JOE MEEK
VA - Joe Meek, A Curious Mind - Outer Space! Horror! Death Discs! The Wild West! Demos! [2025] (3 x CDs)
So, Joe Meek, A Curious Mind - Outer Space! Horror! Death Discs! The Wild West! Demos! via Cherry Red, is a proper treasure chest, three CDs, 82 tracks, and a whopping 57 of them previously unreleased. That’s not just rare, that’s “never-heard-this-before” territory. All pulled from the legendary Tea Chest Tapes, which have been locked away for decades.
Disc One is where Meek’s space obsession takes flight. You get alternate edits of “Telstar,” stereo versions of Tornados deep cuts, and FX experiments that sound like they were beamed in from the future. There’s even a track called “Have You Ever Tried Living on the Moon?”, and yes, it’s as weird and wonderful as it sounds.
Disc Two shifts' gears into horror and Wild West themes. Screaming Lord Sutch is here with “Jack the Ripper” and “Monster in Black Tights,” plus eerie demos like “Johnny Must Be Hung” and “Darkness Fills the Sky.” Then suddenly you’re in cowboy land with stereo rarities like “Chahawki” and “Jesse James.” It’s like Meek was scoring a haunted Western in his head.
Disc Three is the emotional heart—demos, outtakes, and alternate mixes from the I Hear a New World sessions. You’ll hear Meek’s vulnerability, his obsession with sound texture, and tributes like “Johnny Remember Me (‘Died’ Version)” that hit surprisingly hard.
The whole thing’s mastered by Alan Wilson and annotated by Craig Newton from the Joe Meek Society, so it’s not just a wild ride, it’s archivally solid. If you’re into sonic oddities, emotional depth, and studio wizardry, this box set is Meek at his most unfiltered. (B)
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Track lists
CD1
01 Ricky Wayne - Introduction 0:17
02 Blue Men - I Hear A New World (Stereo) 2:23
03 Tornados - Telstar (Alternate Edit) 2:44
04 Geoff Goddard - Sky Men (2025 Remaster) 2:43
05 Glenda Collins - It's Hard to Believe it (Alternate Version) 2:55
06 Tornados - Life on Venus (Alternate Mix) 2:24
07 Joe Meek - Spacescape #2 2:15
08 Thunderbolts - March of The Spacemen (2025 Remaster) 2:25
09 Tornados - Globetrotter (Mix #2) 2:41
10 Joe Meek - Spacescape #3 2:47
11 Thunderbolts - Saturn and Back (Take 10) 3:30
12 Tornados - Robot (Mix #4) 2:40
13 Dave Adams - Space Theme 1:41
14 Glenda Collins - Magic Star 2:16
15 Joe Meek - Dribcots Space Boat (Take 5) 2:13
16 Joe Meek - FX Experiment #2 2:00
17 Thunderbolts - Lost Planet (2025 Remaster) 3:00
18 Tornados - All The Stars in The Sky (Original Speed) 2:38
19 Thunderbolts - Stepping on The Stars (Take 2) 2:52
20 Joe Meek - Have You Ever Tried Living on The Moon? 0:31
21 Thunderbolts - Call of Outer Space (Take 7) 2:53
22 Rhythmics - Telstar (Take 3) 1:58
23 Tornados - Lullaby of The Stars 2:44
24 Geoff Goddard - Sky Men (Original Speed) [Pre-Overdubs] 2:58
25 Rhythmics - Life on Venus (Take 2) 2:26
26 Blue Men - Glob Waterfall (Take 9) 2:41
27 Joe Meek - Spacescape #5 2:23
CD2
01 Screaming Lord Sutch - Jack The Ripper 2:45
02 Moontrekkers - Night of The Vampire 2:49
03 Screaming Lord Sutch - She's Fallen in Love With A Monster Man (Overdubs) [Take 6] 3:04
04 Joe Meek - You Make Me Feel Evil 1:23
05 Doctor Dark - Put Me Back to Rot 2:39
06 Geoff Goddard - Somebody's Knocking on My Coffin 0:37
07 Screaming Lord Sutch - Monster in Black Tights (Organ Version) 2:14
08 Joe Meek - Screaming Session 0:33
09 Moontrekkers - Nightfall 2:29
10 Joe Meek - Dark Stranger (Take 6) 1:24
11 Outlaws - A TV Theme (The Spook Walks) [Take 1] 2:26
12 Screaming Lord Sutch - Till The Following Night 3:43
13 Geoff Goddard - Monster in White Tights (Demo) 2:14
14 Moontrekkers - Return of The Vampire (Pre-Overdubs) 2:19
15 John Leyton - Johnny Remember Me (Original Lyrics Version) 2:53
16 Mike Berry - Tribute to Buddy Holly (2025 Remaster) 3:03
17 Heinz - Tribute to Eddie 2:09
18 Houston Wells - North Wind (Take 2) [Pre-Overdubs] 2:35
19 Gerry Temple - No More Tomorrows (Stereo) 2:46
20 Ferridays - Two Brothers (Stereo) 3:04
21 Pamela Blue - My Friend Bobby 2:24
22 John Murray - Johnny 3:23
23 Joe Meek - Johnny Must Be Hung 1:33
24 Joe Meek - Darkness Fills The Sky 1:15
25 Harold Smart - Manhunt (Stereo) 1:57
26 Burr Bailey - Chahawki (Stereo) 2:32
27 Chad Carson - Jesse James (Alternate Version) 2:43
28 Chick - Cool Water (2025 Remaster) 3:24
29 Houston Wells - Blowing Wild (The Ballad of Black Gold) [Vocal Take 3] 2:30
30 Houston Wells - Only The Heartaches (Stereo) 2:58
31 Mark Douglas - Riding The Rails (Stereo) 2:23
32 Outlaws - That Set The Wild West Free (Vocal Take 5) 2:28
CD3
01 Joe Meek - I Hear A New World (Album Construction Take 1) 23:41
02 Joe Meek - Orbit Around The Moon (Take 1) 3:24
03 Joe Meek - Orbit Around The Moon (Take 2) 3:01
04 Joe Meek - Entry of The Globbots (Take 2) 2:29
05 Joe Meek - Entry of The Globbots (Take 3) 2:09
06 Joe Meek - March of The Dribcots (No FX) 2:23
07 Joe Meek - Love Dance of The Saroos (Take 1) 3:43
08 Joe Meek - Love Dance of The Saroos (Take 4) 2:11
09 Joe Meek - Glob Waterfall (Take 1) 1:23
10 Joe Meek - Glob Waterfall (Take 2) 0:53
11 Joe Meek - Glob Waterfall (Take 5) 2:58
12 Joe Meek - Magnetic Field (Rehearsal) 2:05
13 Joe Meek - Magnetic Field (Rehearsal #2) 1:25
14 Joe Meek - The Bublight (No FX) 2:28
15 Joe Meek - Valley of The Saroos (Take 1) 3:09
16 Joe Meek - Valley of The Saroos (Take 3) 3:04
17 Joe Meek - Dribcots Space Boat (Reverse Intro Segment) 1:01
18 Joe Meek - Dribcots Space Boat (Session Tape Fragments) 1:47
19 Joe Meek - Dribcots Space Boat (Reverse Mix Pass 1) 1:50
20 Joe Meek - Dribcots Space Boat (Take 2) 1:06
21 Jaybirds - Husky Team (Take 6) [Stereo] 1:47
22 Outlaws - Tune for Short Cowboys (Alternative Version) 1:42
23 Outlaws - Spring is Near (Take 9) [Stereo] 2:00
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Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.
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Thanks BB - Joe Meek was the epitome of the expression "one of a kind" - Also just heard the sad news about John Lodge (Moody Blues)
ReplyDeleteHi Dr Robert.
DeleteI heard to and will post a tribute later.
Cheers.
Weirdness, genius and tragedy all wrapped up in one man. If anyone wants to listen to a beautiful paean to this man, seek no further than Wreckless Eric's 'Joe Meek'. Then listen to these. Thanks, BB.
ReplyDeleteHi Richie Muster
DeleteMeek’s story is a kaleidoscope of brilliance and heartbreak, and Wreckless Eric’s tribute captures that spirit beautifully.
Cheers
Thanks BB He passed us by so briefly.
ReplyDeleteHi lemonflag.
DeleteHe sure did, and he's been gone since 1967. His impact is still felt almost 60 years on.
Cheers.
Butterboy, a great Meek compilation containing some alternative takes and versions, it is a valuable addition to my collection. For anyone interested there there are a couple of biographies - the first is "The Telstar Man: The Legendary Joe Meek" by John Repsch, it was published a couple of decades back. However, it has now been superseded in 2025 by a much more substantial work - "Love and Fury: the Extraordinary Life, Death and Legacy of Joe Meek" by Darryl W. Bullock, a book I highly recommend.
ReplyDeleteI have Meek experience to relate to you. Back in the early 60s (64 or 65-ish) one of my Friends, Alan, was working at Thames Television in Teddington in the studio planning and installation department. The company had a very active social organisation, events of which Alan and I often attended, rubbing shoulders with well-known television and showbiz personalities. Sometime in 1965 a publicity launch was arranged for a soon-to-be-released Honeycombs album, being held in Twickenham and as Alan was called to duty he asked me to accompany him - obviously he had to twist my arm! Anyway, we arrived amidst a melee of music journalists and hangers-on to find the band in attendance with their equipment already set up. Drinks and nibbles were on offer ahead of the official start time of 8pm, and Alan was busy attending to whatever studio planners do, so I was left to wander around. At one point I needed to visit the boys powder room which was in the foyer area. Having emptied my bladder I went out back into the foyer and was standing, back to the wall, watching various comings and goings when suddenly Honey Lantree exited the ladies. I mumbled something embarrassing like "hello Honey, I love your music". She took one look at me, dressed in my finery - Italian suite with 16in trousers, Denson pointer shoes (39s 11d a pair), my quiff held aloft by Brylcreem and a Black Sobranie Slim smoke in my hand. She came up to me put her hands either side of my head and onto the wall, then kissed me, her tongue going deep into my throat. "Cripes" I though, or something to that effect. But alas, 'twas not to be as the hall door opened and a voice said "come along Honey, you're on" - I looked; it was Joe Meek himself. Honey smiled and was gone. Ah, those heady days of yore. Sadly, Joe was gone very tragically a couple of years later and Honey passed in 2018 of breast cancer, and my friend Alan died in 2020, but the memories remain.
Hi Man from Mordor.
DeleteWhat a brilliant snapshot of the era. That Honey Lantree moment is cinematic, quiff, Sobranie, and all. It’s rare to hear stories that so beautifully capture the texture of a time, the glamour, the spontaneity, and the bittersweet echoes that follow. Thanks for sharing such a vivid memory, and for the book tip, Love and Fury sounds essential.
Cheers.
Marvellous. Thank you for this BB.
ReplyDeleteHi antony harrington.
DeleteMuch appreciated.
Meek’s world is always worth revisiting with fresh ears.
Cheers.
This the guy that went crazy? 'Telstar'?
ReplyDeleteHi DanHall.
DeleteYep, that’s him. Joe Meek, the sonic pioneer behind “Telstar.”
He was a brilliant, eccentric producer whose innovations in sound were decades ahead of their time. Sadly, his life was marked by personal struggles and ended tragically in 1967.
But his legacy lives on in every echo chamber and tape loop that followed.
Cheers.