Def Leppard famously worked with legendary producer Mutt Lange on their hit albums High 'N' Dry (1981), Pyromania (1983), and Hysteria (1987). Lange also has an Executive Producer credit on the band's 1992 album, Adrenalize.

In a new interview with Stereoboard, Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen discusses the possibility of Mutt producing another album for the band.

"There’s a level of excellence Mutt has that no one else has," says Phil. "It takes time and people are not prepared to pay for that. If we said ‘We’re gonna do an album with Mutt but it’s gonna cost a hundred quid per album’, you know what I mean? I think we could do the odd song with Mutt but if we did a whole album, because of his level of excellence, it would take more time. It’s a jigsaw puzzle, there’s a mystery, a thing that unfolds that you have to navigate through, a journey.

"I know it sounds weird but that’s how he works. You begin with a starting point and then follow a muse and away you go. His level of excellence isn’t just given away, its earned and worked for. You can do an ordinary version of that but for the stuff you’re talking about, what fans would really want to hear, would take a lot of time. I don’t think he’d be prepared to do that, or us or the label. We couldn’t take that much time off."

Read the complete interview at Stereoboard.

Def Leppard's new greatest hits collection, The Story So Far - The Best Of, is out now. The set is available in multiple configurations: a 2-CD set comprised of 35 tracks, 1-CD comprised of 17 tracks, 2LP vinyl, and digital.

Among a blockbuster tracklisting loaded with timeless smashes, all four versions feature three new songs, including the official recording of the band’s recent fan favorite Depeche Mode cover “Personal Jesus” (video below), “Rock On (Remix)”, and the original holiday song “We All Need Christmas”. As a bonus for collectors, the first pressing vinyl copies of The Story So Far feature an exclusive 7” single of “Personal Jesus” and “We All Need Christmas.” See full tacklisting below.

Get the Story So Far here.

The Story So Far tracklisting:

Disc 1:

“Animal”
“Photograph”
“Pour Some Sugar On Me”
“Love Bites”
“Let’s Get Rocked”
“Armaggedon It”
“Foolin’”
“Two Steps Behind”
“Heaven Is”
“Rocket”
“Hysteria”
“Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad”
“Make Love Like A Man”
“Action”
“When Love & Hate Collide”
“Rock of Ages”
“Personal Jesus”

Disc 2:

“Let’s Go”
“Promises”
“Slang”
“Bringin’ On The Heartbreak”
“Rock On (Radio Remix)”
“Nine Lives” (feat. Tim McGraw)
“Work It Out”
“Stand Up”
“Dangerous”
“Now”
“Undefeated”
“Tonight”
“C’Mon C’Mon”
“Man Enough”
“No Matter What”
“All I Want Is Everything”
“It’s All About Believing”
“Kings Of The World”

"Personal Jesus" video:

Trailer:

The Stories So Far Episode #1:

The Stories So Far Episode #2:

The Stories So Far Episode #3: