joe meek
Robert George "Joe" Meek (5 April 1929 Newent, Gloucestershire–3 February 1… Read Full Bio ↴Robert George "Joe" Meek (5 April 1929 Newent, Gloucestershire–3 February 1967 in London was a pioneering English record producer and songwriter. His work and popular success in the music field is more remarkable since it is known he was tone deaf and could not recognise pitches properly.
His most famous work was The Tornados' hit "Telstar" in 1962, which became the first record by a British group to hit #1 in the US Hot 100. It also spent five weeks atop the UK singles chart, with Meek receiving an Ivor Novello Award for this production as the "Best-Selling A-Side" of 1962.
Meek's other notable hit productions include "Don't You Rock Me Daddy-O" and "Cumberland Gap" by Lonnie Donegan (as engineer), "Johnny Remember Me" by John Leyton, "Just Like Eddie" by Heinz, "Angela Jones" by Michael Cox, "Have I the Right?" by The Honeycombs, and "Tribute to Buddy Holly" by Mike Berry. Meek's concept album I Hear a New World is regarded as a watershed in modern music for its innovative use of electronic sounds.
Joe Meek was also producing music for films, most notably Live It Up! (US title Sing and Swing), a 1963 pop music film starring Heinz Burt, David Hemmings and Steve Marriott, also featuring Gene Vincent, Jenny Moss, The Outlaws, Kim Roberts, Kenny Ball, Patsy Ann Noble and others. Meek wrote most of the songs and incidental music, much of which was recorded by The Saints and produced by Meek.
His commercial success as a producer was short-lived and Meek gradually sank into debt and depression. On 3 February 1967, using a shotgun owned by musician Heinz Burt, Meek murdered his landlady before turning the gun on himself. Aged only 37, he died eight years to the day after his hero, Buddy Holly.
His most famous work was The Tornados' hit "Telstar" in 1962, which became the first record by a British group to hit #1 in the US Hot 100. It also spent five weeks atop the UK singles chart, with Meek receiving an Ivor Novello Award for this production as the "Best-Selling A-Side" of 1962.
Meek's other notable hit productions include "Don't You Rock Me Daddy-O" and "Cumberland Gap" by Lonnie Donegan (as engineer), "Johnny Remember Me" by John Leyton, "Just Like Eddie" by Heinz, "Angela Jones" by Michael Cox, "Have I the Right?" by The Honeycombs, and "Tribute to Buddy Holly" by Mike Berry. Meek's concept album I Hear a New World is regarded as a watershed in modern music for its innovative use of electronic sounds.
Joe Meek was also producing music for films, most notably Live It Up! (US title Sing and Swing), a 1963 pop music film starring Heinz Burt, David Hemmings and Steve Marriott, also featuring Gene Vincent, Jenny Moss, The Outlaws, Kim Roberts, Kenny Ball, Patsy Ann Noble and others. Meek wrote most of the songs and incidental music, much of which was recorded by The Saints and produced by Meek.
His commercial success as a producer was short-lived and Meek gradually sank into debt and depression. On 3 February 1967, using a shotgun owned by musician Heinz Burt, Meek murdered his landlady before turning the gun on himself. Aged only 37, he died eight years to the day after his hero, Buddy Holly.
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@angr3819
Space. Another banksters business model to extract public taxes to launder for themselves.
They are even more brainwashed than in Europe about space travel there. Well, it was their tax dollars the banksters first target from a holly wood basement.
See a funny thing happened on the way to the moon.
Also level earth observer.
Matt H FE, especially his memes video.
Too many others to list.
All shadow banned. Mind, real fairies, 30 mile high giants remains, 300 mile dragons remains, that we are all clones a greater humanity from 200 years ago? Nonsense isn't shadow banned.
I love this music though.
@angr3819
Space. Another banksters business model to extract public taxes to launder for themselves.
They are even more brainwashed than in Europe about space travel there. Well, it was their tax dollars the banksters first target from a holly wood basement.
See a funny thing happened on the way to the moon.
Also level earth observer.
Matt H FE, especially his memes video.
Too many others to list.
All shadow banned. Mind, real fairies, 30 mile high giants remains, 300 mile dragons remains, that we are all clones a greater humanity from 200 years ago? Nonsense isn't shadow banned.
I love this music though.
@angr3819
Space. Another banksters business model to extract public taxes to launder for themselves.
They are even more brainwashed than in Europe about space travel there. Well, it was their tax dollars the banksters first target from a holly wood basement.
See a funny thing happened on the way to the moon.
Also level earth observer.
Matt H FE, especially his memes video.
Too many others to list.
All shadow banned. Mind, real fairies, 30 mile high giants remains, 300 mile dragons remains, that we are all clones a greater humanity from 200 years ago? Nonsense isn't shadow banned.
I love this music though.
@TheCymbalProject
At the same time... this song sounds like the beginning of something amazing and the end of something bitterly sad. Just an amazing work of art.
@martindoman7315
You have hit the nail on the head. Such a beautiful song and yet so melancholy.
@stevenmcghee6649
My very first working day, so many years ago now, I entered the office and this was playing. Was a great ice-breaker as everybody was impressed I knew the title and the band! Every time I hear it, I'm taken back to that day. I wish today's music was as memorable.
@augustjschroeder
God this is a perfect melody. Just tugs at my heartstrings. Feels both hopeful and melancholic.
@carmeneckmann8681
Well said!
@NormAppleton
once upon a time
@joeyleverton6800
I thought the same thing.
@bobwhammer4237
Launched on July 10, 1962, Telstar 1, developed by the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T), was the world's first active communications satellite. AT&T used the satellite to test basic features of communications via space.
Soon after launch, Telstar enabled the first transatlantic television transmission, linking the United States and France. In November 1962, Telstar's electronics became compromised through exposure to Van Allen Belt radiation, resulting in the satellite's deactivation in February 1963.
Telstar was one of the most significant communications satellites of the early space age. It raised an important policy question: Should communications satellites be operated and controlled by private corporations or under government auspices? The United States chose government direction and created two new institutions, COMSAT and INTELSAT, to develop satellite communcations, an arrangement that lasted for more than two decades.
This Telstar is a backup spacecraft to Telstar 1 and 2 (launched respectively in 1962 and 1963), transferred from the National Museum of American History to the Museum in 2006.
@70tezskin
Groundbreaking music from a bygone day.
This was truly incredible for 1962.........
@thurayya8905
I love this instrumental better than any other. It broke my heart when I lost the 45 for it in an earlier nondigital world. Now I can, not just hear it, but share the experience with others who feel the same way.