RockStories

RockStories: Def Leppard's 'Hysteria'

In 1984, few rock bands were riding higher than Sheffield, England-based quintet Def Leppard. But then, things got very low on December 31, 1984, when their drummer, Rick Allen, lost his arm in a very serious car crash. But instead of looking for another drummer, Def Leppard found a way to help their bandmate and brother return to a new, modified drum kit. And then, they recorded the most popular album of their entire career: Hysteria. On this episode of RockStories, hear about the triumphant return of the ‘thunder god’ and the three-year process of making a genre-defining masterpiece that sold over 25 million copies.

RockStories: Van Halen's "1984"

Maybe it had something to do with the fact that a man named George Orwell wrote a dystopian novel about a society where “Big Brother” watched our every move. Or maybe it was the fact that we were about to launch into the computer age with the introduction of something called the ‘Macintosh.’ But something seemed very futuristic about the year “1984,” and perhaps it was that momentum that steered Van Halen into uncharted territory with their 6th studio album. Thanks in large part to the synthesizer-laden track "Jump," it would become the most successful album of their career up to that point. But it was also the album that would lead to the exit of their legendary frontman David Lee Roth — and that's just the beginning of the drama surrounding "1984."

RockStories: Led Zeppelin "4"

While music is art, and art is subjective, there exists one album in the history of rock music that is viewed by many as, objectively, the "greatest rock album of all time." And yet, the artists who created this timeless classic elected to remain anonymous upon its release, opting instead for symbols to represent them. Led Zeppelin's fourth studio album — henceforth known as Led Zeppelin 4 — is viewed as a work of genius. On this episode of RockStories, we uncover the mysteries surrounding the writing and recording of arguably the best rock album of all time. Did the ghosts of Headley Grange influence the songs on "4"? Did an unseen hand write the lyrics of "Stairway to Heaven"? And what did those symbols appearing on the album's jacket mean, exactly? Get the answers to these questions and more on this episode of RockStories.

RockStories: ACDC's "Back in Black"

Few bands could endure the death of a key member, and immediately produce the most successful album of their career. But that's exactly what happened when ACDC turned tragedy into triumph with the release of "Back in Black" in 1980. On this episode of RockStories, you'll hear the story of Bon Scott's passing, and how this legendary Aussie quintet was able to not only survive, but thrive, and create the most popular album in the history of rock music.