Michael Donald Chapman was born on 13 April 1947 and is an Australian record producer and songwriter who was a major force in the British pop music industry in the 1970s.
38 Facts About Mike Chapman
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Mike Chapman created a string of hit singles for artists including The Sweet, Suzi Quatro, Smokie, Mud and Racey with business partner Nicky Chinn, creating a sound that became identified with the "Chinnichap" brand.
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Mike Chapman later produced breakthrough albums for Blondie and the Knack.
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Mike Chapman received a Medal of the Order of Australia in the 2014 Australia Day Honours.
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Mike Chapman emigrated to Britain where he became a member of the Downliners Sect and then in 1968 joined the group Tangerine Peel.
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Mike Chapman gave it to New World and it was a Top 5 record.
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Mike Chapman exerted a tight grip on the output of the bands whose works he produced, determining the content of all albums.
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Some resented the level of control: The Sweet, whose interests lay in heavy rock, chafed at the teenybopper material Mike Chapman gave them to perform, finally balking at some songs which did not fit in with their new direction and seeking success on their own; Mike Chapman offered "Some Girls" to Blondie; the song was eventually given to Racey instead.
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Mike Chapman continued to write hits, including Exile's "Kiss You All Over" and Toni Basil's "Mickey".
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In 2014 Chinn and Mike Chapman got together to work on the musical Blockbuster, which was based around their songs.
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Chinn's involvement in production was always minimal and Mike Chapman continued to produce alone after moving to the US in 1975.
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Mike Chapman produced Nick Gilder's City Nights album in 1978 with Peter Coleman, his long-time recording engineer and in May the same year began working with Blondie to record their third album in New York.
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Mike Chapman was a fan of their music but was dissatisfied with the production of their albums.
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Mike Chapman bluntly told the band that he would make them a hit record and he was right: Parallel Lines turned the band into an international success and became arguably the pinnacle of his own career.
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He's very laid back and Mike Chapman is a real hot chili pepper and very energetic and enthusiastic.
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Mike Chapman would strive for the technically impeccable take so we would do take after take whereas Richard always went for the inspired take.
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Mike Chapman was a very good producer, a very good producer.
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Mike Chapman wasn't very technical, but he was very organic and he was a very good mixer on his own too.
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The source of its driving disco beat is a matter of contention: Mike Chapman claimed he had created the sound after the band had presented it as a slower, reggae-style song; band members insist it had always been known as their disco song and that they had created the sound by combining the influences of Kraftwerk and Saturday Night Fever.
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Mike Chapman relished the praise heaped on his work on Parallel Lines, commenting soon after its release:.
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Mike Chapman read an article in the LA Times which identified the producers the band most wanted to work with.
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Mike Chapman basically hit the record button and let the band play.
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Mike Chapman accused singer and guitarist Doug Fieger of being deluded with notions he was Jim Morrison or Buddy Holly.
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Unfortunately, Mike Chapman was not in any psychological or physical shape to produce that second album when we really needed a producer.
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Chinn and Mike Chapman delivered their songs rapidly, often conceiving and completing them overnight.
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Mike Chapman remained in demand through the 1980s and 1990s as a songwriter and producer.
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In 1998, Mike Chapman co-wrote two songs for Ace of Base, "Always Have, Always Will" and "Whenever You're Near Me".
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Between 1999 and 2001, Mike Chapman wrote and produced Babyphetamine, an album by the teenager Erin Evermore for the Tigerstar label, owned by the former Chrysalis Records head, Terry Ellis.
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In 2007, Mike Chapman began working with the Los Angeles rock band, the Automatic Music Explosion.
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The bold move worked, with Mike Chapman flying to Los Angeles a month later to see the band perform live and ultimately agreeing to produce their first album.
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In January 2008, Mike Chapman produced the single "Spin It" with the Neighborhood Bullys.
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In May 2008, Mike Chapman began mixing songs from Your Doll, for Lisa Douglass.
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In September 2008, Mike Chapman met Haim, and started producing an album with the band, which is still under construction.
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In November 2008, Mike Chapman started writing with, and producing a solo album for Sarah Jeanette, singer with the Mulhollands.
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In November 2009, Mike Chapman recorded the debut album for UK band, the Arcadian Kicks, but its release is still pending.
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Between 2010 and 2012, Mike Chapman worked in London with Twigs and David Jordan.
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Mike Chapman is writing with and producing tracks with the Australian singer-songwriter, Holiday Sidewinder.
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In 2016 Chapman's, Mike Chapman Publishing inked a deal with Jeremy Lascelles' newly launched Blue Raincoat Songs.