According Loudwire, Peter Collins, major producer, has passed away at 73. Collins was a producer for various genres throughout five decades, including Rush, Bon Jovi, who has recently stated he may never sing live again, Jewel, Alice Cooper, who is currently touring with Rob Zombie, Suicidal Tendencies and many more. Including tracks such as Alice Cooper’s “Hey Stoopid”, Rush’s “Power Windows”, Bon Jovi’s “These Days”, Gary Moore’s “After the War” and so much more. 

Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson of Rush recently shared their condolences on Instagram. The two had also just recently reunited for a live performance in May 2024. In his post, Lee stated “A dear, dear friend and producer of 4 different Rush albums. During periods in the ‘80s and ‘90s, we had some incredible musical adventures together, in various studios across the globe. – He truly was our Mr. Big with his ever-present cigar and constant good humor. After hitting the record button, I can still hear him say, ‘OK, boys, from the topping … no stopping!’”

In 2011, Peter Collins did an interview talking about his process with producing, saying “when I became a rock producer that was quite an asset because I was able to bring some pop elements to the music subversively, without the listener realizing it.” He discusses his relationship with perfection by saying, “Unless there’s a blemish on a track which the listener would find distracting … it should be left on there. What’s wrong with a track speeding up or slowing down? I love that because it’s natural.” 

Additionally Collins discussed his relationship to rock, “it’s really only in rock music where precision equals power, anyway. With bands like Rush and Queensryche, the tighter the music was, the more powerful it sounded, so I can see the merit in that for those genres. But, in general, no, I don’t aim for perfection. I just get good players, let them play and let it be human.”

Peter Collins has been involved in some of the biggest hits in the music industry, and his passing will affect many.

Photo Credit: Dave Gatson