Joe Meek's Tea Chest Tapes

Exploring the sessions that yielded the ahead- of-it’s-time ‘I Hear A New World’ album. Previously unheard versions and out-takes! All in superb new clarity, taken directly from joe meek’s own tape archive.

Exploring the sessions that yielded the ahead- of-it’s-time ‘I Hear A New World’ album. Previously unheard versions and out-takes! All in superb new clarity, taken directly from joe meek’s own tape archive.

Moving seamlessly between TV and film studios and the recording studio, John Leyton cut a series of masterful pop singles during the early 1960s, often tied in to his on-screen work. Embellished by Joe Meek’s inventive production and the writing talents of Geoff Goddard and others, he quickly became a firm favourite on the pop scene, complete with his “lonely” outsider image. ‘Lone Rider’ brings together the highlights of John’s recordings found among Meek’s legendary Tea Chest Tapes. From early and alternate versions of well-known hits, never-before-heard stereo masters (including the entire ‘Two Sides Of John Leyton’ album), demos, session outtakes, instrumentals, rehearsals and a number of previously unknown songs, this is another remarkable window into the world of Joe Meek’s independent home studio, situated in a first floor flat on North London’s Holloway Road.

In the pre-Beatle era, when British pop was a veritable smorgasbord of genres and musical ideas without a dominant narrative, Joe Meek sampled almost everything on offer. From novelty hits to sound effect laden masterpieces, straight forward pre-beat pop and light instrumentals to cinematic ballads, his work with excellent singers such as JOHN LEYTON and MIKE BERRY, alongside talented writers like GEOFF GODDARD and RAY DEXTER, always carried his signature studio techniques, still years ahead of many major commercial studios.

The Latest Release From The Legendary Tea Chest Tapes. 119 Previously Unreleased Recordings! Albums, Singles, Session Out-Takes, Demos And Countless 'Lost' Recordings. Sleevenotes From The Joe Meek Society's Craig Newton. Restored And Mastered By Alan Wilson At Western Star. Throw Away Your Bootlegs And Vinyl-Sourced Compilations - This Is The Tornados As You've Never Heard Them Before! Between 1962 and 1966, The Tornados (in many guises) were mainstays of Joe Meek's production line studio at 304 Holloway Road.

Between 1962 and 1966, The Tornados (in many guises) were mainstays of Joe Meek’s production line studio at 304 Holloway Road.

This fantastic collection will please both lovers of mid 60s beat music and Meek obsessives with a cherry pick of beat era A and B sides (some in previously unheard versions) followed by myriad previously unreleased gems. Numerous highlights include Meek’s last Top 30 hit production, ‘Please Stay’ by The Cryin’ Shames, freakbeat classic ‘Crawdaddy Simone’ by The Syndicats, Screaming Lord Sutch’s banned by the BBC horror rocker ‘Jack The Ripper’ and David John & The Mood’s incendiary take on Bo Diddley’s ‘Bring It To Jerome’.

Moving seamlessly between TV and film studios and the recording studio, John Leyton cut a series of masterful pop singles during the early 1960s, often tied in to his on-screen work. Embellished by Joe Meek’s inventive production and the writing talents of Geoff Goddard and others, he quickly became a firm favourite on the pop scene, complete with his “lonely” outsider image. ‘Lone Rider’ brings together the highlights of John’s recordings found among Meek’s legendary Tea Chest Tapes. From early and alternate versions of well-known hits, never-before-heard stereo masters (including the entire ‘Two Sides Of John Leyton’ album), demos, session outtakes, instrumentals, rehearsals and a number of previously unknown songs, this is another remarkable window into the world of Joe Meek’s independent home studio, situated in a first floor flat on North London’s Holloway Road.

The latest release from Joe Meek’s legendary Tea Chest Tapes.. Featuring numerous unreleased tracks. Liverpool beat band The Cryin’ Shames left behind a slim legacy of just two singles before splitting but they gave producer Joe Meek his last Top 30 hit in 1966 with the magnificent, haunting, tearjerker, ‘Please Stay’ and freakbeat fans love the B side, ‘What’s News Pussycat’, that sounds like the early Stones covering Dylan! Their second single combined another ballad ‘Nobody Waved Goodbye’ with the infectious beat of ‘You’, but now alongside the four single sides, many other recordings have been unearthed from the Tea Chest Tapes including alternative versions and works in progress but also many previously unissued tracks such as interpretations of The Marvelettes’ ‘I’ll Keep Holding On’, Marvin Gaye’s ‘No Good Without You Baby‘ and Them’s ‘Gloria’. Highlights abound with ‘Let Me In’ (also recorded by The Sorrows) and the previously unknown ‘Breakout’, particular stand outs.

In the pre-Beatle era, when British pop was a veritable smorgasbord of genres and musical ideas without a dominant narrative, Joe Meek sampled almost everything on offer. From novelty hits to sound effect laden masterpieces, straight forward pre-beat pop and light instrumentals to cinematic ballads, his work with excellent singers such as JOHN LEYTON and MIKE BERRY, alongside talented writers like GEOFF GODDARD and RAY DEXTER, always carried his signature studio techniques, still years ahead of many major commercial studios.