10 Perfect Posthumous Rock Albums

At the end of the '80s, Def Leppard were in some deep trouble. Not only did they have to worry about the influx of alternative music that was about to make hair metal obsolete, but they also had to try and top the crowned jewel they had already made with Hysteria. Though Adrenalize gave them incentive to keep moving, not every member of the band managed to make it to the other side.

Midway through the writing sessions, it started to become abundantly clear that Steve Clarke was losing his battle with alcoholism, going into clinics for days at a time before going right back to the bar. Giving him the opportunity to cool out in his mansion, Clarke tried desperately to get clean before ultimately dying of heart failure before the album could get finished.

Finishing off the record as a four piece, Phil Collen has even said how weird it felt getting the record done without Steve, almost like he was trying to play his parts and feeling the spirit of his friend trying to help him along. As much as the party vibes come through on these songs, White Lightning also hits a somber note, being a tribute to their brother and one of the most epic songs the band had ever written. While rock and roll can feel like the Wild West, seeing this kind of bond in a band is the closest you can get to blood brothers.