Biography

On 23 October 1995, he (as a member of Def Leppard) performed a concert in Tangier, Morocco; then later that same day the band performed in London, England; then that night they performed again in Vancouver, Canada. Three concerts on three different continents in 24 hours. That stunt landed Def Leppard in the Guinness Book of World Records. The following day, the band flew to Singapore to begin a tour of Southeast Asia.

On the afternoon of 31 December 1984, Rick was driving with his girlfriend, when he was involved in a serious car accident. His seat belt had severed his left arm at he shoulder, and it was reattached with surgery. Three days later, the arm became infected and doctors had to amputate it. He taught himself to play drums using his right arm and left foot, and returned as a member of Def Leppard to record their 1987 mega-hit, Hysteria. He continues to record and perform with them.

Rick and his current wife, Lauren Monroe, founded the "Raven Drum Foundation", which uses music as therapy.

Shares a birthday with Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman, Anthony Kiedis.

He was given the Humanitarian Award on August 29, 2001.