Page 74 - Classic Rock - The Complete Story of Def Leppard 2019

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The year of Big Brother had been a year of big With Leppard holed up in in Wisselloord Studios Just as concerns about Allen dissolved, though,
bother. And then, with its last breath, it it kicked Def in Holland, the days passed, with Allen re-learning to another problem presented itself. Strange as it may
Leppard in the nuts again – but this time so much play in one room, and the band continuing work on seem, great songs do not necessarily make a great
harder. On New Year’s Eve, Rick Allen crashed his car Hysteria in another room. When he called them in to album. Elliott recalled: “We knew we had the songs,
in Yorkshire, and in the accident his left arm was torn hear him playing a Led Zeppelin track, they knew he and we knew what we needed them to sound like, but
off. It was a cruel blow for anyone, let alone a was going to fight it out. we just couldn’t do it. We were all trying to second-
musician. But with the kind of time the band had been “It ended up such a positive thing,” Collen said. guess Mutt.” After further weeks of struggling
experiencing, there must have been question marks “Rick was a guy overcoming a full-blown tragedy. It’s through recording sessions, attempting to imitate
over everyone’s heads, despite the band’s insistence a great human story of a person overcoming a terrible their missing producer, Lange finally felt able to return
ever since that no thought of quitting or getting a new situation.” to work, and committed to Hysteria. And then – as if to
drummer entered their heads.
With true Yorkshire grit, Allen was up and about in “I WAS JUST FARTING
a matter of weeks, working with pioneering electronic
drum makers Simmons to create a kit that could be
played with two feet and one arm. AROUND. MUTT SAID: ‘THAT’S
“I became a different person after the accident,”
Allen said in 2004. “I was spiritually transformed. But
there was an integration period that was very difficult. THE BEST HOOK I’VE HEARD
I had to grow into my new body and get my head
around myself.
Rick Savage recalled: “The initial reaction was IN FIVE YEARS!’”
horror. It was possible he wouldn’t survive. But once
he was off the danger list we began to come to terms
with it.” JOE ELLIOTT ON THE BIRTH OF POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME

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