R.I.P. Martin Birch (70's-80's Hard Rock Producer)

**T.B.** · 08.09.20, 10:06 PM

https://www.themetalvoice.com/post/i...t-72-years-old

Martin Birch produced some of the best hard rock/metal albums of the mid 70's through late 80's. He produced Deep Purple's entire 70's run as well as Dio's Rainbow era and Coverdale's Whitesnake era up through Slide It In. He produced the run of Iron Maiden albums from Killers through Fear Of The Dark, Black Sabbath's two original Dio era studio albums and a slew of other bands including the Bob Welch era Fleetwood Mac albums.

One of the things he was noted for, was managing to make band's vinyl records sound really good even when were stuffed with over 20+ minutes worth of music per side like some of Iron Maiden's mid-80's albums were. My original UK pressing of Maiden's Number Of The Beast is one of the best sounding metal albums I've heard.

He apparently retired at at the young age 44 after producing "Fear Of The Dark" in '92.

**PrideofPasadena** · 08.10.20, 12:07 AM

One hell of a career for sure. Some great records.

RIP

**Simon Ribeiro** · 08.10.20, 04:44 AM

Rest in Peace, Martin!

What a curriculum as sound engineer and producer: The Sabs, Deep Purple, Jeff Beck, MSG, Cozy Powell, Maiden, BOC, Whitesnake, Rainbow, Fleetwood Mac.

**billy007** · 08.10.20, 06:11 AM

rest in peace, Mr. Birch - thanks for your contributions

**Number 47** · 08.10.20, 06:33 AM

They don't make 'em like that anymore... who used to make 'em like they don't make 'em anymore.

**Brett** · 08.10.20, 02:46 PM

Yeah he did all those amazing Maiden records. RIP!

**CaboChris** · 08.10.20, 03:58 PM

The guy that produced Classic Maiden. Just that alone. Rocking my Maiden shirt at work right now.

**Naked Wake** · 08.10.20, 04:04 PM

exceptional producer. Sad to learn of this.

**bklynboy68** · 08.10.20, 04:16 PM

The guy did Deep Purple, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Michael Schenker, Whitesnake, etc

This guy produced a good chunk of my music collection. Nearly everything he produced was a classic.

Unbelievable.

Fleetwood Mac Edit
1969 – Then Play On (engineer)
1970 – Kiln House (engineer)
1972 – Bare Trees (engineer)
1973 – Penguin (producer, engineer, mixing)
1973 – Mystery to Me (producer, engineer, guitar)
Deep Purple Edit
1969 – Concerto for Group and Orchestra (engineer)
1970 – Deep Purple in Rock (engineer)
1971 – Fireball (engineer)
1972 – Machine Head (engineer)[18]
1972 – Made in Japan (engineer)[19]
1973 – Who Do We Think We Are (engineer)
1974 – Burn (engineer, mixing)
1974 – Stormbringer (co-producer, engineer, mixing)
1975 – Come Taste the Band (co-producer, engineer, mixing)
1976 – Made in Europe (co-producer, engineer, mixing)- recorded live in April 1975
1977 – Last Concert in Japan (co-producer, engineer) – recorded live in December 1975
Jon Lord Edit
1971 – Jon Lord – Gemini Suite (engineer)
1976 – Jon Lord – Sarabande (producer, engineer, remixing)
1974 – Tony Ashton & Jon Lord – First of the Big Bands (engineer)
1977 – Paice Ashton Lord – Malice in Wonderland (engineer)
Bernie Marsden Edit
1979 - Bernie Marsden - And About Time Too (producer, engineer)
Wishbone Ash Edit
1970 – Wishbone Ash (engineer)
1971 – Pilgrimage (engineer)
1972 – Argus (engineer)
Rainbow Edit
1975 – Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow (co-producer, engineer, mixing)
1976 – Rising (producer, engineer, mixing)
1977 – On Stage (producer, engineer, mixing) – recorded live in 1976
1978 – Long Live Rock 'n' Roll (producer, engineer, mixing)
1986 – Finyl Vinyl (producer) – collection
Whitesnake Edit
1978 – Snakebite (producer)
1978 – Trouble (producer)
1978 – Live at Hammersmith (producer)
1979 – Lovehunter (producer, engineer)
1980 – Ready an' Willing (producer, engineer, mixing)
1980 – Live... in the Heart of the City (producer, engineer) – recorded live in 1978 and 1980
1981 – Come an' Get It (producer, engineer, mixing)
1982 – Saints & Sinners (producer, engineer, mixing)
1984 – Slide It In (producer)
Black Sabbath Edit
1980 – Heaven and Hell (producer, engineer)
1981 – Mob Rules (producer, engineer)
Blue Öyster Cult Edit
1980 – Cultösaurus Erectus (producer, engineer)
1981 – Fire of Unknown Origin (producer, engineer)
Iron Maiden Edit
1981 – Killers (producer, engineer)
1982 – The Number of the Beast (producer, engineer)
1983 – Piece of Mind (producer, engineer, mixing)
1984 – Powerslave (producer, engineer, mixing)
1985 – Live After Death (producer, engineer, mixing)[19]
1986 – Somewhere in Time (producer, engineer, mixing)
1988 – Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (producer, engineer, mixing)
1989 – Maiden England (producer, engineer, mixing)
1990 – No Prayer for the Dying (producer, engineer, mixing)
1992 – Fear of the Dark (producer, engineer, mixing)
Other artists Edit
1969 – Jeff Beck – Beck-Ola (engineer)
1970 – Peter Green – The End of the Game (engineer)
1970 – The Groundhogs – Thank Christ for the Bomb (engineer)
1971 – Stackridge – Stackridge (engineer)
1971 – Canned Heat and John Lee Hooker – Hooker 'N' Heat (Mixdown Engineer) – recorded in 1970
1971 – Skid Row – 34 Hours (engineer)
1971 – Toad – Toad (engineer)
1971 – Faces – Long Player (engineer)
1971 – Rock Workshop – The Very Last Time (engineer)
1971 – Jodo – Guts LP (engineer)
1972 – Silverhead – Silverhead (producer)
1972 – Toad – Tomorrow Blue (engineer)
1972 – Flash – Flash (engineer)
1972 – Flash – In the Can (engineer)
1973 – Gary Moore – Grinding Stone (producer, engineer)
1978 – The Electric Chairs – The Electric Chairs (producer)
1978 – Wayne County & the Electric Chairs – Storm The Gates Of Heaven (producer)
1978 – Wayne County & the Electric Chairs – Blatantly Offensive E.P. (producer)
1978 – Roger Glover – Elements (producer)
1979 – Cozy Powell – Over the Top (producer)
1982 – Michael Schenker Group – Assault Attack (producer, engineer)

Wayne County too?

Da Fuq?