Mike Paxman
Encyclopedia
Mike Paxman is a multi-instrumentalist
and record producer
, best known for his work with Judie Tzuke
, Nick Kamen
, Uriah Heep
and Status Quo.
Paxman grew up in Wiltshire
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 (all ex-B.W.S.).
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
, then went on to write and produce a further twelve albums with her. Paxman continued working in the studio with Tzuke through to the late 1990s.
From the mid 1980s, Paxman mainly focused on production work, founding Big Ocean Studios with Paul Muggleton, Tzuke's partner. They went on to work with various artists, including Nick Kamen
(including the hit single "I Promised Myself"), Paul Norton (Under a Southern Sky), Scarlet (the album Naked and single "Independent Love Song"), Frances Ruffelle
and Jimmy Nail
.
Paxman has also 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), and Quid Pro Quo
2011, as well as compiling and re-mastering Status Quo hits collections such as the 2008 4 x CD set Pictures. He produced Quo keyboard player Andy Bown's
solo album: Unfinished Business
, released in September 2011.
Paxman has also produced three studio albums with Uriah Heep
: Wake the Sleeper
(2008), Celebration
(2009) and Into the Wild
(2011).
He produced Omega
from Asia
in 2010.
Multi-instrumentalist
A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays a number of different instruments.The Bachelor of Music degree usually requires a second instrument to be learned , but people who double on another instrument are not usually seen as multi-instrumentalists.-Classical music:Music written for Symphony...
and record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, best known for his work with Judie Tzuke
Judie Tzuke
Judie Tzuke is an English singer/songwriter. She is most well known for her 1979 hit "Stay With Me Till Dawn", which reached no.16 on the UK Singles Chart.-Early life:...
, Nick Kamen
Nick Kamen
Nick Kamen is an English male model, songwriter and musician, and brother of session guitarist Chester Kamen and artist Barry Kamen.-Career:...
, Uriah Heep
Uriah Heep (band)
Uriah Heep are an English rock band formed in London in 1969 and regarded as a seminal classic hard rock act of the 1970s. Uriah Heep's progressive/art rock/heavy metal fusion's distinctive features have always been massive keyboards sound, strong vocal harmonies and David Byron's operatic vocals...
and Status Quo.
Paxman grew up in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
and went to Bishop Wordsworth's School
Bishop Wordsworth's School
Bishop Wordsworth's School is a Church of England boys' day grammar school located in Salisbury, England. In 2010, there were 748 pupils aged between 11 and 18. The school is regularly amongst the top-performing schools in England, and in 2011 was the top school performer for the English...
in Salisbury
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
. During the late 1970s he played drums in the Salisbury-based contemporary jazz quartet Sphere, along with saxophonist Andy Sheppard
Andy Sheppard
Andy Sheppard is a British jazz saxophonist and composer. He has been awarded several prizes at the British Jazz Awards, and has worked with some notable figures in contemporary jazz, including Gil Evans, Carla Bley, George Russell and Steve Swallow.-Biography:Sheppard was born in Warminster,...
, pianist Geoff Williams, and double bassist Peter Maxfield (all ex-B.W.S.).
He played guitar, in the studio and on tour, and wrote with singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Judie Tzuke
Judie Tzuke
Judie Tzuke is an English singer/songwriter. She is most well known for her 1979 hit "Stay With Me Till Dawn", which reached no.16 on the UK Singles Chart.-Early life:...
from the late 1970s. He co-wrote Tzuke's single "Stay with Me 'Till Dawn" and her first album Welcome to the Cruise
Welcome to the Cruise
Welcome to the Cruise is the title of the debut album by the 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.Recorded and mixed at Air...
, then went on to write and produce a further twelve albums with her. Paxman continued working in the studio with Tzuke through to the late 1990s.
From the mid 1980s, Paxman mainly focused on production work, founding Big Ocean Studios with Paul Muggleton, Tzuke's partner. They went on to work with various artists, including Nick Kamen
Nick Kamen
Nick Kamen is an English male model, songwriter and musician, and brother of session guitarist Chester Kamen and artist Barry Kamen.-Career:...
(including the hit single "I Promised Myself"), Paul Norton (Under a Southern Sky), Scarlet (the album Naked and single "Independent Love Song"), Frances Ruffelle
Frances Ruffelle
Frances Ruffelle is an English musical theatre actress and recording artist. Her mother is Sylvia Young, the founder of the famous theatre school at which Frances trained, and her daughter is recording artist Eliza Doolittle. Her younger sister is actress Alison Ruffelle...
and Jimmy Nail
Jimmy Nail
James Bradford "Jimmy" Nail is an English singer-songwriter, actor, musician, film producer, film score composer and television writer....
.
Paxman has also worked with Status Quo extensively, producing several albums and DVDs including Under The Influence
Under the Influence (Status Quo album)
Under the Influence is the twenty-third studio album by English rock band Status Quo, released in 1999.-Track listing:# "Twenty Wild Horses" 5:00# "Under the Influence" 4:03# "Round and Round" 3:25...
(1999), Heavy Traffic
Heavy Traffic (album)
Heavy Traffic is the twenty-fifth studio album by English rock band Status Quo. Published in 2002, it hit #15 on the UK charts. The album was released following the reunion of Francis Rossi with writing partner Bob Young, who co-wrote many of the band's songs between 1968 and 1980.-UK...
(2002), The Party Ain't Over Yet
The Party Ain't Over Yet
The Party Ain't Over Yet... is the twenty-seventh album by English rock band Status Quo, released September 19, 2005.- Track listing :# "The Party Ain't Over Yet" 3:50# "Gotta Get Up and Go" 4:18...
... (2005), and Quid Pro Quo
Quid Pro Quo (album)
Quid Pro Quo is the twenty-ninth studio album by English rock band Status Quo, released in May 2011. The album debuted at number 10 in the UK charts and features 14 new songs, as well as the 2010 version of the 1986 hit In The Army Now which was re-released in support of the Help For Heroes and...
2011, as well as compiling and re-mastering Status Quo hits collections such as the 2008 4 x CD set Pictures. He produced Quo keyboard player Andy Bown's
Andy Bown
Andy Bown is an English musician, who has specialised in keyboards and bass guitar. He is a member of the rock band Status Quo.-Career:...
solo album: Unfinished Business
Andy Bown
Andy Bown is an English musician, who has specialised in keyboards and bass guitar. He is a member of the rock band Status Quo.-Career:...
, released in September 2011.
Paxman has also produced three studio albums with Uriah Heep
Uriah Heep (band)
Uriah Heep are an English rock band formed in London in 1969 and regarded as a seminal classic hard rock act of the 1970s. Uriah Heep's progressive/art rock/heavy metal fusion's distinctive features have always been massive keyboards sound, strong vocal harmonies and David Byron's operatic vocals...
: Wake the Sleeper
Wake the Sleeper
Wake the Sleeper is the 21st studio album by the progressive rock band Uriah Heep. It is their first studio album since 1998's Sonic Origami...
(2008), Celebration
Celebration (Uriah Heep album)
Celebration is the 22nd album by the progressive rock band Uriah Heep. It features re-recorded classic songs from the band, as well as two tracks written specifically for this release. A double Deluxe Special Edition on digipak format features an extra live DVD recorded at the Sweden Rock Festival...
(2009) and Into the Wild
Into the Wild (Uriah Heep album)
Into the Wild is the 23rd studio album by the progressive rock band Uriah Heep. It was first released in Japan on April 12, 2011 by Universal Music Japan with 12 tracks and in SHM-CD and in Europe by Frontiers Records on April 15, 2011 with only 11 tracks and in standard material. A video for its...
(2011).
He produced Omega
Omega (album)
Omega is the fourth studio album from the original lineup of the English rock band Asia, originally released 23 April 2010, and the second studio album after the reunion of all four original members in 2006."Finger on the Trigger" was previously recorded by Wetton and Downes's side band Icon on...
from Asia
Asia (band)
Asia are an English rock group formed in 1981. The band was labelled a supergroup as it included former members of several veteran progressive rock bands, namely John Wetton , Geoff Downes , Steve Howe and Carl Palmer Asia are an English rock group formed in 1981. The band was labelled a...
in 2010.