what?
Joe Meek was a pop composer and Britain's premier independent
record producer of the late fifties and early sixties. Meek was
renowned for his pioneering recording techniques and for the futuristic
sound of the records he produced, but notorious for his eccentric
personality. Joe’s biggest struggle was with himself and coping with
being gay at a time when it was illegal. This fascinating documentary
explores how Joe Meek managed to leave his indelible stamp, not just
on the recording industry, but on modern pop culture as well.
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A Life In The Death of Joe Meek (12A)
Starring:John Leyton, Marc Evans, Keith Strickland Director:Howard S. Berger, Susan Stahman Year:2008
Review by Alison Rowat
Music producer, composer, and legend in his own studio time Joe Meek, the man who engineered such hits as Telstar, Have I the Right and Johnny Remember Me, is the subject of this absorbing, if overlong, documentary. Among those lining up to pay tribute are Edwyn Collins, Franz Ferdinand's Alex Kapranos, and jazz musician/comedy saint Humphrey Lyttelton. A controversial, often demanding figure, Meek's fast life naturally makes for a great story. While directors Howard Berger and Susan Stahman eventually make a decent job of telling it, there's not enough time spent at the start explaining to the uninitiated who Meek was and how he turned the music scene on its head. Fortunately, having come in like a lamb, the film proceeds towards a roaring finish.
Review by Alison Rowat