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Express Tribune
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Bohemian Rhapsody producer Roy Thomas Baker dies at 78
Roy Thomas Baker, the legendary music producer behind Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody,' died on April 12 at his home in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. He was 78. His death was confirmed by his spokesperson, Bob Merlis, who stated that the cause was not immediately clear. Baker rose to prominence in the 1970s and 1980s, producing for major rock acts including the Cars, Journey, Mötley Crüe, and Foreigner. His most iconic contribution came with Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody,' the nearly six-minute track that defied radio conventions and became one of rock's most celebrated songs. In a 2005 interview with The New York Times, Baker called the song 'ageless,' noting that its genre-blending nature made it timeless. 'We didn't know it was going to be quite that big,' he said, 'but I thought it was going to be a hit.' Before rising to fame in the studio, Baker got his start in the London music scene. He was born on November 10, 1946, in Hampstead, England, and began his career in 1963 as a second engineer at Decca Studios. There, he worked alongside noted producers Gus Dudgeon and Tony Visconti. Over the years, he contributed to recordings by David Bowie, the Rolling Stones, the Moody Blues, and T. Rex, and served as chief engineer on classics like 'All Right Now' by Free and 'Bang a Gong (Get It On)' by T. Rex. Baker first encountered Queen while working for Trident Studios, where the band was recording demo tapes. He went on to produce their first four albums. His work with the Cars also earned widespread acclaim, including hits such as 'Just What I Needed' and 'My Best Friend's Girl.' Baker's influence spanned decades, helping to shape the sound of classic rock across two continents. He is survived by his wife, Tere Livrano Baker, and his brother, Alan Baker.
New York Times
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Roy Thomas Baker, Who Helped Produce ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,' Dies at 78
Roy Thomas Baker, who was among the most successful music producers of the 1970s and 1980s and who helped produce Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody,' one of the most unconventional pop hits, died at his home in Lake Havasu City, Ariz., on April 12. He was 78. His death was announced by Bob Merlis, a spokesman, who said in a statement that the cause was unclear. Besides Queen, Mr. Baker collaborated with other well-known bands like the Cars, Journey, Mötley Crüe and Foreigner while working as a producer and sound engineer at several recording studios over the course of his career. He is perhaps best known for helping to produce the nearly six-minute-long 'Bohemian Rhapsody' by Queen. In an interview with The New York Times in 2005, Mr. Baker said that the song was 'ageless' because 'it didn't confine to any given genre of music.' 'I thought it was going to be a hit,' said Mr. Baker, who produced the song with Queen. '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.' Roy Thomas Baker was born on Nov. 10, 1946, in Hampstead, England. He began his career at Decca Studios in London in 1963, working as a second engineer to Angus Boyd (Gus) Dudgeon, an English record producer who would later become known for his collaborations with Elton John; and Tony Visconti, an American producer who went on to work with artists like David Bowie and Marc Bolan. Mr. Baker's projects included recordings by Ten Years After, Dr. John, the Moody Blues, David Bowie, the Rolling Stones and the Who. He was a chief engineer on the hits 'All Right Now' by Free and 'Bang a Gong (Get It On)' by T. Rex. Mr. Baker met Queen in the early 1970s, when he was working for a company called Trident and went to look at a new studio complex in London. The band was just starting out and was recording free demo tapes in exchange for helping the new studio test its sound, Mr. Baker said in a 1979 interview. Mr. Baker produced Queen's first four albums. The band's self-titled debut was recorded during Mr. Baker's downtime as an experiment, because he wanted to be more involved with production work, he said. He also worked for Columbia Records in the United States, and he produced recordings by artists including Journey, Ian Hunter, Ronnie Wood and Reggie Knighton with his company, RTB Audio Visual Productions. He also helped produce the Cars' first four albums; the first included the hits 'Just What I Needed,' 'My Best Friend's Girl' and 'Good Times Roll.' Mr. Baker is survived by his wife, Tere Livrano Baker, and his brother, Alan Baker. In the 1979 interview, Mr. Baker said he didn't really know if there was such a thing as his 'sound,' because he didn't listen to his own work. 'I didn't think there was,' he said, 'but people tell me, 'It sounds like you did it — nice and big and loud.'' A complete obituary will follow.
