But I think that the most important thing was to really stop drinking. Rick Allen More Quotes by Rick Allen More Quotes From Rick Allen Before my accident I was a little too... selfish and self-absorbed and for me, to now be at the place where I can kinda give back and inspire people. I'm blessed. I'm really blessed. Rick Allen selfish blessed people And more importantly, I wouldnt be the person I am today, I wouldnt be where I am now and I may not even have been here if it wasnt for the accident. Rick Allen persons may today If I couldn't play drums it would have destroyed me. If you're thrown in the deep end you swim, and that's basically what I did. I had to do it and with the rest of the band behind me and the encouragement I got from people from all over the world, I knew that I was going to play Rick Allen encouragement play people Just the same way I'd say a prayer before going onstage, taking that even further and using the drum to inspire people. And using that as a vehicle for the intention. Rick Allen prayer people moving Some people say that practice makes perfect but I just feel that the repetition works against me and I start thinking too far ahead during a show. Rick Allen practice people thinking I was happy in Dublin because it is very cosmopolitan. Rick Allen dublin travel Chasing the sensation. Whether it was drugs or sex or whatever. Those things had become my main focus in life. Rick Allen drug focus sex Thinking about what songs are coming next instead of just relaxing, breathing and playing from my heart. Sometimes it can get to be almost like the enemy. Rick Allen heart song thinking I really don't feel any strong allegiance to any country. Rick Allen allegiance strong country I have never been one for the over-the-top. Rick Allen over-the-top If we had loads of money as a family, things would be different and they'd come to visit more and I'd get to spend more time here. But I'm laying down roots in America so when I'm there, just being at home, it's harder to break away from that. Rick Allen family money home time I prefer the rather old and battered, things with character, to the brand new. Rick Allen brand new things character We're probably doing better business than we thought we would do especially considering the disappointing way the record company has handled the album. Rick Allen better thought business way At the end of the day, they're happy if you do the obvious songs towards the end of the set and you've got to try and make yourself happy by doing certain songs at the front end of the set. Rick Allen yourself day you happy America feels like home as much as it does here. Although it's a strange situation as I feel almost like I'm in no-man's land some of the time, because although I'm a resident, I still can't vote so I don't really have a say in what goes on where I live. Rick Allen feel vote home time I think my perception of my own life is different and the fact that Lauren and myself are together. I've never felt this free or happy and so that permeates onto my onstage persona and to my working environment. Rick Allen myself together happy life But the irony is that because the band isn't the focus any more, it allows me the chance to enjoy being a member of Def Leppard much more. Rick Allen me enjoy focus chance But it's funny that now I'm in such a happy situation, I look more objectively at my own past and see what others have seen for a long time and I'm just so glad I've been able to get to this point. Rick Allen happy time funny long I think at that time I obviously wasn't aware of what I really needed. But conversely, my wanting to prove something to everyone was beneficial 'cause if I hadn't done it then, maybe I'd never have done it. Rick Allen never think prove time But unfortunately, in my unrelenting drive to get back on that drum stool, the major casualty in all of it was that I really forgot about me. Rick Allen drive get back me
