On Sunday night, famed hard-rock producer Martin Birch passed away at 71. Casual music and hard rock fans might not even recognize the name, but it’s familiar to those of us who spent our teenage years locked in our bedrooms, cross-legged on the floor in front of a blaring Sears console stereo, comparing the liner notes of “The Number of The Beast” and “Piece of Mind,” and wondering who he was, exactly what he did, and how he himself was so obviously an extension of those incredible records and bands.
Birch started as an engineer in the late ‘60s and helped run sessions for Fleetwood Mac, Jeff Beck, Deep Purple (including their classic “Machine Head”) and even the Faces. By the mid-’70s he was co-producing and producing some of the loudest, heaviest music to come out of England on records by artists like Rainbow and Whitesnake, but as great as that stuff was, it was his work in the early-mid ‘80s that was truly defining.
Recording with Rainbow’s Richie Blackmore.
As the producer on “Heaven and Hell” and “Mob Rules” he played a key role in re-establishing Black Sabbath as a legitimate force after the departure of Ozzy Osbourne. He was behind the board for many Iron Maiden records, starting with 1981’s “Killers” and 1982’s “The Number of The Beast,” perhaps his most celebrated work, as they ushered in Bruce Dickinson on vocals and became one of the hardest-working, prolific, successful, and popular metal bands of all time. As heavy metal transitioned from leather and denim to lace and hair spray, Birch stayed in his lane, still working with Maiden, but also continuing to produce compilation records or re-cut hit-collections by the same, mostly past-their-prime, bands he helped create the hits for in the first place.
In the studio with Iron Maiden.
A lot of music fans are content listening to Spotify through ear buds, throwing up the devil horns, closing their eyes, and bobbing their head as Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll fills the room - Ronnie James Dio’s larger-than-life vocals sounding incredible on top of Ritchie Blackmore’s Stratocaster and that iconic riff. Some dig a little deeper in a quest to learn who helped to get that sound. If your jam is “Back in Black” or “Pyromania” you might want to look up Mutt Lange. If you like Aerosmith “Rocks” or John Lennon’s “Double Fantasy,” Jack Douglas is a name you might be interested in. But when it comes to classic British hard rock and heavy metal in the late ‘70s and ‘80s, Martin Birch is the common link. So pick your favorite record from his discography, pour yourself a pint of bitter, and take in the awesome, warm sounds of those Marshall stacks.
Rest in Piece, Martin Birch.
Top 5 Martin Birch Albums:
1. The Number Of The Beast (Iron Maiden) – Producer - Heralded as one of the best metal albums ever, and Maiden’s high-water mark. Birch started working with the band on the predecessor “Killers” but it was NOTB that made Maiden a household name.
2. Machine Head (Deep Purple) – Engineer - Birch did not produce “Machine Head” but it is such a huge record that it has to be on the list. Smoke On the Water, Highway Star. Space Truckin’. Enough said.
3. Heaven and Hell (Black Sabbath) – Producer - Ozzy was gone and Sabbath could have been put to pasture. Bring in ex-Rainbow singer Ronnie James Dio, and they are reborn with their best album in 8 years.
4. Fire Of Unknown Origin (Blue Öyster Cult) – Producer - Five years and a couple records after “Agents of Fortune” and Don’t Fear The Reaper and BÖC needed a hit. Birch helped them deliver with “Burnin’ For You” on a solid, consistent record that they haven’t matched since.
5. Slide It In – (Whitesnake) – Producer - David Coverdale and his revolving-door of a backing band finally strike gold with ex-Thin Lizzy guitarist John Sykes on this super-strong record that would start the transition from ‘70s blues-rockers to ‘80s MTV mega-stars. This is my favorite Whitesnake record, and the catalyst for the two multi-platinum albums that followed (without Birch’s involvement).
Jeremy Porter lives near Detroit and fronts the rock and roll band Jeremy Porter And The Tucos. Follow them on Facebook to read his road blog about their adventures on the dive-bar circuit.
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