Telstar: The Joe Meek Story

With genuine 1960s footage interwoven during the film, the story opens in 1961 on Holloway Road, Islington. Gordon Hawtin identifies this as facing numbers 101 to 109 Holloway Road in N7.

Denis Hoare tried to get a bus in his shot.........yes, you've got........3 came along as he walked away. (RL)

Alighting from a bus, Tom Burke ( Geoff Goddard) checks the address and enters 304 Holloway Road where Joe Meek has his impromptu studio . . . however, this is outside the suitably dressed numbers 103 and 105 Holloway Road as located by Gordon Hawtin and confirmed by Con O'Neill and Denis H.

Denis took this shot showing the entrances to the flats above the shops are very similar to what they used to be at the real location, which when dressed, looked almost identical. All 3 of the shops in this 'now' shot were suitably dressed for the film. Denis further adds that this is why they used this location, as subsequent remodelling of the entrances to his real studios have left them looking completely different now to how they used to be. (RL)

Leaving Major Wilfred Banks' plastics factory, The Outlaws drive to Joe's studio for a recording.

In a cut-away, Chas Hodges explains to Geoff about a publicity stunt pulled by Joe Meek (Con O'Neill).

Police question Billy Kuy (Shaun Evans), Chas Hodges (Ralf Little) and Clem Cattini (James Cordon) after the band hold up HMV to steal copies of their own record. In the background stands the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain in Piccadilly W1.

Not the correct angle but at least it's free from crowds. SJ

Screaming Lord Sutch (Justin Hawkins) stalks a Woman (Alicia Davies) as she walks through a misty Whitechapel alley for a promotional film.

Taking a mic from inside the rock sand roll star's hearse, Joe announces Screaming Lord Sutch's latest release to the spectators who have gathered to watch the shoot.

As they are driven through the streets, Joe and David Sutch discuss more promotional ideas.

The camera follows the hearse.

Needing a break from their long drive, Gene Vincent and his Backing Group drive into a farmyard to use the facilities.

The unimpressed Farmer's Wife points to an outside water closet.

A police patrol car approaches as the Band dodge bricks thrown by an angry Motorist after a prank throwing eggs at Heinz Burt in his red Ford Consul Capri goes wrong.

At Madras Place in Highbury, Joe follows an Undercover Policeman (Dominic Adams) into a Gentleman's convenience where he is arrested for importuning for a immoral purpose.

Clem shouts up at Joe when a thrown tape recorder narrowly misses him after the drummer walks out. The pavement outside 105 Holloway Road in Highbury.

Denis admits that he is not tall enough to get a proper comparative shot, but this does show the same small black box cover in the pavement as shown in the film. Hardly 'a tall story' Denis. (RL)

Joe watches Clem walk away to join The Kinks. Looking from up outside 107 Holloway Road in N7, found by Gordon Hawtin.

To add to his shot Denis remarks that this scene could never have happened in real life as Joe Meek's real studio never had a ledge for him to get out onto. (RL)

Outside the Holloway Road studio, a group of Youths taunt Heinz Burt (JJ Feild) as he arrives to collect some of his belongings. Located by Gordon Hawtin, the parade of shops stands on Holloway Road in N7.

The fear of getting squashed by a passing lorry stopped Denis from stepping further out into the road to improve the angle and a more accurate shot of where Heinz's car (Red Capri?) was parked. (RL)

Struggling with depression and paranoia, Joe takes Patrick Pink (Sid Mitchell) on a Spanish holiday.

Returning to London, Joe and his protégée arrive outside the offices of Major Wilfred Banks to purchase his partner's half of the business. Dave W remembers 31 Langham Street, London W1, whilst constructed as nurses' accommodation it is now the Langham Court Hotel. The building can also be seen in 'Foreign Exchange'. (RL)

Denis has been told that they always have cones ready in case Joe Meek ever tries to park here in future. (RL)

As earning are held back from Joe's performers, Heinz leaves the house as Bailiff (Michael Chalkley) arrives to repossess his car.

Heinz phones Joe and tells him that he wants his car back. Looking along the frontages of numbers 101 to 109 on Holloway Road N7 recognised by Gordon Hawtin. The phone box is a prop but the sign hanging outside 109 is genuine.

The telephone box has been replaced and the door is now on the other side, and the phone doesn't work! Why should this one be any different from the others Denis? (RL)

Becoming increasingly paranoid, Joe makes his way to EMI's offices with a bag of tapes. Denis Hoare recognises this as Flitcroft Street, London WC2. (RL)

Denis provides a current photo to replace his GEV supporting the identification. As he says "The Crossrail hoarding is down and builders are completing the ground floor of the building on the right". Thank you Denis, it is what we call progress

With no one at EMI interested in his work, Joe walks back into the street thinking that everyone wants to hurt him. Whilst strolling Fitzrovia, London W1 Dave tells us that we have No 30 Fitzroy Square in the background. (RL)

The bench and telephone cabinet are both as per the film, but Denis believes think word got around that he was coming to take a picture as there's not normally this many people hanging around. Actually, he found that it was a 'back to school' thing............certainly not a 'socially distanced' thing! (RL)

Instruments in the window of a music shop are admired. This is 23 Denmark Street in WC2, a street that also appears in 'What a Crazy World' and 'Midnight Episode'. Gordon Hawtin worked in Denmark Street from June 1967 until January 1975 and explains that the first guitar shop to open in the street was Macaris at number 22 in 1963 followed by Top Gear opening at number 5 in 1969.

With developers encroaching, how much longer will Tin Pan Alley remain? (PW)

As his mental state continues to deteriorate, Joe Meek (Che Deedigan) remembers heading into the woods near his home in Gloucestershire where his finds tins of a toxic substance that burns his hands.