John Anthony

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Lore & Background

In late 1971, John Anthony formed Neptune Productions, his own production company, with the owners of Trident Studios. The following spring, he signed Queen. This signing came after Anthony had already established himself as an A&R man for Mercury Records in London, where in 1969 he was asked by Lou Reizner to produce an album by Van der Graaf Generator. The resulting album, 'The Aerosol Grey Machine,' so impressed Van der Graaf Generator's manager Tony Stratton Smith that he hired Anthony as an A&R man and staff producer at the newly formed Charisma Records. Anthony had a saying for producing music: 'There's one right way to do an album, and four hundred wrong ones.'

In Their Own Story

In late 1971, John Anthony sat down with the owners of Trident Studios to form Neptune Productions, his own production company. The following spring, he made a decision that would connect him to one of rock's most enduring bands: he signed Queen. This signing came after years of work as a club DJ at venues like The Roundhouse, the UFO Club, Middle Earth, and the Speakeasy, and after producing a demonstration disc for Yes in 1968. His philosophy was clear: 'There's one right way to do an album, and four hundred wrong ones.'

Reader's Guide

The source does not specify his exact role as recording engineer or producer on specific Queen albums like 'Sheer Heart Attack' or 'A Night at the Opera.' His career as a music producer included producing all the acts in the 1971 'Six Bob Tour,' featuring Genesis, Lindisfarne, and Van der Graaf Generator. He moved to the US in 1975 and became head of A&R at A&M Records in New York. His work with Queen was part of a broader career that included producing Van der Graaf Generator's 'The Aerosol Grey Machine' and working with Roxy Music.

Did You Know?

• John Anthony was born on 3 December 1944 in North Shields, then in Northumberland now in North Tyneside.
• He started out in 1966 as a DJ in Windsor, Berkshire, and sang briefly with two bands in 1968: the Soul Agents, and Hogsnort Rupert and the Good Good Band.
• In 1969, as an A&R man for Mercury Records, Anthony was asked by Lou Reizner to produce an album by Van der Graaf Generator, resulting in 'The Aerosol Grey Machine.'
• Anthony formed Neptune Productions in late 1971 with the owners of Trident Studios and signed Queen the following spring.
• He moved to the US in 1975 and became head of A&R at A&M Records in New York.