But who gets the final say? Obviously the band, therefore if the sound they want is what the producer offers them then it's not the producers fault, the producer has done the job he's paid to do. These bigger bands chooses the producer because they like his work, not because he can make them sound like someone else they like. Bruce has said Maiden sound like they do because of Shirley, he knows how to get out of the band what the band want, yet so many people have blamed Shirley alone for Senjitsu sounding the way it does. By Bruce's words alone that's what they want to sound like. I'm not suggesting the producer doesn't have an influence, but to continually blame the producer only as so many do really is becoming old