Whitesnake started recording their eight album in January 1989. Bruce Fairbairn was initially chosen to produce, but was forced to drop out due to scheduling conflicts. The band then hired both Keith Olsen and Mike Clink to produce the record. Coverdale later explained the decision to hire two producers, citing pressure to follow-up the band's previous record. He stated: "I was concerned that Keith Olsen couldn't achieve the powerful low-end I wanted [...] and I wasn't convinced that Mike Clink could get me other sonic aspects I was after." During the recording process, Adrian Vandenberg sustaned an injury to his wrists while performing some playing exercises. Despite consulting a doctor and significant rest, Vandenberg's injury persisted, leaving him unable to play the guitar properly. It wasn't until 2003 that he learned the injury was the result of nerve damage sustained in a 1980 car accident. Vandenberg's injury caused significant delays to the album, which had originally been slated for release in the June–July 1989. Ultimately, Coverdale was forced to find another guitar player to play on the record. He opted to recruit former Frank Zappa and David Lee Roth guitarist Steve Vai, who he had seen in the 1986 film "Crossroads" a few years earlier. Vai officially joined Whitesnake in March 1989. Vandenberg, meanwhile, was not fired from the band. Instead, he was given enough time to recuperate while Vai recorded the album. Vandenberg is still minimally featured on the finished record.