Def Leppard’s Rick Allen “going by some difficult occasions” after “very traumatic” violent assault two years in the past

Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen has spoken additional about being violently attacked two years in the past in Florida, saying he’s “going by some difficult occasions” and calling the incident “very traumatic”.

In March 2023, the drummer was attacked exterior the 4 Seasons lodge in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Allen was smoking exterior the lodge when Hartley allegedly emerged from behind a pillar and rushed on the drummer, knocking him to the bottom.

A police report confirmed that Allen “hit his head on the bottom inflicting harm” and {that a} girl tried to assist, however was attacked by Hartley a number of occasions and dragged by the hair.

On April 17, Allen appeared on SiriusXM’s Trunk Nation, and was requested about why he opted to not exhibit his paintings on this yr’s Monsters of Rock cruise.

“I’ve been going by some difficult occasions, form of associated to what occurred in Florida,” Allen advised the host, as reported by Blabbermouth. “And that entire factor is form of ongoing, once I acquired crushed up exterior the lodge [there]. So I’ve been attempting to cope with that the perfect that I can, and actually I simply wanted to take a break from a few of the facet tasks that I used to be busy with, simply so I may spend extra time at residence.

“So, that’s been an actual problem for me. Hopefully I can put all of it behind me and I can simply form of get again to as regular as I may probably be given the circumstances. However that was very traumatic for me, and, yeah, it’s been troublesome. However hopefully I can put it behind me quickly.”

Allen, who misplaced his arm in a automobile crash in 1984, mentioned he discovered it “troublesome to be round folks” for the reason that assault.

“And so I made a decision, ‘You realize what, Rick? Don’t try to chunk off greater than you may chew. Simply cope with this, cope with what’s in entrance of you. Spend as a lot time as it’s good to at residence,’” he mentioned. “And I’m simply hoping, as I say, that I can put it behind me… I’d like to get again to doing a few of my facet tasks, notably the artwork. And let’s hope I can quickly.”

Again in 2023, a number of days after the assault, Allen took to Twitter to thank followers for his or her love and assist.

“We’re collectively now, and dealing on recovering in a secure house,” he wrote. “We’re specializing in therapeutic for everybody concerned. We ask you to affix us in our effort to maneuver from confusion and shock to compassion and empathy.

“We perceive this act of violence might be triggering for thus many individuals,” he continued, including that he and his spouse had been pondering of the “followers, veterans, and first responders in our international group”.

Police arrested 19-year-old Max Edward Hartley following the incident, who was charged with two counts of battery, 4 counts of felony mischief and abusing an “aged or disabled grownup”.

In different Def Leppard-related information, the band are named alongside Mötley Crüe, Nickelback, and Shinedown  because the headliners of the inaugural Boardwalk Rock Competition this yr.

The competition – organised by C3 Presents, which is owned by Reside Nation and takes care of festivals together with Lollapalooza and Austin Metropolis Limits – will happen in Ocean Metropolis, Maryland on Could 17 and 18.

Additionally on the invoice 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 Doorways Down, Excessive, The Struts and Black Stone Cherry.