The Tornados, 'Telstar'

Gramophone record, double-sided, 7 inch 45 rpm mono EP (extended play), The Tornados, ‘Telstar’, made by the Decca Record Co Ltd, London, England, catalogue number DFE 8511, matrix numbers EFF-2525-1C and EFF-2526-1C, in original pictorial sleeve, EP first issued November 1962.

The Tornados, ‘Telstar’, gramophone record. Produced by Decca Record Co Ltd, London, England. ‘Telstar’ was composed by maverick record producer Joe Meek and recorded by a relatively unknown backing/session band, The Tornados, in Meek’s studio in Holloway Road, north London, in mid-July 1962. It was released by Decca as a 45 rpm single on 17 August 1962 with ‘Jungle Fever’ as the B side. The distinctive instrumental sound of ‘Telstar’ resonated with the record-buying public. At the beginning of October it hit No 1 and stayed there for five weeks. In November 1962 Decca followed this with the ‘Telstar’ EP which contained both tracks from the single with two more (‘Popeye Twist’ and ‘Love and Fury’). This reached No 4 in the charts. ‘Telstar’ was named after and inspired by the American communications satellite launched on 10 July 1962.