Malvin's Words

On Rick's return to the band:

"There was the bass drum, and the snare drum, and the high hat and...and a stool and he sat there working away for almost 15 minutes, and then he almost collapsed." - 1997

"I will never forget the night that I met Rick Allen at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, six weeks after the accident. I remember it was my first glimpse of Rick since he had lost his arm, and I watched him wait for his luggage from the meeting point through a huge glass plate window that looked into the carousels. It epitomized to me the meaning of the cliche "Death Warmed Up". I know that he will forgive me for using this description because he was kind of feeling that way. He was so glad to see me, that he almost fainted in my arms.

Once we were in the car, he became animated, telling me about his new ideas. As he told me about his plan, I had to hide my tears, sitting next to this young chap so soon after his awful experience. I took him to his room at the hotel and left him, so that I could carry out his request by getting some drums from the studio at Wisseloord in Hilversum; "Oh Mal, by the way..... I only need ONE drumstick," he called after me as I reluctantly left him alone. I arranged for a small meeting room to be opened for us and set up a kick drum and a snare drum with a blanket covering them to dampen the sound. He was exhausted before he started and he only lasted for about 15 minutes..... But in that short time, he had been able to put his theory into a simple and basic reality." - 2001

"My favorite band member, Rick Allen, is leaning over my shoulder as I type. He's trying to encourage me to say something special about him. I'm telling him people do not need to be reminded. Eeeeyyuuuch! Now he has his tongue in my ear. Rick Allen is special." - 1996

Malvin Mortimer, Tour Manager