Kevin Shirley discusses the role of the producer and working with so many great artists:

Do you feel that the producer’s role in the making of an album is given the respect it deserves?

Sure! Well, when it’s a success, it’s all the band’s doing - and when it fails, it’s the Producer’s fault. That’s the way it rolls. Seriously, it’s a job - I’m not a frustrated musician or something else - it’s the job I chose to do and I love it. The Producer plays a massive role in the final product. In some cases and on some records, more than others, but it gets whatever respect it gets. It certainly doesn’t bother me either way - I’d prefer less email about it!

How do you approach working with each artist on a new album? How do you agree on what style an album should have and do you feel that there are certain trademarks throughout your work?

Well, that differs from band to band. There’s always a discussion with the artist at the beginning - how deep it is depends on who it is. With Black Country Communion we conceptualized it before we began work. We decided to make a “Classic Rock” album, like the ones we still like to listen to, and ignore the trends of pop music and American Idol, etc. With Bonamassa, we thematically consider different directions before each record. Whether it’s to be Swampy, Deep Blues, World-y, etc. With a band like Iron Maiden, they really have a history and a way of working together, that is different from how I work with people like Black Country Communion, or Joe Bonamassa, or even Aerosmith and Journey, where I’ve been involved from any stages before the writing and various stages in between. No-one really tells Maiden to change what they do, which they do unlike anyone else in the world, and they back it all up with the best live act I’ve seen! The one tenant that exists between all of them tho’, is that I like to get the energy of the raw band, and the original studio tracking performance, down on tape, and build from there. I’m mostly not a “let’s-build-it-from-drums-up” kinda guy, although there are a few exceptions to this too. With Black Country Communion there was a bit of that, where I would get the guys to play something in a way which I had considered in my mind how it was to work, but I just didn’t have the time to show them, or work it through with them, so they just had to trust me. Like on one song I had Jason play kind of “Wipeout” tom-tom rolls on the solo, and he was like “Dude don’t make me play this shit!”, but he trusted me and there it is on the record!

How would you compare the way you approach recording a studio album to a live one and as you only have one take when recording a concert how do you prepare for this?

Again, it depends on the artist. Iron Maiden are who they are - I am not involved with the live production - I just record it and make subtle adjustments after the fact - fixes and tweaks and mix it. With Joe Bonamassa and the Live At The Royal Albert Hall production, I pretty much designed the show musically, then went on the road with the band for the month prior, tweaking things as little as drum fills and segues; and I contracted the filmmakers and was very hands-on in the final production as I knew this was going to be a monumental project for them. Joe and his manager, Roy Weisman, have built this touring/recording business from very humble beginnings and on very controlled budgets, and I wanted the show to be really great and rack up next to projects with ten times our budget. I wanted to have the Palladia’s of the world pick it up for broadcast nationally, because it’s great art, and not because the label bought the time from VH1. We just can’t afford that kind of thing!!!

Over the years you have worked with such artists as Bon Jovi, Dream Theater and Iron Maiden. What would you say are the most significant challenges that you face working with such established artists, particularly with regards to how you add your own touch without conflicting with their style?

Well, as I said, I like to inject the spirit of the live performance into the recordings and keep things from being too clinical - it’s what I personally like and enjoy in music. And I try and bring a performance level or some element out of the artist that hasn’t necessarily been done, or exploited before.

Are there any specific albums that you have worked on over the years that you are most proud of and why? How do you feel your work differs to other producers?

Of my productions, I really love this new BCC album. I love The Black Crowes By Your Side album, which I thought I introduced some new elements to; I love the first Silverchair album, Frogstomp, which was about capturing the real teen spirit; Aerosmith Nine Lives; the Journey albums Trial by Fire with Steve Perry and then Revelation, Iron Maiden’s A Matter Of Life And Death; I love the Rocket From The Crypt album, RFTC, which I produced in the late 90’s, I love the Bonamassa albums (You And Me, The Ballad Of John Henry, Black Rock) - there are a bunch I like, but then there are many that didn’t live up to my expectations either! I don’t even think about how my work differs from other producers - it’s not a science, and there’s no manual - so I just do the job as I feel it should be done! And it always needs the artist to believe and deliver too.

Communion’s debut album. The group is comprised of four renowned artists (Glenn Hughes, Jason Bonham, Joe Bonamassa and Derek Sherinian), how did they manage to collaborate together without competing and do you ever feel intimidated by the artists you work with?

Well, they collaborated together because there is a common goal we’ve established - I don’t feel intimidated by them as I know them all well personally, and there certainly is competition between them, but my job is to keep it healthy so I have to stay focused and ensure that there is no bullying. There is always a tendency amongst good musicians to bully one another (to get their way!), and my job is to know what the end goal is - and then push everyone towards the same result. If everyone’s ideas were employed, say in designing a horse, one guy would push for a camel, and another a giraffe - my goal is to see the racehorse sprint!

Are there any specific artists that you have not worked with as yet that you hope to one day produce and are there any you hope plan to work with again?

I really love working with Joe (Bonamassa) and we will work together again, I have a great vibe with the Maiden guys - as with the Journey gang. I would like to do more stuff with Jimmy Page (although I don’t think that’s on the cards), and I have wanted to produce a really good hard-rockin’ female singer for a while… so who knows? We’ll see…”