It was the second instrumental single to hit number 1. In 1953, he came out and went to work as an engineer at the ibc studio, at that time one of only two independent studios in london. Telstar is a 1962 instrumental written and produced by joe meek for the english band the tornados. The turbulent life and times of tortured telstar producer joe meek make for a. Joe meek and telstars tragic tale joe meek was britains phil spector, and now his tormented life will be told on film. Joe meek was britains phil spector, and now his tormented life will be told on film. 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. The joe meek story ost the traitors, johnny remember me and more. 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 unforgettable. 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.
Set against the backdrop of hedonistic, swinging, early 60s london, telstar shares the strangerthanfiction true story of joe meek tony awardwinner con oneill, who originated the role on. With con oneill, kevin spacey, pam ferris, jj feild. He was portrayed by jj feild in telstar, a film about the life of joe meek, which. A truly visionary figure within the recording industry, joe meek helped shape the sound of pop music in the 60s and for decades to come. His biggest success is the instrumental telstar but accusations of plagiarism delay royalties. Jun 20, 2009 now nick morans telstar unearths a gem of story that puts the gifted but volatile 1960s hitmaker joe meek in the spotlight. The joe meek story is a brilliant, ragged and jagged piece of cinema. The song telstar was a major hit on the radio when i was a child during the kennedy years of the early sixties. 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.
This film has so much energy, helped in part by a towering central performance. I really enjoyed this movie about joe meek, the english musical pioneer and the producer of numerous hit singles during the sixties. 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. No direct contribution of joe meek himself in any of these recordings except alle madchen wollen kussenbe mine. The scene where joe tells clem how the drumbeat of telstar should sound like boomtittyboomtittyboomtittyboom. Commemorative plaque to joe meek in newent, gloucestershire, england. Joe meek began in the mid 1950s bad penny blues etc. Joe s mercurial temper causes his artists to forsake him for other labels, in particular his young lover heinz burt. Cover versions cover versions of joe meek productions, released on german labels. 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. Adapted from nick moran and james hicks criticallylauded stage play, telstar tells the remarkable tale of eccentric, londonbased songwriterproducer joe. Now in debt and after unwisely parting from his chief financier major banks, joe finds himself. Now it is dangerously close at hand and about to end the joe meek story.
Joe meek s story is that of a man who triumphed over obstacles. The film tells of his successes producing songs such as worldwide hits telstar the tornados and have i the right the honeycombs and british hits such as john leytons johnny remember me. Joe meek 19291967 was an incredibly imaginative and progressive independent record producer and songwriter. Its like some kind of hans christian anderson story. Like meek himself, telstar draws you in despite its its imperfections, which dont detract too much from a bold. Meek created hits including johnny remember me with john leyton.
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. Possibly a case of getting crap past the radar as well. 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. Within weeks, the event had inspired the british band the tornados to record joe meeks iconic instrumental composition and production telstar, which became the uks number one in september and stayed there for five weeks. The film is directed by nick moran and stars con oneill, who also played joe meek in the original play, while kevin spacey plays meeks business partner, major wilfred banks. Obviously telstar is the one hell always be known for, but there are so many great tracks and artists on this album. It is not hard to understand why meeks own story has so obsessed filmmakers and artists. You can get much of this in better quality elsewhere. A life in the death of joe meek by palmdoorfilms kickstarter. Oddly enough i did see joe meek s movie live it up at the theater. The joe meek story 2008 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Now nick morans telstar unearths a gem of story that puts the gifted but volatile 1960s hitmaker joe meek in the spotlight. The joe meek story is a 2008 british biopic about legendary record producer joe meek, based on james hicks and nick morans play telstar.
Joe meeks story is that of a man who triumphed over obstacles. Heinz burt was a germanborn british bassist and singer, who performed under the. 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. 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. Joe meek was a gay producer and songwriter, who wrote the hit telstar. They were inducted into the us hot 100 when they were number 1 in the uk and rose to number 1 in the christmas week. 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 joe meek story on apple itunes, rakuten tv as download or. Increasingly paranoid, believing he is being bugged by rival record companies and that everybody is out to get him, the last straw comes when landlady violet tells him she is selling the building in which he lives. He stiffs his musicians and is extremely demanding toward them, shows no respect to. The joe meek story, released in 2008 and directed by nick moran with peter wignall as cinematographer and editing by alex marsh. I leave you with the best thing britain ever produced.
Obviously telstar is the one hell always be known for, but there are. A gay, amphetamine addicted, talented but deeply troubled soul. Jul 30, 2015 joe meek was britains foremost independent record producer of the late 50s early 60s. 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. Original soundtrack to the 2009 motion picture containing 20 joe meek classics.
A maverick genius who enjoyed phenomenal early success with telstar the biggest selling record of its time before bad luck, depression, heartbreak and paranoia forced him into murder and suicide. Discover more music, concerts, videos, and pictures with the largest catalogue online at. Palmdoorfilms is raising funds for a life in the death of joe meek on kickstarter. The joe meek story 2009 kinoxto kbs downloaden telstar. Joes mercurial temper causes his artists to forsake him for other labels, in particular his young lover heinz burt. A musicinfused drama about joe meek, the flamboyantly gay, tone deaf, songwriterproducer behind the 60s hits have i the right, just like eddie, johnny, remember me and telstar. Read on wikipedia edit history talk page print download pdf. Oddly enough i did see joe meeks movie live it up at the theater. 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. 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. A musicinfused drama about joe meek, the flamboyantly gay, tone deaf. No one will even count this among a movement, like the new british wave so heres me celebrating this hidden gem. Meek came from gloucester and did his national service in the raf as a radio technician in the early fifties. Jan 16, 2012 set against the backdrop of hedonistic, swinging, early 60s london, telstar shares the strangerthanfiction true story of joe meek tony awardwinner con oneill, who originated the role on.
Joe meek and telstar s tragic tale joe meek was britains phil spector, and now his tormented life will be told on film. 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. On the one hand, repschs book is the most thoroughly researched and complete biography of joe meek. 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. Song information for telstar the tornados on allmusic.
The film was seen as an affront to heinzs family, and even his exwife, who insisted that heinz was always straight. What you have here is the 19601962 era stuff again. His life can be best viewed in the excellent biopic telstar and heard here in this collection. The cases telstar, heinz, madras place, howardblaikley the telstar case. Set in the homophobic 60s britain, where to be gay was still illegal. Nick moran does a lot with a small budget in this eccentric and watchable story about the early60s.
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