The music world is mourning the loss of Martin Birch, the influential British producer who worked on some of the most beloved albums in the rock music canon, passed away earlier this week. He was 71.
The producer, often affectionately referred to as Headmaster, carved out his legacy working with the mighty Iron Maiden over 11 years. Serving as producer and sound engineer on eight consecutive studio albums Killers, The Number of the Beast, Piece of Mind, Powerslave, Somewhere in Time, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, No Prayer for the Dying and Fear of the Dark. In addition to the band’s 1985 live record, Live After Death.
In a recent interview with radio personality Eddie Trunk, Iron Maiden bassist and founder Steve Harris and vocalist Bruce Dickinson and manager Rod Smallwood reflected on their time with the late producer.
“He was just absolutely brilliant. He wasn’t just a producer, he was a hands-on engineer too, so he knew how to get a great sound,” mused Steve Harris. He was also fantastic at motivating people; he just had a knack of getting the best out of you. He was also a really nice man, great fun with a terrific sense of humour and that made him easy to work with. We all got along with him really well and the whole band is very saddened by today’s news.”
Bruce Dickinson added: “To me, Martin was a mentor who completely transformed my singing: he was a psychotherapist and in his own words a juggler who could mirror exactly what a band was. That was his special talent as a producer.
“He was not a puppeteer, he did not manipulate the sound of the band, he just reflected it in the best possible way. Apart from all of that he was a wonderful, warm & funny human being.
“Martin & I shared a passion for martial arts – he for karate and me for fencing which gave us another bond too. I’m so very sad to hear this news, it’s incredible that he has passed away at such a young age for a man who was so full of life.”
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Rod Smallwood continued, “He was a fantastic guy who always shared a mutual respect with the band. He never, ever, let us down in the studio. He was a true gentleman and he will be hugely missed by everyone in the Maiden Family.”
Check out ‘The Prisoner’ by Iron Maiden:
