Various Artists - Joe Meek: 1962 - From Taboo To Telstar, Hits, Misses, Outtakes, Demos and More

From Taboo To Telstar is the latest in the outstanding series on Cherry Red Records dedicated to recordings from Joe Meek's infamous Tea Chest Tapes.  Unlike the previous releases, this is the first in what will be a series of chronological releases dedicated to his work by year and covers the year 1962.  Meek recorded over 150 songs that year and this three disc box set contains 93 of them, including 52 that are previously unheard.

  

His biggest song that year, and for that matter his career, was “Telstar” by The Tornados. That unique, way before it’s time, predecessor to space rock, instrumental is the perfect example of Meek’s studio experimentation.  It not only topped the UK Singles Chart, but also was the first British song to reach number 1 on the US Hot 100 Charts.    In addition to an alternate take by The Tornados, it is also represented here with Meek’s demo where he is singing the part that would eventually be played on clavioline (an early keyboard instrument similar to a Moog synthesizer), and in a demo of Kenny Hollywood’s “Magic Star,” a vocal version of the song (several other tracks from The Tornados appear here and never fail to show that Meek influence).  While that song became the one he’s identified with more than any, as you make your way through these three discs, it’s amazing the diversity that he managed to pump out of his studio at 304 Holloway Road in that one year.  The other half of the album’s namesake, The Charles Blackwell Orchestra’s take on “Taboo” gets things rolling and while it’s swinging jazz will get you moving, the flipside is the infectious “Midnight In Luxembourg”, a spacey jazz pop tune reminiscent of Esquivel.  Of course, there were also instrumentals from Meek’s original studio band The Outlaws (The Tornados were actually created to lessen their recording load), as well as Peter Jay & The Jaywalkers and The Packabeats (including their outstanding jazzy surf “Theme From The Traitors”).  Don Charles and Michael Cox were more traditional singers of the era, singing ballads that were fifties and early sixties sounding pop and rock, while Mark Douglas and Neil Christian had songs with more of the sixties “beat” pop with that Joe Meek touch.  The influence of Buddy Holly is very strong at times with Mike Berry on “It’s Just A Matter Of Time” and “Don’t You Think It’s Time” along with John Leyton on “Lone Rider” (his “Down The River Nile” is definitely on of the highlights here). On the other hand, Danny Rivers & The River Men often brings to mind Eddie Cochran, and The Dowlands were two brothers with strong vocal harmonies that were quite reminiscent of The Everly Brothers.  The instrumentals from The Stonehenge Men are horn-driven dance tunes, while The Moontrekers harken back to the effects heavy space sounds of his I Hear A New World album with The Blue Men.  Those quirky space effects are also here on Pat Reader’s novelty song “Cha Cha On The Moon”, while her “May Your Heart Stay Young” is a more traditional orchestrated ballad.  There is early rock ‘n’ roll from Tony Victor with “Dear On” and R&B and rockabilly from Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers with The Peppermints.  Often with orchestrated strings and effects, Andy Cavell’s tunes tend to have a cinematic feel to them, and with Houston Wells and the Marksmen, Meek dabbled in the world of country music, although as can be heard on the “North Wind”, which was not traditional “country music”, they were enhanced further with that Meek production.  On the quirkier side there’s Alan Klein with the skiffle of “Striped Purple Shirt” and “Three Coins In The Sewer”, complete with sound effects provided by Clem Cattini dropping marbles in the toilet, and Ray Dexter & The Layabouts with the “especially dirty for 1962” “The Coalman’s Lament”.

Unlike the majority of the songs on discs 1 and 2, which were released as singles or album tracks (although many of the ones here are alternate versions), most of disc 3 is previously unreleased.  There are five demos featuring Geoff Goddard, who released four singles as a solo artist, but was best known for working with Meek as a songwriter.  His performance of “Thunder Mountain” has hints of “This Land Is Your Land”, while the Buddy Holly influence can be heard on “Lover, Lover” and “Guess That’s The Way It Goes.”  There are unreleased songs from several other artists that weren’t on the previous discs.  Among these are four demos from Kenny Hollywood, including his aforementioned vocal demo of “Magic Star” and his demo of “Ill Cry Tomorrow”, which was later recorded by The Honeycombs.  There is also a stereo version of the instrumental “Oh What A Charlie” from The Flee-Reckers, a couple of really strong cuts from Ricky Wayne, the dramatic “Two Brothers” from The Ferridays (how does a song like this go unreleased), and “It’s Almost Tomorrow” from The Foresters, at times strangely sounding a little like “Puff, The Magic Dragon” (also recorded in 1962).  Cuts from Billie Davis (here singing “Merry Go Round”, a song that would be released the following year by Meek artist Gunilla Thorn), Geri Harlow and a third from an unknown artist all originally appeared on Do The Strum, the Tea Chest Tapes compilation of female artists that Meek worked with.  There is also an alternate mix of Jenny Moss’ “When My Boy Comes Marching Home Again” that appeared on that compilation in its original version, as well as “Time To Go”, a whispery ballad from Jackie, another female vocalist he worked with that year, but whose work did not appear on that compilation.  Some of the other highlights on disc three include a couple of really strong demos from Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (“I Get Up In The Morning” and “Avenue Of Loneliness”), the country-tinged surf tune “Outcast”, from The Stonehenge Men and Mark Douglas’ “Riding The Rails”.  From Taboo To Telstar (1962: A Year In The Life Of 304 Holloway Road) is a fascinating glimpse into the diverse world of Joe Meek in 1962 that really has me looking forward to future comps from the following years.  

(Cherry Red Records)