Def Leppard News - DEF LEPPARD's RICK ALLEN On His STEVE CLARK Legends Piece (Video)

Tuesday, 3rd September 2019

DEF LEPPARD's RICK ALLEN On His STEVE CLARK Legends Piece (Video)

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Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen was interviewed last week in Las Vegas and the full video is available to watch.

Rick spoke to Julie's Rock Block for KTNY TV in Las Vegas.

Rick talked about his Legends Series paintings, the Steve Clark piece, starting to paint, art shows and his inspiration for painting.

Watch the full 6 minute interview below.

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Julie's Rock Block - Rick Allen Interview Quotes - (Transcribed by dltourhistory)

Steve Clark Portrait

"This was the first in the Legends series and this is actually my, a band mate of mine who sadly is not with us any more. But this was the first piece in the Legends series and using this technique where I'll take a photograph and then I'll sketch the photograph on the canvas. Create a grey scale. So blacks, greys, whites and then after the fact what I'll do is I'll choose what the grey scale needs to be. if it needs to be a skin tone. Or if the white needs to blend with the skin tone a little more."

"And the cool thing about this technique is you look at the piece closely and it doesn't really make that much sense. It's like geometric shapes. But then as you back off the piece you start to realise or what happens in your mind fills in all the blanks which is brilliant."

"And then as I was doing this piece I took a photograph of it and sent it to my Mum. And she keeps in touch with Steve's mother. And I guess she shared the image with Beryl, with Steve's Mum, and she had a few tears. So it was the biggest compliment because you know obviously I captured the essence, you know."

"And then I went on to do Janis Joplin, Lennon, Bowie. More recently I did Freddie Mercury. Tom Petty. So I'm just sort of going through all these incredible artists that me and most of my band mates were influenced by over the years."

So when did you start painting?

"When I was very young. And I just loved the whole idea. No formal training, nothing like that. But it really ignited a passion in me. And then I discovered music and then after my youngest daughter was born we started painting together. And that kind of reignited my passion for painting again."