10 Albums Which Almost Destroyed Their Creators

10. Gaucho - Steely Dan

Critically-acclaimed purveyors of high-quality, jazz-inflected, cerebral pop, Steely Dan had, by the time of Gaucho's release (1980) followed The Beatles in becoming a studio-only outfit. From 1974 onwards, founding members Walter Becker (guitars, bass) and Donald Fagen (keyboards, vocals) employed a rotating line-up of session musicians to realise their sound. Famously (or infamously) regarded as perfectionists, the duo faced their sternest challenge with the recording of this album.

Plagued by drug addictions, Becker's contributions were further strained thanks to a serious accident – the guitarist was hit by a car, resulting in multiple fractures and a lengthy rehabilitation, made worse by secondary infections. Then, Becker's girlfriend, Karen Stanley, died of a drug overdose while at the star's home. Stanley's family subsequently sued Becker over her death, ultimately losing the case but putting everyone involved through a tortuous process.

Beset by additional legal problems, and with an ever-worsening relationship between Becker and Fagen, by the time of Gaucho's completion, some 40 musicians had been employed to work on the album. Gaucho proved a critical success, winning a Grammy, but the two musicians would not work together again for over a decade.