Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen has spoken further about being violently attacked two years ago in Florida, saying he’s “going through some challenging times” and calling the incident “very traumatic”.
In March 2023, the drummer was attacked outside the Four Seasons hotel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Allen was smoking outside the hotel when Hartley allegedly emerged from behind a pillar and rushed at the drummer, knocking him to the ground.
A police report confirmed that Allen “hit his head on the ground causing injury” and that a woman attempted to help, but was attacked by Hartley multiple times and dragged by the hair.
On April 17, Allen appeared on SiriusXM’s Trunk Nation, and was asked about why he opted not to exhibit his artwork on this year’s Monsters of Rock cruise.
“I’ve been going through some challenging times, kind of related to what happened in Florida,” Allen told the host, as reported by Blabbermouth. “And that whole thing is kind of ongoing, when I got beaten up outside the hotel [there]. So 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.
“So, that’s been a real challenge for me. Hopefully I can put it all behind me and I can just kind of get back to as normal as I could possibly be given the circumstances. But that was very traumatic for me, and, yeah, it’s been difficult. But hopefully I can put it behind me soon.”
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Allen, who lost his arm in a car crash in 1984, said he found it “difficult to be around people” since the attack.
“And so I decided, ‘You know what, Rick? Don’t try and bite off more than you can chew. Just deal with this, deal with what’s in front of you. Spend as much time as you need to at home,’” he said. “And I’m just hoping, as I say, that I can put it behind me… I’d love to get back to doing some of my side projects, particularly the art. And let’s hope I can soon.”
Back in 2023, a few days after the attack, Allen took to Twitter to thank fans for their love and support.
“We are together now, and working on recovering in a safe space,” he wrote. “We are focusing on healing for everyone involved. We ask you to join us in our effort to move from confusion and shock to compassion and empathy.
“We understand this act of violence can be triggering for so many people,” he continued, adding that he and his wife were thinking of the “fans, veterans, and first responders in our global community”.
Police arrested 19-year-old Max Edward Hartley following the incident, who was charged with two counts of battery, four counts of criminal mischief and abusing an “elderly or disabled adult”.
In other Def Leppard-related news, the band are named alongside Mötley Crüe, Nickelback, and Shinedown as the headliners of the inaugural Boardwalk Rock Festival this year.
The festival – organised by C3 Presents, which is owned by Live Nation and looks after festivals including Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits – will take place in Ocean City, Maryland on May 17 and 18.
Also on the bill are shock rock legend Alice Cooper, Pennsylvania rockers Halestorm and British grunge icons Bush, joined by the likes of Chevelle, Three Days Grace, Flyleaf with Lacey Sturm, Puddle of Mudd, 3 Doors Down, Extreme, The Struts and Black Stone Cherry.
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