Introduction
Gerald Lincoln "Gerry" Bron (1 March 1933 – 18 June 2012) was an English record producer and band manager. In his early days, he managed the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band.
Life and career
Bron was born in Hendon, Middlesex, into a Jewish family, the elder brother of actress Eleanor Bron. Their father, Sydney, shortened the family's surname to "Bron" from "Bronstein" when founding Bron's Orchestral Service. Bron's record label, Bronze Records, was founded in 1971and was home to many popular bands, including Uriah Heep, Osibisa, Paladin, Manfred Mann's Earth Band, The Real Kids, Sally Oldfield, Motörhead, The Damned, Girlschool,Bronz and Hawkwind
Bron's career in music covered just about every aspect of the industry. He was at various times a clarinettist, a sheet music printer, an artist manager handling acts including Gene Pitney, Marianne Faithfull, Manfred Mann, Colosseum and Uriah Heep, a record producer working with the Bonzo Dog Band, Juicy Lucy and all the acts he managed with the exception of Faithfull, a booking agent, record label owner and a studio owner and manager at Roundhouse Studios. He joined his father's company, Bron's Orchestral Service, after spending two years at Trinity College of Music.
The company moved into music publishing and one of the first acts that Bron was responsible for was Gene Pitney. This business relationship led to Bron and Pitney discussing making records together and Bron produced all the demos for the publishing company. In the mid-70's Gerry's label (BRONZE) issued singles and an album by Gene Pitney including 'Blue Angel' a UK hit that was to prove a huge seller in Australia, too.The positive response to the quality of Gene's demos encouraged Bron to move into the area of production more actively and he produced Manfred Mann's hit singles "Ha! Ha! Said the Clown", "My Name Is Jack" and "Fox on the Run". This was followed by albums with Colosseum and Uriah Heep.
Selective list of album productions
- Motörhead
- Uriah Heep
- ...Very 'Eavy ...Very 'Umble
- Demons & Wizards
- Look at Yourself
- The Magician's Birthday
- Sweet Freedom
- Wonderworld
- Return to Fantasy
- Innocent Victim
- Firefly
- Fallen Angel
- Conquest
- Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band
- Gorilla
- The Doughnut In Granny's Greenhouse
- Kim Mitchell
- Akimbo Alogo
Selective list of single productions
- Manfred Mann
- Ha! Ha! Said the Clown
- My Name is Jack
- Fox On The Run
- Ragamuffin Man
- Gene Pitney
- Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart
- Juicy Lucy
- Who Do You Love?
- Richard Barnes
- Take To The Mountains
- Go North
Kim Mitchell 12 inch remix and radio single for "Go For Soda" from the album Akimbo Alogo