1. PAUL AND RITCHIE AND THE CRYING SHAMES-"Come On Back" Decca F12483 1966
This was the final of three singles by this Liverpool band (all produced by Meek). It was also among his last productions before his death in February 1967 and is easily his most "psychedelic". It's haunting combo organ and distorted bass with swatches of slashing guitar with heavy vibrato bleeding through is hands down the most trippy thing Joe Meek ever did while the song itself has elements of U.S. 60's "garage" to it. Meek's productions all but ignored psychedelia and he tended to utilize the same tricks he'd been using since the early 60's on all of his records right up until the end but this one seems a bit more "contemporary" than the rest, whether that was intentional or not remains to be seen.
Not to be confused with David Bowie's backing band from the same time (something bootleggers and errant journalists frequently resorted to confusing) these guys were actually Scottish. The first time I heard this track was in the late 80's on a bootleg LP comp called "Searching in The Wilderness", shortly after it appeared in far better quality AND in it's correct length on Bam Caruso's "Freakbeat Fantoms" LP (the version used on "Searching..." was the American single mix which is shorter). The whole track is a cacophony of fuzz guitar (that is total freakbeat) and the depraved sounding vocals with typical Meek compression on the whole thing just jacks up the freaky aspect! It all resembles a paranoid speed freak meltdown ala John's Children's "Smashed Blocked" or the Small Face's "E Too D", something Meek was all too well aware of.
https://youtu.be/TmneIzd4hjs?si=jHJF1S0914bVOmIk
3. HEINZ-"I Get Up In The Morning" Decca EP DFE 8545 1963
Taken from his untitled first E.P. this rockin' little number is my favorite track by the blonde bomber. The funky little guitar licks come care of a young Ritchie Blackmore (acknowledged by Heinz not once but twice in the track before a solo..."Take it Ritchie") and though I'd swear the female backing vocals are Glenda Collins the E.P. sleeve states they are by The Fletchers (who were also known as The Cameos). It's easily his strongest release in my estimation and has a relatively clean (ie "not weird") production!
https://youtu.be/46jWNYTXIKw?si=iM7jh16AeSteXEVN
4. THE RIOT SQUAD-"I Take It That We're Through" Pye 7N.17092 1966
This was the band's second of four singles recorded at 304 Holloway Road (their fourth and final single was Meek's last release causing a friend to quip "it was so late it practically had Meek's brains on the master tape reel") and it's my favorite. It combines some wild sonic reduction on a fuzzed out guitar lick while the compression on the saxophone bends the sound so it resembles some sort of Middle Eastern reed instrument while the band's high pitched backing vocals are given the Meek touch. But that fuzz bass intro.....wow, just wow, it's a total window rattler.
https://youtu.be/1eOq-ODej_w?si=TAunZFS4lRMxReI4
5. THE HONEYCOMBS-"That Lovin' Feeling" Pye 7N.17173 1966
The Honeycombs final single marked the end of a career with Meek that yielded ten singles, an EP and two LP's under his tutelage in just two brief years. My old pal Keith Patterson once aptly described it as "The Honeycombs outdoing The Episode Six" which is a true assertion as the numbers harmony male/female vocal style is akin to to that of The Episode Six's records for the same label at this time. Starting out with a part raga/ part Flamenco guitar lick it has a slight Middle Eastern feel and is carried by Honey Lantree's backing vocals (that sound like the mike was down the hall from her!) and the compressed combo organ and a typical echo drenched guitar solo add to the amazing blend.
https://youtu.be/15jU_UOQ95Q?si=-fW5i2PBvWH4SaSO
6. THE TORNADOS-"Too Much In Love To Hear" Columbia DB 7856 1966
By the time the band switched to Columbia from Decca they were the Tornados in name only , with another Meek band The Saxons, assuming the role of the "new" Tornados. "Too Much In Love To Hear" was penned by it's members Pete Holder and Robb Huxley (credited here as "Gale", a misspelling of his "other" last name Gayle) . It's a rarity among Tornados 45's as it's a vocal number. Led by some tack piano with the typical Meek production flourishes it's a moody piece , sort of a beat ballad with a nice jazzy/Shadows style guitar solo and a welcome pleasure to hear vocals on a Tornados record!! Interestingly Huxley later moved to Israel where he joined The Churchills who cut a trippy (and far improved in my book) version of the track which was comped on one of the "Strange Things Are Happening" CD comps. For a more detailed history of the "New Tornados" check out Robb Huxley's extensive and highly informative web page here. The band would cut just one more 45 with Joe Meek, but that, as they say, is another story for another time. You can read that story here.
7. GLENDA COLLINS-"Something I've Got To Tell You" Pye 7N.17044 1966
Joe Meek had very few female vocalists on his roster but none was better or as well known as the dynamic Glenda Collins. The track, the ultimate musical confession of infidelity, was written by Ken Howard and Alan Blaikley (frequently misidentified as "Howard Blaikley" like this label) and had previously been recorded by The Honeycombs on their second LP "All Systems Go" where it showcased for the first time, drummer Honey Lantree on lead vocals (it also cropped up on Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich's debut LP). I think Glenda's February 1966 version is the definitive one in my book thanks to the top shelf presentation. Meek took no chances and secured the services of arranger Ivor Raymonde to wrap it up in strings and massive orchestration, but in the end sadly it was not a hit despite the stellar arrangement and Collin's powerful vocals .
https://youtu.be/DeUu4lLitpY?si=KdCKqyIIbU2ig5Ac
8. JASON EDDY & THE CENTERMEN-"Singin' The Blues" Parlophone R 5473 1966
My introduction to the weirdness of Joe Meek came in 1982 with the inclusion of this cut on Greg Shaw's legendary LP compilation "Pebbles Volume Six: The Roots Of Mod". Jason Eddy (real name Albie Wycherley and previously "Jason Eddie") was the brother of Ronald, better known as Billy Fury. Jason's O.T.T. cover of the Marty Robbin's hit "Singin' The Blues" pulls out all the stops with everything sped up (is that a horn or a guitar sped up on tape?), blistering guitar (sounding very similar to some of Richie Blackmore's other guitar work for Meek) and the vocals that sound like they're trying not to get swept away by the manic pace of this song.
https://youtu.be/Uoc0odAY3x4?si=4uUov8xUmvh0tKnE
9. BOBBY CRISTO AND THE REBELS-"I've Got You Out Of My Mind" Decca F 11913 1964
This is probably one of my favorite of Meek's "beat"group releases. It's a nondescript number with almost flat vocals but there's something catchy about from it's stereotypical Meek beat and slashing/tinny sounding guitars and a certain charm to it all. It was their sole release and it was unearthed in 1983 for See For Miles excellent compilation LP "Sixties Lost And Found Volume 3".
https://youtu.be/scu9ew-E7ow?si=YobRAJlqEbl0wGO1
10. DAVID JOHN & THE MOOD-"Bring It To Jerome" Parlophone R 5255 1965
These unsung heroes of Brit r&b cut three singles in their short career. Their last two were on Parlophone and were produced by Meek. This reading of Bo Diddley's "Bring It To Jerome" was the first of those two. Seeped in gritty r&b harp blowing it's a swampy/gritty little mess with typical Meek drums (or lack thereof?)/percussion and raw vocals. Thankfully it was one of two tracks by the band included in Greg Shaw's epic "Pebbles Vol 6: The Roots Of Mod" LP (which also included the Jason Eddie track above).
https://youtu.be/-x-OAgXCrIs?si=acb3_hZRkKjgLpMH
All label scans are courtesy of 45cat.com and all singles are U.K. releases.
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