Queen, Bowie Producer David Richards Dies at 57

Queen record producer David Richards has died at the age of 57 after a long illness, it’s been confirmed.

He’s best known for working on the band’s last four albums, A Kind Of Magic, The Miracle, Innuendo and Made In Heaven, while also collaborating with David Bowie on Never Let Me Down, The Buddha Of Suburbia and Outside. Among his other credits are Iggy Pop’s Blah Blah Blah and Magnum’s Vigilante.

In 1975 he started as an engineer at Queen’s Mountain Studios in Montreux, Switzerland, after several years of working in London. Two years later he became its chief engineer, then bought over the establishment in 1993 and nine years later moved it to new premises in Attalens.

Queen men Brian May and Roger Taylor say in a statement: “During his time working at Mountain Studios, David encountered a huge range of artists plus hundreds more coming through the Montreux Jazz Festival. With his natural musical talent and his calm, discreet and efficient manner, it was unsurprising he was soon in demand as a record producer, racking up countless gold and platinum discs and production credits.

“He won a Juno award in 1978 for Best Jazz Recording and at one point in 1994 David was Billboard Magazine’s Producer Of The Month with three number one records.

“David will be remembered by many as a good friend. He was funny and generous and great company – a talented and capable man who had an instinctive ‘magic touch’ in the recording studio. His creative productions will be enjoyed for years to come.”

Richards is survived by a daughter, Wendy, and a son, Christopher.