READING’S Biscuit Factory is hosting an exclusive talk and film screening to celebrate Joe Meek.
The legendary music producer, engineer, label owner, and songwriter will be honoured with an exclusive talk by Alan Wilson.
Mr Wilson has been digitising a collection of music which was left behind after Meek’s death in 1967.
The tapes, now known as the Tea Chest tapes, have become famed for containing unheard music by musicians such as David Bowie, Tom Jones, Marc Bolan, and Jimmy Page.
He will be speaking about the contents of these tapes, due to start being released by Cherry Records in the summer.
The event will also feature a screening of Telstar, a film which tells the story of Meek’s struggles with depression, homosexuality, and debt.
The film features Con O’Neill and Pam Ferris, with appearances from Ralf Little, Mathew Baynton, and Jimmy Carr.
Meek was a pioneer of studio techniques such as close miking, compression, sampling, and effects such as reverb and echo.
He was self-taught in electronics, and wrote the song after which the film is named, which was the first single by a British rock group to reach number 1 on the US Hot 100.
The song, performed by the tornadoes, spent five weeks at number one in the UK charts in 1962, with Meek receiving an Ivor Novello award for his work on it.
The event will take place at the Biscuit Factory, Broad Street Mall, on Saturday, July 16, from 6pm.
Tickets are £20 each, available from www.wegottickets.com.
