| Mike Stone | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1951 |
| Died | 2002 |
| Occupations | Record Producer |
Mike Stone (1951–2002) was an English recording engineer and record producer.[1]
Stone was best known for his seminal work with Queen (multiple albums),[2] Blue Öyster Cult, Foreigner, Journey (multiple albums),[2] KISS,[2] Daniel Amos,[2] Lou Reed,[2] Whitesnake,[2] and others.[2]
He was born in 1951.
Stone began his career as an assistant recording engineer at the world famous Abbey Road Studios in England. At one point, while he was still a teenager, Stone had the opportunity to work on some sessions for The Beatles' Beatles For Sale.[3] Later, he worked as a runner at Trident Studios, working his way up to tape operator, then assistant engineer. As an assistant, he started to become well known, and was often asked for at sessions. He began a long and close relationship with Queen, and engineered the masterpiece of vocal layering for Bohemian Rhapsody, on what was then rudimentary equipment. He then started to become in great demand. By the early eighties, Stone was producing massive radio hit albums for both Asia and Journey that combined would sell tens of millions of records, many of the songs which are still played frequently on radio to this day.
Stone maintained a close relationship with Queen, and was to oversee the re-mastering of their catalogue when he died in 2002, never getting the chance to re-unite professionally with the band that it all started with. Brian May of Queen wrote a very stirring eulogy for Stone: "Mike's production style of big chorus building and hitting hard, the ability to treat vocals uniquely, and find space in a recording have influenced a generation of young producers."