Mike Paxman (born 19 December 1953) is an English multi-instrumentalist and record producer, best known for his work with

Judie Tzuke Judie Tzuke ( ; born Judie Myers, 3 April 1956) is an English singer-songwriter. She is best known for her 1979 hit "Stay with Me till Dawn", which reached number 16 on the UK singles chart. Life and career Early life Tzuke's family relocated ...

Nick Kamen Ivor Neville "Nick" Kamen (15 April 1962 – 4 May 2021) was a British singer, songwriter and model of mixed Burmese, Irish, Dutch and French descent. He was best known for the singles "Each Time You Break My Heart" from 1986 and "I Promised My ...

, Uriah Heep and bands,

Status Quo is a Latin phrase meaning the existing state of affairs, particularly with regard to social, economic, legal, environmental, political, religious, scientific or military issues. In the sociological sense, the ''status quo'' refers to the curren ...

and

Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...

. Paxman grew up in Wiltshire, England and went to Bishop Wordsworth's School in

Salisbury Salisbury ( , ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parish in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers River Avon, Hampshire, Avon, River Nadder, Nadder and River Bourne, Wi ...

. During the late 1970s, he played drums in the

-based contemporary jazz quartet Sphere, along with saxophonist Andy Sheppard, pianist Geoff Williams, and double bassist Peter Maxfield (they all had been students at BWS). He played guitar, in the studio and on tour, and wrote with singer-songwriter

from the late 1970s. He co-wrote Tzuke's single "

Stay with Me till Dawn "Stay with Me till Dawn" is a 1979 single by Judie Tzuke from her debut album ''Welcome to the Cruise''. Written by Tzuke and Mike Paxman and produced by John Punter, the song was Tzuke's only Australian and UK top 40 single, charting at number 8 ...

" and her first album ''

Welcome to the Cruise ''Welcome to the Cruise'' is the debut album by British singer-songwriter Judie Tzuke, released in 1979. The album peaked at No. 14 on the UK Albums Chart and was certified gold in 1981 by the British Phonographic Industry for sales in excess of ...

''. He wrote and produced twelve more albums working with Tzuke until the late 1990s. Beginning in the mid-1980s, Paxman focused on production work founding Big Ocean Studios with Paul Muggleton, Tzuke's partner. They worked with artists including

on the album ''Move Until We Fly'', including the hit single " I Promised Myself"), and the album ''Whatever, Whenever''. Paul Norton (''Under a Southern Sky''), Scarlet (the album ''Naked'' and single " Independent Love Song"),

Thomas Anders Bernd Weidung (born 1 March 1963), known by his stage name Thomas Anders, is a German singer, songwriter and record producer. He is best known as the vocalist of the former pop duo Modern Talking. Starting his singing career while still in sc ...

(the album ''Whispers''),

Frances Ruffelle Frances Ruffelle (born 29 August 1965) is an English musical theatre actress and singer. She won a Tony Award in 1987, and represented the United Kingdom in the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest with the song " Lonely Symphony (We Will Be Free)", ...

, and

Jimmy Nail James Michael Aloysius Bradford (born 16 March 1954), known as Jimmy Nail, is an English singer-songwriter, actor, film producer, and television writer. He played the role of Leonard "Oz" Osborne in the television show ''Auf Wiedersehen, Pet'' ( ...

. Paxman has worked with

extensively producing several albums and DVDs including '' Under The Influence'' (1999), ''

Heavy Traffic ''Heavy Traffic'' is a 1973 American live-action/adult animated drama film written and directed by Ralph Bakshi. The film, which begins, ends, and occasionally combines with live-action, explores the often surreal fantasies of a young New ...

'' (2002), ''

The Party Ain't Over Yet ''The Party Ain't Over Yet...'' is the twenty-seventh album by English rock band Status Quo (band), Status Quo, released 19 September 2005. A DVD documentary on the making of the album and the band's history to that point, ''The Party Ain't Ove ...

...'' (2005), ''

Quid Pro Quo ''Quid pro quo'' (Latin: "something for something") is a Latin phrase used in English to mean an exchange of goods or services, in which one transfer is contingent upon the other; "a favor for a favor". Phrases with similar meanings include: " ...

'' (2011), '' Aquostic'' (2014) and '' Aquostic II'' (2016). He produced and mixed the Status Quo ''Frantic Four'' live reunion DVDs in 2013 and 2014. Paxman produced Quo's John "Rhino" Edwards' solo albums ''Rhino's Revenge'', released in 2000, ''Rhino's Revenge II'', released in 2015, ''Charge - Rhino's Revenge Live'' in 2019, and ''Just Sayin released in 2023. He produced Quo keyboard player

Andy Bown Andrew Steven Bown (born 27 March 1946) is an English musician, who has specialised in keyboards and bass guitar. He is a member of the rock band Status Quo. Career Bown's first major band was The Herd, along with Peter Frampton. After The H ...

's solo album: '' Unfinished Business'', released in September 2011. Paxman produced four studio albums with Uriah Heep: '' Wake the Sleeper'' (2008), ''

Celebration – Forty Years of Rock ''Celebration – Forty Years of Rock'' is an album by British rock band Uriah Heep. It mainly features rerecorded classics – which, said bassist Trevor Bolder, "chose themselves, really. The likes of 'Sunrise', 'Gypsy' and ' Look at Yourse ...

'' (2009), '' Into the Wild'' (2011) and '' Outsider'' (2014). He also produced a number of live albums and DVDs for the band. Paxman was the producer for ''

Omega Omega (, ; uppercase Ω, lowercase ω; Ancient Greek ὦ, later ὦ μέγα, Modern Greek ωμέγα) is the twenty-fourth and last letter in the Greek alphabet. In the Greek numerals, Greek numeric system/isopsephy (gematria), it has a value ...

'' from

with original members John Wetton, Steve Howe, Carl Palmer, and Geoff Downes in 2010. Paxman produced Asia's 30th anniversary studio album '' XXX'', which was released in mid 2012. ''XXX'' was the final Asia album with the original lineup after the departure of

Steve Howe Stephen James Howe (born 8 April 1947) is an English musician, best known as the guitarist and backing vocalist in the progressive rock band Yes (band), Yes across three stints since 1970. Born in Holloway, London, Holloway, North London, Howe d ...

and the death of founder and singer,

John Wetton John Kenneth Wetton (12 June 1949 – 31 January 2017) was an English musician, singer, and songwriter. Although he was left-handed, he was known for his skilled right-handed bass playing as well as his booming baritone voice. He was a member ...

on 31 January 2017.

References

External links

Uriah Heep biographyMike Paxman at AllMusicAsia
{{DEFAULTSORT:Paxman, Mike 1953 births Living people English record producers English rock guitarists English male guitarists English multi-instrumentalists English male songwriters Musicians from London Musicians from Wiltshire People educated at Bishop Wordsworth's School