Rock legend Roy Thomas Baker has died at the age of 78.
Born in London, Baker is one of the most famed producers of the '70s, and is best known for his work on Queen's classic album "A Night at the Opera", and the hit single "Bohemian Rhapsody."
"He brought a certain amount of discipline and a lot of cynicism and a passion for fattening desserts. He was very disciplined and very strict in the beginning, he would always get it right. The take had to be right." Roger Taylor said.
Baker would come to work with the, then jam band Journey, when they acquired new lead singer Steve Perry, and help revolutionize the Bay-Area sound with the band's albums "Infinity" and "Evolution." Roy would round out the decade by working with American New Wave upstarts The Cars on their self-titled debut.
Roy's music career dated back to Decca Studios at the age of 14, to becoming an engineer at Trident Studios, where he engineered records for Dr. John, Yes, David Bowie, the Rolling Stones, The Who, and Dusty Springfield. His first success came on Free's "All Right Now" in 1970, which would lead to T. Rex's 1972 single "Bang a Gong (Get It On)."
Baker would help Foreigner's rise to fame with his work on "Head Games", and he would even extend his influence on the world of Heavy Metal with Motley Crue on "Too Fast for Love" and Ozzy Osbourne's "No Rest for the Wicked".
Baker would go on to work in Elektra Records' A&R department helping sign Simply Red, 10,000 Maniacs and Metal Hall of Famers Metallica. In the 90's and on, Baker would produce for the Darkness, Smashing Pumpkins and ending his production career with Yes on their 2014 album, Heaven & Earth.
Roy Thomas Baker died at his home in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, as one of the most recognized producers in the history of Rock.
RIP Roy.