Robert Jens Rock (born 19 April, 1954 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) is a Canadian musician, sound engineer, and record producer.
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Payola$
Rock began his career in Langford, British Columbia, (a suburb of Victoria, BC) as a guitarist playing with friends William Alexander and Paul Hyde in the former's household basement. After high school graduation, Rock left Victoria and became the co-founder of the Payola$. The Payola$ became well known for their '80s hit, "Eyes of a Stranger," which was used as part of the soundtrack of the movie Valley Girl starring Nicolas Cage. In 1983, the Payola$ won the Juno Award for Single of the year. He also worked as an assistant at Little Mountain Sound in Vancouver. In 1987, the Payola$ (who had previously changed their name to Paul Hyde and the Payolas) changed their name to Rock and Hyde and had a hit single in Canada with the song "Dirty Water." The song also charted on Billboard's Hot 100. In 2007, the Payola$ reclaimed their irreverent band name and once again became active as a touring and recording act, releasing the CD EP Langford Part One.
Producer
Bob Rock is best known for giving bands such as Metallica and Mötley Crüe a more elaborate record production. He has also worked with Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Cher, The Cult, David Lee Roth, Skid Row, Veruca Salt, Nina Gordon, Our Lady Peace, The Tragically Hip, Lostprophets, American Hi-Fi and Simple Plan. Rock briefly returned to performing music in 1993, forming the band Rockhead with ex-Payola$ drummer Chris Taylor. The band released one self-titled album and two singles, but split up shortly afterwards. He is currently producing and working with The Offspring on their next album. Rock is also producing his own band's next album, Langford. The Payola$ have mentioned plans for a tour in early 2008.
Metallica
Bob Rock produced Metallica's multiplatinum self-titled album (known as The Black Album) in 1991 and subsequent followups Load (1996), ReLoad (1997), Garage Inc. (1998) and S&M (1999). Metallica once again tapped Rock to produce their 2003 album St. Anger. Because the band had no bassist due to the departure of Jason Newsted, Rock played bass guitar on the album. A petition that over 20,000 fans signed was posted online. The petition called for Metallica to dump Rock as producer, claiming he had too much influence on the band's sound and musical format. Rock claimed the petition was hurtful for his children. He was also quoted as saying "Sometimes, even with a great coach, a team keeps losing. You have to get new blood in there." [1] Humoristic signings are present in the petition, such as an entry signed off as Dave Mustaine, along with the comment; "ya, and bring me back in the band too :( ". Another imposter signed as Cliff Burton saying "Please guys. Do it for me. I'm rolling in the grave here." In February, 2006, Metallica chose producer Rick Rubin to produce their next album, ending the group's long-time relationship with Rock.
Discography - Engineer/Mixer
- 1979 - Prism - Armageddon
- 1979 - Survivor
- 1980 - Prism - Young and Restless
- 1980 - Loverboy
- 1981 - Loverboy - Get Lucky
- 1982 - Strange Advance - Worlds Away
- 1982 - Payola$ - No Stranger to Danger
- 1983 - Loverboy - Keep it Up
- 1983 - Payola$ - Hammer on a Drum
- 1984 - Krokus - The Blitz
- 1984 - Chilliwack - Look in, Look Out
- 1985 - Honeymoon Suite - The Big Prize
- 1985 - Paul Hyde and the Payolas - Here's the World for Ya
- 1985 - Northern Lights - Tears are Not Enough
- 1985 - Black 'N Blue - Without Love
- 1986 - Paul Janz - Electricity
- 1986 - Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet
- 1987 - Rock and Hyde - Under the Volcano
- 1987 - Loverboy - Wildside
- 1987 - Aerosmith - Permanent Vacation
- 1988 - Bon Jovi - New Jersey
- 1989 - Paul Dean - Hard Core
Discography - Producer
- 1979 - Young Canadians - Hawaii (EP)
- 1979 - The Subhumans - Death Was Too Kind (EP)
- 1980 - Pointed Sticks - Perfect Youth
- 1981 - Payola$ - In a Place Like This
- 1987 - Rock and Hyde - Under the Volcano
- 1988 - Kingdom Come - Kingdom Come
- 1988 - Colin James
- 1989 - The Cult - Sonic Temple
- 1989 - Blue Murder - Blue Murder
- 1989 - Mötley Crüe - Dr. Feelgood
- 1990 - Little Caesar - Little Caesar
- 1990 - Electric Boys - Funk 'o Metal Carpet Ride
- 1991 - David Lee Roth - A Little Ain't Enough
- 1991 - Metallica - Metallica
- 1991 - Mötley Crüe - Decade of Decadence (new material)
- 1992 - Cher - "Love Hurts"
- 1992 - Bon Jovi - Keep the Faith
- 1992 - Rockhead - Rockhead
- 1993 - Quireboys - Bitter Sweet and Twisted
- 1994 - Mötley Crüe - Mötley Crüe
- 1994 - The Cult - The Cult (album)
- 1995 - Skid Row - Subhuman Race
- 1996 - Metallica - Load
- 1997 - Metallica - ReLoad
- 1997 - Veruca Salt (band) - Eight Arms to Hold You
- 1998 - Metallica - Garage Inc. (Disc 1)
- 1998 - Bryan Adams - On a Day Like Today
- 1998 - Mötley Crüe - Greatest Hits (new material)
- 1999 - Tal Bachman
- 1999 - Metallica - S&M
- 2000 - Moffatts - Submodalities
- 2000 - Nina Gordon - Tonight and the Rest of My Life
- 2000 - Paul Hyde - Living off the Radar
- 2001 - American Hi-Fi
- 2001 - Antifreez - The Sunshine Daisies
- 2001 - The Cult - Beyond Good and Evil
- 2002 - Our Lady Peace - Gravity
- 2003 - Tonic - Head on Straight
- 2003 - Metallica - St. Anger
- 2004 - Tea Party - Seven Circles
- 2004 - Simple Plan - Still Not Getting Any...
- 2005 - Our Lady Peace - Healthy in Paranoid Times
- 2006 - Nina Gordon - Bleeding Heart Graffiti
- 2006 - Lostprophets - Liberation Transmission
- 2006 - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts - Sinner
- 2006 - The Tragically Hip - World Container
- 2007 - Payola$ - Langford Part 1
- 2008 - The Offspring - Currently Untitled
Awards
Rock's career both as a producer and musician is being recognized at the 2007 Juno Award Ceremony (Canadian Grammys) for his lifetime contribution to popular music. Rock will be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS). "Bob is a musical craftsman whose wide range of talents show no signs of slowing," says Melanie Berry, CARAS President. "He has helped to define rock as we know it today, and we are very proud to recognize him in the Canadian Music Hall of Fame." Rock has confirmed his acceptance of the award: "It is an honour to join great producers like Bob Ezrin, Bruce Fairbairn, Daniel Lanois, Jack Richardson, and David Foster in the Canadian Music Hall of Fame" says Rock. "They are all giants of the industry, and to be recognized, means that I had to have worked with truly great artists. I thank them for their confidence and inspiration." Bob Rock has been nominated for Juno Awards 17 times in various categories ranging from Producer of the Year, Recording Engineer of the Year, Composer of the Year, and Entertainer of the Year. He has won on numerous occasions for both his production work and his work in bands such as the Payola$ and Rock and Hyde. Rock last won Producer of the Year in 2005 for Simple Plan's "Welcome to my Life". He has been nominated for 2007 Producer of the Year for his work on The Tragically Hip's album "World Container".
