In the late 1970's I was working in a London Bingo Club which had just undergone a substantial period of updating and to relaunch the club we had a few appearances by certain entertainment acts and lesser personalities. Including someone who played tunes on his "£1000 Organ" and a woman who did a rather risque dance with a large python. In one of the upstairs bars, there was someone playing popular songs on the piano, though with some competence, it was little more than background music. The player turned out to be Roger LaVern, formerly keyboard player with the Tornadoes, though at the time he was more well known for his high number of marriages.
LaVern had been part of the Tornados the group formed to play backing music upon certain musical tracks produced and recorded by Joe Meek. Meek is considered to be one of the most influential sound engineers in history.
Meek did his National Service with the Royal Air Force, where he was encouraged to develop an interest in electronics. This was followed by a spell with the Midlands Electricity Board, developing an interest in music production and then progressed to work for a independent radio production company, working upon various projects for Radio Luxembourg.
In 1960 along with William Barrington-Coupe founded Triumph Records, which had some notable success with the record "Angela Jones" by Michael Cox. Triumph was the predecessor to Meek's company "RGM Sound Ltd" at 304 Holloway Road a three floor flat above a leather shop.
Here he set about using his skill to build a record recording studio and it was from here he had a Number One chart success with John Leyton's "Johnny Remember Me" Followed by "Telstar" recorded by the Tornados, a UK and US number one. A third and final major success, a British number one and American number five, The honeycomb's "Have I The Right"
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