Music: Magical Mystery Mellotron

Rick Blechta

06/01/2005

Streetly Electronics Skellotron
Never heard of a Mellotron? Think of that strange flute intro in the Beatles’ “Strawberry Fields Forever” or the haunting strings behind the Moody Blues’ “Nights in White Satin.” That, my friends, is a mellotron. Every budding musician of that era desperately wanted one, but very few were lucky enough to own one.

With magnetic tapes of recorded instruments mounted beneath each key, these tape-replay organs were all the rage with bands in the 1960s and 1970s. In the 1980s, with the rise of electronic samplers, mellotrons fell out of favor. But now they’re back as today’s recording heavies—from Radiohead to REM, U2, and Coldplay—rediscover their unique sounds and timbre.

Streetly Electronics, the original manufacturer based in the United Kingdom, however, has kept the light alive through the dark years, by continuing to repair and restore these complex instruments. Today, Streetly counts Paul McCartney, Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page, and Radiohead among its clients.

Streetly is also producing bespoke instruments, coupling sounds from the original mellotron tape library with artistically elegant, one-of-a-kind designs—a far cry from the simple “white boxes” of the 1970s. A fine example is the Skellotron pictured here. In collaboration with British designer Paul D. Smith, the Streetly craftsmen conceived a modern take on a demonstration unit constructed in the 1970s. With the case eliminated, the design makes a bold, minimalist statement, revealing the sculptural beauty of the mechanics. The unique open design is highlighted by contrasting gold-plated brass with polished aluminum and reinforced, high-clarity glass “windows.” The custom rosewood base cabinet encloses the electronics, including an amplifier, reverberation, and speakers.Most fascinating in Smith’s “carriage clock” design is that the player can watch the tapes being drawn through the complex playback system, a mechanism that has remained an enigma for over 40 years, until now.

This commission, which is priced at $36,000, comes with classic Beatles sounds: flute, violins, and trombone (with the “Bungalow Bill” intro on one key). A tape frame with an eight-voice choir, brass, and cello, and some of the sounds made popular by the band Genesis, is also provided.

Streetly Electronics can undertake any commission and will craft an instrument to suit the client’s precise requirements.

Streetly Electronics, www.mellotronics.com