man."

Def Leppard 2019. Screenshot

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame/Brian May

"Yeah he's cool. He's been a huge Def Leppard fan, you know, before we even met Brian. Def Leppard, we looked up to Queen. I mean you know it doesn't take much to realise that when you listen to Queen you can see where some of our influences came from."

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony

"When I first heard about it to be honest it was a bit of an inconvenience 'cause I was at home you know and I just wanted to be at home. And I'd just finished touring and, but then we went to New York about a week before the induction."

"And I started to realise how big a deal it was. And then finally getting up on that stage and seeing the whole industry sitting in front of me. And actually feeling, you know, appreciation and love from the industry. It was a little overwhelming."

Who He'd Like To Be In The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame

"T. Rex for sure. I mean that was something I grew up with. You know Marc Bolan was huge. I remember my mother gave me this tank top out of sort of wool and it never quite fit properly but it was my attempt at trying to look like Marc Bolan."

Joining Def Leppard Aged 15

"It was just before. I joined Def Leppard round about my 15th birthday. And it was actually a newspaper article that we saw in the local newspaper 'Leopard loses skins'. And we managed to get Joe's information through the newspaper."

"And then a couple of days later I met with Joe and Steve at a local club and realised that we'd all been to the same concerts and, you know, we all had the same interest in music. And a few days after that I went and played with them and I got the gig."

Wentworth Gallery Exhibitions

"Normally what I'll do is I'll say hello to everybody as I come in 'cause sometimes you know the lines are pretty long. And not everybody is there to necessarily but art. Hopefully they are, but it's interesting because I remember this one girl she said 'I really, I can't afford to get any of the art'. I said ah, you know it's nice to meet you. A year later she came and bought a piece. So that was cool."



Rick Allen Art Events - January 2020

Legends And Dreams

Friday 10th January 2020 - Wentworth Gallery, Fort Lauderdale, FL

LAS OLAS, 819 E LAS OLAS BLVD, FORT LAUDERDALE, FL 33301 from 6pm to 9pm.

Saturday 11th January 2020 - Wentworth Gallery, Hollywood, FL

SEMINOLE HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO, 5804 SEMINOLE WAY SUITE 103, HOLLYWOOD, FL 33314 from 4pm to 4pm.

Saturday 11th January 2020 - Wentworth Gallery, Boca Raton, FL

TOWN CENTER MALL, 6000 GLADES ROAD, BOCA RATON, FL 33431 from 6pm to 9pm.



Def Leppard 2019.

Def Leppard / Latest Release


Def Leppard / Latest Tour

Def Leppard World Tour 2020


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