Tom Werman

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Tom Werman (born 1945 in Boston, Massachusetts, United States)^[1] is an American former record producer, who graduated from Columbia University, and was an A&R man and record producer for Epic Records from 1970 into 1982. He has produced 23 gold and platinum albums by acts including Mother's Finest, Ted Nugent, Cheap Trick, Molly Hatchet, Blue Öyster Cult, Mötley Crüe, Twisted Sister, Stryper, Hawks, Kix, L.A. Guns, and Poison. While in A&R at Epic Records, he signed REO Speedwagon, Cheap Trick, Ted Nugent, Molly Hatchet and Boston to the label. He also brought Kiss, Rush and Lynyrd Skynyrd to Epic, but the label passed on all three. Werman became an independent producer in 1982 and continued to work until 2001, when he produced the music and soundtrack for the film Rock Star, starring Mark Wahlberg and Jennifer Aniston.^[2] Werman's producing credits also include key recordings by The Producers, Mother's Finest, Gary Myrick & The Figures, Jason & The Scorchers, Krokus, Lita Ford, Kix, LA Guns, Babylon A.D., and Dokken.

Werman's production style was sometimes described by critics as too polished for the hard rock and heavy metal albums that he has produced. Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick questioned his production of In Color, their second album, two decades after its release. Werman counters that the band always allowed him a free hand as producer, and that he made sure that every act he produced officially approved the final album mix before delivery to the record label. In Color earned double the U.S. sales of its harsher-sounding predecessor and made Cheap Trick superstars in Japan. Cheap Trick went on to record two more top selling albums with Werman, Heaven Tonight and Dream Police. Dee Snider of Twisted Sister claimed that the album Stay Hungry was "too light" in contrast to their heavy metal style, although the album has sold over 7,000,000 copies. Twisted Sister eventually re-recorded and produced that album with additional tracks. It reportedly sold about 30,000 copies.

Currently, Werman is owner of Stonover Farm,^[3] a luxury B&B in Lenox, Massachusetts.

References[]

External links[]

• 2001 interview with Tom Werman from Mix online