Welcome to another episode of the Hardcore Humanism Podcast. Today we are talking with a fantastic and inspiring husband wife team, Rick Allen and Lauren Monroe. Many of you know Rick as the drummer for the legendary rock band Def Leppard. Rick is also a visual artist – check out his website RickAllen.com for his upcoming showcases in collaboration with the Wentworth Gallery. And Lauren is a spiritual healer as well as an artist and musician – you can check out her new album Under The Wolf Moon at LaurenMonroe.com. And together they have formed The Raven Drum Foundation, a non-profit that helps people heal through a variety of methods, including drumming. Within the Raven Drum Foundation Rick and Lauren have launched Project Resiliency, which utilizes holistic healing approaches to a range of populations, including mothers and children who have suffered domestic violence, wounded soldiers who struggle with PTSD and cancer patients.
Now for those of you who are not aware, Rick joined Def Leppard in the late 1970’s when he was 15 years old. The band then went on to huge success with their 1981 album High ‘n’ Dry (1981). Then they had even more success with their classic 1983 album Pyromania, with classic songs such as “Photograph” and “Rock of Ages.” Def Leppard’s infectious blend of classic rock and heavy metal put them on top of the world. There was no stopping them.
But in December of 1984, Rick was in a car accident that ultimately resulted in the amputation of his right arm. This was a devastating shock to the rock community. As a human being, I felt for Allen. As a fan, I couldn’t help but wonder if I would ever hear new Def Leppard music again. But then in 1986, what seemed like a miracle occurred. Def Leppard played the Monsters of Rock Festival held at Castle Donington in England. How could this be? During our conversation, Rick described how his friend Peter Hartley created electronic pedals so that rather than playing the drums the more conventional way, with two hands and one foot, Allen could play with two feet and one hand. As soon as Allen was out of the hospital, he tried out Hartley’s creation. And in 1987, Def Leppard, with Allen on drums, released Hysteria, an album that went on to sell over 20 million records worldwide. The album included hits such as “Animal,” “Love Bites,” and the monster stadium rock anthem “Pour Some Sugar On Me.” Def Leppard was back and stronger than ever. And they have gone on to be one of rock’s most enduring and productive bands, releasing albums and play shows for the past 30 plus years. In 2019, Def Leppard was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
And now Rick has taken his personal experience and combined it with Lauren’s experience in healing and the arts to form the Raven Drum Foundation and Project Resiliency. And one of the concepts that Lauren talks about is what they called “aggressive vulnerability.” This is the idea that vulnerability is not a weakness, it is a strength. When we can embrace vulnerability, we not only can build ourselves as creative and innovative people, but also develop our empathic capacity to help others.
Photo credit: Ash Newell
