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Mike Vernon
Mike Vernon
Background information
Birth name	Michael William Hugh Vernon
Born	20 November 1944 (age 80); Harrow, Middlesex, England
Genres	Blues, pop rock
Occupation(s)	Record producer, recording engineer, executive producer
Years active	1963–present
Labels	CBS Records, Polydor Records, Blue Horizon Records, Decca Records

Michael William Hugh Vernon MBE (born 20 November 1944)^[1] is an English music executive studio owner and record producer from Harrow, Middlesex.^[2] He produced albums for British blues artists and groups in the 1960s, working with the Bluesbreakers, David Bowie, Duster Bennett, Savoy Brown, Chicken Shack, Climax Blues Band, Eric Clapton, Fleetwood Mac, Peter Green, Danny Kirwan, John Mayall, Christine McVie and Ten Years After amongst others.^[3]

Biography

Vernon is best known as founder of the blues record label, Blue Horizon.^[2]^[4] He worked at Decca Records starting in 1963, and produced the Mayall-Clapton collaboration Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton (1966).^[3] In 1967, Vernon produced David Bowie's debut album for Deram Records.^[5] In 1968 he produced Fleetwood Mac's million-selling hit single "Albatross".^[6] The 1971 Blue Horizon release Bring It Back Home featured Paul Kossoff and Rory Gallagher, each appearing on one track. Two years later, Vernon released a solo album, Moment of Madness, on Sire Records. He was also a member of Olympic Runners (1974–1979) and acted as producer for them. He was a producer and member of Rocky Sharpe and the Replays (1979–1983). With the Replays he sang bass under the pseudonym of Eric Rondo.^[7] He founded the Indigo and Code Blue record labels in the 1990s.^[3]

In 1971, Vernon and his brother Richard opened Chipping Norton Recording Studios as the in-house studio for the Blue Horizon label. The studio became a commercial enterprise and operated until 1999, recording many hit singles including "Baker Street" by Gerry Rafferty, "In The Army Now" by Status Quo, "Too Shy" by Kajagoogoo, "I Should Have Known Better" by Jim Diamond, "Promise Me" by Beverley Craven, "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" by the Proclaimers,^[8] "Perfect" by Fairground Attraction, "(I Just) Died in Your Arms" by Cutting Crew, "Eighteen with a Bullet" by Pete Wingfield, "Hocus Pocus" by Focus and "Bye, Bye, Baby (Baby Goodbye)" by the Bay City Rollers.^[8]^{[better source needed]}. Duran Duran recorded most of their debut album Duran Duran (1981) with Colin Thurston as producer, and Radiohead recorded their 1993 debut album, Pablo Honey, including their debut single "Creep".^[9]

Vernon came out of retirement in 2011 to produce Dani Wilde's album Shine, and the second album by the British blues prodigy, Oli Brown. Brown's album entitled Heads I Win, Tails You Lose was released in March 2010.^[10]

In October 2013, Vernon was rewarded with a BASCA Gold Badge Award,^[11] in recognition of his unique contribution to music.

On 7 September 2018, Vernon's first album on Manhaton Records, Beyond The Blues Horizon, was released. It featured twelve tracks, including nine new self-penned originals, and three covers from the catalogues of Brook Benton, Mose Allison and Clarence "Frogman" Henry.^[12] The release was supported by a European tour under the billing of 'Mike Vernon & The Mighty Combo'.^[13] Vernon's band, The Mighty Combo, consisted of Kid Carlos (guitar), Ian Jennings (upright bass), Matt Little (keyboards), Paul Tasker (saxophone) and Mike Hellier (drums).

Vernon was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2020 Birthday Honours for services to music.^[14]

Production discography

1965 – Five Long Years – Eddie Boyd
1965 – From the Land of Green Ginger – The Green Ginger Three
1966 – Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton – John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers
1966 – Art Gallery – The Artwoods
1966 – "Rubber Band" – David Bowie
1966 – Sound of Sitar – Chim Kothari
1967 – Champion Jack Dupree and His Blues Band – Champion Jack Dupree featuring Mickey Baker
1967 – "Love You till Tuesday" – David Bowie
1967 – The Blues Alone – John Mayall
1967 – A Hard Road – John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers
1967 – Crusade – John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers
1967 – David Bowie – David Bowie
1967 – Eddie Boyd and His Blues Band – Eddie Boyd (Liner notes)
1967 – Raw Blues – Various Artists
1967 – Shake Down – Savoy Brown
1967 – Ten Years After – Ten Years After
1968 – The 1968 Memphis Country Blues Festival – Various Artists
1968 – Roosevelt Holts: Presenting The Country Blues (Production)
1968 – 40 Blue Fingers, Freshly Packed and Ready to Serve – Chicken Shack
1968 – 7936 South Rhodes – Eddie Boyd
1968 – Bare Wires – John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers
1968 – Blues from Laurel Canyon – John Mayall
1968 – Long Overdue – Gordon Smith
1968 – Diary of a Band, Vol. 1 – John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers
1968 – Diary of a Band, Vol. 2 – John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers
1968 – Getting to the Point – Savoy Brown
1968 – Last Night's Dream – Johnny Shines
1968 – Fleetwood Mac – Fleetwood Mac
1968 – Mr. Wonderful – Fleetwood Mac
1968 – Undead – Ten Years After (Liner notes)
1968 – Fully Interlocking – The Web
1968 – Memphis Hot Shots – Bukka White (Production, liner notes, photo)
1968 -- Albatross – Fleetwood Mac
1969 – 100 Ton Chicken – Chicken Shack
1969 – The Biggest Thing Since Colossus – Otis Spann (Liner notes)
1969 – Blue Matter – Savoy Brown (Percussion, arranger, assistant)
1969 – Fleetwood Mac in Chicago/Blues Jam in Chicago, Vols. 1-2 – Fleetwood Mac
1969 – English Rose – Fleetwood Mac
1969 – First Slice – Jellybread
1969 – Heavy Blues – Champion Jack Dupree
1969 – Looking Back – John Mayall (Liner notes)
1969 – Midnight Jump – Sunnyland Slim
1969 – O.K. Ken? – Chicken Shack
1969 – Fiends And Angels – Martha Veléz
1969 – Patent Pending – The Johnny Almond Music Machine
1969 – The Pious Bird of Good Omen – Fleetwood Mac
1969 – A Step Further – Savoy Brown (Percussion, bells)
1969 – Box Of Surprises – Dana Gillespie (Production)
1969 – Stonedhenge – Ten Years After (Vocals)
1969 – Presenting the Country Blues/Furry Lewis (Production, liner notes)
1969 – Presenting the Country Blues/Mississippi Joe Callicott (Production, liner notes)
1970 – Theraphosa Blondi – The Web
1970 – Stars of the 1969–1970 Memphis Country Blues Festival – Various Artists
1970 – Grease One for Me – Bacon Fat
1970 – Christine Perfect – Christine McVie
1970 – White Hot Blue Black – John L. Watson
1970 – In and Out of Focus – Focus (Liner notes, supervisor)
1970 – The End of the Game – Peter Green
1970 – Accept – Chicken Shack
1971 – Black Magic Woman – Fleetwood Mac
1971 – Bring It Back Home – Mike Vernon (Harmonica, percussion, vocals)
1971 – The Original Fleetwood Mac – Fleetwood Mac
1971 – Moving Waves – Focus (Liner notes, supervisor)
1971 – Rick Hayward – Rick Hayward (Liner notes)
1971 – Thru the Years – John Mayall
1972 – Alvin Lee and Company – Ten Years After
1972 – Discovering the Blues – Robben Ford
1972 – Focus 3 – Focus (Supervisor, backing vocals)
1972 – Rocking at the Tweed Mill – Livin' Blues
1973 – At the Rainbow – Focus (Supervisor)
1973 – History of British Blues Vol. 1 (Various Artists) (Production, liner notes and on one song)
1973 – Ram Jam Josey – Livin' Blues
1974 – Burglar – Freddie King (Percussion)
1974 – Hamburger Concerto – Focus
1975 – Larger Than Life – Freddie King (Percussion)
1975 – Love Is a Five Letter Word – Jimmy Witherspoon (Percussion)
1975 – Out in Front – Olympic Runners (Percussion)
1975 – Vintage Years – Fleetwood Mac
1976 – Do You Wanna Do a Thing – Bloodstone
1976 – Gold Plated – Climax Blues Band
1976 – Live – Jimmy Witherspoon & Robben Ford (Executive production, editing, mixing)
1977 – Best of Savoy Brown – Savoy Brown
1977 – Edwin Starr – Edwin Starr (Tambourine, vibraslap)
1977 – Hot to Trot – Olympic Runners (Percussion, vocals)
1977 – On the Line – Foster Brothers
1977 – Ship of Memories – Focus
1977 – Soul Survivors – Diversions
1978 – Focus con Proby – Focus (Liner notes, supervisor)
1978 – Puttin' It Onya – Olympic Runners (Percussion, vocals)
1979 – Let It Roll – Dr. Feelgood
1979 – Out of the Ground – Olympic Runners (Percussion)
1979 – Rama Lama – Rocky Sharpe and the Replays
1980 – Rock-It-To Mars – Rocky Sharpe and the Replays
1980 – Let's Go (Shout! Shout!) – Rocky Sharpe and the Replays
1981 – Level 42 – Level 42
1982 – The Pursuit of Accidents – Level 42
1983 – Stop! Please Stop! – Rocky Sharpe and the Replays
1983 – Good Rockin' Tonight – Johnny & the Roccos (Production)^[15]
1984 – End of the Line – Pete McDonald
1985 – Graffiti – New Jordal Swingers
1986 – Mad Man Blues – Dr. Feelgood
1986 – On the Loose – Steve Gibbons
1987 – Hat Trick – Blues 'N' Trouble (Percussion)
1987 – Guitar Guitar – 32/20
1988 – Crossroads – Eric Clapton
1988 – Great British Psychedelic Trip, Vol. 1, 1966-69 – Various Artists
1988 – John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers – John Mayall
1988 – Roachford – Roachford
1988 – Songs for the Weekend – New Jordal Swingers
1988 - “Bad to the Bone” - Bad to the Bone
1989 – Level Best – Level 42
1989 – Singles – The UA Years – Dr. Feelgood
1989 – Steel & Fire – The Mick Clarke Band (Engineer)
1989 – Mick 'Wildman' Pini – Mick Pini
1989 – Storyteller – The Complete Anthology: 1964–1990 – Rod Stewart
1990 - “Whirlwind on Fire” - Bad to the Bone
1990 – Blues It Up – Dana Gillespie (Percussion)
1991 – That's What The Blues Can Do – The Innes Sibun Blues Explosion (Production)^[16]
1991 – Second Sight – Chris Youlden (Vocals, engineer)
1992 – 25 Years – The Chain – Fleetwood Mac
1992 – Attack of the Atomic Guitar – U.P. Wilson (Engineer, mixing)
1992 – Blue Lightning – Lightnin' Slim (Mixing)
1992 – Blues, the Whole Blues & Nothing But the Blues – Jimmy Witherspoon (Percussion, engineer, mixing, liner notes)^[1]
1992 – Chiswick Story – Various Artists
1992 – Delta Bluesman – David Honeyboy Edwards
1993 – Dog Days Are Over – The Scabs
1993 – Delta Hurricane – Larry McCray
1993 – Clima Raro – Danza Invisible
1994 – I'm the Man – Sherman Robertson
1994 – Live Dog – The Scabs
1994 – Sound Like This – The Hoax
1994 – Al Compás de la Banda – Danza Invisible
1995 – The Real Deal – John Primer
1995 – Dos Caras Distintas – Los Secretos
1996 – A Man Amongst Men – Bo Diddley (Production, liner notes, percussion)
1997 – Me To You – Eric Bibb (Production, backing vocals, percussion)
1998 – Swango – Candye Kane (Production, backing vocals, tambourine)
1999 – The Complete Blue Horizon Sessions 1967–1969 – Fleetwood Mac (Production)
2007 – The Complete Blue Horizon Sessions – Otis Spann (Production)
2007 – Furry Lewis & Mississippi Joe Callicott – The Complete Blue Horizon Sessions (Production, liner notes, photos)
2007 – The 1968 Memphis Country Blues festival – Bukka White The Complete Blue Horizon Sessions (Production, liner notes, photos)
2008 – The Complete Blue Horizon Sessions – Jellybread (Production, liner notes)
2008 – The Complete Blue Horizon Sessions – Top Topham (Production, liner notes)
2008 – The Complete Blue Horizon Sessions – Key Largo (Production, liner notes)
2008 – The Complete Blue Horizon Sessions – Gordon Smith (Production, liner notes)
2008 – The Complete Blue Horizon Sessions – Eddie Boyd (Production, liner notes)
2008 – The Complete Blue Horizon Sessions – Champion Jack Dupree (Production, liner notes)
2010 – Heads I Win, Tails You Lose – Oli Brown (Production)
2010 – Shine – Dani Wilde (Production)
2010 – Fun to Visit – Mingo & The Blues Intruders^[17] (Production)
2015 – Just A Little Bit – Mike Vernon & Los García^[18] (vocals & kazoo – Production & liner notes)
2016 – Take Me High – Laurence Jones (Production)^[19]
2016 – A Force of Nature – Sari Schorr (Production)^[20]

Bibliography

Bob Brunning, Blues: The British Connection, Helter Skelter Publishing, London 2002, ISBN 1-900924-41-2 – First edition 1986 – Second edition 1995 Blues in Britain
Bob Brunning, The Fleetwood Mac Story: Rumours and Lies, Omnibus Press London, 1990 and 1998, ISBN 0-7119-6907-8
Martin Celmins, Peter Green – Founder of Fleetwood Mac, Sanctuary London, 1995, foreword by B. B. King, ISBN 1-86074-233-5
Dick Heckstall-Smith, The safest place in the world: A personal history of British Rhythm and blues, 1989 Quartet Books Limited, ISBN 0-7043-2696-5 – Second Edition : Blowing The Blues – Fifty Years Playing The British Blues, 2004, Clear Books, ISBN 1-904555-04-7
Christopher Hjort, Strange brew: Eric Clapton and the British blues boom, 1965-1970, foreword by John Mayall, Jawbone 2007, ISBN 1-906002-00-2
Paul Myers, Long John Baldry and the Birth of the British Blues, Vancouver 2007, GreyStone Books, ISBN 1-55365-200-2
Harry Shapiro, Alexis Korner: The Biography, Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, London 1997, Discography by Mark Troster, ISBN 0-7475-3163-3
Mike Vernon, The Blue Horizon Story 1965-1970 vol.1, notes from the booklet of the box set (60 pages)