Even the most normal non-drugs guy in the band had major issues while recording this album:
MARTY FRIEDMAN: I had other problems that I couldn't let anybody know about. I had a serious arm issue, far worse than tendon-itis. The nerves on my right arm had become detached and were mangled inside, barely connected to each other enough to have the synapse from my brain get to my hands. If I shook someone's hand, it would feel like a big electric shock going through my arm.
I had just joined a band on a major label, and I didn't want anybody to know about it. I had a doctor tell me to quit playing guitar or I could lose use of my arm entirely. He did not understand that I was recording this album. I went for a second opinion from a sports medicine doctor, and she said the first doctor was probably right, but she knew I was not going to stop playing at this point and worked to minimize the injury. I went to therapy every day for a couple of months. The doctor recommended I only play the barest minimum; no warming up, no noodling around, do as few takes as possible, just record when the red light is on, get your shit done, and get out of there. That is totally not my style. I like to do a lot of takes. I like to live with things and think about what I'm playing, try stuff and change things. But no, she said, play as little as possible.