10 Rock Bands That Almost Killed Each Other In The Studio

As Def Leppard came off of their album High N Dry, they were at a bit of a crossroads in their sound. Originally thrown in with the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, this new look was a much more polished affair that sounded like a pop flavored version of AC/DC. Producer Mutt Lange thought they could reach even bigger though, resulting in their first huge mainstream success with Pyromania.

While this album is absolutely perfect for what it is, Mutt's workman like mentality was more than Leppard could handle at the best of times. The original clash actually ended in guitarist Pete Willis being fired from the group, with Phil Collen brought in to play leads. On the other hand, not everyone was at the top of their game, with Joe Elliott comparing singing his vocal harmonies as akin to being on the frontlines in the Army.

One of the most difficult dustups happened with Rick Allen though, who blew up after his request to listen to the track was answered with "when I want your opinion Rick, I'll ask you for it." The actual album though turned into just the right kind of tunes to expose kids to the heavier side of rock, with down and dirty riffs laced with the same vocal layering you'd find on a Queen record. Once this started gaining traction, it was only a matter of time before Leppard became one of the biggest hard rock bands in the world.