Kevin Shirley, also known as The Caveman, is a South African music producer,

engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who Invention, invent, design, build, maintain and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials. They aim to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while ...

, audio mixer, and musician. He has produced music for many artists, including Silverchair,

Iron Maiden Iron Maiden are an English Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris (musician), Steve Harris. Although fluid in the early years of the band, the line-up for most ...

Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock music, rock band formed in London in 1968. The band comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist-keyboardist John Paul Jones (musician), John Paul Jones and drummer John Bonham. With a he ...

, The Hoodoo Gurus, The Angels, and

Cold Chisel Cold Chisel are an Australian Pub rock (Australia), pub rock band, which formed in Adelaide in 1973 by mainstay members Ian Moss on guitar and vocals, Steve Prestwich on drums, Les Kaczmarek on bass and Don Walker (musician), Don Walker on pia ...

. As of 2023 he is a musician in Jimmy Barnes' supergroup, releasing a self-titled album in 2023.

Early life and education

Kevin John Shirley was born in

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and Xhosa language, Xhosa: eGoli ) (colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, Jo'burg or "The City of Gold") is the most populous city in South Africa. With 5,538,596 people in the City of Johannesburg alon ...

, South Africa.

Career

Shirley spent his early years producing and engineering records for South African artists including Robin Auld, Juluka, Jonathan Butler, Lesley Rae Dowling, Steve Louw, and Sweatband, as well as performing and recording with his own band The Council, whose singer was Brian Davidson (from Freedoms Children). He moved to Australia in 1986, where he continued working with Australian artists, such as The Hoodoo Gurus, The Angels,

, Girl Monstar,

Tina Arena Filippina Lydia "Tina" Arena (born 1 November 1967) is an Australian singer-songwriter, musician, musical theatre actress and record producer. She is one of Australia's highest-selling artists and has sold over 10 million records worldwid ...

, The Screaming Jets, Baby Animals. After producing Silverchair's debut album '' Frogstomp'', he moved to the United States. In the US and he produced work for

Aerosmith Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of lead vocalist Steven Tyler, bassist Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton, drummer Joey Kramer, and guitarists Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry and B ...

, Dream Theater,

Black Country Communion Black Country Communion is an English-American hard rock band based in Los Angeles, California. Formed in 2009, the band is a Supergroup (music), supergroup composed of bassist and lead vocalist Glenn Hughes (British musician), Glenn Hughes, gui ...

, Journey, The Black Crowes,

, Rush, and Slayer. He also worked on the retrospective '' Led Zeppelin DVD''. He has produced several albums for American blues-rock guitarist

Joe Bonamassa Joseph Leonard Bonamassa ( ; born May 8, 1977) is an American blues rock guitarist, singer and songwriter. He started his career at age twelve, when he opened for B.B. King. Since 2000, Bonamassa has released fifteen solo albums through his inde ...

. Shirley produced the Mr. Big album '' What If...''. In March 2023, Jimmy Barnes announced the formation of supergroup The Barnestormers, featuring Barnes, Chris Cheney, Slim Jim Phantom, Jools Holland, and Kevin Shirley. A self-titled album was released on 26 May 2023. Shirley produced Elly-May Barnes' first solo single, a cover of the

Radiohead Radiohead are an English rock band formed in Abingdon-on-Thames, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in 1985. The band members are Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards); brothers Jonny Greenwood (guitar, keyboards, other instruments) and Colin Gre ...

song " Creep", released on 20 November 2023. He is described as a "dear friend", and is credited as a musician her first album, ''No Good'', released in April 2024.

Other groups

Shirley has also produced music for The Black Crowes, Journey,

, Rush,

, Beth Hart, Dream Theater, Jimmy Barnes,

, Joanne Shaw Taylor, The Springbok Nude Girls, All Night Radio, Steve Louw & Big Sky, HIM, Mr. Big,Allmusic and

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

Selected discography

References

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White Room Electronic Publishing Pty Ltd
in 2007 and was expanded from the 2002 edition. ;Specific

External links

Caveman Productions

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shirley, Kevin 1960 births South African record producers Australian record producers Living people