Apollo 100 - Telstar

Track 3 from Side 2 of Apollo 100's second album "Master Pieces", released in 1972.

Apollo 100 was a short-lived British instrumental studio based group that stayed intact for only two years: 1972 and 1973. There was no vocalist in the band; instead, they had an arranger, Tom Parker, who first got the band together. They had one top ten hit song in the United States with the Johann Sebastian Bach-inspired single "Joy", in 1972. Later that same year, they released Master Pieces, which wasn't as successful, and the band broke up in 1973.

The band members consisted of:
- Zed Jenkins (on guitar)
- Clem Cattini (on drums). Cattini was the drum player for the band Tornados prior to joining Apollo 100.
- Brian Odgers (on bass guitar)
- Vic Flick (on guitar). Among his most noted accomplishments, Flick played the guitar riff for the James Bond Theme song. One of his guitars can been seen at The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.
- Jim Lawless (on percussion)


The following is the complete text found on the reverse side of the album cover, as shown in the video:
---------------------------
Mega
M51-5005
Stereo

Apollo 100
Featuring Tom Parker
Master Pieces

Webster's dictionary defines masterpieces as "anything done or made with extraordinary skill." World famous painters Chagall, Cezanne, Matisse, Monet, Raischenberg, Rembrandt and the like turned them out on canvas, while immortal music masters such as Bach, Chopin, Grieg, Tchaikovsky and Wagner "did their thing(s)" in manuscript form. All of which brings us not so subtly to the subject at hand. Apollo 100, the unique-sounding British aggregation that has achieved international recognition through its recorded treatments of classical masterpieces.

Comprised of the cream of Britain's recording studio musicians, Apollo 100 is the brain child of its leader, Tom Parker, a brilliant young arranger-musician. By lacing the basic chamber music sound with overtones of contemporary rock, Parker and Apollo 100 succeeded in capturing the imagination of record buyers everywhere with one of their very first singles releases, "Joy" (Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring from J.S. Bach's Cantata 147).

This album, Apollo 100's second, offers a program featuring old favorites dressed in new form by Beethoven, Chopin and Rossini; plus three exciting originals and the group's unique versions of the current favorites "Nutrocker" (Tchaikovsky revisited), "Amazing Grace", "Telstar", and "Popcorn".

Side One
Amazing Grace (ASCAP) 3:09
Custer's Last Stand (ASCAP) 2:27
Tristesse (ASCAP) 3:14
Opus 5 (ASCAP) 2:52
Valleys (ASCAP) 2:31

Side Two
Popcorn (ASCAP) 2:43
Beethoven 9 (ASCAP) 2:32
Telstar (ASCAP) 3:18
Nutrocker (BMI) 1:53
William Tell (ASCAP) 2:19

A Young Blood Production
Produced by Miki Dallon
By Arrangement with Tara International

Cover Concept: Herb Burnette and Bruce D. Davidson
Art Direction: Herb Burnette; Cover Photo: John Donegan, Pinwheel Studios, Nashville, Tennessee.
Liner: Bruce D. Davidson: Music Media
Special thanks to Lyzon Pictures & Frames, Inc., Nashville, for their cooperation and assistance.

Mega Stereo Records may be played on any present day phonograph equipped with a lightweight tone arm. You will hear excellent sound reproduction on a monaural player and full stereo sound on a stereophonic player. Caution: This or any stereo record should not be played with a worn or damaged needle as it will result in permanent damage to the record.

Printed in U.S.A.
1972 Mega Records & Tapes, Inc.
Nashville, Tennessee 37212
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This recording was taken from a vinyl LP record. Apologies for any underlying hum that you might hear, which comes from a faulty connection between my turntable and computer input. I hope to replace the recording with a cleaner version in the future.

== DISCLAIMER ==
NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED!

The music, lyrics, album cover and label artwork appearing in this video belong to the whoever the current copyright holders are, and I have no intention on claiming it as mine. It is provided here for historical purposes, since the album is long out of print.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Apollo 100
• Telstar
• 70's music

[EdWatts]

Gotta love that album cover photo; Rembrandt's "Man in the Golden Helmet" never looked quite that, well, interested in anything before this was done.

[TimothyQStanton]

@EdWatts LOL. Yes, I was only 12 when the album came out, and my mother freaked! She made me trash it so all I had was the inner paper sleeve to keep it in. She never did appreciate the fine arts, lol.

[annacronism]

Oh, thank you so much for all these Apollo 100 tunes. I simply love them! This is very appropriate music, because, to me, they were truly out of this world!

[GameTimeProspectDept]

I haven't heard this version of "Telstar" before tonight... but I love it. i love that song anyway, and this is an excellent rendition of it.

[FlavioGirl]

my dad bought the album only because the woman on the album cover reminded him of my mom

[ThePeaceableKingdom]

An homage to the first telecommunications satellite, this ought to be the theme song for every possibility the internet brings us...

[ThePeaceableKingdom]

There are alot of versions of this song, but this is the one I remember, the one they played on local radio. Thanks for the memory...

Imagine an age when bands could be famous for an instrumental, indeed, when bands that almost only did instrumentals could be famous...

[B52sguy]

Who the hell would dislike this real Masterpiece? Someone is an idiot and has no taste or appreciation of truly innovative music; Not the canned garbage of today!

Joseph F

Portland, OR USA

[robrusdavies]

Another great version to look out for is: TELSTAR by THE DUELLING PIANOS. Camp and fun video too!

[ronbobathon]

This record taught me a lot about record players, music, and women :)

[tomnanD3]

I really like their take on the bridge solo...never heard anyone do it quite like that...imaginative.

[youtootube99]

@TimothyQStanton I understand where your mom your was comming from and I hope you can find it your heart to forgive her. She really didn't get it.