Roger Béchirian is an English engineer and record producer. Béchirian was a key player in the British new wave scene of the late 1970s and early 1980s, best known for his work with Nick Lowe, Paul Carrack, Elvis Costello, The Undertones, Dave Edmunds, The Monkees, the Flamin' Groovies, and Squeeze. He was also a member of the pseudonymous new wave group Blanket of Secrecy, which issued one album in 1982. More recently, Béchirian has worked with the Trashcan Sinatras and Bell X1.

Life and career

He became renowned for his mixing work for Stiff Records, which paved the way for his first co-produced hit, Lene Lovich’s “Lucky Number”. He is widely credited for moulding the sound of some of that period’s finest hitmakers including Elvis Costello, The Undertones, and Squeeze. Building on his early successes Béchirian spent his time working between the UK and the USA developing and producing new and established artists for major and independent label releases. By the beginning of the new millennium he added management to his skill set. He discovered and developed Tom McRae signing him to db/BMG/Arista records, whose emergence led to a Q Award and nominations for a Mercury Prize Award, and a Brit Award. At the same time he managed Irish four-piece Bell X1, signing them to Island/Universal in London, garnering four Choice Music Prize Irish Album of the Year nominations and producing their breakthrough multi-platinum album Flock.

Discography overview

Note: engineered (e), mixed (m), co-produced (cp), produced (p) Elvis Costello: e-m-cp-p albums: singles: Squeeze: e-m-p albums: singles: The Undertones: e-m-p albums: singles: Nick Lowe: e-m-cp-p albums: singles: Graham Parker: e-m albums: Twist: e-m-cp albums: singles: The Rumour: e-m-cp albums: singles: The Jam: e Lene Lovich: e-m-p albums: singles: Wang Chung: e-m-p albums: singles: Carlene Carter: e-m-p-cp albums: singles: Dave Edmunds: e-m albums: singles: The Trash Can Sinatras: e-m-p albums: singles: Bell X1: m-p albums: singles: Tom McRae: cp-m albums: singles: Flamin' Groovies: e-m-cp The Attractions: e-m-p The Shakin' Pyramids: e-m-p The Monkees: e-m-p The dB's: e-m-p Tony Koklin: e-m-p Robert Ellis Orrall: e-m-p Rockpile: e-m The Photos: e-m-p Siouxsie and the Banshees: e-m Blanket of Secrecy: e-m-p The Passion Puppets: e-m-p Dirty Looks: e-m The Pretenders: e-m Stewart Agnew Band: e-m-p Bear Driver: cp e and ae: