In 2005, the story of maverick producer Joe Meek hit the West End stage as Telstar, and a film of the same name premiered in 2009. All this helped introduce a new generation to the sounds that came out of his studio half a century ago at 304 Holloway Road, north London in an era when Britain lagged a long way behind the States in cutting-edge recording.
‘Telstar’, credited to house band the Tornados and named after a just-launched communications satellite, changed all that. By making Number 1 on both sides of the Atlantic in December 1962 – the first and only record by a pre-Beatles UK group to top the Billboard chart – it put the UK, and Joe Meek in particular, on the map. Sadly, the royalties would be delayed by a court case alleging plagiarism launched by a French composer. This would be settled in Meek’s favour in February 1967, three weeks after his death.
Meek created musical magic in his home studio above a shop. Some of the futuristic sounds he was responsible for would not have sounded out of place in the synthesiser-dominated Eighties, and he was undoubtedly years ahead of his time.
He’d served in the Royal Air Force as a radar technician after World War II, then worked as a television engineer before getting a job at IBC, one of only two recording studios in London not attached to a record label. He moved to the other independent studio, Lansdowne, in 1957, working on some of Lonnie Donegan’s skiffle hits.
All this, plus a growing interest in songwriting, set him up nicely to go it alone, which he did in 1960. His first hit, ‘Angela Jones’, by singer Michael Cox, came out on his own Triumph imprint, but he soon decided to concentrate on creating music and leave the marketing to labels he licensed his productions to.
The following year would see him top the UK charts thanks to John Leyton and ‘Johnny Remember Me’. The combination of the singing actor and a song written by young hopeful Geoff Goddard proved irresistible, the arrangement by another young talent Charles Blackwell featuring strings and choir – all recorded in the living room, bathroom and toilet of Meek’s three-floor flat!
The bands and artists Meek produced varied widely. The Fabulous Flee Rekkers were Britain’s answer to Johnny and the Hurricanes and were led by tenor saxophonist Peter Fleerakkers. Their best-known member was drummer Mickey Waller, who went on to back Rod Stewart after the group broke up in 1963. The Outlaws featured future Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and Chas & Dave’s Chas Hodges, and were used as a backing band; they also feature here in their own right.
Meek’s willingness to experiment was unique in the days before stereo had become the industry standard. The opportunity for experimentation was limited, as it could ruin recordings, but Meek was willing to use devices like limiters and compressors to create a sound all his own. Many of his artists showed longevity, a tribute to his talent-spotting abilities. Mike Berry’s ‘Tribute To Buddy Holly’, included here, was the first of five Top 40 hits in a sequence extending from 1961 to 1980.
Others featured here had their highpoints to come. Cliff Bennett & the Rebel Rousers would hit later in the Sixties with a cover of the Beatles’ ‘Got To Get You Into My Life’, while shock-rocker Screaming Lord Sutch – a UK version of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins – went from rock to politics. Birmingham-born musicians Ken Lewis and John Carter, featured here fronting Carter-Lewis and the Southerners, would go on to find success with third singer Perry Ford as the Ivy League.
The final triumph for Joe Meek came in 1964 when the Honeycombs’ stomping ‘Have I The Right’, released on Pye, gave him another Number 1. But that year also saw him fall out with Geoff Goddard, while his private life, at a time when homosexuality was illegal, was difficult to say the least. He ended his own life in February 1967 by shooting himself in his studio, a tortured genius to the end.
Even though he could not play a conventional instrument, Joe Meek gave much to popular music. His ratio of hits to releases, 45 from 245, stands up to anyone’s in any era, but the fact that he was a maverick operating outside the system makes it even more impressive. He created an early concept album called ‘I Hear A New World’ that was well ahead of its time, although it would remain unreleased for some years. The tracks here credited to the Blue Men are from this project.
Some say that, had he lived, Meek would have continued to innovate. ‘Joe would have been in his element with a multi-track machine,’ said Outlaw Chas Hodges, who described the Beatles’ recordings as sounding like ‘rough demos’ when compared with Meek’s creations. Use your own ears and tune in to ‘Telstar’ and much, much more…you just might agree!
trax disc 1:
1. Telstar - The Tornados 2. It's Just A Matter Of Time - Mike Berry 3. Can Can 62 - Peter Jay & The Jaywalkers 4. Sioux Serenade - The Outlaws 5. Lonely Week-End - Ray Dexter 6. My Little Girl's Come Home - Geoff Goddard 7. Stage To Cimarron - The Fleerekkers 8. Poor Joe - Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers 9. You Gave Me The Blues - Alan Klein 10. North Wind - Houston Wells 11. Always On Saturday - Andy Cavell 12. Mr Lovebug - Iain Gregory 13. Jungle Fever - The Tornados 14. Lone Rider - John Leyton 15. It Matters Not - Mark Douglas 16. Black Buffalo - The Fleerekkers 17. The Hermit Of Misty Mountain - Don Charles 18. Honey 'Cause I Love You - Michael Cox 19. Hatashiai - The Moontrekkers 20. Every Little Kiss - Mike Berry 21. The Road To Love - Neil Christian & The Crusaders 22. Fort Knox - The Outlaws 23. Three Coins In The Sewer - Alan Klein 24. Dear One - Tony Vicror 25. Poppin' Part 1 - The Chaps (The Outlaws)
trax disc 2:
1. Magic Star - Kenny Hollywood 2. Ku-Pow - The Outlaws 3. Hey There Señorita - Andy Cavell 4. Hurtin' Inside (Twist) - Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers 5. Love And Fury - The Tornados 6. Guess That's The Way It Goes - Don Charles 7. How Many Times - Mike Berry & The Outlaws 8. Sunburst - The Flee Rekkers 9. Try Once More - Geoff Goddard 10. Heart Of Stone - John Leyton 11. Striped Purple Shirt - Alan Klein 12. Upside Down - Mark Douglas 13. There's Something At The Bottom Of The Well - The Moontrekkers 14. Stand Up - Michael Cox 15. Crazy Man Crazy - Don Charles 16. Twistin' The Chestnuts - The Fleerekkers 17. Little Sue - The Dowlands & The Soundtracks 18. Big Beat Drum - Neil Christian & The Crusaders 19. Loneliness - Mike Berry & The Outlaws 20. Danger Ahead - Alan Klein 21. Dreaming On A Cloud - The Tornados 22. Big Feet - The Stonehenge Men 23. Cha Cha On The Moon - Pat Reader 24. There Was A Time - Tony Victor 25. Poppin' Part 2 - The Chaps (The Outlaws)
trax disc 3:
1. Johnny Remember Me - John Leyton 2. Tribute To Buddy Holly - Mike Berry 3. Orbit Around The Moon - The Blue Men 4. Two Timing Baby - Carter-Lewis & The Southeners 5. Good Golly Miss Molly - Screaming Lord Sutch 6. Dream Of The West - The Outlaws 7. I'm In Love With You - Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers 8. Green Jeans - The Fabulous Flee-Rakkers 9. Girl Bride - Geoff Goddard 10. Tell Laura I Love Her - John Leyton 11. Night Of The Vampire - The Moontrekkers 12. Angela Jones - Michael Cox 13. Just Too Late - Peter Jay & The Blue Men 14. Entry Of The Globbotts - The Blue Men 15. My Baby Doll - Mike Berry & The Outlaws 16. Ducks Away From My Fishin - Chris & The Students 17. Valley Of The Saroos - The Blue Men 18. Can't You Hear My Heart - Danny Rivers 19. You've Got What I Like - Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers 20. Valley Of The Sioux - The Outlaws 21. Don't Want To Know - Michael Cox 22. Blue Tango - The Flee Rekkers 23. Will It Happen To Me - Carter-Lewis & The Southerners 24. Magnetic Field - The Blue Men 25. Don't Tell Me Not To Love You - Yolanda
...served by Gyro1966...
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