Tonight (Saturday 9th) on BBC2 at 23.15 - "Telstar: The Joe Meek Story".
Described as "Biopic. Drama based on the life of Joe Meek, the songwriter-producer behind the 60s hits "Have I the Right", "Just Like Eddie", "Johnny", "Remember Me" and "Telstar". 2008

Might be of interest, or might be awful!

Apologies if this is the wrong forum.

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Cubase, guitars.

I usually find it difficult to take biopics seriously, but it got 5.9/10 on rottentomatoes.com.

I recommend The Very Strange Story of the Legendary Joe Meek documentary to anyone who hasn't seen it.

'Telstar' is an absolutely superb film - funny, harrowing and moving by turns. I love it.

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"We knocked on the doors of Hell's darker chambers..." But no-one answered, so we went to the pub instead.

Really? I thought it was terrible. Everyone acting like they were on speed (absolutely all the time!!), terribly rushed and over-acted at times, nothing whatsoever about his unusual innovations in music technology, how he recorded a 'bass drum' sound while stood in the bath knocking on the floor, nothing mentioned at all about his optical compressor or spring reverb unit. That was pretty important storywise too, because he could've had a second career selling and developing these devices (and perhaps even guitars too)! That may have even been a stronger talent than his production.

This makes the timing of his death even more of a shame, and the fact that he missed out on the late 60s, crazy 70s glam rock, etc, which for obvious reasons surely would've appealed to his personality (though not mine). His production might have served him well in the 70s too. Also, it is largely a mystery what happened in the room where he shot his landlady and himself. We don't know if it was an accident or what -and that's it more compelling than making something up.

And how could they leave out the story that he recorded a cat in the cemetary? People always seem to think their imaginations are better than the truth.

I can imagine many people who didn't know of Joe Meek will probably not bother now after watching that. I say watch the excellent documentary instead!

Quote J.A.S:

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I thought it was terrible. Everyone acting like they were on speed (absolutely all the time!!), terribly rushed and over-acted at times, nothing whatsoever about his unusual innovations in music technology, how he recorded a 'bass drum' sound while stood in the bath knocking on the floor, nothing mentioned at all about his optical compressor or spring reverb unit. That was pretty important storywise too, because he could've had a second career selling and developing these devices (and perhaps even guitars too)! That may have even been a stronger talent than his production.

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Even after over 40years in this lark, I still get surprised and bemused that other people aren't as gripped by the whole process of making and recording sound as I am. I've learnt to read the 'glazed eyes' look, and the making excuses to move away syndrome. Even though I know I do it, I still encounter these phenomena all the time...

Much as you and I would be gripped by the aspects you suggest, it would bore the average punter out of their skull - in much the same way as my daughters will now only watch music programmes on TV with me if I promise not to play 'spot the mic'.

'Telstar' is an entertainment film - not a documentary. I have it on DVD; it's not a five-star film, but it's a fair reflection of the man, his neuroses and his style... and that's been confirmed to me by people who know "'cos they were there".

I think the story about the bathroom floor 'bass drum' is pretty bizarre generally, especially funny since other producers tried to get that sound. Also, how he kept his devices secret (taped up) -a nice visual example of his paranoia. I thought it might turn out good when (at the start) they showed how he'd etched something into the vinyl disc... but that was it.

I think it would've been nice if they'd at shown (a few times) how he was that kind of innovator, and perhaps shown how his effects are part of his legacy. I'm surprised JOEMEEK didn't help fund the film for such an advert!

Kevin Spacey was pretty good in it, looked almost unrecognisable (though I did instantly recognise him).