Rodger Bain
{{Short description|British record producer (born 1945)}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Rodger Bain
| image =
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| birth_date = 1945
| alias =
| origin = United Kingdom
| genre = Rock
| occupations = Record producer
| years_active =
| label = Vertigo Records
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}}
Rodger Bain (born 1945) is a British record producer, known for producing albums by heavy metal bands such as Black Sabbath, Budgie and Judas Priest in the 1970s.{{cite web |title=Rodger Bain – Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives |url=https://www.metal-archives.com/artists/Rodger_Bain/55429 |website=Metal-archives.com |access-date=15 August 2020}} He is greatly associated with Vertigo Records, having been the staff producer there in the early-to-mid-1970s.
Career
He was the producer of Black Sabbath's first three albums, Budgie's first two albums, Judas Priest's first album, Rocka Rolla, and Wild Turkey's debut album Battle Hymn.{{cite web |title=The Man Who Made Early Black Sabbath Albums Great: Story of Rodger Bain |url=https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/articles/features/the_man_who_made_early_black_sabbath_albums_great_story_of_rodger_bain-93159 |website=www.ultimate-guitar.com |publisher=Ultimate Guitar}} Bain dominated the production of Priest's first album and made decisions that the band did not agree with,[http://members.firstinter.net/markster/ROCKAROLLA.html Judas Priest Info Pages – Rocka Rolla] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071016194221/http://members.firstinter.net/markster/ROCKAROLLA.html |date=2007-10-16}} such as leaving fan favourites such as "Tyrant", "Genocide", and "The Ripper" off the album. He also cut the song "Caviar and Meths" from a 10-minute song down to a two-minute instrumental.{{cite web |last=Iahn |first=Buddy |title=Judas Priest announces artist-approved reissue of 'Rocka Rolla' |url=https://themusicuniverse.com/judas-priest-announces-artist-approved-reissue-of-rocka-rolla/ |website=The Music Universe |date=10 September 2024}}
He also produced the Judas Priest album Hero, Hero (an album not authorised by the band who, in their split with Gull Records, had had to concede the original recordings of their first albums to them, although they retained the rights to the songs), which contained remixed versions of the tracks on Rocka Rolla.{{cite web |last1=Ritchie |first1=Steve |title=Judas Priest / Majestic Rocka Rolla Is Finally Brought To Life |url=https://www.metaltalk.net/judas-priest-finally-majestic-rocka-rolla-is-brought-to-life.php |website=www.metaltalk.net |date=6 February 2025}} Both of these Judas Priest albums received a great deal of criticism. On Black Sabbath's self-titled debut album, Bain played the Jew's harp on the track "Sleeping Village".{{cite AV media notes |title=Black Sabbath |others=Black Sabbath |year=2009 |chapter= Black Sabbath (1970) |first=David |last=Wells |type=CD Booklet |publisher=Sanctuary Records Group}}
In the Last Supper DVD, Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler describes Bain positively, and claims that he let them record their first album live which was, and still is, an uncommon method of recording, when other producers had refused. This is also how he is said{{bywhom|date=May 2011}} to have produced other albums he worked on. Bain subsequently went on to work with Barclay James Harvest, producing their first two albums for Polydor : Everyone Is Everybody Else (1974) and Barclay James Harvest Live. Although he reportedly did not get on with the band, the albums are highly regarded.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bjharvest.co.uk/eiee.htm|title=Barclay James Harvest Album Portfolio|website=Bjharvest.co.uk|accessdate=15 August 2020}} AllMusic noted that Bain seemingly left the music industry in the mid-1970s.{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rodger-bain-mn0000245384/biography|title=Rodger Bain | Biography & History|website=AllMusic|accessdate=15 August 2020}}
However in 1981, Bain briefly returned and formed his own record label called Blue Chip/Cygnet Records and signed bands such as The Kicks, releasing their single "If Looks Could Kill" in 1982.{{cite web |title=Produit par Rodger Bain - Liste de 11 albums |url=https://www.senscritique.com/liste/produit_par_rodger_bain/3805427 |website=SensCritique |language=fr}}
References
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