Re: Who is Joe Meek and what is that strange sound?

Over the years I've heard the name Joe Meek over and over, mostly in reference to guitar effects pedals. The reputation the name evoked was high but I never thought further about who he was until recently when I discovered that he wrote and produced the fabulous 1962 single "Telstar" by the Tornados and also produced the 1964 British Invasion group The Honeycombs' song, "Have I The Right".

After further investigation I discovered that Joe Meek was considered to be on par with Phil Spector in England, with a reputation for strange behavior and even stranger records which he produced bucking British recording industry conventions by having his own "home" studio, and making enemies in the process.

The record that "made his reputation" in England was a song written for a television actor called John Leyton who became a pop sensation with "Johnny Remember Me".

If you are interested in knowing more about Joe Meek, download the BBC Documentary called
The Strange Story of Joe Meek here! (be patient, it's a LARGE FILE!) Also, click the picture above to download his VERY STRANGE album...

Check out My Joe Meek blog entry for more Joe Meek stuff...

Buddy Love TODAY! Blog



Post Edited (09-12-08 21:02)

[buddylove.us]

This fantastic doug.
ira has dropped his name a time or three round here.
So I've always been meaning to check Joe out. My course is set now.
many thanks.
(ps everytime i call your at the movies!!!)

I don't go to the movies... Maybe I was at rehearsal... or maybe getting PIZZA!



[buddylove.us]

I think ellen is protecting you from yet another one of your crazed stalker Buddy Love fans!

Noticed that Carl Barat and Justin Hawkins are going to be in the flick.

"Telstar" is one of the greatest instrumentals of all time.

Thanks for the links, Buddy!

Didn't someone post on here a few months ago that there was a biopic in the works for meek?

Speaking of biopics, has anyone seen the Darby Crash one yet? It's showing in STL this week, and got a middling review in the local weekly.

Yeah, the Meeker pic is called "Telstar", it's in post-prod. now, should be coming soon:
[www.imdb.com]

Apart from "Telstar," "There's Something I've Got To Tell You" is one of my all time fave tunes.

"What We Do Is Secret" is pretty good. As someone who was around then (admittedly, as a kid) it seems pretty authentic - I actually remember some of the events portrayed, have been to some of the locations. And I know some people who knew Darby - they even have cameos in the film, they gave it a thumbs up.

I thought some of the performances were a bit caricature-ish, but the guy who played Darby was fantastic - really fleshes out someone who I had always thought of as just another rock'n'roll overdose. It's worth checking out.

Ira's right, tho - after "Control" all music bio-pics disappoint.

Floodgates are open:
enter joe's (very) meek fans.

Quote

"There's Something I've Got To Tell You" is one of my all time fave tunes.

In my quest for more Joe Meek I'm trying to get everything of merit so.. Who What Where When Why?



[buddylove.us]

Who: singer Glenda Collins
Where: the 1995 collection that kicked off the Meek revival: It's Hard To Believe It, still available at Amazon
When: England, early '60s (which, of course, applies to all of his hits!)
Why: great big piano/orchestral gorgeous-ness + haunting melody & melancholy lyrics = takes my head off.

I learned about Joe Meek back in 2001 after reading Unknown Legends of Rock-n-Roll. I bought two Meek boxsets: Alchemist of Pop, and Portrait of a Genius. I also have I Hear A New World, and Joe Meek's Girls. I listen to them every few weeks. The music amazes me every time.

Glenda Collins is my favorite singer out of the bunch. I might get an album with her and The Honeycombs. There's also a box set of Meek instrumentals that I will buy someday, when I have cash on-hand.

Kudos to both MrFab and Hoip Chiggs for educating me further. Almost as soon as I finished downloading Glenda Collins' "This Little Girl's Gone Rockin'" compilation based on MrFab's say so, I got Hoip Chiggs info!

FYI, go to Cherry Red Record's Joe Meek Search Results for where I got the goods!



[buddylove.us]

Btw, while we're on the subject of Meek, I thought he was way better than Phil Specter, who was more about creepy, manipulative vices than music. I never liked his song, To Know Him Is To Love Him. And I thought the Shangri Las were way better than the Ronettes. Yeah, the British bands Joe recorded copied our stuff, but they did it with lots more imagination. After hearing the hype about Specter's Christmas Album, I bought it ten years ago, and I have to say it doesn't live up to the hype. I wish Joey Ramone pulled Phil's gun on Phil.

So there. I'll stop foaming at the mouth, now.



Post Edited (09-13-08 17:21)

Quote

Btw, while we're on the subject of Meek, I thought he was way better than Phil Specter, who was more about creepy, manipulative vices than music.

Phil Specter's contribution to music is primarily as a producer/engineer with a good ear for popular music. Specter's production techniques made notable improvements to the mostly shoddy production methods accorded pop music at that time, although not nearly to the levels of sophistication that were already common to major classical and jazz productions of the era. His "wall of sound" technique ensured none of the performances by the singers or instrumentalists were buried in the final mix, a problem common to recordings of the time. But in my readings it appears most people who know Specter personally consider him a dysfunctional egomanic and borderline sociopath. C'est la vie....

Joe Meek was more technically adventurous and creative than Specter, and quirky in other ways. He seems to have been more interested in pushing the boundaries and being innovative than Specter, whose primarily goal was always producing accessible, commercially successful hit tunes. I think Meek's quest to introduce new and different sounds and production techniques to his work kept it interesting and set it apart. Good stuff.

Quote

Phil Specter's contribution to music is primarily as a producer/engineer with a good ear for popular music. Specter's production techniques made notable improvements to the mostly shoddy production methods accorded pop music at that time, although not nearly to the levels of sophistication that were already common to major classical and jazz productions of the era. His "wall of sound" technique ensured none of the performances by the singers or instrumentalists were buried in the final mix, a problem common to recordings of the time. But in my readings it appears most people who know Specter personally consider him a dysfunctional egomanic and borderline sociopath. C'est la vie....

Joe Meek was more technically adventurous and creative than Specter, and quirky in other ways. He seems to have been more interested in pushing the boundaries and being innovative than Specter, whose primarily goal was always producing accessible, commercially successful hit tunes. I think Meek's quest to introduce new and different sounds and production techniques to his work kept it interesting and set it apart. Good stuff.

Neatly and succinctly put.



[buddylove.us]

Hey all --

Longtime listener, first time caller, or something like that. I've been reading the board for awhile and thought I'd like to chime in when I can.

Regarding Joe Meek, I've never been motivated to seek out his box sets. I'm more of song guy rather than a sound guy. I know that's inelegantly stated, but I hope that makes some sense.

However, there's a great song about the producer, "Joe Meek" on Wreckless Eric's album, "Almost a Jubilee, 25 Years at the BBC."

I'm a big Wreckless Eric fan, and think Jublilee is also a great album, a real showcase for his songs, and that he's a tremendously underrated songwriter. I'm looking forward to his new album with Amy Rigby and seeing them in concert in Phila. in a few weeks.

Best,

Jay

julian temple is currently working on a documentary on Dr Feelgood

Here's a great Joe Meek Article By Lenny Kaye.



[buddylove.us]

Here's a note letting everyone know of UK festival screenings of the documentary, A LIFE IN THE DEATH OF JOE MEEK, about the rise, fall and resurrection of the UK's first independent pop record producer and recording pioneer, Joe Meek.

We have been merited several honors this past month - not the least of which are the following UK screenings - but one of the most surprising and exciting was being chosen as MySpaceUK's "Featured Filmmaker" of the week - 9/15/08!!!

Another was having veteren music producer Mick Glossop (Van Morrison's preferred studio collaborator) enjoy the film so far as to offer his services as producer of the sound mix!! Now, THAT'S the spirit!!!

We're screening at the following fests and venues:

Cambridge Film Festival - Tuesday, September 23, 2008 - 8:30pm - The Junction - Cambridge, UK - Q&A with the filmmakers and several Joe Meek artists following the screening

Raindance Film Festival - Saturday, October 4, 2008 - 5pm - Cineworld Shaftesbury - London, UK - Q&A following at The Rex Cinema - 21 Rupert Street, W1V 7FE

We are also honored to be the subject of a private event screening for the MPG (Music Producers Guild) in London, UK - Friday, October 10, 2008 - 4:30pm - Q&A following with some extra goodies... If you are a Guild member, contact the MPG for more info.

Tickets for all screenings are on sale NOW -- we've sold out every previous UK screening so far - so advance ordering at the respective venues is strongly suggested.

Distributors are strongly encouraged to attend any of the screenings - contact the production office at:
palmdoorfilms@gmail.com

Too bad I don't live in the UK.



[buddylove.us]

"Too bad I don't live in the UK."

I felt the same way back in June when Sparks were performing each of their albums in their entirety over a couple of weeks in London.

Blasted limeys. They get all the cool stuff.



Post Edited (09-19-08 12:58)