Remembering The Legendary Record Producer In 7 Albums

If there were a record producer who became the go-to guy for musicians wanting a distinct hard rock sound, it would be Roy Thomas Baker. His list of production credits reads like a who’s who of classic rock from the 1970s and 1980s — among them were Queen, the Cars, Foreigner, Cheap Trick, Journey, Ozzy Osbourne and Yes. Additionally, he worked on records by Devo, the Stranglers, the Smashing Pumpkins and Mötley Crüe. In his works, Baker brought the best out of the artists he collaborated with through state-of-the-art techniques and atmospherics that defined the stadium rock aesthetic.

The U.K.-born Baker died at the age of 78 on April 12, his publicist announced on April 22. Following the news of Baker’s death. Queen guitarist Brian May wrote on Instagram: “Roy was a part of our production team from the very beginning up to and including the album ‘A night at the Opera’. We then parted company for ‘A Day at the Races’, but reunited for the ‘Jazz’ album.

“Roy’s production contribution along with Mike Stone’s engineering for ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ will never be forgotten,” May continued. “Thank you, Roy for all the great work you did for us, and all the fun we had. Rest in Peace.”

“I am very sorry to hear of Roy Thomas Baker’s passing. He played a big part in our early years. RIP,” wrote Queen drummer Roger Taylor also on Instagram.

In tribute to Baker, here are seven of the many hit albums that he worked on.

Queen

A Night at the Opera (1975)

Queen’s tour de force fourth album is the British group’s signature work; it is also the crowning achievement for Baker, who had previously co-produced Queen’s first three albums (Queen, Queen II and Sheer Heart Attack). Among such notable tracks as “You’re My Best Friend,” “I’m in Love With My Car” and “Love of My Life,” the record’s centerpiece is unquestionably “Bohemian Rhapsody,” the six-minute operatic epic that catapulted Queen to major stardom. In an interview with the New York Times in 2005, Baker said of the iconic song: “I thought it was going to be a hit. We didn’t know it was going to be quite that big. I didn’t realize it was still going to be talked about 30 years later.”

The Cars

The Cars (1978)

Baker’s relationship with Boston-based New Wave band the Cars began with their 1978 self-titled debut album, which contained several of the Cars’ most beloved songs in “Just What I Needed,” “Good Times Roll,” “My Best Friend’s Girl,” “You’re All I’ve Got Tonight” and “Moving in Stereo.” Following the success of The Cars, Baker worked with the band on their next three albums. In the news release about Baker’s death, Cars guitarist Elliott Easton said of the late record producer: “Roy was one of the pieces of the puzzle that made The Cars what they became. He didn’t belabor anything or take things overly seriously. He was fun to work with, a mirthful guy whose affect was kind of Monty Pythonesque and, as it happens, a great cook.”

Journey

Infinity (1978)

Journey’s fourth album from 1978 is notable for two things: it marked the debut of singer Steve Perry and Baker’s first collaboration with the band. Infinity became Journey’s commercial breakthrough album with the classic songs “Lights” and “Wheel in the Sky,” and Baker would return for Journey’s follow-up hit record, 1979’s Evolution. “We did Infinity with the infamous Roy Thomas Baker,” said Journey guitarist Neal Schon in a press statement, “and we did so many different things on that record that I’d never tried, or even thought about doing. I learned a lot from Roy.”

Foreigner

Head Games (1979)

Foreigner’s hit streak continued with the group’s third album Head Games, which also became Baker’s first and only credit with that band. Among the record’s popular songs were the title track, “Dirty White Boy” and “Women”; Head Games peaked at number five on the Billboard album chart and has since sold 5 million copies in the U.S.

Cheap Trick

One on One (1982)

Baker also brought his hit-making magic to Cheap Trick’s One on One, a transitional record as it was the group’s first album without longtime bassist Tom Petersson (he was replaced by Jon Brant). The record transformed the Rockford, Illinois, power pop group into an arena rock outfit, buoyed by such tracks as “She’s Tight,” “If You Want My Love” and “Lookin’ Out for Number One.”

Ozzy Osbourne

No Rest for the Wicked (1988)

It seemed inevitable that Baker and Ozzy Osbourne would collaborate, given their backgrounds in hard rock and metal. The pairing finally occurred for 1988’s No Rest for the Wicked album, which featured “Miracle Man” and “Crazy Babies.” The double-platinum success of this driving and sweeping record extended the former Black Sabbath singer’s popularity during the 1980s.

The Darkness

One Way Ticket to Hell… and Back (2005)

In some way, Baker’s work on British rock group the Darkness’ second album represented a full-circle moment for the producer, as the band’s glam-influenced sound recalled the best of early Queen. “We wanted to get the best of both worlds, of old and new,” Baker said in a 2006 interview with Sound on Sound. “I think we ended up succeeding, because it sounds like it was done last week, and yet there are aspects where you go ‘Wow, I recognise that from the ’70s or ’80s.’”