Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen was assaulted outside a Florida hotel in March 2023. While he has fortunately recovered physically from that attack, he’s still struggling mentally.
Allen said in a recent interview that he’s still dealing with trauma from the scary incident and noted, “I’ve been going through some challenging times, kind of related to what happened in Florida … I’ve been trying to deal with that the best that I can, and really I just needed to take a break from some of the side-projects that I was busy with, just so I could spend more time at home.”
While he’s actively trying to work through the trauma so he can put the incident behind him, Allen recently participated in a cruise event displaying his art. In the process, he realized he’s still uncomfortable being in large crowds.
In November 2023, he said in an interview on The Jeremy White Show that everyday moments trigger him. He explained, “When I hear footsteps behind, me, I use shop window like a rearview mirror these days just to check out who’s behind me.”
At that time, Allen noted, “I’m just looking forward to being home and continuing to work through it.”
Fortunately, Allen will have plenty of support from his Def Leppard bandmates when they hit the road on various dates this year. For a full list of upcoming Def Leppard performances, head over to DefLeppard.com/Tour.
