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Press Coverage On Lauren
Hollywood Exclusive by Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith
With Def Leppard setting off on a cross-country tour this summer, you'd better believe that some of the fans most looking forward to catching one of their shows are Iraq War veterans - who've found drummer Rick Allen to be a source of inspiration and a friend.
Allen's story is well-known: He suffered the loss of his arm in an auto accident in 1984, then managed a remarkable comeback, remaining among the best rock drummers of all time by training himself to drum with one arm and foot pedals. Rick and his singer-songwriter-musician wife Lauren Monroe started their Raven Drum Foundation in 2001, aiming to help other amputees. In recent years, since he first went to visit wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Hospital, they've focused their energies on veterans, "using the power of the drum as the center of the healing modality," as Lauren puts it.
by Donn Swaby of Melt Magazine
Lauren Monroe is a spiritual healer, teacher, and singer/songwriter who has just released her first CD, Lauren Monroe, The Freedom Sessions. Produced by her husband, Rick Allen, drummer for the legendary rock band, Def Leppard, the CD includes a collection of acoustic songs that artfully blend the genres of rock, blues, country, and pop. In addition to performing the songs with a band in the Los Angeles area while trying out new material for an upcoming second CD, the musical couple also host communal and musical events via their outreach organization, Raven Drum Foundation, where they help create a space for emotional and psychological healing through the transcendent power of music. Lauren and Rick took time out of their busy schedules to talk to Melt:
Melt: How does your work as healer find its way in your music?
Lauren Monroe: Music is a very spiritual experience. It's about coming from a place of inspiration and connecting with the invisible, with the unseen, and then manifesting it in a way that it becomes palpable for people. Hopefully then the music will inspire people and give them hope.
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Rick Allen and Lauren Monroe for the release of their album, The Freedom Sessions. The disc marks Lauren's debut, as well as Rick's long awaited return to acoustic drums. I also got to chat with Rick (the drummer for Def Leppard since the age of 15) about the making of Hysteria and his work with famed producer, Robert John "Mutt" Lange. When asked if he took any tricks from Mutt to help with Lauren's CD, he revealed that Lange's biggest gift to him was "the art of listening." Def Leppard's Hysteria is a major feat on many levels - and not only for Allen's courageous return to the drums after a life-altering accident. It's amazing to note that the lushly layered, multi-platinum release was created long before the audio manipulations afforded by the Pro Tools recording platform! Audiophiles and gear neophytes alike can recognize that as a huge accomplishment. Allen says, "I believe Pro Tools was created for Mutt!"
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