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Episode 5: Live After Death is not the answer · Death by Multimedia

0:07
Good afternoon on this week's program, the title suggests a
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touch of life and death. And while that indeed is true.
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A true interpretation will be that in life and death.
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We find both the tragedy of losing someone, we know, but
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have the memories of their achievements to hold close.
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Not so much joy for us this week.
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But sometimes we must accept that.
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Not everything. Can always be Rosy and peachy
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keen on thoughts. from the middle, Kevin Welcome back for
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another dose of thoughts from the middle cabin.
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This week comes with a touch of the moroz and is more or less
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much more more than I would prefer to be on this platform.
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But two events over the past week, have triggered, a
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response. And while it won't be to
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everyone's taste, there is one subject where I feel a need to
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get my feelings off my chest, which I will do.
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So, first up. Following that we'll talk about
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a man who most won't know-it-all, but who has
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indirectly been a huge influence on my life and love of music who
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sadly passed away this week. So while the thoughts this week
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might not be to everyone's liking.
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It's time to Dive Right In and see how we go.
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Over the past few days. And even the last few weeks, the
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uncomfortable subject of suicide has crept back into the circles
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that I float in and out of not affecting me directly, but
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directly affecting some people who are very close to me.
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Suicide is an uncomfortable and difficult subject to talk about
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because no matter what opinion, you hold.
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There will always be someone there to disagree with what you
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think and feel and often the humanly say.
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That doesn't mean that any opinion is right or wrong.
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But in the discussions, I have been involved with in the past,
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the emotions involved are what tends to take over rather than a
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trading of those opinions. And that then makes it a
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difficult subject to hold a conversation on as a motion
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often clouds any real meaningful discussions being Ed without
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being ill-considered? I'm not a psychologist, nor a
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doctor. I have no training in mental
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illness, nor do I understand clinical depression, or any of
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the things that are often credited for reasons why people
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use suicide as an option to try and solve their problems.
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I am in complete agreement when people have told me in the past
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and will no doubt continue to tell me in the future that I
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cannot possibly comprehend. The mental pain and Agony people
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must be in to decide that suicide is the only option they
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have left to relieve themselves of this.
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I cannot and I do not to me. It is only their last option if
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they have tried every other possible Resort.
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To me, there must always be another option available and
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that taking your own life is not and should not be an option.
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This is usually the first point where I get in trouble in any
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discussion on suicide, usually because it only comes up when
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someone close has gone ahead with this and the subject is
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still raw and unhealed. The tragedy is that almost all
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of us have been touched by Suicide at some point in our
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lives, whether it was someone close to us or an acquaintance
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or someone who has, who has been close to one of our friends or
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family death is not something that any of us are prepared are
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prepared for or good at when it comes to people, that we know
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who take their own lives rather than had their lives taken from
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them. It makes it so much harder.
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And in most cases, As I laid behind.
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So completely senseless. How is it that?
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We've all we, apparently no understanding this Modern Age
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about mental illness and the support of such wonderful
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organizations, like Lifeline Suicide, Prevention, Australia,
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and Beyond blue. That's so many people are still
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able to slip through that web. That no matter how much support
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is on offer from family and friends, people still manage to
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not reach out and instead keep their ugly thoughts secret and
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hidden inside to the point that they come to this disastrous
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decision. How on Earth do you come to a
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point where you decide that not living?
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For one more day is a better option than sleeping one more
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night and seeing what that new day might bring.
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It makes me angry at the sheer futility and stupidity of it
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all. That's an unpopular opinion that
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I hold. And many people will criticize
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me for having it. And I have been criticized in
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the past for airing it, but I can't deny holding it.
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Do I sympathize I sympathize for all those who are left behind
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because if the pain and Agony for the one who has gone is now
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dissipated. It has been transferred to the
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people who love that person and somewhat exponentially.
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Because these people are now the ones who have to live with that
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pain often for the rest of their lives.
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A combination of. Why did they do it?
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Was it something I did? Is it something I could have
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prevented? Did I do enough to stop them
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from doing it? And of course, these people
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could have done nothing more but they've been left feeling that
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way because of the circumstances surrounding it all.
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It is a selfish act. And while I again have been
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called out for saying such a thing in the past.
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I stand by the fact that it is the definition of being selfish
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because they are only thinking of themselves and not of what
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the people who love them will fill once they've gone through
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with it. And yes, I know that comments
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like that are hurtful to a lot of people who have had loved
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ones. Go through with suicide and that
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I should be more understanding and more thoughtful than to say
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such things. And how do I know that these
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suicides aren't thinking about those that they will leave
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behind and how they will fill once?
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They are gone. Well, I don't, I absolutely do
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not, but then again, no one does What I do know is that all any
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of us can do is offer ourselves unconditionally, that is for
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both sides of the argument that we all make ourselves available
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to anyone in need of help, but even more.
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So if you are in need of help that you go out and ask for it.
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If things aren't working out for you, if you are feeling down
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depressed and lonely, thank you, Iron Maiden.
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If your thoughts are dark, if your actions are compromised for
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goodness sakes, reach out to someone anyone the support
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networks are there. Don't be afraid to ask your
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parents, your siblings, your grandparents, and aunt, or uncle
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or cousins, talk to your mates, all the parents of your mates,
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find someone in your sports, or social club, or the church that
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you trust. If you don't feel comfortable
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doing any of those things, then go to the agency, set up for
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just these kinds of situations. Don't be embarrassed to show
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your weaknesses because what you may see is being stupid or
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foolish will not be seen that way by someone, who recognizes
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that you are searching for help. You can never offer your help
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enough to people who need it. It should never be inconvenient
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for you to talk to someone who needs your help.
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Always remind those around you that if they need to talk or
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they just want to have a coffee or a drink, no matter what time
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day or night, you are available to do.
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So, you don't have to say anything.
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Some of the time, people just want someone to be with them
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other times. They just want someone to sit
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and listen. It's not that hard to do that
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person. It is far better than the
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alternative. Humans can contact, headspace
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Australia and headspace Dot org. Dot a.
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You and talk to counselors who are trained to listen and set
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out a plan. You can call lifeline on 13, 11,
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14 and talk to people directly or you can call suicide call
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back service on 1365, 946 7, where you can chat on the phone
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or on messenger? Suicide is never the right
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option. Every day can be better if you
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know where to look and you have people around you to guide you
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and walk that password path with you.
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If you reach out, there are people who will gladly walk with
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you. Depending on when you are
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listening to this. If you are listening to this
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after the first section of the podcast, the music world lost a
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giant this week with the passing of Martin Birch.
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Arguably the greatest ever sand engineer and producer of the
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hard rock and heavy metal genre. His fingers are a roadmap to the
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greatness of the heavy metal genre.
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As he moved from beIN to beIN producing the album's that made
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them the beans they became and the Elms that still Inspire
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musicians and fans alike, even to this day.
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His influence is undeniable because the musicians that he
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worked with would look to him when they change beans
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themselves recruiting him to be part of their new projects and
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thus energizing their albums with the same Magic Touch.
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Starting off as an engineer in the late 1960s.
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He began by being involved with groups.
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As synonymous as Fleetwood Mac, Jeff Beck and Wishbone - all of
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whom were a mix of bad progressive rock, and the
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Gathering beginnings of Hard Rock.
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He was the sound engineer on Jeff Beck.
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Second album back Ola with a lineup that also included Ronnie
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Wood and Rod Stewart. It has been reported being and I
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quote regarded as a seminal work of heavy metal due to its use of
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Blues towards a hard rock approach and the squaring off of
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Beck's guitar against you, it's vocals.
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In a similar way that plant and Page were doing in Led Zeppelin
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at the time. Then beginning with their third
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album, then play on in 1969. Martin was involved in the, for
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the following for Fleetwood Mac albums, Kiln house, bare trees,
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penguin and mystery, to me as they built their reputation into
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the early 1970s. He also engineered the first
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three albums by Wishbone - a band whose twin guitar style was
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so admired by a certain bass guitarist and was the
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philosophy. Load when he formed his own
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band. A few years later.
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This familiarity with bands, and band members led to his first
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excursions through those connections.
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Having engineered the skid row album 34 hours and no not the
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modern-day here. Middle version of skid row.
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This was the early 1970s band Skid Row guitarist, Gary Moore,
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then had Martin do the same job on.
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He's grinding stone, album, a couple of years.
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Later. And having left Jeff Beck's
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group to start their own band called faces.
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Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood had Martin engineer their long
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player album. And when Peter Green left,
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Fleetwood Mac, who should engineer his first solo album
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the end of the game. Yep, Martin Birch.
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It would not be the last time that these band a musician
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connections, led him to further work.
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Mom's Rose to real prominence, probably began with his
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appearance at the recording controls of Deep Purple.
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Following three albums had that had been well received that were
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generally stuck in a late 1960s flower power style.
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Ian Gillan and Roger Glover were recruited into the band.
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At the same time, the band decided to self-produce their
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albums. While Martin came on board to
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act as engineer though. As the band all agreed in later
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interviews. He did most of the cajoling and
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work of a producer in his role, as well.
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In talking about Martin Birch, coming onto the record in rock,
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Ian Gillan said in nineteen and 2005 and I quote.
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Yes, we had a dynamic engineer in Martin Birch.
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Musically, Martin didn't have to do anything.
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He wasn't a producer in that sense, but he was an engineer
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with a new way of thinking. He didn't close down the studio
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and baffle everything up and reduce it to zero and then
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rebuild it on the desk, which was the received knowledge at
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that time. What he did was listen to how a
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drum kit sounded in a room and then try and reproduce the
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sound. This was revolutionary thinking,
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believe it or not. He somehow got it sounding
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right? He recorded it loud.
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And to hell with the murders. They were going into the red all
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over the place. From here Martin was the
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engineer for the Great era of Deep Purple.
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Including the preceding Fireball before the barnstorming and
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legendary Machine Head, which set the new standard.
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Following this was the live album made in Japan which is
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still regarded as one of the finest live albums.
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Ever released, capturing the bend at their finest moment with
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the greatest of the songs. Even the somewhat maligned, who
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do we think we are has its wonderful moments, and into the
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next era of the band with the album's burn.
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Stormbringer, and come taste the bed what Martin provided during
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this era was that not only could he get the best out of the Mark
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II era. The one that is regard is best
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regarded of the band. But when the new members came
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in, he was able to get the best out of them as well.
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When Gillan Blackmore and guava moved on one, could have
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wondered just would have happened to that.
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What would have happened to the band and how they would be
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perceived? And is wonderfully talented as
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David Coverdale. Glenn Hughes and Tommy Bolin as
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Replacements, are Martin, was still instrumental in getting
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their best on vinyl. Listening to the twin vocals of
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Coverdale and Hughes on Burn and stormbringer especially is
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amazing. And Martin was a big part in
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getting that out in the studio. When Ritchie Blackmore left
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purple to Fawn rainbow, he thought so much of Martin's
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abilities that he brought him along as well.
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And he went on to produce an engineer.
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The first three rainbow albums, all of which featured a vocalist
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by the name of Ronnie James Dio, those albums were Ritchie,
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Blackmore's rainbow rising and Long live rock and roll.
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Blackmore, India wrote those amazing songs, but it was
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Martin, you kept cajoling in the studio to get the performance
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out of these two in particular to make sure the albums were as
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amazing as they wanted them to be.
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The insistence on the lawn keyboarding.
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Try to Taro woman, the ability to master the beautiful and
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heart-wrenching rainbow eyes from just Diaz vocals and
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Blackmore's acoustic, the meshing of the Munich
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Philharmonic, Orchestra into Stargazer, to make it the
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bombastic Masterpiece that it is, and to turn the volume on
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rain long, live rock and roll Gates of Babylon and kill the
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king to Showcase their power and amazing depth through both
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guitar and vocals. It is no coincidence that Diaz
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Vehicles, never sounded better than they do on these three
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albums and then another two hours down the track that also
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had Martin at the helm. With the eventual shutdown of
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Deep Purple in the years. After come taste, the band,
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David Coverdale started up his own project called Whitesnake
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and he to ask Martin Birch to come along for the ride.
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He stayed for the ride for the first six, wat snake albums the
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majority which also included former Deep, Purple did
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bandmates in Jon Lord. And Ian paice before they
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returned to the reformed purple Mark 2.
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Well Whitesnake was initially a much more Blues orientated.
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Sound the songwriting developed eventually into a hard rock
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blues outfit and that came from Martins influence in the studio.
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Coverdale was often quoted about Birches influence in the studio
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and getting his vocals in the right range for the song and for
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ensuring that each of the instruments were in the correct
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place in the mix initially Birch, had not been asked to
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produce slide it in. But once the Hyde producer was
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found to have a lack of feeling with the being, and Martin was
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asked to come back and take over from the beginning and he was at
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the helm to complete the final Whitesnake album of that first
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area of the band. When Ronnie James, Dio left
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rainbow, he was on the lookout for a new project and that came
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along by him joining Black Sabbath as their vocalist.
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After Ozzy Osbourne had left. At Diaz recommendation, Martin
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Birch came on board as the producer, and engineer of the
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new album which became Heaven and Hell.
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And while Diaz vocals and lyrics are said to be a reason why
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Black Sabbath return to the fold with this album.
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After some lackluster years. It is Martin Birch.
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Who is also credited with the revitalization and broadening of
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the Sabbath mold. Tony Iommi said in 2016 and I
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quote, we felt that bringing someone new in could really help
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Focus the ideas. It was Ronnie Hood recommended
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Martin as they'd work together in rainbow.
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What he brought in was an extra Dimension to the songs, and we
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also recorded very fast. The whole process went.
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So smoothly. We've been used to taking longer
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and longer to record with things getting out of hand.
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But this time, it was a joy to be in the studio.
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The follow-up album more rules is just as amazing.
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And with these two Elms like in his time with rainbow, he is
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able to bring Diaz vehicles to their maximum output, the full
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range of emotion and strength. Then to make a four-piece see on
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this layout and belligerent that is the stroke of a master.
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The band themselves are amazing. But Martin does amazingly well
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to get the sound out of them that he does.
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Is it his finest achievement or just?
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His final achievement that Martin Birch was at the Helm of
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the recording of the album's that made Iron Maiden.
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One of the biggest bands in World music.
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It says a lot about how Martin thought of the band itself as
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well as what the been thought of Martin that he came on board for
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the recording of their second album killers.
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And for the next decade. He almost exclusively only
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worked for Iron Maiden. Indeed the story from by Steve
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Harris and Martin himself is that they both wanted Martin
27:13
involved in their debut album as well.
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Steve says that, when asked who he wanted to have producing the
27:19
first album, he names Martin but felt that, as a Young Unknown
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band. He was well Out Of Reach with
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the high-quality bands and albums that he had already been
27:28
involved in. Martin himself said that when he
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heard Maiden had finally gotten a recording contract that he had
27:35
been interested in being involved, but had not been
27:38
asked. When you listen to that debut
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album today with the wonderful material that is on it, but the
27:44
somewhat amateur mixing and production one can only Wonder
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just what it would have sounded like if Martin had been involved
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something, we'll never know. However, from 1981, he came in
28:00
and the changes that occurred over the next few hours M's are
28:02
not just down to the band personnel and a couple of key
28:05
changes, but most definitely in The Man Behind the glass.
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Martin pushed the band looking for Perfection, when the band
28:14
felt they already had done enough.
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If you happen to get a chance to see the classic album series and
28:20
the episode that focuses on maidens, the number of the Boost
28:23
album, you will see through the interview just how Martin would
28:27
drive the members to outdo themselves and the way he almost
28:31
drove Bruce Dickinson to violence to get the vocal.
28:34
He wanted out of him. It is instructive to just how
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important he was not only for Iron Maiden, but for all the
28:41
bands he had been involved with. Maiden Birch became exclusive
28:47
friends, so much, so that once Martin began with Iron Maiden.
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He was only involved with producing three other albums,
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that weren't by the band whitesnake's Saints and Sinners
28:58
and slide it in and the Michael Schenker groups bring it assault
29:02
attack. Instead he was producing some of
29:07
the greatest metal albums, ever released the aforementioned
29:11
killers and the number of the Beast.
29:13
Peace of mind powerslave the superb live album, live after
29:18
death Somewhere in Time. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son.
29:23
The second live album made in England, no prayer for the dying
29:28
and finally fear of the dark. Within the middle community.
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That is a Legendary Run of albums.
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Certainly, those first seven names are unmatched.
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Martin's ability to bring out the best of the band can be
29:43
heard. Every time you play those albums
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that he did. So without being involved with
29:48
any other band for that decade is remarkable.
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Martin himself is quoted as saying I don't consider myself a
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super technician. What I do is to me is pretty
30:03
simple, but the fact that I'm used to, the used to the band's,
30:07
I have working with helps me to know, instantly what they want,
30:11
or even what they can achieve, even if they don't realize it
30:15
clearly themselves. Or maybe Ben's trust me over
30:19
long periods of time just because they find me a
30:21
particularly likeable character. Martin had been in retirement
30:27
since 1992 at the completion of the recording of fear of the
30:31
dark, but his Legend has lived on since then because of the
30:35
Legacy, he left in the bands and albums he was involved in
30:38
producing. At the time of recording, this
30:41
podcast. No cause of death has been
30:44
confirmed that his passing was certainly at a relatively young
30:47
age of 71. He will be missed.
30:52
And just a final note. Everyone has their favorite
30:56
albums, those that, you know, you could never do without if
30:59
you had to make a choice of only.
31:01
So many albums for the rest of your life or to be stranded
31:04
with, on a desert island. I can confidently say that if I
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could only choose 10 albums to carry with me.
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From this point onwards, six of them would be produced and
31:14
engineered by Martin Birch to me.
31:18
That's why this week is such a sombre yet.
31:20
Uplifting. Time.
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Alrighty, thanks to those of you who have managed to stick with
31:38
me to the end of this episode. I will certainly be looking for
31:42
a less depressing subject for the next time I come to the
31:45
microphone. If you have listened this far
31:47
again, I appreciate your commitment and loyalty to the
31:50
cause. And I hope that there's been
31:52
something there that has been worth hanging around for.
31:56
As always any comments are gratefully received just head to
32:00
Anchor.com forward, slash metal Kevin and leave your message
32:05
there. Time for a drink.
32:08
I think, Scotch the toast. One of the Great Men of Music In
32:12
The Immortal words of Ronnie James.
32:13
Dio time is a never-ending Journey.
32:17
Love is a never-ending smile. Cheers.