Joe Meek was a pioneering English record producer, sound engineer, and songwriter who revolutionized British pop music in the late 1950s and 1960s. Operating from his home studio at 304 Holloway Road, London, he was one of the first independent producers in the world. He was known for his innovative and experimental production techniques, including heavy use of reverb and compression, most famously on the 1962 hit "Telstar" by The Tornados. Despite his groundbreaking success, Meek's life was troubled by paranoia and depression, culminating in his tragic death in 1967.