The Tornados  “Robot” / “Life On Venus”  Decca Records (UK)

“Robot” is a follow up of sorts to the far more famous, equally futuristic “Telstar.” It is a testament to writer-producer Joe Meek’s creativity that the songs do not sound more similar.

The song, like “Telstar,” begins with Joe Meek sound effects before musically depicting the titular machine coming to life through an increase in tempo, as if he were slowly speeding up like a locomotive. What follows next is a lovely, tuneful track driven as much by Meek’s early electric keyboards as it is by the signature guitar sound of the Tornados, which is able to rise brilliantly above the rest of the arrangement.

The song is one of many by Meek that deals with space aged or futuristic subject matter. He and the Blue Men created a whole album of such material, his landmark I Hear a New World.

This was the Tornados’ fourth single, and their third hit record, reaching number 19 on the British charts.

(23 votes, average: 4.43 out of 5)

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