Some have pointed out that telstar spent too much time focusing on meek as a cloud cuckoolander on his best days and axcrazy on his worst, and not enough time stressing that he was not just a gifted producer, but also an allaround electronics whiz from a young age jerkass woobie. Set against a backdrop of early 60s london, telstar is the story of the worlds first independent record producer, joe meek. Provided to youtube by sanctuary records telstar the tornados the tornados play telstar and other great hits. In the early 1960s selftaught electronics whizz joe meek amazingly produces a string of home made hit singles from his studio in his flat above a leather shop in london. The tortured life of the telstar man joe meek music.
The joe meek story is a 2008 film adaptation of james hicks and nick morans play telstar, about record producer joe meek, which opened at the new ambassadors theatre in londons west end in june 2005. Read on youtube that joe meek didnt play instruments himself, explaining the weird. Twitter, facebook, myspace, youtube or whatever your social networks of. Standing in front of 304 holloway road in the rain, you cant quite believe that in this scruffylooking building, the tornados recorded telstar. All in all, joe meek was able to place 25 records in the british top 40 within his career. The cases telstar, heinz, madras place, howardblaikley the telstar case. He stiffs his musicians and is extremely demanding toward them, shows no respect to. The amazing world of joe meek opens with two such classics that are hard to equal. Joe meeks story is that of a man who triumphed over obstacles. Joe meek was a gay producer and songwriter, who wrote the hit telstar. Now in debt and after unwisely parting from his chief financier major banks, joe finds himself. Whether you are a confirmed meek buff or seeking information on joe, his life, times and music you are welcome to contact or join us. The telstar man, pioneer of sound recording technology, lived, worked and died here. He also assisted the development of recording practices like.
All about the man named joe meek here are some links on joe meek you might find interesting. Joe meek and geoff goddard work out the tune for telstar the song was a massive hit both in britain and the usa. Despite being tonedeaf and not being able to play a musical instrument or write notation, meek displayed a remarkable facility for writing and producing successful commercial recordings. The joe meek story on rotten tomatoes, then check our tomatometer to find out what the critics say. Joes mercurial temper causes his artists to forsake him for other labels, in particular his young lover heinz burt. This free tool was originally created by avid technology, inc. Well, everyone knows the change in the uk popular music that the beatles helped to. A maverick genius who enjoyed phenomenal success with telstar the biggest selling record of its time before bad luck, depression, heartbreak and paranoia led to his downfall. Joe meek 19291967 was an incredibly imaginative and progressive independent record producer and songwriter. Telstar rough demo by joe meek is a cover of the tornadoss telstar.
Our software library provides a free download of avid joemeek bundle 11. Our builtin antivirus checked this download and rated it as virus free. The very best of joe meeks instrumentals joe meek on allmusic 2007 it might be subtitled the very best of joe. The life and death of influential 1960s record producer joe meek britains unsung answer to phil spector is brought efficiently to the screen in the directorial debut of actor nick moran lock. The tornados instrumental telstar 1962, written and produced by meek, became the first record by a british rock group to reach number one in the us. A couple of months after telstar had become a smash hit, the french composer jean ledrut 19031982 supposed that meeks bestseller had four bars which were lifted from a film score he had written for the movie austerlitz, directed by abel gance 1960. It was the second instrumental single to hit number 1.
On a shabby part of the holloway road in north london, just a few hundred yards from arsenals emirates stadium, is the flat where record producer joe meek used to live and work. Joe was born robert george meek in newent, gloucestershire, england 5. Adapted from nick moran and james hicks criticallylauded stage play, telstar tells the remarkable tale of eccentric, londonbased songwriterproducer joe meek con oneill, whose innovative. Robert george joe meek 5 april 1929 3 february 1967 was an english record producer, musician, sound engineer and songwriter who pioneered space age and experimental pop music. Joe meeks most famous and popular production is a landmark recording, being the first british read more. Every night i hope and pray a dream lover will come my way a girl to hold in my arms and know the magic of her charms cause i want a girl to call my. Watch the video for telstar original recording 1962 from the tornadoss telstar. Disappointing biopic of joe meek,most off the film is historically inaccuratehe is a list of just a few points in the film heinz drives a smallish feminine red ford consul capri coupe to.
Palmdoorfilms is raising funds for a life in the death of joe meek on kickstarter. The tortured life of telstar genius on a scruffy part of north londons holloway road there is a black metal plaque. With con oneill, kevin spacey, pam ferris, jj feild. The current setup file available for download occupies 20. Telstar sheet music piano, voice, guitar pdf download. A fascinating biography of joe meek who was widely recognised as britains first real independent pop music producer and hailed as britains answer to phil spector. Whether these obstacles were the repressive, conformist record labels and studios of prebeatles britain, or not being able to sing in key, read music, or play an instrument, the producersongwriters apparent motto was never say never. Telstar by the tornados 1962 and johnny remember me by john leyton 1961. A life in the death of joe meek by palmdoorfilms kickstarter. Joe meeks was an extreme pathology, to be sure, with its incredible highs just listen to the aerated hysteria of john leytons wild wind and annihilating lows, but what remains shocking is. Official joe meek dream lover lyrics at cd universe. Joe meek telstar the hits of joe meek 2006, cd discogs. Rock telstar by joe meeks 1962 an instrumental arrangement based on a recorded or transcribed midi sequence by, campbell connelly music inc. Set in the homophobic 60s britain, where to be gay was still illegal, the film delivers a power marker to how far the gay movement has come.
Opening with the sound of a rocket lifting off the title refers to the first telecommunications satellite, which had been launched earlier in 1962, the song builds to a gallop. Oddly enough i did see joe meeks movie live it up at the theater. The tune that was born in a dream became producer joe meeks biggest hit. Joemeek are the makers of high quality pro audio equipment made with the mantra of their namesake if it sounds right, is right. The joe meek story ost for free, and see the artwork, lyrics and similar artists. Billboard hot 100 in december 1962 the second british recording to reach number 1 on that chart in the year, after stranger on the shore in may, and was also a number one hit in the uk singles chart. He turned out millioncopy selling records such as telstar from his home recording studio and made the first recordings for stars like rod stewart, tom jones and david bowie. Jon savage on the life and death of joe meek music the.
Joe meek cover of the tornadoss telstar whosampled. They offer some history on the man, his contributions to. Obviously telstar is the one hell always be known for, but there are. Three discs, 75 tracks in total, and you never find yourself having to skip any, theyre all great and demonstrate the pure genius which was joe meek. The joe meek story the energy, craziness and often downright shabbiness of londons early 60s, prebeatles pop biz are vividly brought to life in telstar. Drama based on the life of joe meek, the songwriterproducer behind the 60s hits have i the right, just like eddie, johnny, remember me and the. The joe meek society is dedicated to keeping joe meeks name and his musical legacy alive. Sadly it was the song that eventually led to joe meek s suicide. Written and produced by the legendary eccentric joe meek, telstar is one of the few times when his inventive production style is married to an equally memorable tune. Discography, plus unreleased music by the genius robert george meek joe. The link has now been updated after being blocked by youtube. In memory of music producer joe meek, who recorded countless hit singles in the upstairs flat at no304. A musicinfused drama about joe meek, the flamboyantly gay, tone deaf. Drama based on the life of joe meek, the songwriterproducer behind.
The song telstar was a major hit on the radio when i was a child during the kennedy years of the early sixties. As quite a bit of interest has been created on the telstar. From the lp shown above, issued in 1971 on the ranwood label, catalogue number r8104. Robert george joe meek 5 april 1929 3 february 1967 was an english record producer.
The turbulent life and times of tortured telstar producer joe meek make for a fascinating but patchy slice of nostalgia, says jason solomons. I really enjoyed this movie about joe meek, the english musical pioneer and the producer of numerous hit singles during the sixties. He is most remembered by the number one hit telstar by the tornados but that was only the tip of the iceberg. Telstar is a 1962 instrumental written and produced by joe meek for the english band the tornados.
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