In late 1993 rock and roll was dealt a cruel blow when Robert "Mutt" Lange married Shania Twain. Up until that point Lange had produced some of the 1980s best rock albums — including AC/DC's Back In Black and Def Leppard's Hysteria. Shortly before he tied the knot Lange ominously produced an album for Michael Bolton. Once the ring was on his finger Lange began working exclusively with his wife. Together they crafted her 1997 album Come On Over, which has sold 15.4 million copies in America alone and remains the best selling album of the Soundscan era. Yep, the same man who produced "You Shook Me All Night Long" and "Rock of Ages" is also responsible for "Man! I Feel Like A Woman!"
If that wasn't enough for rock fans to bear, the avalanche of money the album earned allowed them to buy a castle in Switzerland — where they reportedly joined a cult called Sant Mat that requires its members to give up sex, booze and 10% of their money. Up until last week it seemed like Shania had her tentacles firmly around every inch of Mutt’s body, but last week the fifteen year spell she cast on him must have expired because they filed for divorce. The great news was too late for AC/DC, who just finished a new album with Brendan O'Brien. Maybe that's a good thing, though. Mutt should move back out of Switzerland and start working with a new rock band. Def Leppard was still raw clay when he stumbled upon them in 1981. He soon shaped them into a powerhouse. Now that the succubus is out of his life, he's free to do it again.
[Photo: Davies/Getty]
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John Wicks | September 27, 2009 5:24 PM
Mutt's the greatest! IMHO.
And who knows what goes on behind closed doors anyway?? Whatever, he and Shania created some really cool music together.
I wish them both happiness and the very best of luck in the future.
shwaybabe | September 2, 2009 9:23 AM
oh please I just read my own post and listen people, SHANIA IS GOING TO MAKE A MAJOR COMEBACK.
shwaybabe | September 2, 2009 9:18 AM
Shania is going to make a HUGH come back. Hugh! Borken hearted? Maybe at first but she has moved on. My goodness, I adored Mutt but be cheated on the mother of his child. An awesome kid at that! Fred seems to be a close fit for her. Will see in the long run. Shania will be back and hugh. Mutt is still a rock'n dude and he will also be successful. Together they did very well and they will remain to do well. They have something together that they still need and love. A child. All the money in the world can't buy love. Lets all move on from this. Oh, just anote, as much as I like Mutt, I adore Shania and Fred really seems to be a very dear love to Shania. He's cute too. I hope Mutt is as happy with Marie-Anne.
aMusicProducer | August 21, 2009 4:54 PM
First, I think it's not for us to speculate too much in their private matters.
I trust these two mature, reasonable and obvious clever people
to sort that out for them self.
Musically, we know only one story, and that's the story that Shania and Mutt
started up together back in 1993. We will never get to know any other version of it.
The evidences shows us, they did the right thing at the right moment, a perfect
symbiosis, that leaves no one more important than the other one.
For me, it's the story of the two half joined at the right moment, and magic happened. They are both great talents that fulfilled each other, and the result
we all know very well by now.
A great honor to both Shania and Mutt!!
eeew | June 13, 2009 2:08 AM
how bout we focus on the fact that the douche cheated on his wife even though she is WAY more gorgeous than him. sounds like he is an ungrateful jerk
Anonymous | June 12, 2009 8:35 PM
Husband or not. Shania has the vocals.She can sing!
I'll bet she makes a comeback.
Just because she's Hot!!!!
Sue | June 4, 2009 5:27 PM
There was never anything average about Shania, or Mutt would never have bothered with her. She needed to meet someone who shared her vision....this is what all great artists need. Nashville is notorious for squelching its talent and making artists fit into the mold they want. Mutt knew she was a raw talent and he made millions from this....I am not taking away from his talent, but rather pointing out that you can't make another person talented.
Common Sense | June 4, 2009 8:40 AM
Shania was a very average vocalist and average country artist.
Mutt was well known in the rock world behind the scenes. He's private and wasn't famous. Everyone knows his work, just not who was behind it. If he wanted to be famous before Shania, he could have been.
Now he's working again behind the scenes and still putting out great stuff.
Shania is well known now... but that was because of Mutt. Can she rise to the top without him? She didn't before.
In short, she needed him. He didn't need her. He's proven he still doesn't need her. So can she maintain his standards and quality of music without him? Or will she be average again?
None of this is on a personal level. Just their music. I couldn't give a flip about their personal life.
Sue | May 14, 2009 7:35 AM
Is this article for real? Mutt Lange is the person who had the tentacles out. The man is a control freak....this is not news. If anything I think Shania likely doted too much on what he wanted in order to keep him happy. Listen to the song lyrics people...they tell the 14 year story.
PC-1 | January 4, 2009 5:27 AM
Shania had sold approx $50k albums before she met Mutt. With Mutt in control she sold $65 mill.
Mutt was worth Hundreds of Millions before he met Shania. He now has to share every cent he has ever made with her. She was broke before she met him.
The guy had sex with another women. She was obviously not giving him what he needed.
AOR | December 22, 2008 10:02 PM
Thanks to Mutt and Dann Huff (New) Country Music sounds like AOR that is still being made by alot of underrated rock bands. That sound never went out of style.Hell Joe Elliot and them good ole boys Def Leppard are DOING Country Music TODAY! Mutt needs to do what Rick Rubin has done for HIS career and those he produces.Rolling Stone should do an article on that melodic rock we call AOR.
Zane | November 21, 2008 10:33 PM
Yea, Shania was at the CMA as the surprise guest last week and she is workiong on new music and will be recording soon.
That person who pretends to know what happened is a nobody liar.
Shania was seperated from Mutt over 9 months ago, even before the announcement. She got over the split pretty quick and Mutt wanted to get back with her but Shania doesn't want anything to do with him.
My guess is Shania's next album will blow away any new Mutt project.
Shania is brand name and Mutt's production is getting old, same old tricks.
Shania now has a fresh producer and she wrote over 60 songs the last few months.
jenny | November 21, 2008 11:55 AM
This is to that idiot who says nobody special just somebody who knows lol!!!
You don't have a clue about Shania or her life and if you did you wouldnt' be posting on a blog.
Shania was the big surprise at the 2008 cma awards on Nov 12 and she stole the show. She is working on new music and has gotten past the split and moving on.
And actually Mutt Lange begged Shania to take him back but Shania wanted the divorce because he is a cheater.
Shania is a brand name now worldwide and will do just fine on her own.
Lorna Rich | November 17, 2008 6:12 AM
That Guy obviously knows Mutt, he's well known for reducing artists to tears and being a fan of right wing politics -in short he is very bad news and yes i knew him too, my boyfriend who knows him seperately says he has 'eyes like a nazi war criminal' as for his rock music IT'S COMMERCIALLY DRIVEN CRAP WITH ZERO INTEGRITY
D-Balls | November 11, 2008 1:30 PM
Come on over and we'll talk about whose bed his boots have been under. Looked like they made it and he won her love but don't be stupid, there were no black eyes or blue tears. For a time, he made her feel like a woman.
From this moment on, they will rock this country because, ka ching!, they can (for them, money does grow on trees) but they will just do it separately. His music is so up and she's not just a pretty face. There will be new music. When? Hard to say. For now, it will only hurt when they're breathing and for now it seems that leaving is the only way out. But that's their business and no one needs to know.
:-)
nobody special, just someone who knows | November 6, 2008 3:44 AM
Mutt DID have an affair, he is still with Marie Anne and simply just doesn't love Shania any more.
Of course he will rock again. Not so sure about her though. She is too broken hearted and lost in her pain. Her close friend stabbed her in the back and Mutt helped her.
Will she ever even write again? Too soon to tell. She really is devastated by this and finding it hard to move on. She sincerely loved him deeply. She trusted both of them completely and would never have suspected it in a million years.
Good luck Mutt Lange. You DO rock and you are a master with music but not so much so with love, unfortunately for Shania. It's all just very sad.
THAT GUY | October 24, 2008 4:22 AM
Hey mutt ,
If your reading this then you obviously know i've decided to be "that guy"........and quite frankly you've turned out to be the greedy, money, hungry a-hole i always knew you were...... underneath that ultra slick, smooth, bullshit appearance and well tuned manners.....your nothing like you portray yourself to be.........in fact your personality is about as manufactured as all your subliminal crappy music.......
you know who this is...
Jeff Besecker | September 29, 2008 1:11 PM
The Nickelback tune "Gotta Be Somebody" (Produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange) - I would say the answer is a resounding YES! "Mutt" Lange still can produce a GREAT rock song. The rest of the evidence will surface in November on the new Nickelback album entitled Dark Horse.
Jack Migger | August 17, 2008 4:55 AM
Here's a goodlooking woman who records songs like..."The Woman in Me"....and..."Man! I feel like a woman"......?
Methinks the Sisters of Sappho do raise their busy heads.....
HT | August 14, 2008 12:07 PM
As an individual that knew Mutt very well 25 years ago I feel compelled to comment on this article. First of all Sant Mat is not a cult, it is an Indian philosophy that involves, prayer and meditation and asks for it's followers to 'be in this world but not be of it '.Following a vegetarian diet and not drinking alcohol are two things that help to keep the mind clearer. This philosophy has helped to keep Mutt the grounded individual that i am sure he is still today. He is a very talented man that found his niche in the 80's with some great rock bands , but if anyone actually did some background research on him, would know that ' Mr Tamborine Man' by The Byrds is one of his favourite tracks , that he wrote ' All I Wanna Do is Make Love to You ' hoping that Don Henley would record it and that he enjoyed country music before he even met Shania Twain. He is a very private individual and does not particularly enjoy the spotlight. He is a very loving, caring and fun man with a gentle voice and an ego half the size of what it could be, based on his life's success.
The media have tried to pigeon hole him as the greatest producer of rock music and a genius, which he would not take too seriously - not that he wouldn't appreciate it - he just wouldn't take himself that seriously.
The work that he has done with his wife has been wonderful and i'm sure they have made a lot of people very happy with their jointly created music. They are both very talented and beautiful people in their own way and maybe their time together has come to an end. Everything happens for a reason and only the two of them that know the real reasons behind their break up. My hope for them both is that they are able to move forward and that their son will be able to remain the focus of their lives.
A friend.
KatLynn | August 8, 2008 5:52 PM
If Mutt and Shania joined Sant Mat then how in the hell did they produce a child together? Also if he gave up sex why is everyone accusing him of Adultry?
This article doesn't give either of them the respect they deserve.
They fell in love married and like the majority of us the marriage simply ended. Why does there always have to be a good vs evil issue to divorce? They are simply HUMAN.
Wish them both well in their futures, as they are both talented people who deserve our respect.
marie | August 4, 2008 10:14 PM
I am no fan of country music (to put it mildly), but this article is just cruel. Shania has helped pave the way for female artists even outside of the country music scene!
"tentacles firmly around every inch of Mutt’s body" ??! give me a break...seems pretty clear who screwed up here (no pun intended) and you're not making any new fans for your magazine by publishing this mean-spirited crap.
Summer | July 21, 2008 11:40 PM
I have listened to Shania Twain since I was five years old. I love ALL of her music, she is a great person and seems to have a VERY good heart. Me and my mom used to sit in the basement and just listen to her for hours. This article is cruel and is not really how Shania is. She can't be this bad of a person, think about it. She gave up her music career to take care of her siblings when her parents died in a car accident. Do I need say anymore? I don't know much about Mutt Lange. All I know is that he made a mistake and cheated on Shania, which I strongly disagree with, but I think it would be awesome if they tried to work things out after all. Besides, you never know what the future holds. There is no need to say mean things about Shania Twain which are not true. Rock and Roll fan or not, these two at one point in time were inlove. Shania seems to be the most affected by this, and I hope she stays strong and gets through this tough time in her life. She is my favorite female artist, and I will listen to her when I'm 50 years old, that's just how it is. I hope her son, Eja, is alright, being so young it is probably so hard for him to understand. Sad.
Kathy | June 9, 2008 6:09 PM
I am very saddened that Rolling' Stone would allow the
above article to be part of
their magazine.
Shania has proven herself time
and time again, and she and her
estranged should be allowed
privacy to deal with their
situation- name calling is not
needed.
Marie-Anne | June 4, 2008 5:04 PM
It's not me Shania, it's the blond woman down the cake shop that Mutt buys his buns from.
xxsarahnade. | May 29, 2008 5:16 PM
Mutt was the one who tracked Shania down...why does this article have to be so cruel?
Jake Hooker | May 27, 2008 5:27 PM
I knottiest Marie-Anne Thiébaud got bigger tits than Shania Twain, so that's what Mutt left Shania for, Swiss Big Boobies.
Mary | May 26, 2008 4:40 PM
Why on earth would anyone give up sex and booze?! Two of the best things in life!!!
Reg Garny | May 26, 2008 3:03 AM
Shania was a bog standard country singer, Mutt converted her into a pop star, she could look sexy, that sells, I saw a program that showed Shania Twain back in the early eighties, she had gappie teeth and was singing a bog standard country song, nothing to get excited about, so them good set of teeth are just a bridge, as for most of the clothes she wears are terrible fashion, has that woman got any idea of what good fashion is, I am not sure whether Mutt had an affair or not, most of the music Mutt has produced has been the best rock ever, Lets ask if it is true Mutt did have an affair with another woman why, maybe Shania just has not go what it takes to hold on to her husband.
The funny thing is I love Shania's music, but I just not keen on her as a person, she is to dam PC complaining about guys drinking beer and smoking, she should of kept her dam mouth shut, a lot of rock fans like a beer and ciggie.
Phil | May 23, 2008 7:37 PM
orgo, I think you are wrong. Yes, Mutt is one of the greatest producers of alltime but nobody even paid much attention to him in the general public until his wife became one of the biggest stars in history.
Shania's legacy of shaking up country music and taking it worldwide will last forever and so will Mutt's sounds.
Just remember it is Shania who the whole world knows. Mutt is the man behind the scenes and it was harder from him to stay that way with a very famous wife.
Shania sacrificed alot for him and his weird lifestyle. Shania will re invent herself and have many more successful albums because she has a great talent,charisma and she is a brand name now worldwide.
Alison | May 23, 2008 7:03 PM
what a stupid article. Mutt is great but if anything HE was the one that had his tenticles around her. He made her move to switzerland because of privacy for god's sake. Talk about controlling.
Orgo | May 23, 2008 5:23 PM
Beccy-I think you'll find Mutt's legacy will be the one most remembered.The likes of Back In Black,Hysteria and Come On Over are just the tip of the iceberg.These are faves he produced(no particular order):
4-Foreigner
Heartbeat City-The Cars
Highway To Hell-AC/DC(still the best one he did with them,though Back In Black's a close 2nd.For Those About To Rock's got a couple of rippers on it but no match for the previous 2)
This Is Pop-XTC(the single and BETTER version)
Beckie | May 23, 2008 2:13 PM
What an utter load of rubbish!!! If there was any spell being cast in that marriage, it certainly wasn't by her and mutt lange really isn't all that. Her legacy will far outlive his
Page Three Girl | May 23, 2008 4:06 AM
Mutt Rocks, Shania Rocks, they have split, I know it's a hard time for you Shania at this moment, but you can do more great albums with or without Mutt, Good Luck.
thomas | May 23, 2008 3:29 AM
That's a stupid article. Geez, RS will let anyone write anything to fill space or to manufacture drama.
So two people got married, then 15 years later divoriced.
That was just a plain mean sprited article.
Rolling Stone is more or less just a People magazine of the music world.
Anonymous | May 23, 2008 12:47 AM
What a stupid article don't cha think? Keeping on producing AC DC albums and all that stuff would be repetitive..when The Woman in me and Come on over came, music changed in videos..and for country music. And they hae just recorded 3 albums together! So Shania will success with another change and another producer...what about Rick Rubin? She doesn't need Mutt
btw, Mutt was well Known thanks to Shania :P
Huh? | May 22, 2008 11:08 PM
This is why I don't read Rolling Stone anymore. You guys are idiots.
katy | May 22, 2008 5:19 PM
hey, hey, what would be if I do not judge, what they do in private life is their problem, anyone can be hapens.Of chourse, being fans have been taking her by surprise so that's it. Their work together was incredible, Katy
Queen Toad | May 22, 2008 2:40 PM
Shania's The Woman In Me & Come On Over were great Mutt productions, Up album was more a downer, I hope Shania out of Mutt's life maybe we can have some Ups on future productions with Mutt on others.
Natasha | May 22, 2008 2:57 AM
How quickly people seem to forget? First of all, Mutt went to Nashville during fanfair when Shania had her first album out to meet her. He sought her out. IF Shania had no talent at all I highly doubt someone like Mutt would be seeking her out and wanting to work with her. Also Mutt is a country music fan as well; the steel guitar is one of his favourite instruments. He wasn’t forced to work with Shania he did so because he wanted to. To blame Shania for Mutt getting away from Rock music isn’t really fair. He stayed focused on working with her again, by choice. And let’s not forget that their partnership musically speaking was so successful. Simply put, he enjoyed a lot of success with Shania and even though he has worked with some amazing artists if you look at the sales numbers of Shania releases thay speak for themselves surpassing even some of the great rock acts Mutt worked with.
So what does that tell you? Remember like it or not, The “music business” is in fact, jut that “a business” “ Most, producers could only dream of having that kind of record sales success . I mean come on people, when “come On Over” can surpass Patsy Cline in record sales that’s an achievement!. Whether you like her or not, Shania Twain is gifted and as much credit as one should give Mutt for his music talents they should also recognize Shania’s as well.!
Jake | May 21, 2008 4:28 PM
This article is kind of mean.
Shania has a son with him and they loved eachother. They are both uber rich and can live like kings or queens without ever having to work again.
They havn't divorced yet and nobody knows what the future holds but Shania and Mutt were the greatest mucical commerical team ever. Shania sold 70 million cd's worldwide with the 4 albums he produced with her and they cowrote.
I for one am very upset to hear of the breakup and I hope they can work things out.
Anonymous | May 21, 2008 2:19 PM
All I can say is: it takes two to tango...I am sure a man of his status can make up his own mind and decide what he wants to do. There is no need to blame someone else!
Jungleland | May 20, 2008 2:54 PM
He could have a comeback like Ric Ocasik did with Weezer. Think Wolfmother or Eagles Of Death Metal would let him produce? Maybe Foo Fighters? Green Day? VAN HALEN???
Mutt could kick Axl out of GnR and mix and master what has been recorded and get Chinese Democracy into the record stores!