Tom Werman
Encyclopedia
Tom Werman was an A&R man and record producer
for Epic Records
from 1970 into 1982. He has produced albums by acts including Mother's Finest
, Ted Nugent
, Cheap Trick
, Molly Hatchet
, Blue Öyster Cult
, Mötley Crüe
, Twisted Sister
, Stryper
, Kix
, LA Guns, and Poison
. While in A&R
at Epic Records, he signed REO Speedwagon
, Cheap Trick, Ted Nugent, Molly Hatchet and Boston
. During Werman's career, he earned a total of 23 gold and platinum records for these and other bands he produced. Werman became an independent producer in 1982 and continued to work until 1999, when he produced the music and soundtrack for the film "Rock Star", starring Mark Wahlberg and Jennifer Aniston. Werman's producing credits also include key recordings by The Producers, Gary Myrick & The Figures, Jason & The Scorchers, Krokus, and Dokken.
Werman's production style was sometimes described by critics as too clean and controlled for the hard rock
and heavy metal
albums that he has produced. In particular, the members of Cheap Trick
questioned his production of In Color, their second album, two decades after its release. Werman insists that the band always allowed him a free hand as producer, and that they approved the final mixes on all 3 albums he produced for them. Despite the band's complaints, 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
.
Currently, Werman is owner of Stonover Farm http://www.stonoverfarm.com/, a fully appointed luxury B&B in Lenox, Massachusetts
.
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
for Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
from 1970 into 1982. He has produced albums by acts including Mother's Finest
Mother's Finest
Mother's Finest is a funk rock band founded in Atlanta, Georgia by Joyce Kennedy and Glenn Murdock in the early 1970s. The group charted with the singles "Fire" , "Baby Love" , "Don't Wanna Come Back" , "Love Changes" , and "Piece Of The Rock" in the mid to late 1970s.-History:Mother's Finest...
, Ted Nugent
Ted Nugent
Theodore Anthony "Ted" Nugent is an American guitarist, musician, singer, author, reserve police officer, and activist. From Detroit, Michigan, he originally gained fame as the lead guitarist of The Amboy Dukes, before embarking on a lengthy solo career...
, Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973. The band consists of members Robin Zander , Rick Nielsen , Tom Petersson , and Bun E...
, Molly Hatchet
Molly Hatchet
Molly Hatchet is an American southern rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1975. They are widely known for their hit song "Flirtin' with Disaster" from the album of the same title. The band, founded by Dave Hlubek and Steve Holland, took its name from a prostitute who allegedly mutilated...
, Blue Öyster Cult
Blue Öyster Cult
Blue Öyster Cult, often abbreviated BÖC, is an American rock band, most of whose members first came together in Long Island, NY in 1967 as the band Soft White Underbelly...
, Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981. The group was founded by bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, who were later joined by lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil...
, Twisted Sister
Twisted Sister
Twisted Sister is an American heavy metal band from Long Island. Musically, the band implements elements of traditional heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, along with a style that is similar to early glam metal bands...
, Stryper
Stryper
Stryper is a Christian glam metal band from Orange County, California. The group's lineup consists of Michael Sweet , Oz Fox , Tim Gaines , and Robert Sweet...
, Kix
Kix (band)
Kix is an American hard rock/heavy metal band who achieved popularity in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Band members continue to tour, recently appearing at the Rocklahoma festival in 2008 in Oklahoma and the M3 Rock Festival in May 2011 in the band's home state of Maryland.-Formation:Kix was...
, LA Guns, and Poison
Poison (band)
Poison is an American glam metal band that achieved great success in the mid-1980s to mid-1990s. To date, Poison has sold over 30 million records worldwide and have sold 15 million records in the United States alone. The band has also charted ten singles to the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100,...
. While in A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
at Epic Records, he signed REO Speedwagon
REO Speedwagon
REO Speedwagon is an American rock band. Formed in 1967, the band grew in popularity during the 1970s and peaked in the early 1980s. Hi Infidelity is the group's most commercially successful album, selling over ten million copies and charting four Top 40 hits in the US...
, Cheap Trick, Ted Nugent, Molly Hatchet and Boston
Boston (band)
Boston is an American rock band from Boston, Massachusetts that achieved its most notable successes during the 1970s and 1980s. Centered on guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, and producer Tom Scholz, the band is a staple of classic rock radio playlists...
. During Werman's career, he earned a total of 23 gold and platinum records for these and other bands he produced. Werman became an independent producer in 1982 and continued to work until 1999, when he produced the music and soundtrack for the film "Rock Star", starring Mark Wahlberg and Jennifer Aniston. Werman's producing credits also include key recordings by The Producers, Gary Myrick & The Figures, Jason & The Scorchers, Krokus, and Dokken.
Werman's production style was sometimes described by critics as too clean and controlled for the hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
and heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
albums that he has produced. In particular, the members of Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973. The band consists of members Robin Zander , Rick Nielsen , Tom Petersson , and Bun E...
questioned his production of In Color, their second album, two decades after its release. Werman insists that the band always allowed him a free hand as producer, and that they approved the final mixes on all 3 albums he produced for them. Despite the band's complaints, 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
Heaven Tonight
Heaven Tonight is Cheap Trick's third album, released in 1978. The album was remastered and released with bonus tracks on Sony's Epic/Legacy imprint in 1998. The album cover features lead singer Robin Zander and bassist Tom Petersson....
and Dream Police
Dream Police
Dream Police is a 1979 studio album by Cheap Trick. It was their fourth studio release, and third in a row produced by Tom Werman. It is the band's most commercially successful studio album, going to No...
.
Currently, Werman is owner of Stonover Farm http://www.stonoverfarm.com/, a fully appointed luxury B&B in Lenox, Massachusetts
Lenox, Massachusetts
Lenox is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. Set in Western Massachusetts, it is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 5,077 at the 2000 census. Where the town has a border with Stockbridge is the site of Tanglewood, summer...
.