Martin Phillip Birch (27 December 19489 August 2020) was a British

music producer A record producer or music producer is a music creating project's overall supervisor whose responsibilities can involve a range of creative and technical leadership roles. Typically the job involves hands-on oversight of recording sessions; ensu ...

and

sound engineer An audio engineer (also known as a sound engineer or recording engineer) helps to produce a sound recording, recording or a Concert, live performance, balancing and adjusting sound sources using equalization (audio), equalization, Dynamic range ...

. He became renowned for engineering and producing albums recorded predominantly by British rock and metal bands, including

Deep Purple Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in London in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal music, heavy metal and modern hard rock, although their musical style has varied throughout their career. Originally for ...

Rainbow A rainbow is an optical phenomenon caused by refraction, internal reflection and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a continuous spectrum of light appearing in the sky. The rainbow takes the form of a multicoloured circular ...

Fleetwood Mac Fleetwood Mac are a British-American Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1967 by the singer and guitarist Peter Green (musician), Peter Green. Green named the band by combining the surnames of the drummer, Mick Fleetwood, and the bassis ...

Whitesnake Whitesnake are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1978. The group were originally put together as the backing band for singer David Coverdale, who had recently left Deep Purple. Though the band quickly developed into their ow ...

Black Sabbath Black Sabbath are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler, and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. After adopting the Black Sabbath name in 1969 (the band ...

, and

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 ...

Biography

Birch was born on 27 December 1948 in Woking, Surrey. He began his career in music as an

audio engineer An audio engineer (also known as a sound engineer or recording engineer) helps to produce a recording or a live performance, balancing and adjusting sound sources using equalization, dynamics processing and audio effects, mixing, reproduc ...

with

Jeff Beck Geoffrey Arnold Beck (24 June 1944 – 10 January 2023) was an English musician. He rose to prominence as the guitarist of the rock band the Yardbirds, and afterwards founded and fronted the Jeff Beck Group and Beck, Bogert & Appice. In 1975, ...

and

, producing and engineering eleven albums for the latter. In 1980, coming from the "Deep Purple camp", he was called upon by

for '' Heaven and Hell''. The band's previous albums had been self-produced and they were happy to let Birch, who had worked with Ronnie James Dio before, produce them. His "bright midrange" on the album is especially noted. He began a long tenure working exclusively with

in 1981, producing and engineering '' Killers'' and retiring from working with other bands for a while. Birch also produced and engineered albums for numerous artists. These included Deep Purple-related projects (

Paice Ashton Lord Paice Ashton Lord was a short-lived British rock band featuring Deep Purple band members Ian Paice and Jon Lord with singer Tony Ashton. The band was formed in 1976, released its only album in 1977 and broke up in 1978. History After Deep Pur ...

Roger Glover Roger David Glover (born 30 November 1945) is a Welsh bassist, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as a member of the hard rock bands Deep Purple and Rainbow. As a member of Deep Purple, Glover was inducted into the Rock and Roll ...

, and

Jon Lord John Douglas "Jon" Lord (9 June 194116 July 2012) was an English keyboardist and composer. In 1968, Lord co-founded the hard rock band Deep Purple. Lord performed on most of the band's most popular songs; he and drummer Ian Paice were the only ...

), but also encompassed Wayne County & the Electric Chairs. On Fleetwood Mac's album '' Mystery to Me'' (1973) he is also credited playing

acoustic guitar An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked, its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...

. The song "Hard Lovin' Man" from the Deep Purple album '' Deep Purple in Rock'' is dedicated to him: "For Martin Birch – catalyst". Birch retired in 1992, after producing Iron Maiden's ''

Fear of the Dark Fear of the dark is a common fear or phobia among Toddler, toddlers, children and, to a varying degree, adults. A fear of the dark does not always concern darkness itself; it can also be a fear of possible or imagined dangers concealed by darknes ...

'' album. It was the last of the ten records he produced with the group. He appeared in Iron Maiden's music video " Holy Smoke" two years before his retirement. Birch died on 9 August 2020, at age 71. The cause of death was undisclosed. Initial tributes were paid by

David Coverdale David Coverdale (born 22 September 1951) is an English singer and songwriter, best known as the founder and lead singer of the hard rock band Whitesnake. Coverdale was also the lead singer of Deep Purple from 1973 to 1976; he has had a solo car ...

and

Geezer Butler Terence Michael Joseph "Geezer" Butler (born 17 July 1949) is an English musician, best known as the bassist and primary lyricist of the pioneering Heavy metal music, heavy metal band Black Sabbath. He has also recorded and performed with Heave ...

. Members of Iron Maiden offered a lengthy tribute to Birch on their official website, with Steve Harris,

Bruce Dickinson Paul Bruce Dickinson (born 7 August 1958) is an English singer who is best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden. Dickinson has performed in the band across two stints, from 1981 to 1993 and from 1999 to the present d ...

and Rod Smallwood reflecting on his personality and his time working with the band.

Selected discography

Source:

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

unless otherwise stated.

Fleetwood Mac

* 1969 – ''

Then Play On ''Then Play On'' is the third studio album by the British blues rock band Fleetwood Mac, released on 19 September 1969. It was the first of their original albums to feature Danny Kirwan (although two tracks recorded with him were included on the ...

'' (engineer) * 1970 – ''

Kiln House ''Kiln House'' is the fourth studio album by British blues rock band Fleetwood Mac, released on 18 September 1970 by Reprise Records. This is the first album after the departure of founder Peter Green, and their last album to feature guitarist ...

'' (engineer) * 1972 – '' Bare Trees'' (engineer) * 1973 – ''

Penguin Penguins are a group of aquatic flightless birds from the family Spheniscidae () of the order Sphenisciformes (). They live almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere. Only one species, the Galápagos penguin, is equatorial, with a sm ...

'' (producer, engineer, mixing) * 1973 – '' Mystery to Me'' (producer, engineer, guitar)

Deep Purple

* 1969 – '' Concerto for Group and Orchestra'' (engineer) * 1970 – '' Deep Purple in Rock'' (engineer) * 1971 – '' Fireball'' (engineer) * 1972 – ''

Machine Head A machine head (also referred to as a tuning machine, tuner, or gear head) is a geared apparatus for tuning stringed musical instruments by adjusting string tension. Machine heads are used on mandolins, guitars, double basses, and others, and ...

'' (engineer) * 1972 – '' Made in Japan'' (engineer) * 1973 – '' Who Do We Think We Are'' (engineer) * 1974 – ''

Burn A burn is an injury to skin, or other tissues, caused by heat, electricity, chemicals, friction, or ionizing radiation (such as sunburn, caused by ultraviolet radiation). Most burns are due to heat from hot fluids (called scalding), soli ...

'' (engineer, mixing) * 1974 – '' Stormbringer'' (co-producer, engineer, mixing) * 1975 – '' Come Taste the Band'' (co-producer, engineer, mixing) *1976 – ''Made In Europe'' (producer, engineer, mixing) – recorded live in April 1975 * 1977 – ''

Last Concert in Japan A last is a mechanical form shaped like a human foot. It is used by Shoemaking, shoemakers and cordwainers in the manufacture and repair of shoes. Lasts come in many styles and sizes, depending on the exact job they are designed for. Common va ...

'' (co-producer, engineer) – recorded live in December 1975

Jon Lord

* 1971 – ''

Gemini Suite After the 1969 classical / rock fusion '' Concerto for Group and Orchestra'', Jon Lord was commissioned to write a follow-up. This was ''Gemini Suite'', five long movements inspired by the members of Deep Purple, and performed live in September ...

'' (engineer) * 1976 – ''Sarabande'' (producer, engineer, remixing)

Bernie Marsden

* 1979– ''And About Time Too'' (producer, engineer)

Wishbone Ash

* 1970 – ''

Wishbone Ash Wishbone Ash are a British Rock music, rock band who achieved success in the early to mid-1970s. Their albums include ''Wishbone Ash (album), Wishbone Ash'' (1970), ''Pilgrimage (Wishbone Ash album), Pilgrimage'' (1971), ''Argus (album), Argu ...

'' (engineer) * 1971 – ''

Pilgrimage A pilgrimage is a travel, journey to a holy place, which can lead to a personal transformation, after which the pilgrim returns to their daily life. A pilgrim (from the Latin ''peregrinus'') is a traveler (literally one who has come from afar) w ...

'' (engineer) * 1972 – '' Argus'' (engineer)

Rainbow

* 1975 – ''

Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow Ritchie may refer to: People Surname Given name Fictional characters *Ritchie, a character in the 1986 American science fiction movie ''Howard the Duck (film)#Cast, Howard the Duck'' *Ritchie Tozer, on the TV series It's a Sin (TV series), '' ...

'' (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 ''Long Live Rock 'n' Roll'' is the third studio album by the British heavy metal band Rainbow, released on 14 April 1978 and the last to feature original lead vocalist Ronnie James Dio. Background Recording of the album commenced in April 1 ...

'' (producer, engineer, mixing) * 1986 – '' Finyl Vinyl'' (producer) – collection

Whitesnake

* 1978 – ''

Snakebite A snakebite is an injury caused by the bite of a snake, especially a venomous snake. A common sign of a bite from a venomous snake is the presence of two puncture wounds from the animal's fangs. Sometimes venom injection from the bite may ...

'' (producer) * 1978 – '' Trouble'' (producer) * 1979– '' Lovehunter'' (producer) * 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

* 1980 – '' Heaven and Hell'' (producer, engineer) * 1981 – '' Mob Rules'' (producer, engineer)

Blue Öyster Cult

* 1980 – ''

Cultösaurus Erectus ''Cultösaurus Erectus'' is the seventh studio album by American rock music, rock band Blue Öyster Cult, released in June 1980. Following an experiment with a more commercial sound on the album ''Mirrors (Blue Öyster Cult album), Mirrors'' (rel ...

'' (producer, engineer) * 1981 – '' Fire of Unknown Origin'' (producer, engineer)

Iron Maiden

* 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) * 1986 – '' Somewhere in Time'' (producer, engineer, mixing) * 1988 – ''

Seventh Son of a Seventh Son The seventh son of a seventh son is a concept from folklore regarding special powers given to, or held by, such a son. To qualify as "the seventh son of a seventh son" one must be the seventh male child born in an unbroken line with no female sibli ...

'' (producer, engineer, mixing) * 1989 – Maiden England (producer, engineer, mixing) * 1990 – ''

No Prayer for the Dying ''No Prayer for the Dying'' is the eighth studio album by English heavy metal music, heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It is their first album to feature Janick Gers on guitar, who replaced Adrian Smith (musician) , Adrian Smith. Smith left the ban ...

'' (producer, engineer, mixing) * 1992 – ''

'' (producer, engineer, mixing)

Other artists

* 1969 –

– '' Beck-Ola'' (engineer) * 1970 – Peter Green – '' The End of the Game'' (engineer) * 1970 – The Groundhogs – '' Thank Christ for the Bomb'' (engineer) * 1971 –

Stackridge Stackridge were a British progressive rock/folk rock group which had their greatest success in the early 1970s. History Classic period Stackridge Lemon were formed from the remains of a previous band, Grytpype Thynne, by Andy Davis and James ...

– ''

'' (engineer) * 1971 –

Canned Heat Canned Heat is an American blues rock band that was formed in Los Angeles in 1965. The group has been noted for its efforts to promote interest in blues music and its original artists. It was launched by two blues enthusiasts, Alan Wilson and ...

and

John Lee Hooker John Lee Hooker (August 22, 1912 or 1917 – June 21, 2001) was an American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist. The son of a sharecropper, he rose to prominence performing an electric guitar-style adaptation of Delta blues that he develo ...

– ''Hooker 'N' Heat'' (Mixdown Engineer) – recorded in 1970 * 1971 –

Skid Row A skid row, also called skid road, is an impoverished area, typically urban, in English-speaking North America whose inhabitants are mostly poor people " on the skids". This specifically refers to people who are poor or homeless, considered disre ...

– '' 34 Hours'' (engineer) * 1971 –

Toad Toad (also known as a hoptoad) is a common name for certain frogs, especially of the family Bufonidae, that are characterized by dry, leathery skin, short legs, and large bumps covering the parotoid glands. In popular culture (folk taxonomy ...

– ''

'' (engineer) * 1971 – Faces – ''

Long Player The LP (from long playing or long play) is an analog sound storage medium, specifically a phonograph record format characterized by: a speed of rpm; a 12- or 10-inch (30- or 25-cm) diameter; use of the "microgroove" groove specification ...

'' (engineer) * 1972 – Silverhead – ''Silverhead'' (producer) * 1972 – Toad – ''Tomorrow Blue'' (engineer) * 1972 –

Flash Flash, flashes, or FLASH may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional aliases * The Flash, several DC Comics superheroes with super speed: ** Flash (Jay Garrick) ** Barry Allen ** Wally West, the first Kid Flash and third adult Flash ...

– ''Flash'' (engineer) * 1972 – Nick Pickett – ''Silversleeves'' (engineer) * 1973 –

Gary Moore Robert William Gary Moore (4 April 19526 February 2011) was a Northern Irish musician. Over the course of his career, he played in various groups and performed a range of music including blues, blues rock, hard rock, Heavy metal music, heavy ...

– ''

Grinding Stone Millstones or mill stones are stones used in gristmills, used for triturating, crushing or, more specifically, grinding wheat or other grains. They are sometimes referred to as grindstones or grinding stones. Millstones come in pairs: a s ...

'' (producer, engineer) * 1978 – Wayne County & the Electric Chairs – ''Storm The Gates Of Heaven'' (producer) * 1978 –

– '' Elements'' (producer) * 1979 –

Cozy Powell Cozy Powell (born Colin Trevor Flooks; 29 December 1947 – 5 April 1998) was an English drummer who made his name with major rock bands and artists such as The Jeff Beck Group, Rainbow, Michael Schenker Group, Gary Moore, Graham Bonnet, B ...

– '' Over the Top'' (producer) * 1982 –

Michael Schenker Group The Michael Schenker Group (often abbreviated as MSG) is an English hard rock band, formed in London in 1979 by former Scorpions and UFO guitarist Michael Schenker. After the release of their second live album, 1984's '' Rock Will Never Die'', ...

– '' Assault Attack'' (producer, engineer)

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Birch, Martin 1948 births 2020 deaths English audio engineers English record producers People from Woking Place of death missing