Mike Leander

Mike Leander (* June 30, 1941, † 18 April 1996) was a British music producer and arranger who has worked in the 1960s for Decca Records in the 1970s and Bell Records. Best known he was through his work as a songwriter and producer for Gary Glitter, all of whose hits he wrote.

At the very beginning of his career worked Leander with singer Paul Raven and produced several singles for this at MCA Records. Raven got a role in the musical Jesus Christ Superstar, was called shortly thereafter to Gary Glitter and Glitter and Leander led both an employment relationship as well as a personal friendship to Leander's death in 1996.

He also worked with Marianne Faithfull, Billy Fury, Marc Bolan, Joe Cocker, Small Faces, Van Morrison, Alan Price, Peter Frampton, Keith Richards, Shirley Bassey, Lulu, Jimmy Page, Roy Orbison, Gene Pitney and the band Hello.

Leander also worked for Ben E. King and the Drifters on the label Atlantic Records and was arranger of the piece She's Leaving Home The Beatles Sgt Pepper on the album 's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

In addition, Leander produced the concept album Jesus Christ Superstar by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice wrote in the late '60s, some film music and was involved in the music project Marquis of Kensington with whom he released three singles.

In the 1980s, Leander wrote the musical Matador. The music was recorded by Tom Jones and gave this a comeback and with A Boy from Nowhere a UK Top 10 success.

• Music producer
• Songwriter
• Arranger
• Briton
• Born in 1941
• Died in 1996
• Man