Mike Stock (musician)

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Mike Stock
Background information
Birth nameMichael Stock
Born (1951-12-03) 3 December 1951 (age 72)
Margate, Kent, England, United Kingdom
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Songwriter
  • record producer
  • musician
Instrument(s)
Years active1976–present
Member ofStock Aitken Waterman
Websitemikestockmusic.com

Michael Stock (born 3 December 1951) is an English songwriter, record producer, musician, and member of the songwriting and production trio

UK Singles Chart he has written 54 top-ten hits including 7 number ones.[5]

Biography

Stock was born in Margate, Kent, England in 1951 and grew up in Swanley, Kent. He attended White Oak primary school and Swanley comprehensive school. At Swanley school he was involved in several school variety productions. He was self-taught in playing the piano and guitar and began writing songs at the age of seven.[6][7] Inspired by The Beatles, he soon became fixated with pop music and put together his first band at age 13, playing bass guitar and singing.[8] Fascinated by the popular songwriting styles of Rodgers and Hammerstein, and writers such as Irving Berlin and the energy and freshness of The Beatles, he established a deep love of pop music.[9] Stock signed a publishing contract when he was nineteen after earning a reputation as a budding songwriter, although no one had suggested a full-time career in the music world was a possibility.[6]

In 1970 Stock earned a placement at the

Dorchester in Mayfair.[13] Throughout 1979 to 1981 Stock was gigging every night of the week in various bands embracing pop, dance, old standards, rock or funk.[14]

Stock's band had gone through several guitar players before he was alerted to Matt Aitken; a guitarist who had been spotted by another member of his band working on a cruise ship.[15] Stock contacted Aitken to offer him a role in the band. Playing on cruise ships and in various bands of his own, Aitken was an accomplished guitarist whose style could adapt to any type of music. [16] In 1982 Stock moved to Abbey Wood, South London where, along with Aitken he acquired a recording desk and tape machine and formed his first record label.[17] During the break of one of Mirage's sets on New Year's Eve 1983, Stock informed the band he would be leaving and was going into the studio to pursue his career as a songwriter and producer. Aitken agreed to join him and from January 1984 onwards the pair worked exclusively in recording studios.[17][18]

Stock Aitken and Waterman

Formation and Early Hits: Divine, Hazell Dean, Dead or Alive (1984–1985)

Stock had briefly worked with

Frankie Goes To Hollywood.[22] The record was released on Proto Records run by Barry Evangeli and Nick East and distributed by RCA.[20][23] "The Upstroke" achieved popularity in the gay clubs and discos where many new records were being found and subsequently promoted into the mainstream as Hi-NRG.[24]

In 1983 Stock had been approached by

UK Singles Chart.[25] Soon after, the team recorded Hazell Dean's "Whatever I Do, (Wherever I Go)". The song became Stock Aitken Waterman's first top 10 hit, reaching number 4 in the UK.[26] In September 1984 they were approached by Dead or Alive to produce the song "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)", which became SAW's first UK number 1 in March 1985.[27]

The Hit Factory: Bananarama, Mel and Kim, Princess (1985–1986)

In 1985 the trio built a new studio at 'The Vineyard' recording studio complex, The Borough, that would later be dubbed 'The Hit Factory'. Whilst working with the band

Desiree Heslop called "Say I'm Your Number One", which became a hit in the UK under her stage name 'Princess'. Towards the end of 1985 the group Bananarama approached SAW to record a cover of Shocking Blue's "Venus". The track became a huge hit in the UK and went to No. 1 in America in July 1986.[28] Bananarama would continue to enjoy success with SAW with hits such as "Love in the First Degree", "I Heard a Rumour" and "I Want You Back". In 1986 Mel and Kim's first single "Showing Out (Get Fresh at the Weekend)" went to number 3 in the UK charts and their follow-up "Respectable" reached number 1.[29][30]
1

Rick Astley, Ferry Aid (1987)

In 1987,

Hillsborough Disaster in 1989 which also went straight to No. 1.[37]

Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, Band Aid II (1988–1989)

In 1987

Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi", "Hand on Your Heart", "Wouldn't Change a Thing", "Tears on My Pillow", "Better the Devil You Know", "Shocked
" among many others.

Soon after,

Band Aid II record – "Do They Know It's Christmas?
", also produced by Stock Aitken and Waterman.

Donna Summer, Cliff Richard and later work (1989–1993)

1989 became Stock Aitken and Waterman's most successful year having helmed seven UK number ones (a feat equalled only by George Martin in 1963) and 15 top 5s.

Sybil's 1993 hits, "The Love I Lost" and "When I'm Good and Ready", and Boy Krazy's "That's What Love Can Do" went top 20 in the US. Later that year, Stock ended his relationship with Waterman; by the end of their partnership, Stock had written and/or produced over three hundred top 75 hits and over thirty platinum-selling albums.[4][53]

Post-SAW

In 1993 Stock formed 'Love This Records', and built a brand new multimillion-pound recording studio in

World Wrestling Federation (WWF) album Wrestlemania which spawned the No. 4 hit "Slam Jam".[59]

In 1994 Stock produced several artists for

Robson and Jerome
and two No. 1 albums.

After several years producing hits for Stock's own label 'Love This Records' and with

Jubilee Line extension, and the damage forced Stock to pursue legal action against London Underground.[61] As a result, Stock was forced to pull out of a joint deal with Cowell and BMG to produce several artists including the band Westlife in 1996.[62]

In 1997, Stock produced a version of "You Can Do Magic" (the biggest of three hit singles Limmie & Family Cookin' had in the UK charts in the 1970s) under the name The Mojams, for an investigation on ITV programme The Cook Report into chart rigging. Fronted by Edwina Currie's daughter Debbie (then a trainee journalist for the production company Central Television), the single, credited to The Mojams featuring Debbie Currie, was released by Gotham Records and peaked at number 86 in the UK singles chart.[63][64] Stock got involved in the investigation after a number of his records' sales had been disqualified from the UK singles chart with Love This Records having been seen as a company involved in chart hyping/chart rigging by the BPI[65][66] (in regards to the Top 40 hit "Santa Maria" by Tatjana Šimić).[67]

In 1998 Stock and Aitken teamed up with

Steps.[69]

In 2003 Stock formed the label Better the Devil Records and had a huge hit with the "Fast Food Song" reaching #2 in the UK Charts and selling 200,000 CD singles.[70][71] Stock wrote and produced two further singles for the Fast Food Rockers including the top 10 "Smile Please".

Recent

In 2005 Stock briefly teamed up with Pete Waterman to write and produce a single for

That Sounds Good To Me".[72]

Most recently Stock formed the company 'The Show 4 Kids'. Stock created the pop musical-

The Go!Go!Go! Show with Steve Crosby to popular and critical acclaim, featuring new songs written and produced by Stock and Crosby.[73] The Go!Go!Go! Show debuted at the Leicester Square Theatre, London in July 2010 and was performed daily at Alton Towers through the entirety of their 2011 season as their resident attraction.[74][75] During the summer of 2011 The Go!Go!Go! Show began a regional tour of theatres across the UK finishing at the Garrick Theatre, London in October.[76][77]

In summer 2012

Nick Jr from April 2013.[79][80]

In 2013, Stock worked on a cartoon character called The Retrobot, which was an 80's robot who was fed up with modern culture.

Radio 1 Live Lounge version of "Christmas Robot", and, a short time afterwards, a short lived comedy news channel.[82]

In 2014, Stock worked with Shayne Ward on his comeback album Closer.[83] Stock co-wrote and produced all 14 tracks on the album. Closer was released on 12 April 2015 reaching number 17 in the UK charts and hit Number 2 on the UK Independent Album Charts.[84][85]

Summer 2015 also showed renewed work with Nicki French with the single "This Love".[83]

In December 2015 Stock Aitken Waterman teamed up to produce a remix of Kylie Minogue's Every Day's Like Christmas in the style of Minogue's earlier hits with the trio. It was received very well by fans and critics. Rob Corpsey from The Official Chart Company stated "OK so this is pretty much the Christmas song to end all Christmas songs; a massive sugar rush of classic, candy-coated late 80s pop wrapped up in a big shiny red bow. Oh, and did we mention Kylie's singing on it?" He concluded "it's no wonder this latest offering is so good, because they've clearly got chemistry. We can't get enough of this and we reckon you'll feel the same..."[86]

In 2016 Stock confirmed that he was working with young singer Chloe Rose on a single for

VEVO channel on 15 August.[91]

In 2017 Stock worked with The Fizz (formerly Bucks Fizz). Stock co-wrote and produced the album The F-Z of Pop - the group's first studio album in over 33 years. It was released in September 2017 and charted at #25 in the UK charts and #6 in the UK independent Charts.[92]

Stock has subsequently produced two further albums with The Fizz including Christmas With The Fizz in 2018 and Smoke & Mirrors in 2020. On 6 March 2020 the album was released and entered the overall Official Albums Chart at No.29, the UK Sales Chart at No.6, the UK Vinyl Chart at No.5 and the Independent Chart at No.3.[93] The album also scored the No.6 position on the Official Scottish Album Charts.[94]

Of the album Classic Pop Magazine said "The Fizz are back firing on all cylinders with Smoke & Mirrors – an album of shiny new pop bangers, the latest fruit of a fertile collaboration with legendary hitmaker Mike Stock". Commenting on the songs, it said that "All We Ever Can Do" and "Boomerang" illustrate the group's "extraordinary resilience", while "The World We Left Behind" sees them "laying to rest a few old ghosts".[95]

See also

Citations

  1. ISBN 0-85112-374-0
    .
  2. ISBN 978-0-85112-526-8
    .
  3. ^ "NO" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 January 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  4. ^ a b "Press Office – Eurovision Song Contest 2010 press pack: Mike Stock". BBC. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  5. ^ The People Who Created The Soundtrack To Your Life eBook: stuart devoy: Kindle Store. 9 September 2009. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
  6. ^ a b Stock 2004, p. 14.
  7. ^ "Interview #39: Mike Stock | I Like Music – Online Music Magazine and Music Service Provider". I Like Music. 12 October 2004. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  8. ^ a b Stock 2004, p. 16.
  9. ^ Stock 2004, p. 17.
  10. ^ Stock 2004, p. 15.
  11. ^ Stock 2004, p. 18.
  12. ^ Stock 2004, p. 19.
  13. ^ Stock 2004, p. 21.
  14. ^ Stock 2004, p. 24.
  15. ^ Stock 2004, p. 25.
  16. ^ Stock 2004, p. 26.
  17. ^ a b Stock 2004, p. 27.
  18. ^ mike stock. "Matt Aitken Interview 1996". Stockaitkenlovethis.itgo.com. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  19. ^ mike stock (27 October 1994). "Pete Waterman Interview". Stockaitkenwaterman.itgo.com. Archived from the original on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  20. ^ a b mike stock. "History". Stockaitkenwaterman.itgo.com. Archived from the original on 21 May 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  21. ^ Stock 2004, p. 30.
  22. ^ Stock 2004, p. 29.
  23. ^ "Agents Aren't Aeroplanes – The Upstroke (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  24. ^ "Hi-NRG – House". Electronic Music Styles. Archived from the original on 29 November 2009. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  25. ^ "1984-08-04 Top 40 Official UK Singles Archive". Official Charts Company. 4 August 1984. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  26. ^ "1984-08-18 Top 40 Official UK Singles Archive". Official Charts Company. 18 August 1984. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  27. ^ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  28. ^ "Venus – Bananarama". Billboard.com. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  29. ^ "Mel And Kim – Showing Out (Get Fresh at the Weekend)". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  30. ^ "1987-03-28 Top 40 Official UK Singles Archive". Official Charts Company. 28 March 1987. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  31. ^ Stock 2004, p. 43.
  32. ^ "Classic Tracks: Rick Astley 'Never Gonna Give You Up'". Soundonsound.com. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  33. ^ "Top Ten Best Selling UK Singles of 1987". Popreport.co.uk. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  34. ^ "Rick Astley Music News & Info". Billboard.com. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  35. ^ Stock 2004, p. 48.
  36. ^ "1987-04-04 Top 40 Official UK Singles Archive". Official Charts Company. 4 April 1987. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  37. ^ "Gerry Marsden, Paul McCartney, Holly Johnson and the Christians – Ferry Cross The Mersey". Official Charts Company. 20 May 1989. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  38. ^ Stock 2004, p. 55.
  39. ^ Stock 2004, p. 57.
  40. ^ Gambaccini, Rice & Rice 1990, p. 14.
  41. ^ "1988-03-05 Top 40 Official UK Singles Archive". Official Charts Company. 5 March 1988. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  42. ^ "Love is in the Air: I Should Be So Lucky". Abc.net.au. Archived from the original on 26 May 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  43. ^ "1988-05-28 Top 40 Official UK Singles Archive". Official Charts Company. 28 May 1988. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  44. ^ Gambaccini, Rice & Rice 1990, p. 288.
  45. ^ "1988-09-24 Top 40 Official UK Singles Archive". Official Charts Company. 24 September 1988. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  46. ^ "1989-01-07 Top 40 Official UK Singles Archive". Official Charts Company. 7 January 1989. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  47. ^ a b Stock 2004, p. 63.
  48. ^ "1989-03-11 Top 40 Official UK Singles Archive". Official Charts Company. 11 March 1989. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  49. ^ [1] Archived 29 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  50. ^ Gambaccini, Rice & Rice 1990, p. 15.
  51. ^ Stock 2004, p. 87.
  52. ^ "Journal on the Art of Record Production " Undervalued Stock: Britain's most successful chart producer and his economy of production". Arpjournal.com. 15 November 2005. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  53. ^ Stock 2004, p. 115.
  54. ^ "Mike Stock: The Future Of British Pop". Soundonsound.com. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  55. ^ "Nicki French". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  56. ^ "The Hot 100 : Jun 24, 1995 | Billboard Chart Archive". Billboard.com. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
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  58. ^ "Mike Stock "Love This"". 11 May 2008. Archived from the original on 11 May 2008. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  59. ^ "1992-12-12 Top 40 Official UK Singles Archive". Official Charts Company. 12 December 1992. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  60. ^ Uk Top Ten Best Selling Nineties Singles. "Top Ten Best Selling UK Singles of the Nineties". Popreport.co.uk. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  61. ^ "1 November 1999". The Lawyer. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  62. ^ Stock 2004, p. 146.
  63. ^ "What's cookin'?". The Independent. 23 October 2011. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022.
  64. ^ "MOJAMS FEATURING DEBBIE CURRIE | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com.
  65. ^ "Into the limelight by any means necessary". The Independent. 23 October 2011. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022.
  66. ^ "The numbers game is up". The Independent. 23 October 2011. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022.
  67. ^ "TATJANA | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com.
  68. ^ "Discography Singles | Artist | Track Title | Chart Position | Chart Entry Date | Songwriters | Producers". Mike Stock Music. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  69. ^ "NME Live Reviews – Birmingham NEC". Nme.Com. 20 November 2000. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  70. ^ "fast food song | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com.
  71. ^ Stock 2004, p. 148.
  72. ^ Alexis Petridis (2 December 2005). "Alexis Petridis meets Stock, Aitken and Waterman | Music". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
  73. ^ "The Go! Go! Go! Show Reviews and Ratings | Ticketmaster". Reviews.ticketmaster.co.uk. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  74. ^ "Brief Encounter With ... Go!Go!Go! Show's Mike Stock – The Go! Go! Go! Show at Leicester Square Theatre – London – Interviews". Whatsonstage.com. 30 August 2010. Archived from the original on 9 February 2013. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  75. ^ "Alton Towers Press:THE GO!GO!GO! SHOW comes to Alton Towers Resort for 2011 season". Press.altontowers.com. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  76. ^ "Go! Go! Go! Show Tickets – Go! Go! Go! London Show Tickets, Go! Go! Go! Show Theatre Tickets, Tickets to Go! Go! Go! Show". Viewlondon.co.uk. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  77. ^ Owens, David (19 September 2011). "The Go! Go! Go! Show is the brainchild of hitmaker Mike Stock – Theatre – Lifestyle". WalesOnline. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  78. ^ "Leicester Square's Empire Cinema to bring back live shows – News". The Stage. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  79. ^ "NickALive!: Nickelodeon UK Announces Partnership with the Show 4 Kids plc To Create Brand New Interstitials With Hit Family Musical Act "The Go!Go!Go! Show" For Nick Jr. UK!". Nickalive.blogspot.co.uk. 5 November 2012. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  80. ^ "The Go! Go! Go! Show goes to Nick Jr | Licensing Industry | News by". Licensing.biz. Archived from the original on 23 June 2013. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  81. ^ "MPG Records". MPG Records.
  82. ^ "THE RETROBOT". YouTube.
  83. ^ a b Lewis Corner (19 September 2014). "Shayne Ward Announces New Album for February 2015". Digital Spy. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  84. ^ Bourne, Dianne (20 April 2015). "Shayne Ward celebrates after album heads into Top 20". Manchester Evening News.
  85. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com.
  86. ^ "Christmas Number 1 2015: The contenders revealed". Official Charts.
  87. ^ NSPCC. "Chloe Rose releases single to support Childline". NSPCC.
  88. ^ "Chloe Rose unveils music video for charity single 'For Me'". 23 August 2016.
  89. ^ "New Single : For Me – Chloe Rose". 4 August 2016.
  90. ^ "Chloe Rose, Becky Want". BBC Radio Manchester.
  91. ^ "Meet Chloe Rose And Watch The Video For Her Teen Pop Anthem 'For Me'". 16 August 2016.
  92. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com.
  93. ^ "Official Albums Sales Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com.
  94. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com.
  95. ^ "Sing when you're winning: The Fizz interview". 30 July 2020.

References

External links
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