I remember finding the old 45 in my family record collection and was amazed that anyone would write a song about a satellite! Its actually a great tune, with early synthesiser work and weird intro.
One of my favourite representations of the satellite is the Analog cover illustretion by John Shoenherr for 'Trouble wit Telstar', which you can read at Project Gutenberg:
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/30679/30679-h/30679-h.htm
Written and produced by Joe Meek.
ReplyDeleteJust part of an amazing output by a troubled artist.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Meek
I had the privilege of interviewing Drummer Clem Catini who was the leader of the Tornados. He had a fascinating story to tell, and in addition to Joe Meeks sonic genius, the band themselves used innovative techniques to create their sound too. Clem explained that on the previous release to Telstar, called Love & Fury, he played the cover to his Bass Drum as a Bodhran substituting that for the Bass Drum on the track.
ReplyDeleteThe keyboard player would put tin tacks on the hammers of the Piano and they did all sorts of wierd things with the Clavoline, which was an early kind of synthesizer.
In addition to Love & Fury, another good track is Ridin' the Wind and there is a whole catalogue out there all from the worlds first synthesizer band.
Think I remember the first pictures transmitted to UK from America by the satellite- Cliff Michelmore presented on BBC I think, no sound, and blurred and inconsequential images -how far we have come from that!
ReplyDeleteThe only thing I ever respected about Margaret Thatcher, was that her favourite pop tune of the 1960s was Telstar.
ReplyDeleteShe said she thought it was uplifting and sounded like an optimistic future.
I'm with you there Margaret !
An oft overlooked band indeed. Extremely experimental for their day. Im still with Maggie too, it is a rousing little tune. I used to put that and Zager and Evans ‘2525’ on the turntable back innthe seventies as a change!
ReplyDeleteDo you think Telstar may have influenced the design of the Death Star?
ReplyDeleteBest Tornadoes' single was "Like Locomotion," a streamlined pop anthem like no other.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about the death star Woodsy, but it definately influenced the UFO that came with larger sets of Cherilea's Daleks!
ReplyDeleteH