The Jesus & Mary Chain producer and Vibrators member Pat Collier dies, aged 72

29 July, 2024

NME News

Pat Collier, the celebrated record producer and former bassist for punk band The Vibrators, has died at the age of 72.

In addition to his acclaimed work with one of the original London punk bands The Vibrators – known for their singles including ‘Automatic Lover’ and ‘Baby Baby’ – Collier went on to have a highly distinguished career behind the production desk.

He worked on records by the likes of The Jesus And Mary Chain, Robyn Hitchcock, The Wonderstuff, Katrina And The Waves and X-Ray Spex.

Hitchcock himself shared the news on social media in the early hours of Monday (July 29), writing: “I heard the sad news today that Pat Collier passed away last night. Pat produced the bulk of the Soft Boys’ [1980 album] ‘Underwater Moonlight’ and went on to co-produce and engineer much of my solo work, from ‘Black Snake Diamond Rôle’ [in 1981] to ‘Jewels For Sophia’ [in 1999]”.

Hitchcock continued: “And then the Soft Boys reunion album, ‘NextDoorLand’. His mastery of 4-track recording, bouncing tracks down à la George Martin, and love of 1960s pop in general chimed perfectly with the post-Can of Bees SBs, and helped us glide into a less abrasive sound.”

“We discovered our own version of joy recording with Pat,” he added. “He worked with many UK hitmakers in the 1980s & 90s, moving from his funky, spore-infested lair of Alaska Studios (under the railway arches at Waterloo) to the airy, spacious Greenhouse premises near Old Street.”

“Pat was always level, considerate, and open to ideas, with a keen sense of what would work, & what wouldn’t. I hadn’t seen him for ages. We never fell out, but he drifted further east, to studios on the South-East London, whilst I headed west, to Nashville & the Isle of Wight.”

“He was a good man, I’m glad I got to work with him back in those earlier days, and I’m grateful,” he concluded. “RIP Mr Collier.”

A number of further tributes to Collier have been pouring in, some of which you can see here:

As reported by Louder Than War, Collier first worked as a tape operator in Decca Studios in the early 1970s, while playing with pub rock bands Bazooka Joe and Cafe Racers, mixing with pre-fame Adam Ant and Mark Knopfler.

He formed The Vibrators alongside Ian ‘Knox’ Carnochan, John Ellis and John ‘Eddie’ Edwards, releasing one single (‘We Vibrate’) on Mickie Most’s RAK Records, and recording a series of Peel sessions for BBC Radio 1.

They played venues in London such as the 100 Club and the Roxy, and were signed by Epic Records in 1977, releasing their debut album ‘Pure Mania’ the same year. Second album ‘V2’ included ‘Automatic Lover’, their lone entry in the UK Top 40.

Collier went on to produce countless artists, also including The House Of Love, The Candyskins, UK Subs, The Darling Buds, Maximo Park, The Soup Dragons, Jona Lewie, New Model Army and Primal Scream.

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