Mike Leander

Mike Leander (actually Michael George Farr , born June 30, 1941 , † April 18, 1996 ) was a British music producer and arranger who worked for Decca Records in the 1960s and for Bell Records in the 1970s . He was best known for his work as a songwriter and producer for Gary Glitter , all of whose hits he wrote.

Right at the beginning of his career Leander worked with the singer Paul Raven and produced several singles for him for MCA Records . Raven landed a role in the musical Jesus Christ Superstar , renamed himself Gary Glitter shortly afterwards, and Glitter and Leander had both employment and personal friendship until Leander's death in 1996.

He also worked with Marianne Faithfull , Billy Fury , Marc Bolan , Joe Cocker , the Small Faces , Van Morrison , Alan Price , Peter Frampton , Keith Richards , Shirley Bassey , Lulu , Jimmy Page , Roy Orbison and Gene Pitney and the formations Glitter Band and Hello .

Leander also worked for Ben E. King and the Drifters on Atlantic Records and was arranger of The Beatles' She's Leaving Home on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band .

In addition, Leander produced the concept album Jesus Christ Superstar by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice and wrote some film scores in the late 1960s and was involved in the music project Marquis of Kensington , with which he released 3 singles.

Leander wrote the musical Matador in the 1980s . The music for this was recorded by Tom Jones and brought him a comeback and with A Boy from Nowhere a British top 10 success.

Web links

• Mike Leander at Discogs (English)