Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Aug 3, 2026

Mike Clink

Mike Clink is an American record producer. He began his career as an engineer at Record Plant Studios, recording such bands as Whitesnake, Triumph, Guns N' Roses, Mötley Crüe, Megadeth, UFO, Jefferson Starship, the Babys, Heart, and Eddie Money.

Last revised
Aug 3, 2026
Read time
≈ 5 min
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Citations
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Source
Wikipedia ↗
Mike Clink
Born
United States
Genres
OccupationRecord producer
LabelsGeffen, Chrysalis
Websitemikeclinkproductions.com

Mike Clink is an American record producer.123 He began his career as an engineer at Record Plant Studios, recording such bands as Whitesnake,2 Triumph, Guns N' Roses,2 Mötley Crüe, Megadeth, UFO, Jefferson Starship, the Babys, Heart, and Eddie Money.4

Career

Clink began producing in 1986. "After a series of failed attempts", Steve Kurutz at AllMusic noted, "a young band named Guns N' Roses asked Clink to produce their debut album, Appetite for Destruction." "We could have made it all smooth and polished with (original producer) Spencer Proffer," noted Axl Rose, "[but] it was too fucking radio (i.e., radio-friendly). That's why we went with Mike Clink."5

In 1988, Clink began work on Metallica's ...And Justice for All but was replaced with Flemming Rasmussen, who had helmed the band's preceding two albums.6

In 1989, Clink produced the Sea Hags' critically acclaimed, self-titled debut album, recorded at Captain and Tennille's Rumbo Recorders. It would be the band's only album. The following year, Clink coproduced the successful Rust in Peace by American thrash metal band Megadeth. He left the project shortly before finishing it in order to work with Guns N' Roses.7

Clink has spoken on panels focusing on digital rights, new media technology, and copyright protection.89

Selected discography

As producer

Artist Album name Year
Triumph The Sport of Kings4 1986
Survivor When Seconds Count 1986
Guns N' Roses Appetite for Destruction4 1987
Mari Hamada In the Precious Age 1987
Hurricane Over the Edge 1988
Guns N' Roses Lies 1988
Whitesnake Slip of the Tongue4 1989
Sea Hags Sea Hags 1989
Little Caesar Street Survivors 1989
Megadeth Rust in Peace4 1990
Guns N' Roses Use Your Illusion I4 1991
Guns N' Roses Use Your Illusion II 1991
Roxy Blue Want Some? 1992
Guns N' Roses "The Spaghetti Incident?"4 1993
I Mother Earth Dig 1993
Slash "Magic Carpet Ride" from Coneheads 1993
Sammy Hagar (Un)boxed4 1994
Guns N' Roses "Sympathy for the Devil" from Interview with the Vampire 1994
Slash's Snakepit It's Five O'Clock Somewhere 1995
Beth Hart Band Immortal 1996
Sammy Hagar Marching to Mars4 1997
Size 14 Size 14 1997
Fuzzbubble "Out There" from Godzilla: The Album 1998
Fuzzbubble "Bliss" from the Hell City, Hell soundtrack 1998
Pushmonkey Pushmonkey 1998
Mötley Crüe New Tattoo 2000
Pushmonkey El Bitche 2001
Pure Rubbish Glamorous Youth 2001
Steve Vai The Infinite Steve Vai: An Anthology (co-produced) 2003
The Glitterati The Glitterati 2005
Camp Freddy "The Jean Genie"10 2006
Warner Drive Fully Loaded11 2006
Crushed My Machine 2006
Sarah Kelly Where the Past Meets Today 2006
Brad Cox New Directions12 2008
Crushed Shadows and Substance13 2008
Camp Freddy "Merry Xmas Everybody" 2008
The Sonic Graffiti "Mystery Number" from The Haiti Project14 2010
State Line Empire Octane EP15 2011
Mumiy Troll Vladivostok 2012
Shelter Dogs Take Me Home16 2014
Archer Culling the Weak17 2015
Jaime Wyatt Felony Blues 2017
Lucie "Nejlepší, kterou znám" from EvoLucie18 2018
Les Stroud Bittern Lake19 2018
American Bombshell "My Drug" from Tattooed 'N Bruised20 2019
Les Stroud Mother Earth21 2019
Archer Nation Beneath the Dream22 2019
Capital Theatre A Hero's Journey23 2021
Slash Orgy of the Damned24 2024
Various artists Magic Power: All Star Tribute to Triumph25 2025

As engineer

Artist Album name Year
UFO Strangers in the Night 1979
Jefferson Starship Freedom at Point Zero 1979
Eddie Money Playing for Keeps 1980
Jefferson Starship Modern Times 1981
707 The Bridge 1983
Survivor Caught in the Game 1983
Shooting Star Silent Scream 1985
Metallica ...And Justice for All 1988
Metallica Garage Inc. 1998
Sammy Hagar Ten 13 2000

Awards and nominations

Several of Clink's productions and recordings have received awards and nominations, including Lucie's single "Nejlepší, kterou znám", from the album EvoLucie. Both the single and the album won Anděl Awards, for Song of the Year26 and Album of the Year, respectively.

Artist Work / Recording name Award Result Credit
Guns N' Roses G N' R Lies Grammy: Best Hard Rock Performance27 Nominated Producer, engineer
Megadeth Rust in Peace Grammy: Best Metal Performance28 Nominated Producer, engineer
Guns N' Roses Use Your Illusion I Grammy: Best Hard Rock Performance27 Nominated Producer, engineer
Guns N' Roses "Live and Let Die" Grammy: Best Hard Rock Performance27 Nominated Producer, engineer
I Mother Earth Dig Juno: Best Hard Rock Album29 Won Producer, engineer
Sarah Kelly Where the Past Meets Today Grammy: Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album30 Nominated Producer, engineer
Lucie "Nejlepší, kterou znám" Anděl Award: Song of the Year31 Won Producer, engineer, mixer
Lucie EvoLucie Anděl Award: Album of the Year31 Won Producer, engineer, mixer
Guns N' Roses Appetite for Destruction – Locked N' Loaded edition Grammy: Best Boxed or Special Ltd Edition Pkg Nominated Producer, engineer
References

References

  1. "Insider Profile: Mike Clink Legendary Record Producer (Aerosmith, Guns N' Roses Metallica)". August 8, 2023.
  2. Hilburn, Robert (April 8, 1990). "The Hot 'Tag Team' of Rock Management : Rob Kahane's faith in George Michael and Michael Lippman's belief in record producers have made them an industry force". Los Angeles Times.
  3. "Biography at Shure.com". Archived from the original on July 30, 2018. Retrieved January 12, 2011.
  4. Massey, Howard (2000). Behind the Glass: Top Record Producers Tell How They Craft the Hits. San Francisco, California, US: Backbeat Books. pp. 215–222. ISBN 0879306149.
  5. Wall, Mick (January 2002). "Madman? Messiah? Misunderstood? Inside the lonely, mixed-up world of W. Axl Rose". Classic Rock. p. 93.
  6. "Original ...And Justice for All Producer Explains Why He Didn't Work with Metallica". Metalinjection.net. September 9, 2020. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  7. Mustaine, Dave; Selvin, Joel (2020). Rust in peace: the inside story of the Megadeth masterpiece (First ed.). New York: Hachette Books. ISBN 978-0-306-84602-1. OCLC 1135584185.
  8. Hertweck, Nate (February 2, 2018). "Producer Mike Clink Delivers Testimony on Crucial Music Issues". Grammy.com. Recording Academy. Archived from the original on September 20, 2021. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
  9. "Hearing Before the Committee on the Judiciary House of Representatives" (PDF). Govinfo.gov.
  10. "Slash, Warren Demartini, Billy Duffy to Perform with Camp Freddy Tonight". Blabbermouth.net. August 5, 2006.
  11. "Rough Edge: Warner Drive CD Reviews". Roughedge.com.
  12. [1]
  13. "Crushed Issues 'Shadows And Substance'". Blabbermouth.net. November 3, 2008.
  14. [2]
  15. [3]
  16. "Guns N'Roses, Megadeth Producer Mike Clink – Talks New Shelter Dogs Project". Bravewords.com.
  17. "Culling the Weak (2015), by Archer Nation". Archernation.bandcamp.com.
  18. "Lucie vydává po 16 letech nové album EvoLucie" [After 16 years, Lucie releases a new album, EvoLucie]. Csmusic.cz (in Czech). November 12, 2018. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  19. "Spill Feature: Bittern Lake-A Conversation with Survivorman & Musician Les Stroud". Spillmagazine.com. July 5, 2018.
  20. "American Bombshell: 'Tattooed 'N Bruised' – Sleaze Roxx". Sleazeroxx.com. April 1, 2019. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  21. [4]
  22. "Archer Nation Unveil New LP 'Beneath the Dream,' Wrap Tour with Anvil and Don Jamieson". Guitarworld.com. April 25, 2019.
  23. "Capital Theatre Announces 'A Hero's Journey' Album". BroadwayWorld.com.
  24. "Slash's 'Orgy of the Damned' Blues Album to Feature Brian Johnson, Iggy Pop, Paul Rodgers, Others". Blabbermouth.net. March 8, 2024.
  25. "Sebastian Bach, Joey Belladonna, Dee Snider, Nancy Wilson Among Musicians on 'Magic Power: All Star Tribute to Triumph'". Blabbermouth.net. March 25, 2025.
  26. "The Andel Awards: Lucie Wins Album of the Year Award, Barbora Polakova Also Earns Success". Lp-life.com.
  27. "GRAMMY Award Results for Guns N' Roses". Grammy.com.
  28. "GRAMMY Award Results for Megadeth". Grammy.com.
  29. "Best Hard Rock Album 1994". Junoawards.ca.
  30. "Grammy Award Results for Sarah Kelly". Grammy.com.
  31. "The Andel Awards: Lucie wins album of the year award, Barbora Polakova also earns success". Lp-life.com.
External links