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Meco

2013-08-06

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'''Meco''' (real name '''Domenico Monardo'''; born November 29, 1939) is an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States American] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Record_producer record producer] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musician musician], as well as the name of a band or production team based around him. Meco is best known for his 1977 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_disco space disco] version of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_Theme/Cantina_Band ''Star Wars'' theme] from his [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Album album] ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_and_Other_Galactic_Funk Star Wars and Other Galactic Funk]''; both the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single_(music) single] and album were [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RIAA_certification certified platinum] in the U.S.

==Biography<span class="mw-editsection mw-editsection-expanded" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;direction:ltr;">[[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Meco&action=edit&section=1&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro edit source] | [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Meco&veaction=edit&section=1&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro editbeta]]==

Meco Monardo was born in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnsonburg,_Pennsylvania Johnsonburg, Pennsylvania] to parents of Italian descent, and building model ships, science fiction and movies were some of his boyhood preoccupations. His father played the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valve_trombone valve trombone] in a small Italian band, and through him Meco got his first musical education.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meco#cite_note-billboardbook-1 [1]] Meco wanted to play the drums, but his father convinced him that the trombone was the right instrument, and at nine that was the instrument which he was to stay with, however, for Meco the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slide_trombone slide trombone] was his choice, troublesome as it was for the small-statured boy to extend the slide fully at first. He joined the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_band#High_school_bands high school band] while still attending grammar school.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meco#cite_note-billboardbook-1 [1]] At 17, he won a scholarship to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastman_School_of_Music Eastman School of Music] in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rochester,_New_York Rochester, New York],[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meco#cite_note-billboardbook-1 [1]] which provided him with a solid [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_music classical] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jazz jazz] music education. There, together with his two friends [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Mangione Chuck Mangione] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Carter Ron Carter], he started the Eastman School of Music [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jazz_band Jazz Band]. When he enrolled at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Point West Point], he also played in the Cadet Band.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meco#cite_note-billboardbook-1 [1]]

Out of the army Meco moved to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City New York City] and joined [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kai_Winding Kai Winding][http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meco#cite_note-billboardbook-1 [1]] in his four-trombone band, and then from 1965 to 1974 he went on as a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studio_musician studio musician]. Originally not inclined towards pop music, Meco's heart changed when he heard [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petula_Clark Petula Clark]'s "[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downtown_(Petula_Clark_song) Downtown]". He began doing [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrangement arrangements], for example the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horn_section horn section] on [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_James Tommy James]' "[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_Blue_Persuasion Crystal Blue Persuasion]" and the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Diamond Neil Diamond] series of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca-Cola Coke] commercials. As a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Session_musician session musician] he played the trombone with acts like [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_James Tommy James], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_Ross Diana Ross] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=David_Barretto&action=edit&redlink=1 David Barretto]. Although Meco focused on producing in the late 1970s, he contracted the horns and performed on Diana Ross' 1980 album ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_(album) Diana]'' as a favor to producer (and neighbor) [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nile_Rodgers Nile Rodgers]. His solo on the single "[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27m_Coming_Out I'm Coming Out]" is notable because of the rarity of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trombone trombone] features on post-big-band era pop records.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meco#cite_note-2 [2]]

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mecologo.png][http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mecologo.png]The uniquely styled 'Meco' logoAround 1973, Meco, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Bongiovi Tony Bongiovi], and a third person formed the production company Disco Corporation of America, and from 1974 to 1976 Meco worked as a record producer. The team of Meco, Bongiovi, Jay Ellis, and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Wheeler_(musician) Harold Wheeler] produced the 1974 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloria_Gaynor Gloria Gaynor] hit "[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Never_Can_Say_Goodbye Never Can Say Goodbye]". [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carol_Douglas Carol Douglas]' "[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor%27s_Orders_(song) Doctor's Orders]" was among the other productions of that period.

According to Meco:

"When disco was new, it was fresh and exciting because it was different. But pretty soon it became too cookie-cutter and wore itself out."

Meco temporarily left the music industry in 1985. After three years of "doing nothing but playing [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golf golf]" he started to work as a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodity_broker commodity broker] in Florida.

==''Star Wars'' theme<span class="mw-editsection mw-editsection-expanded" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;direction:ltr;">[[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Meco&action=edit&section=2&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro edit source] | [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Meco&veaction=edit&section=2&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro editbeta]]==

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mecoband.JPG][http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mecoband.JPG]The "Sci-Fi Disco Band MECO" in 1977On Wednesday May 25th 1977, Meco watched the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/20th_Century-Fox 20th Century-Fox] blockbuster hit ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_Episode_IV:_A_New_Hope Star Wars]'' on its opening day. By Thursday night, he had seen the film four more times, and attended several more screenings over the weekend. In the days before cable, computers and cassettes, other than waiting for it to come on network television, this was the only way a person could see a movie.

He then got the idea to make a disco version of the score by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Williams John Williams] and contacted [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Bogart Neil Bogart] at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casablanca_Records Casablanca Records] to pitch the project. Only after both the picture itself as well as the original score had become huge hits did Bogart agree to help Meco realize his idea. Contact was established with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennium_Records Millennium Records], then a Casablanca subsidiary, and this became Meco's first record company. Here Meco rejoined with Tony Bongiovi as well as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Wheeler_(musician) Harold Wheeler] who had also been part of the team behind "Never Can Say Goodbye" in 1974. Lance Quinn was also part of the Meco team, and the different roles played by the four musicians is described by Meco himself in a 1999 interview with his fan web site:

{| class="cquote" style="font-size:13px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:19.1875px;margin:auto;border-collapse:collapse;border:none;width:auto;"

| style="border:none;color:rgb(178,183,242);font-size:35px;font-family:'TimesNewRoman',serif;font-weight:bold;padding:10px;" valign="top" width="20"|“

| style="border:none;padding:4px10px;" valign="top"|Tony and Lance are the two guys who would not let me be "too musical". Tony would say: "It's not dumb enough – It's too good." Tony is a frustrated drummer and Lance is a guitar genius, so they would make sure the rhythm section was always "smoking" under the very sophisticated arrangements and concepts that Harold and I started with.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meco#cite_note-3 [3]]

| style="border:none;color:rgb(178,183,242);font-size:35px;font-family:'TimesNewRoman',serif;font-weight:bold;text-align:right;padding:10px;" valign="bottom" width="20"|”

|}

In a matter of just three weeks they arranged and recorded ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_and_Other_Galactic_Funk Star Wars and Other Galactic Funk]''. Although the album was nominated for "Best Instrumental Pop performer" in 1977, the award ultimately went to John Williams for the original soundtrack album.

==The band Meco<span class="mw-editsection mw-editsection-expanded" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;direction:ltr;">[[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Meco&action=edit&section=3&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro edit source] | [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Meco&veaction=edit&section=3&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro editbeta]]==

For a period of four months there was even a show band assembled to perform to Meco's disco music in public venues. However, the band was not involved in the making of the music. This initiative was organized by Norby Walters, a booking agent for discos. The band members (pictured in this article) toured the U.S. and Canada as a high energy show band called '''Lemon Tree'''. Norby Walters booked and also managed the band prior to the Star Wars project. Band personnel was Carmine Giovinazzo, Stan Glogicheski, Tommy Rocco, Tony Abruzzo, and Tony "Butch" Gerace.

==Other soundtracks become "Meco-ized"<span class="mw-editsection mw-editsection-expanded" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;direction:ltr;">[[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Meco&action=edit&section=4&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro edit source] | [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Meco&veaction=edit&section=4&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro editbeta]]==

In the fall of 1977, Meco's second album was released. It was another rearranged science fiction movie soundtrack, ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encounters_Of_Every_Kind Encounters Of Every Kind]'', based on John Williams music for the movie ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Close_Encounters_of_the_Third_Kind Close Encounters of the Third Kind]'', from which three singles were released: "Topsy", "Meco's Theme", and "Theme From Close Encounters".

Meco's third album came in early 1978, and this time it was the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_selections_in_The_Wizard_of_Oz music from] ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wizard_of_Oz_(1939_film) The Wizard Of Oz]'' which got transformed into a disco album by the same name, as Meco described: "It is my best work bar none." From this album came the[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chart-topper hit single] "Themes from The Wizard of Oz: Over the Rainbow/We're Off to See the Wizard".

In the fall of 1978, Millennium merged with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCA_Records RCA]. Since he had developed a deep-bonded working relationship with Neil Bogart and other staff at Casablanca Records (Millennium and Casablanca having cooperated closely), Meco decided to move to Casablanca.

Casablanca released the fourth Meco album, ''Superman & Other Galactic Heroes'', featuring two hit singles, "Superman Theme" and "Love Theme From Superman". This was yet another Meco makeover of an original John Williams score.

In 1979, the fifth album, ''Moondancer'', was released, and with it the hit singles "Moondancer", "[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grazing_In_The_Grass Grazing In The Grass]", and "Devil's Delight".

In 1980, Meco's sixth album, ''Music From Star Trek & Music From The Black Hole'', was released, featuring the song "Theme From Star Trek". The movie ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek:_The_Motion_Picture Star Trek: The Motion Picture]'' ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1979_in_film 1979]) featured an original soundtrack composed by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Goldsmith Jerry Goldsmith].

The last album which Meco made for Casablanca, his seventh, which came out in 1981, was ''The American Werewolf In London'', based on the soundtrack from the 1981 movie ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_American_Werewolf_in_London An American Werewolf in London]''. After this Meco's tenure with Casablanca was over, and he signed up with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCA_Records RCA Records].

==Discography<span class="mw-editsection mw-editsection-expanded" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;direction:ltr;">[[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Meco&action=edit&section=5&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro edit source] | [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Meco&veaction=edit&section=5&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro editbeta]]==

===Albums<span class="mw-editsection mw-editsection-expanded" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;direction:ltr;">[[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Meco&action=edit&section=6&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro edit source] | [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Meco&veaction=edit&section=6&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro editbeta]]===

*''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_and_Other_Galactic_Funk Star Wars and Other Galactic Funk]'' (1977)

*''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encounters_Of_Every_Kind Encounters Of Every Kind]'' (1977)

*''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meco_Plays_The_Wizard_of_Oz Meco Plays The Wizard of Oz]'' (1978)

*''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superman_%26_Other_Galactic_Heroes Superman & Other Galactic Heroes]'' (1978)

*''Moondancer'' (1979)

*''Meco Plays Music from The Empire Strikes Back'' ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extended_play 10" EP] – 1980)

*''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_in_the_Stars Christmas In The Stars: Star Wars Christmas Album]'' (1980)

*''Music From Star Trek and Music From The Black Hole'' (1980)

*''Across The Galaxy'' (1980)

*''The American Werewolf In London'' (1981)

*''Pop Goes The Movies'' (1982)

*''Swingtime's Greatest Hits'' (1982)

*''Ewok Celebration'' (1983)

*''Hooked on Instrumentals'' (1985)

*''The Best of Meco'' (1997)

*''The Complete Star Wars Collection'' (2000)

*''Star Wars Party'' (2005) (This release is only sold on the Internet, a retail release with identical musical content was released as ''Music Inspired By Star Wars'')

===Singles<span class="mw-editsection mw-editsection-expanded" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;direction:ltr;">[[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Meco&action=edit&section=7&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro edit source] | [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Meco&veaction=edit&section=7&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro editbeta]]===

====Charted singles<span class="mw-editsection mw-editsection-expanded" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;direction:ltr;">[[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Meco&action=edit&section=8&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro edit source] | [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Meco&veaction=edit&section=8&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro editbeta]]====

{| border="1" class="wikitable" style="font-size:13px;margin-right:0px;border-color:rgb(170,170,170);color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:19.1875px;"

!Year

!Song Title

!Artist Credit

!''Billboard''

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_100 Hot 100]

peak

|-

|1977

|"[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_Theme/Cantina_Band Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band]"

| align="center"|Meco

| align="center"|1

|-

|1978

|"Theme from ''Close Encounters''"

| align="center"|Meco

| align="center"|25

|-

|1978

|"Themes from ''The Wizard of Oz'':

Over the Rainbow/

We're Off to See the Wizard"

| align="center"|Meco

| align="center"|35

|-

|1980

|"Empire Strikes Back (Medley)"

| align="center"|Meco

| align="center"|18

|-

|1980

|"Love Theme from ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sh%C5%8Dgun_(TV_miniseries) Shogun]'' (Mariko's Theme)"

| align="center"|Meco

| align="center"|70

|-

|1980

|"What Can You Get a

Wookiee for Christmas

(If He Already Owns a Comb?)"

| align="center"|The Star Wars Intergalactic

Droid Choir & Chorale

| align="center"|69

|-

|1981

|"Summer of 81"

| align="center"|The Cantina Band

| align="center"|81

|-

|1981

|"Blue Moon"

| align="center"|Meco

| align="center"|106

|-

|1982

|"Pop Goes the Movies Part I"

| align="center"|Meco

| align="center"|35

|-

|1982

|"Big Band Melody"

| align="center"|Meco

| align="center"|101

|-

|1983

|"[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ewok_Celebration Ewok Celebration]"

| align="center"|Meco

| align="center"|60

|}

====Additional singles<span class="mw-editsection mw-editsection-expanded" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;direction:ltr;">[[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Meco&action=edit&section=9&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro edit source] | [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Meco&veaction=edit&section=9&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro editbeta]]====

*"Topsy"

*"Meco's Theme"

*"Superman Theme"

*"Love Theme From Superman"

*"Moondancer"

*"[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grazing_In_The_Grass Grazing In The Grass]"

*"Devil's Delight"

*"Theme From Star Trek" (1980)

*"The Raiders March and Cairo Nights" (1981)

*"Anything Goes / Music Makers" (1984)