Delimbed drummers, years of effort, endless cash: The 1987 Def Leppard album that somehow spawned seven hits
Def Leppard's 1987 album "Hysteria" became one of rock's greatest commercial successes despite staggering production challenges that nearly derailed it completely. The Sheffield band persevered through four years of creation, multiple studio relocations, producer changes, injuries and illness to deliver an album that spawned seven hit singles, including the monster "Pour Some Sugar on Me", and ultimately topped charts in both the UK and US.
The album's troubled production began in 1984 with producer Jim Steinman, whose creative vision clashed with the band's goals, resulting in eight weeks of scrapped material. Drummer Rick Allen lost his left arm in a car crash during recording, necessitating a custom electronic kit, whilst producer Robert "Mutt" Lange demanded a complete overhaul that added 18 months to the schedule. Additional setbacks included Lange's own car accident and frontman Joe Elliott's bout with mumps, all contributing to an approximate $5 million budget across three different studios in three cities.
- Four-year $5m production: drummer lost arm, multiple producer changes, endless delays
- Spawned seven hit singles including "Pour Some Sugar on Me"
- Topped both UK and US charts despite all setbacks
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Def Leppard are a rock band from Sheffield who released Hysteria in 1987. The album became a major commercial success, eventually spawning seven hit singles and topping the charts in both Britain and America, including "Pour Some Sugar on Me".
The album's creation spanned four years and involved recording at three different studios in three different cities. The production encountered numerous setbacks including conflicts with the initial producer that led to eight weeks of work being discarded, changes in producers, a car accident in which drummer Rick Allen lost his left arm, another accident involving the producer, the frontman's illness with mumps, and costs reaching approximately five million dollars.