Comments on: THE TORNADOS - “Telstar”

By: Volkan Gorsel

Volkan Gorsel — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 09:02:46 +0000

Even it was released 12 years before I was born, Telstar has a strange affection on me. It leads me to distant images of my beloved, when they were young and full of life. I would love to live in 1962…

By: BYRON ELWELL

BYRON ELWELL — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 13:36:53 +0000

As a point of interest I write and record Joe Meek inspired instrumentals under the guise of the Space Babes. I have released two 21 track instrumental cd albums. Full reviews in JMS Thunderbolt magazine and Tom Hammonds Tornado’s web site. All details and a jukebox page on my web site at http://www.chestnutbankproductions.co.uk
Relive the Telstar era.

By: Alan

Alan — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 08:43:30 +0000

You can hear the Tornados perform Telstar live at the Joe Meek festival weekend on 27/28th October at Newent, Gloucestershire (Joe’s birthplace). See Newent web pages for detail of events.

By: Marcello Carlin

Marcello Carlin — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 06:53:37 +0000

Aphex Twin.

By: Lena

Lena — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 17:13:14 +0000

Who is the Cornish mentalist?

By: Grant

Grant — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 11:11:16 +0000

Makes you wonder if this sort of musical backdrop might have inspired the son of Tornados’ guitarist, George Bellamy, to become hailed as the greatest guitarist since Hendrix. Matt Bellamy’s band, Muse, already the biggest act in Europe and now ruthlessly conquering the States, is said to be one of the greatest live acts around. Go to Youtube.com, listen to Knights Of Cydonia and tell me that Telstar didn’t inspire the opening sequence to this fine song.

By: Marcello Carlin

Marcello Carlin — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 11:09:31 +0000

I’m sorry to hear that, Doreen.

Certainly I think “Telstar” still my favourite of all the number ones. It sort of wordlessly says everything.

There was an interesting three-part documentary on Meek on Radio 2 recently, during which Dave Stewart demonstrated exactly how “Telstar” was built up. Made me wonder how someone so lucid and knowledgeable could come up with such rubbish music (Dave Stewart, that is).

Oh, and it’s worth missing a meal or two to buy the Joe Meek Story box set if only to hear Meek singing the demo of “Telstar” with his, er, unique sense of pitching…

By: Doreen Collinson

Doreen Collinson — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 02:25:38 +0000

I first heard this absolutely fabulous tune played on a car radio on the way to Manchester Airport following my Wedding on 1 September 1962. We were on our way to fly to the Isle of Man (UK) which was quite an experience in those quite early days of flying. The tune was scintillating and stopped me talking in the car. It was “our tune” until the early demise of my husband in 1994.

By: Lena

Lena — Sun, 19 Feb 2006 16:37:00 +0000

And wow, this was #1 when Plath was writing all her great Ariel poems - here comes the future indeed…

By: Lena

Lena — Tue, 14 Feb 2006 15:54:00 +0000

Look at it this way: it’s a song so good that even Thatcher can like it. Kind of a clock-stopped-is-right-two-times-a-day thing.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 23 Oct 2005 15:13:00 +0000

So the Cornish mentalist is Richard James, I assume the Sheffield-based fop is Philip Oakey, but who’s the Italian-in-Germany? Giorgio Moroder?

By: Dave

Dave — Sun, 25 Sep 2005 22:28:00 +0000

Over 40 years on, Telstar still stops me when ever I hear it, as then just a teenager, it sparkled to me with such promise , which as has been said, never materialised. Maggie did her job as was needed. Look at Europe now to see where we would have become without her!

By: Joe Williams

Joe Williams — Mon, 29 Aug 2005 22:50:00 +0000

A good record forever tainted by Margaret Thatcher mentioning that she liked it. Evil bitch.