Mike Paxman | |
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Born | Salisbury, England | 19 December 1953
Genres | Rock, Pop, Jazz |
Occupation(s) | Producer, Musician, Writer |
Instrument | Guitar |
Years active | 1978–present |
Mike Paxman (born 19 December 1953) is an English multi-instrumentalist and record producer, best known for his work with Judie Tzuke, Nick Kamen, Uriah Heep and bands, Status Quo [1] and Asia.
Paxman grew up in Wiltshire, England and went to Bishop Wordsworth's School in Salisbury. During the late 1970s, he played drums in the Salisbury-based contemporary jazz quartet Sphere, along with saxophonist Andy Sheppard, pianist Geoff Williams, and double bassist Peter Maxfield (they all had been students at BWS).
He played guitar, in the studio and on tour, and wrote with singer-songwriter Judie Tzuke from the late 1970s. He co-wrote Tzuke's single "Stay with Me till Dawn" and her first album Welcome to the Cruise . He wrote and produced twelve more albums working with Tzuke until the late 1990s.
Beginning in the mid-1980s, Paxman focused on production work founding Big Ocean Studios with Paul Muggleton, Tzuke's partner. They worked with artists including Nick Kamen on the album Move Until We Fly, including the hit single "I Promised Myself"), and the album Whatever, Whenever. Paul Norton (Under a Southern Sky), Scarlet (the album Naked and single "Independent Love Song"), Thomas Anders (the album Whispers), [2] Frances Ruffelle, and Jimmy Nail.
Paxman has worked with Status Quo extensively producing several albums and DVDs including Under The Influence (1999), Heavy Traffic (2002), The Party Ain't Over Yet... (2005), Quid Pro Quo (2011), Aquostic (2014) and Aquostic II (2016). He produced and mixed the Status Quo Frantic Four live reunion DVDs in 2013 and 2014.[ citation needed ]
Paxman produced Quo's John "Rhino" Edwards' solo albums Rhino's Revenge, released in 2000, Rhino's Revenge II, released in 2015, Charge - Rhino's Revenge Live in 2019, and Just Sayin' released in 2023. He produced Quo keyboard player Andy Bown's solo album: Unfinished Business , released in September 2011.[ citation needed ]
Paxman produced four studio albums with Uriah Heep: Wake the Sleeper (2008), Celebration – Forty Years of Rock (2009), Into the Wild (2011) and Outsider (2014). He also produced a number of live albums and DVDs for the band.[ citation needed ]
Paxman was the producer for Omega from Asia with original members John Wetton, Steve Howe, Carl Palmer, and Geoff Downes in 2010. Paxman produced Asia's 30th anniversary studio album XXX , which was released in mid 2012. XXX was the final Asia album with the original lineup after the departure of Steve Howe and the death of founder and singer, John Wetton on January 31, 2017. [3] [4]
Asia are an English rock supergroup formed in London in 1981. The most commercially successful lineup was its original, which consisted of four members of different progressive rock bands who had enjoyed great success in the 1970s: lead vocalist and bassist John Wetton, guitarist Steve Howe (Yes), keyboardist Geoff Downes and drummer Carl Palmer. Their self-titled debut album released in 1982, remains their best-selling album and went to number one in several countries. Billboard listed it as the top album in the U.S. in 1982. The lead single from the album, "Heat of the Moment", remains their top charting and best-known song, reaching the top 40 in over a dozen markets. It peaked at #4 in the U.S. on the Billboard Hot 100 and hit #1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.
U.K. were a British progressive rock supergroup originally active from 1977 to 1980. The band was founded by bass guitarist John Wetton and drummer Bill Bruford, formerly the rhythm section of King Crimson. The band was rounded out by violinist/keyboardist Eddie Jobson, and guitarist Allan Holdsworth. Bruford and Holdsworth left in 1978, and Bruford was replaced by drummer Terry Bozzio. Jobson, Wetton and Bozzio reformed U.K. for a world tour in 2012.
Kenneth William David Hensley was an English musician, singer, songwriter and producer, best known for his work with Uriah Heep during the 1970s.
John Kenneth Wetton was an English musician, singer, and songwriter. Although he was left-handed, he was known as a skilled right-handed bass player and had a booming baritone voice. He was a member of the band Family in 1971 for a short time, before joining King Crimson in 1972. After the breakup of King Crimson at the end of 1974, Wetton played in a number of progressive rock and hard rock bands, including Roxy Music (1974–1975), Uriah Heep (1975–1976), U.K. (1977–1980), and Wishbone Ash (1980–1981).
John Victor "Rhino" Edwards is an English bass guitarist, playing in the rock group Status Quo.
High and Mighty is the ninth studio album by English rock band Uriah Heep, released in May 1976 by Bronze Records in the UK and Warner Bros. Records in the US. High and Mighty was the last Uriah Heep album to feature bassist John Wetton, and vocalist and founding member David Byron who was fired later that year due to his troubles with alcohol and differences with band priorities.
Welcome to the Cruise is the debut album by British singer-songwriter Judie Tzuke, released in 1979. The album peaked at No. 14 on the UK Albums Chart and was certified gold in 1981 by the British Phonographic Industry for sales in excess of 100,000 copies.
Sports Car is the second album by the British singer-songwriter Judie Tzuke, released in 1980. The album peaked at no.7 in the UK, Tzuke's only Top Ten record and highest ever chart position. It was certified Silver in 1981 by the British Phonographic Industry for sales in excess of 60,000 copies.
Shoot the Moon is the fourth album to be recorded by English singer-songwriter Judie Tzuke. It was released in April 1982 and was Tzuke's first album for Chrysalis Records after leaving Elton John's label The Rocket Record Company, which released her first three albums. The album peaked at number 19 on the UK Album Chart.
Road Noise / The Official Bootleg is the title of the first live album by singer-songwriter Judie Tzuke, released in 1982. It was recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon in London on the 24 and 25 May 1982 and at Glastonbury Festival on 20 June 1982.
Ritmo is the fifth album to be recorded by English singer-songwriter Judie Tzuke. The album was released in September 1983 and peaked at number 26 in the UK.
The Cat Is Out is the title of the sixth studio album by the British singer-songwriter Judie Tzuke, released in June 1985.
Left Hand Talking is the eighth studio album by the British singer-songwriter Judie Tzuke, released in 1991.
Wonderland is the ninth studio album by the British singer-songwriter Judie Tzuke, released in 1992.
Whispers is the title of the second studio album by German singer Thomas Anders, released in 1991. It was produced by Paul Muggleton and Mike Paxman and mixed by Stephen W Tayler. Some tracks for the album were provided by songwriters of Roxette and Jennifer Rush. It features a remake of The Stylistics' classic "Can't Give You Anything ". Backing vocals were provided by Judie Tzuke and Don Snow (ex-Squeeze).
Omega is the eleventh studio album by British rock band Asia, released on 21 April 2010 in Japan by Melodious Frontier and on 23 April 2010 in Europe by Frontiers Records. It was the fourth studio recording with the original line-up and second after the reunion in 2006.
XXX is the twelfth studio album by British rock band Asia, released in 2012. It is the fifth and final studio album with the original line-up due to guitarist Steve Howe's departure the following year and vocalist/bassist John Wetton's death in 2017.
"Stay with Me till Dawn" is a 1979 single by Judie Tzuke from her debut album Welcome to the Cruise. Written by Tzuke and Mike Paxman and produced by John Punter, the song was Tzuke's only Australian and UK top 40 single, charting at number 8 and 16 respectively.
Aquostic – Stripped Bare is the thirty-first studio album by English rock band Status Quo, first released on 17 October 2014. Produced by Mike Paxman, this is the band's first completely acoustic album and the first recorded with drummer Leon Cave. Its cover features a photograph by Canadian singer Bryan Adams. The album earned a Gold certification in January 2015.
Aquostic II – That's a Fact! is the thirty-second studio album by English rock band Status Quo, released on 21 October 2016. It is the last album to feature guitarist and vocalist Rick Parfitt, who died on 24 December 2016. Hannah Rickard, with whom Francis Rossi collaborated on their 2019 duet album We Talk Too Much, can be heard as violinist and background singer.