"Telstar" was a 1962 instrumental record by The Tornados. It was the first record by a British group to go to number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It is named for the AT&T communications satellite Telstar. It was written and produced by Joe Meek and featured a clavioline. 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar). ... An instrumental is, in contrast to a song, a musical composition or piece without lyrics or any other sort of vocal music; all of the music is produced by musical instruments. ... 33⅓ LP vinyl record album from the 1960s A gramophone record (also phonograph record, or simply record) is an analogue sound recording medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed modulated spiral groove. ... Tornados is a British instrumental group of the 1960s who acted as the in-house back-up group for many of Joe Meeks productions. ... The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. ... AT&T Inc. ... U.S. military MILSTAR communications satellite A communications satellite (sometimes abbreviated to comsat) is an artificial satellite stationed in space for the purposes of telecommunications. ... The original Telstar had a roughly spherical shape. ... Joe Meek (April 5, 1929–February 3, 1967) was a pioneering British record producer and composer who is now acknowledged as one of the worlds first independent producers. ... The clavioline was a battery-powered keyboard instrument and a forerunner to the analog synthesizer. ...

The name and sound of this novelty record was intended to invoke the dawn of the space age, with sound effects meant to sound "space-like". A story common when the number was first a hit said that the distortions and background noise on the record was from sending the signal up to the Telstar satellite and then re-recording it back on earth, but it actually seems to have been done in the recording studio. More plausible stories say that the sounds intended to symbolize radio signals were actually produced by Meek by running a pen around the rim of an ashtray, and the "rocket blastoff" was a flushing a toilet, in both cases the recordings of mundane sounds made to sound exotic by playing the tape in reverse at various speeds. The Space Shuttle takes off on a manned mission to space. ... Sound effects or audio effects are artificially created or enhanced sounds, or sound processes used to emphasize artistic or other content of movies, video games, music, or other media. ... A recording studio is a facility for sound recording. ...

The tune was a hit quickly after its release in August of 1962, staying the UK pop charts for twenty-five weeks, five of them at number one, and in the USA charts for sixteen weeks. It was reportedly also a favourite of the former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990. ...

Production Details

People involved

• Joe Meek: composer, producer
• The Tornados: Clem Cattini (drums), Alan Caddy (lead guitar), Roger LaVern (keyboards), George Bellamy (rhythm guitar), Heinz Burt (bass)
• Geoff Goddard: additional keyboards.
• Dave Adams: transcription of Meek's composition recording

Studio: RGM Sound, 304 Holloway Road, London, England

Cover Versions

In 1962, Joe Meek recorded a vocal version of his song: "Magic Star" by Kenny Hollywood, and there were numerous other artists who recorded "Telstar".

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Lively Ones were an instrumental surf rock band active in Southern California in the 60s. ... The Challengers were a surf rock group from Southern California. ... The Champs were a one hit wonder, most famous for their instrumental Tequila. Formed by studio executives to record a B-Side for a single, the intended throwaway track became more famous than its A-Side. ... Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy Duke Ellington (April 29, 1899–May 24, 1974), also known simply as Duke (see Jazz royalty), was an American jazz composer, pianist, and bandleader. ... Ashley Hutchings (born January 26, 1945) is a folk musician. ... Walk Dont Run (1960) The Ventures are a rock instrumental band formed in 1958, by Don Wilson and Bob Bogle, two Seattle masonry workers. ... Takako Minekawa Takako MINEKAWA (嶺川貴子) is a Japanese musician, composer and writer. ... Robert Weston (Bob) Smith (January 21, 1939—July 1, 1995) became world famous in the 1960s and 1970s as a disc jockey using the stage name of Wolfman Jack. ... Ronnie Montrose, (born November 29, 1947 in Denver, Colorado) is an American guitarist. ... Not Breathing is the creative vehicle of one Dave Wright, maker of experimental electronic music and instruments. ... The Shadows are a British instrumental rock n roll group active from the 1950s to the 2000s. ... The O.C. Supertones (a. ... James Last (left) together with fan Guenter Krueger, Berlin (Germany) James Last (born Hans Last on April 17, 1929 in Bremen) is a German composer and big band leader with a large fan base in Europe and world-wide. ... The Wedding Present is a rock group from Leeds, the United Kingdom, that was formed in 1984 from the ashes of the Lost Pandas. ... Joy: Best of Apollo 100 Apollo 100 was a short-lived instrumental group that had a moderate hit with the Bach inspired single Joy in 1972. ... Symarip, formerly the Pyramids, were a ska and reggae band from the United Kingdom, originating towards the end of the 1960s and into the early 1970s. ... Caterina Valente (born January 14, 1931 in Paris) is a singer, dancer, and actress. ...

Original Editions

• UK: "Telstar" (Meek) b/w "Jungle Fever" (Goddard) (Decca F11494, 17 August 1962)
• USA: The Tornadoes: "Telstar" (Meek) b/w "Jungle Fever" (Goddard) (London Lon 9561, 1962)
• France: "Telstar" (Meek) b/w "Jungle Fever" (Goddard) (Decca 72.009 Simple, 1962)
• West Germany: "Telstar" (Meek) b/w "Jungle Fever" (Goddard) (London 20654, 1962)

It has been suggested that Decca Music Group be merged into this article or section. ... August 17 is the 229th day of the year (230th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar). ... London Records is a record label headquartered in the United Kingdom, originally marketing records in the United States, Canada and Latin America from 1947 through the 1980s. ... London Records is a record label headquartered in the United Kingdom, originally marketing records in the United States, Canada and Latin America from 1947 through the 1980s. ... Big Girls Dont Cry is a song recorded by The Four Seasons. ... The Four Seasons are an American pop and doo wop group, distinct from many similar groups of the 1950s and 60s in their traditional Italian-American sound. ... The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. ... This is a list of number-one hits in the United States by year from the Billboard Hot 100. ... December 22 is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar). ... Steve Lawrence (born July 8, 1935) is an American singer, perhaps best known as a member of a duo with his wife Eydie Gormé. The two have appeared together since appearing regularly on Steve Allens The Tonight Show in the mid 1950s[1][2]. Lawrence is an actor as...

External links

• Roger LaVern: The Recording Of The Worldwide Hit "Telstar"
• Hear the song performed by The Ventures