Rick Allen – November 2012 Classic Rock Birthdays

Halloween is great, but the fun continues every Nov. 1 for Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen. It's hard to imagine, but Allen started with the band at the age of 15 and is now celebrating his 49th birthday.

There was a time when many doubted Allen's musical future, as a car accident in 1984 severed his left arm and attempts to reattach it did not take. But the band, who were coming off the biggest album of their career, would not move forward without their brother.

Allen was eventually able to continue with a specially designed drumkit that allowed him to play with one arm and using foot pedals to trigger what his other arm would normally do.