A British teen idol whose modest fame overlapped with the early days of Beatlemania, Heinz first achieved success as the bassist for the Tornados, the instrumental group best remembered for the chart-topping track "Telstar," before emerging as a recording artist in his own right. The Tornados' music, like the rest of Heinz's subsequent solo career, was the brainchild of legendary producer Joe Meek -- he became Meek's most visible and well-known protégé.