Brian May Honors Producer Roy Thomas Baker: “Thank You for the Great Work and the Fun We Had”
The rock world is mourning the loss of iconic producer Roy Thomas Baker, who passed away this week at the age of 78. Known for his signature wall-of-sound production and flamboyant studio style, Baker was instrumental in shaping QUEEN’s early records, including their magnum opus A Night at the Opera (1975), which featured the band’s most enduring classic: Bohemian Rhapsody.
Brian May, QUEEN’s guitarist, shared a touching tribute on Instagram, reflecting on Baker’s legacy and their early days together in the studio. “Roy played a huge part in the production of so much QUEEN music in the early days,” May wrote. “Roy’s production contribution along with Mike Stone’s engineering for ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ will never be forgotten.”
May included rare 3D photographs of a 1973 visit to Roy and his wife Barbara in Norfolk, reminiscing about strawberry picking and shared moments behind the scenes. “Thank you, Roy, for all the great work you did for us, and all the fun we had. Rest in Peace,” he concluded.
QUEEN drummer Roger Taylor also shared his thoughts, calling Baker “disciplined,” “cynical,” and someone with “a passion for fattening desserts.” Taylor recalled Baker’s intense commitment to perfection in the studio: “He would always get it right. The take had to be right.”
Baker produced QUEEN albums including Queen, Queen II, Sheer Heart Attack, A Night at the Opera, and Jazz, shaping the band’s lush, layered sound. His work on Bohemian Rhapsody, a six-minute genre-bending masterpiece, earned global acclaim and helped cement QUEEN’s place in rock history.
Beyond QUEEN, Baker’s production resume reads like a who’s who of rock royalty. He produced four albums for The Cars, Mötley Crüe’s debut Too Fast for Love, and albums by The Smashing Pumpkins, Foreigner, Alice Cooper, Cheap Trick, DEVO, Ozzy Osbourne, and Guns N’ Roses, among many others.
Though the cause of death has not been disclosed, Baker is remembered not only for his technical genius but also for his larger-than-life personality and unwavering passion for music. He is survived by his wife Tere Livrano Baker and brother Alan Baker.
As May poignantly noted: “We imagine there will be plenty of time to rekindle a friendship, and then suddenly one day it’s too late.”
