April 1, 2013 | 5:30-6:30 pm | Beaman A&B

Peter Collins is a record producer, born 15 January 1951 in London.

In 1976 Collins was signed to Magnet Records and formed a group called Madison, along with Ziggy, Peter Spooner and Page 3 girl Cherri Gilham, to perform his pop song “Let It Ring”. The record was a minor chart hit.

Collins formed a production company with Pete Waterman and his early credits as a producer included producing the first two albums for The Lambrettas and their chart hit “Poison Ivy”. He moved to the US in 1985 to produce Rush, first working on Power Windows (1985) and then Hold Your Fire (1987). Known at the time as a pop producer, he brought a more heavily synthesized sound to Rush.

He then produced Queensrÿche albums, Operation: Mindcrime and Empire. Rush later invited Collins back to produce Counterparts (1993) and Test for Echo (1996), and in both cases he emphasized a return to Rush’s heavier rock sound. For a time, Collins was referred to as “Mr Big”.

He has also produced records for Air Supply, Alice Cooper, Nik Kershaw, Bon Jovi, Suicidal Tendencies, Indigo Girls, Jermaine Stewart, Jane Wiedlin, October Project, the Cardigans, and Tracey Ullman.