Tag Archives: Martin Birch

Rainbow: On Stage

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On July 15, 1977, “Oyster” and “Polydor” labels released “On Stage”, the first Rainbow live album. It was recorded September – December 1976, in Japan and Germany, and was produced by Martin Birch.

Personnel:

  • Ronnie James Dio – vocals
  • Ritchie Blackmore – guitars
  • Tony Carey – keyboards
  • Jimmy Bain – bass
  • Cozy Powell – drums

Track listing:

  1. Kill the King – Ritchie Blackmore, Ronnie James Dio, Cozy Powell
  2. Medley: Man on the Silver Mountain / Blues / Starstruck – Ritchie Blackmore Ronnie James Dio
  3. Catch the Rainbow – Ritchie Blackmore, Ronnie James Dio
  4. Mistreated – Ritchie Blackmore, David Coverdale
  5. Sixteen Century Greensleeves – Ritchie Blackmore, Ronnie James Dio
  6. Still I’m Sad (The Yardbirds cover) -Paul Samwell – Smith, Jim McCarty

Iron Maiden: Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son

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On April 11, 1988, “EMI” label released “Seventh Son of a Seventh Son”, the seventh Iron Maiden studio album. It was recorded February – March 1988, at “Musicland” in Munich, Germany, and was produced by Martin Birch.

Personnel:

  • Bruce Dickinson – vocals
  • Dave Murray – guitars
  • Adrian Smith – guitars, synthesiser
  • Steve Harris – bass, string synthesiser
  • Nicko McBrain – drums
  • Martin “Disappearing Armchair” Birch – tape operator, engineer, mixing
  • Stephane Wissner – engineer
  • Bernd Maier – engineer
  • George Marino – mastering
  • Rod Smallwood – sleeve concept
  • Derek Riggs – sleeve illustrations
  • Ross Halfin – photography

Track listing:

  1. Moonchild – Adrian Smith, Bruce Dickinson
  2. Infinite Dreams – Steve Harris
  3. Can I Play with Madness – Adrian Smith, Bruce Dickinson, Steve Harris
  4. The Evil That Men Do – Adrian Smith, Bruce Dickinson, Steve Harris
  5. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son – Adrian Smith
  6. The Prophecy – Dave Murray, Steve Harris
  7. The Clairvoyant – Steve Harris
  8. Only the Good Die Young – Steve Harris, Bruce Dickinson

Toad: Tomorrow Blue

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In January 1972, “Hallelujah” label released “Tomorrow Blue”, the second Toad studio album. It was recorded in 1971, at “De Lane Lea Studios” in London, and was produced by Chris Schwegler.

  • Vic Vergeat – vocals, guitar
  • Werner Fröhlich – vocals, bass
  • Cosimo Lampis – drums
  • Helmut Lipsky – violin
  • Martin Birch – engineer
  • Silvio Caduff – artwork
  • Giorgio Meloni – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. Thoughts – Vic Vergeat, Werner Fröhlich
  2. Tomorrow Blue – Vic Vergeat, Werner Fröhlich
  3. Blind Chapmans Tale – Vic Vergeat
  4. Vampires – Vic Vergeat, Werner Fröhlich
  5. No Need – Vic Vergeat, Werner Fröhlich
  6. Change in Time – Vic Vergeat, Werner Fröhlich
  7. Three O’ Clock in the Morning – Vic Vergeat

Steamhammer: Mountains

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In November 1970, “B&C Records” label released “Mountains”, the third Steamhammer studio album. It was recorded in 1970, and was produced by Fritz Fryer.

  • Kieran White – vocals, guitar, harmonica
  • Martin Pugh – guitar
  • Steve Davy – bass
  • Mick Bradley – drums
  • Keith Nelson – banjo
  • Fritz Fryer, Martin Birch – recording

Track listing:

All tracks by Kieran White, except where noted.

  1. I Wouldn’t Have Thought (Gophers Song) – Kieran White, Martin Pugh
  2. Levinia
  3. Henry Lane
  4. Walking Down the Road
  5. Mountains
  6. Leader of the Ring
  7. Riding on the L&N – Dan Burley, Lionel Hampton
  8. Hold That Train – Kieran White, Martin Pugh, Mick Bradley, Steve Davy

Black Sabbath: Mob Rules

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On November 4, 1981, “Vertigo” label released “Mob Rules”, the tenth Black Sabbath studio album.It was recorded in 1981, at “Record Plant” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Martin Birch.

Personnel:

  • Ronnie James Dio – vocals
  • Tony Iommi – guitars
  • Geezer Butler – bass
  • Vinny Appice – drums
  • Geoff Nicholls – keyboards
  • Martin Birch – engineer
  • Eddie DeLena, Angelo Arcuri – engineer assistant
  • Ian Ferguson, Michael Howse, Les Martin, Peter Resty – technician
  • Greg Hildebrandt – illustration
  • Richard Seireeni – art direction

Track listing:

All lyrics by Ronnie James Dio, except where noted, all music by Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi, and Geezer Butler.

  1. Turn Up the Night
  2. Voodoo
  3. The Sign of the Southern Cross
  4. E5150
  5. The Mob Rules
  6. Country Girl
  7. Slipping Away
  8. Falling off the Edge of the World
  9. Over and Over

Deep Purple: Fireball

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On July 9, 1971, “Harvest” label released “Fireball”, the fifth Deep Purple studio album. It was recorded September 1970 – June 1971, at “De Lane Lea Studios” and “Olympic Studios” in London, “The Hermitage” in Welcombe, North Devon, and was produced by Jon Lord, Ritchie Blackmore, Ian Paice, Roger Glover and Ian Gillan.

Personnel:

  • Ian Gillan – vocals
  • Ritchie Blackmore – guitars
  • Jon Lord – keyboards, Hammond organ
  • Roger Glover – bass
  • Ian Paice – drums
  • Martin Birch – engineer
  • Lou Austin – engineer
  • Alan O’Duffy – engineer
  • Peter Mew – remaster
  • Castle, Chappell & Partners Limited – design
  • Tony Burrett – photography

Track listing:

  1. Fireball
  2. No No No
  3. Demon’s Eye
  4. Anyone’s Daughter
  5. The Mule
  6. Fools
  7. No Ona Came

Blue Öyster Cult: Cultösaurus Erectus

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On June 14, 1980, “Columbia” label released “Cultösaurus Erectus”, the seventh Blue Öyster Cult studio album. It was recorded 1979 – 1980, at “Kingdom Sound Studios” in Long Island, New York, and was produced by Martin Birch. 

Personnel:

  • Eric Bloom – vocals, guitar, keyboards
  • Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser – vocals, lead guitar, bass, keyboards
  • Allen Lanier – keyboards, guitar
  • Joe Bouchard – vocals, bass
  • Albert Bouchard – vocals, drums
  • Don Kirshner – introduction during “The Marshall Plan”
  • Mark Rivera – saxophone
  • Martin Birch – engineer, mixing
  • Clay Hutchinson – second engineer
  • Richard Clifton-Dey – front cover art
  • Paula Scher – cover design

Track listing:

  1. Black Blade – Eric Bloom, Michael Moorcock, John Trivers
  2. Monsters – Albert Bouchard, Caryn Bouchard
  3. Divine Wind – Donald Roeser
  4. Deadline – Donald Roeser
  5. The Marshall Plan – Eric Bloom, Albert Bouchard, Joe Bouchard, Allen Lanier, Donald Roeser
  6. Hungry Boys – Albert Bouchard, Caryn Bouchard
  7. Fallen Angel – Joe Bouchard, Helen Wheels
  8. Lips in the Hills – Eric Bloom, Donald Roeser, Richard Meltzer
  9. Unknown Tongue – Albert Bouchard, David Roter

Groundhogs: Who Will Save the World? The Mighty Groundhogs

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In March 1972, “United Artists” label released “Who Will Save the World? The Mighty Groundhogs”, the fifth Groundhogs album. It was recorded in January 1972, “De Lane Lea Studios” in London, and was produced by Tony McPhee.

Personnel:

  • Tony McPhee – vocals, guitars, mellotron, harmonium
  • Peter Cruikshank – bass
  • Ken Pustelnik – drums
  • Martin Birch, Louis Austin – engineer
  • Neal Adams – artwork

Track listing:

All tracks by Tony McPhee, except where noted.

  1. Is Not Room Enough
  2. Wages of Peace
  3. Body in Mind
  4. Music is the Food of Thought
  5. Bog Roll Blues
  6. Death of the Sun
  7. Amazing Grace – traditional
  8. The Grey Maze 

Tony Ashton & Jon Lord: First of the Big Bands

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In April 1974, “Purple Records” label released “First of the Big Bands”, album by Tony Ashton and Jon Lord. It was recorded in November 1971 – late 1973, at “Air Studios” and “Apple Studios” in London, and was produced by Tony Ashton and Jon Lord.

Personnel:

  • Tony Ashton – lead vocals, Hammond organ, piano
  • Jon Lord – Hammond organ, piano
  • Mick Clarke – guitars
  • Jim Cregan – guitars
  • Jerry Donahue – guitars
  • Peter Frampton – guitars
  • Pat Donaldson – bass
  • Carmine Appice – drums
  • Terry Cox – drums
  • Ian Paice – drums
  • Cozy Powell – drums
  • Frank Ricotti – percussion, vibraphone
  • Dick Parry – saxophone
  • Howie Casey – saxophone
  • Dave Caswell – trumpet
  • Mike Davis – trumpet
  • John Mumford – trombone
  • Madeline Bell – backing vocals
  • Tony Ferguson – backing vocals
  • Jimmy Helms – backing vocals
  • Kenny Rowe – backing vocals
  • Graham White – backing vocals
  • Jo Ann Williams – backing vocals
  • Roger Willis – backing vocals
  • Martin Birch, Geoffrey Emerick, Alan Harris, John Middleton, John Mills, Bill Price – engineer
  • John Kosh – design
  • Peter Howe – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Tony Ashton and Jon Lord, except where noted.

  1. We’re Gonna Make It
  2. Downside Upside Down
  3. Band of the Salvation Army (including Bringing in the Sheaves)
  4. Silly Boy
  5. Surrender Me – Tony Ashton
  6. Celebration
  7. I Been Lonely – Tony Ashton
  8. Shut Up
  9. Ballad of Mr. Giver – (including a reprise of Celebration)

The Groundhogs: Split

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In March 1971, “Liberty” label released “Split”, the fourth Groundhogs (The) album. It was recorded in November 1970, at “De Lane Lea Studios” in London, and was produced by Tony McPhee.

Personnel:

  • Tony McPhee – vocals, guitars
  • Peter Cruikshank – bass guitar
  • Ken Pustelnik – drums
  • Martin Birch – engineer
  • Chris Richardson – design, photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Tony McPhee

  1. Split – Part One
  2. Split – Part Two
  3. Split – Part Three
  4. Split – Part Four
  5. Cherry Red
  6. A Year in the Life
  7. Junkman
  8. Groundhog (based on “Ground Hog Blues” by John Lee Hooker)