New Video "Telstar" E9 pedal steel

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 1 Jun 2020 2:22 pm

I just uploaded a new video to YouTube, "Telstar". Hope you like it!

----> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7POavqLF-fc

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 1 Jun 2020 2:32 pm

I do!

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 1 Jun 2020 2:33 pm

ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ˜

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 1 Jun 2020 2:35 pm

Great job, Doug! You really nailed that vibrato for this song. Cool!

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 1 Jun 2020 2:44 pm

Thanks Jim! I keep hearing that organ playing (on the original record) so that probably helps. The tune lays out pretty well on E9. It's mostly single notes, and the first 16 notes on the same fret!

Carl Williams · Post by **Carl Williams** » 1 Jun 2020 3:05 pm

Takes me waaaaay back Doug....we had such great songs back then...fantastic playing as always Doug. Thanks for sharing...Carl

Joe Krumel · Post by **Joe Krumel** » 1 Jun 2020 3:32 pm

You rock my friend! That was great. Nice tone!

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 1 Jun 2020 3:48 pm

Thanks Carl and Joe! Yeah, the late 50s/early 60s... when instrumental hits were heard on the radio every day. There is actually a sub genre of pop called Space Age pop. I think The Star Trek Theme would be considered that as well. The space race was on and effects like reverb, tape delay, tremolo were all the rage!

Ron Funk · Post by **Ron Funk** » 1 Jun 2020 8:28 pm

I think that may have been the 1st 45 rpm record I ever bought.

plus, very timely for our current 'space age'

Regards Doug -
Ron

Per Berner · Post by **Per Berner** » 2 Jun 2020 2:23 am

Great...but for the first time in history, I find myself wishing for MORE reverb!

Ronald Korza · Post by **Ronald Korza** » 2 Jun 2020 3:39 am

Awesome Job on that one Doug !
You have always amazed me, way back from when I was a teenager listing to you play with the local Country bands. Your perfection never takes a break.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 2 Jun 2020 5:44 am

Thanks Bud, Per, Ron!

manny escobar · Post by **manny escobar** » 2 Jun 2020 6:04 am

While many of us are suffering at home with no gigs, you are displaying your amazing picking creations.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 2 Jun 2020 6:16 am

Thanks Manny. I'm not playing any gigs now either. My calendar is full, but everything is on hold now. I haven't played a gig in three months. I guess we're all in the same boat.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 12 Jun 2020 5:23 pm

I just discovered a couple of "vocal" versions of Telstar. One released in 1962, shortly after the instrumental became a hit, and the other in 1963. Pretty weird stuff! They renamed it Magic Star.

----> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJhulZUYucU

----> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NjSy2g1fl4

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 13 Jun 2020 12:18 am

Very nice! Thank you.

Michael Stephens · Post by **Michael Stephens** » 13 Jun 2020 2:17 am

Sounds great, Doug!

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 13 Jun 2020 6:14 am

Thanks guys!

Mark McCornack · Post by **Mark McCornack** » 13 Jun 2020 12:25 pm

I love it! And, in my opinion, the steel guitar is just the instrument for this. As always, a great interpretation (as weâ€™ve learned to expect from you). I remember this tune making a big impression on me when it came out, though I was pretty young at the time. The Emmons â€Atomic themeâ€ position markers put it over the top for the period as well !

Doug Taylor · Post by **Doug Taylor** » 13 Jun 2020 1:47 pm

I don't remember this tune, although I should as I am officially old! It is a great tune and sounds great on the steel. Thanks for sharing Doug.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 13 Jun 2020 2:43 pm

Thanks guys, I was 12 years old when the song came out, and to be honest, I didn't like it much because I didn't care for the organ sound. But I've come to appreciate it! I thought it would sound good on pedal steel, E9 tuning. The video is popular on YouTube... 20K views in the first 12 days, not bad!

Yes, I too thought about the fret markers on the Emmons after I finished the video. Very apropos! The atomic/space age theme was everywhere in the early 60s.

Mark McCornack · Post by **Mark McCornack** » 13 Jun 2020 4:40 pm

Indeed! The â€œspace ageâ€œ. I have to say I agree about the sound of the organ on the original. It sounded like a $10 Casio toy organ or something. It was probably a high-dollar instrument for all I know. Not very pleasing to the ear, but the tune itself made up for that shortcoming.
Some of those old instrumentals that featured organ however would be good fodder for your steel playing. Iâ€™d start mining through old â€œBooker T. and the M.Gâ€™sâ€ rep and see what you find.

Mark

Larry Jamieson · Post by **Larry Jamieson** » 14 Jun 2020 4:15 am

Nice! Well done. I am old enough to remember the original on the radio...

Ken Boi · Post by **Ken Boi** » 14 Jun 2020 7:09 am

Excellent! Great song. Nicely played.

Ken Boi · Post by **Ken Boi** » 14 Jun 2020 7:17 am

Should anyone wish to further their knowledge about this song, there is the movie "Telstar: The Joe Meek Story" (2008) about Joe Meek the producer of this song and others. More info and the movie trailer can be found here on IMDB:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1068669/?ref_=vp_back

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