Farewell to Roy Thomas Baker, he also produced “Bohemian Rhapsody”

The London producer passed away at the age of 78 Roy Thomas Baker. According to a press release released by his press officer and taken up by international newspapers, Baker died on April 12, 2025 In his home in Lake Havasu City, in Arizona, and that the news “has just been made public by the family. The cause of death has not yet been established”.

Roy Thomas Baker is especially known for being the producer of the iconic Queen album “a night at the opera” of 1975, which includes the famous single “Bohemian Rhapsody“, for the eponymous debut of the Cars of 1978 and for the first two Journey albums with Steve Perry: “Infinity” (1978) and “Evolution” (1979).

Born in Hampsted, London, Baker He began his musical career in the Decca Studios of the British capital at the age of 14. In a short time he became a sound technician at the Trident Studios, working with producers of the caliber of Gus Dudgeon and Tony Visconti. During that period, He worked as a sound engineer On discs of artists such as Dr. John, Yes, David Bowie, Rolling Stones, Who, Dusty Springfield and many others. Among his first great successes as a sound technician are the “All Right Now” of the Free (1970) and “Bang a Gong (Get it on)” by T. Rex (1972).

In 1973 Roy Thomas Baker began his collaboration with Queenproducing a large part of their eponymous debut album. Over the following years, he also worked at their records “Queen II” (1974), “Sheer Heart Attack” (1974), “A Night at the Opera” (1975) and “Jazz” (1978). The drummer of the band once led by Freddie Mercury, Roger Taylor, recalled that Baker “brought a certain dose of discipline, very cynicism and a passion for rich and caloric desserts … He was very disciplined and very severe at the beginning … he always had to come out the right version. The Take had to be perfect”.

At the end of the 70s, Baker had accumulated production credits on some of the most popular albums of the time, including two Journey records, the first two Cars albums (in addition to two others in the 80s) and “Head Games” of Foreign.

“Roy was one of the fundamental elements that made the Cars what they have become,” said guitarist Elliot Easton: “He did not go over on things nor did he take them too seriously. It was fun to work with him, a cheerful guy with a humor very at Monty Python”.

In the 80s Roy Thomas Baker continued to work intensely, producing records for Alice Cooper (2flush the fashion “), Cheap Trick (“One on one”), Mötley Crüe (“Too Fast for Love”) e Ozzy Osbourne (“No rest for the wicked”). Always in that decade, he was promoted to the A&R department of the Elektra Records, where he contributed to the signing of artists such as Metallic, Simply Red and 10,000 Maniacs. Over the following years, Baker also produced band albums such as Darkness, Smashing Pumpkins And others. His latest credit as a producer dates back to 2014, with the album “Heaven & Earth” of Yes.