Farewell to Peter Collins, Producer of Rush and Bon Jovi

British producer Peter Collins, mastermind of Rush’s “Power Windows”, Bon Jovi’s “These Days”, Queensryche’s “Operation: Mindcrime”, Alice Cooper’s “Hey Stoopid”, Alice Cooper’s “After the War” by Gary Moore and at least fifty other records.

Peter Collins began his producing career with 80s British pop artists such as Nik Kershaw and Tracey Ullman. He then moved to the United States, ranging between various genres in a range that went from Jewel to Suicidal Tendencies.

Rush singer Geddy Lee remembered him on social media with these words: “It’s really sad to hear of the passing of Peter Collins.

A dear, dear friend and producer of 4 different Rush albums. During the 80’s and 90’s periods, we had some incredible musical adventures together, in various studios around the world. He was truly our Mr. Big with his ever-present cigar always in a good mood. After I hit the record button, I can still hear him saying, ‘OK, guys, from the topping… no stopping!’”

While Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson said: “Peter Collins will forever live in my memory as Mr. Big, sitting at his control center next to a recording console with his omnipresent tools: a notepad, an ashtray and a Monte Cristo No. 2.”

Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy wrote that “he had the honor of working with Peter on the first album “Flying Colors” in 2011 (…) It was a real pleasure working with him, he gave us so many beautiful memories, funny sayings and hilarious quotes that we still remember today.”

Speaking about his work in an interview with Performing Songwriter in 2011, Peter Collins said: “I have a pretty good British pop sensibility. When I became a rock producer it was an advantage because I was able to bring some pop elements into the music in a subversive way, without the listener realising it.”

When asked about striving for perfection in the recording studio, he replied: “Unless there is a flaw on a track that would be distracting to the listener… it should be left there. What’s wrong with speeding up or slowing down a track? I love it because it’s natural.” In the aforementioned 2011 interview he added that “it’s really only in rock music that precision equals power. With bands like Rush and Queensryche, the tighter the music, the more powerful it sounded, so I can see the merit for those genres. In general, no, I don’t aim for perfection. I just take good musicians, let them play and let them be human.”