Heinz - The Single Sessions, Pt. 1 & Pt. 2 (2023) [Hi-Res]

Following the release of a series of limited edition 10” EPs, this is the first extensive part of a set showcasing Joe Meek’s legendary Tea Chest Tapes. After his tenure in the hugely successful Tornados, Heinz was selected for solo stardom by Joe Meek, who invested more studio time and song writing effort in him than he did in any of his other artists. Backed by the producer’s crack team of session musicians, and recording material often penned by Meek, Geoff Goddard or Dave Adams, Heinz and his famous bleached blond quiff were propelled into the mid-1960s pop scene, scoring a series of hits and near misses along the way.

The complete set brings together an extraordinary wealth of album and single tracks, session recordings, instrumentals and backing tracks, alternate versions and demos, and even an interview and a live rehearsal recording, all taken from the legendary tape archive and carefully restored and compiled for your listening pleasure. Heard in remarkable sonic clarity, and at their original speed (where the released versions were often sped up), the material collected on ‘The White Tornado’ sheds new light on both Heinz himself and the songcraft and production genius that went into his career. It really is no exaggeration to say Meek was several years ahead of many large commercial studios in terms of the sheer power and recording quality heard throughout.