I Hear a New World

Infobox Album | Name = I Hear a New World
Type = Album
Artist = Joe Meek and The Blue Men


Released = May 1960
Recorded = Lansdowne Studios
1959
Genre = Rock
Length = ?
Label = Triumph TRX-ST9000 (1960)
RPM Records (1991)
Producer = Joe Meek
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|3|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:x98uak6khm3n~T00 link]
Last album =
This album = "I hear a new world" (1960)
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"I Hear a New World - an Outer Space Music Fantasy" is a concept album devised and composed by Joe Meek in 1959. It was partially released in 1960 and completely released in 1991 by RPM Records. It was later released by Barry Cleveland, in a more authentic manner, with his book "Creative Music Production: Joe Meek's Bold Techniques".

Production Details

The musicians, "The Blue Men", were originally "The West Five", a skiffle group from Ealing in London. As well as "I Hear a New World - an Outer Space Music Fantasy", they also recorded as "Rodd, Ken and the Cavaliers" for Joe Meek. The tracks were recorded at Meek's Holland Park flat, and also in Lansdowne Studios.

The album was Meek's pet project. He was fascinated by the then-new space programme and proposed that life existed elsewhere in the solar system. This album was his attempt "to create a picture in music of what could be up there in outer space", he explained. "At first I was going to record it with music that was completely out of this world but realised that it would have very little entertainment value so I kept the construction of the music down to earth." This he achieved, as producer, by blending The Blue Men's skiffle/rock and roll style with a range of sounds and effects, created by such kitchen-sink methods as blowing bubbles in water with a straw, draining water out of the sink, shorting an electrical circuit and even banging partly-filled milk bottles with spoons; yet one must listen carefully to detect these prosaic origins in the finished product. Another important feature of the recordings is the very early use of stereophony.

The first, eponymous track on the album is also the only one to feature conventional vocals; most of the others are instrumentals, but some feature high-frequency vocals in the style of The Chipmunks, Pinky and Perky and The Nutty Squirrels.

Meek also wrote sleeve notes for each track, in order that he might set the scene for each piece. For instance, the notes for "Magnetic Field" read: "This is a stretch of the Moon where there is a strange lack of gravity forcing everything to float three feet above the crust, which with a different magnetic field from the surface sets any article in some sections in vigorous motion, and at times everything is in rhythm."

Release history

The L.P. was scheduled to be released by Joe Meek's Triumph Records label in May 1960, but only a 4-track 7-inch-E.P. ("Part 1") was released. Only a few demo/preview-copies of the L.P. are known to exist. The rereleases are dubbed from these discs.

A second E.P. was planned, but never appeared; only the sleeve was printed. This, and the cancellation of the album itself, was due to financial problems at the label. This resulted in Meek leaving the label. The band, too, drifted away and returned to the live circuit, probably glad to be away from the temperamental producer and his strange, visionary dream.

Personnel

Musicians
* The Blue Men::* Rod Freeman: group leader, guitar, vocals;:* Ken Harvey: tenor sax, vocals;:* Roger Fiola: Hawaiian Guitar;:* Chris White: guitar;:* Doug Collins: bass;:* Dave Golding: drums

Producer:Joe Meek

Track listing

(Running order of original 1960-scheduled L.P.)

Side 1
#"I Hear a New World" 2:44
#"Globb Waterfall" 3:15
#"Entry Of The Globbots" 3:09
#"Valley Of The Saroos" 2:50
#"Magnetic Field" 3:10
#"Orbit Around The Moon" 2:49Side 2
#"The Bublight" 2:43
#"March of the Dribcots" 2:07
#"Love Dance Of The Saroos" 2:33
#"The Dribcots' Space Boat" 2:16
#"Disc Dance of the Globbots" 2:15
#"Valley of No Return" 3:07

(Track lengths are from the CD reissue.)

Releases

*The Blue Men, directed by Rod Freeman: I Hear A New World - Part 1 (e.p., Triumph Records RGX-ST5000, March 1960)Entry of the Globbots, Valley of the Saroos, Orbit around the Moon, Magnetic Field
*The Blue Men, directed by Rod Freeman: I Hear A New World - Part 2 (e.p., Triumph Records RGX-ST5001, not released)Globb Waterfall, The Dribcots' Space Boat, Love Dance Of The Saroos, The Bublight
* (LP, Triumph Records TRX-ST9000, scheduled for May 1960)
* CD (RPM records RPM502) Joe Meek - "I Hear a New World" (the front cover credits Meek, and the back credits Rod Freeman and the Blue Men; also includes audio and film clips of interviews with Meek.

Dream of the West

Four compositions from "I Hear a New World" were also used on the 1961 album "Dream of the West" by The Outlaws. The songs were retitled to fit to the theme of the album: "Orbit Around the Moon" became "Husky Team"; "Entry of the Globbots" became "Tune for Short Cowboys"; "The Bublight" became "The Outlaws"; and "Valley of the Saroos" became "Spring is Near".

Resources

External links

* [http://www.barrycleveland.com/joemeek.htm Barry Cleveland: "Creative Music Production: Joe Meek's Bold Techniques"]
* [http://www.rpmrecords.co.uk/ RPM Records, UK]
* [http://www.joemeekpage.info/triumph_3_E.htm Triumph Records discography: EPs and LPs, "I Hear A New World"]
* The Wire's [http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/thewire.html#onfire "100 Records That Set The World On Fire (When No One Was Listening)"]

Other reading

*RW Dopson & AD Blackburn, sleeve notes for "I Hear a New World", RPM reissue.