Clem Cattini, Tornados Drummer Behind Telstar and 42 UK Number One Singles, Dies at 89

Clem Cattini, the drummer who played on the Tornados instrumental Telstar and on 42 UK number one singles, has died at 89. He died on November 2, 2026, in London, as a result of a fall.

Cattini was born Clemente Anselmo Agustino Cattini on August 28, 1937, in Stoke Newington, London, to Italian parents. He lived in Hertfordshire in later life. His career began in the first years of British rock and roll and ran for decades in recording studios, where singers and producers asked for him by name.

From Shakin' All Over to Telstar

Cattini joined Johnny Kidd and the Pirates and played on their 1960 classic Shakin' All Over. He then became producer Joe Meek's in house drummer. In 1961 he helped to found the Tornados.

The Tornados recorded Telstar in 1962. The instrumental spent five weeks at the top of the UK chart, and the Tornados became the first British group to top the US Billboard Hot 100. The record gave Cattini a place in chart history before he turned to the session work that made up most of his career.

A full time session drummer

In 1965 Cattini became a full time session musician. He played on 42 UK number one singles. The list includes Tom Jones with Green, Green Grass of Home, Dusty Springfield with You Don't Have To Say You Love Me and Tony Christie with (Is This the Way to) Amarillo.

He also played for the Kinks, the Bee Gees, Jeff Beck, Lou Reed, Cliff Richard and Paul McCartney, among many others named in the tributes published this week. His name rarely sat on the front of a record sleeve. His drumming sat on the records themselves, week after week, across pop, rock and easy listening sessions.

He nearly joined one of the biggest bands in rock. Cattini was on Jimmy Page's shortlist of drummers when Led Zeppelin was forming, and manager Peter Grant tried to set up a meeting. The meeting never happened because Cattini was busy with sessions.

Tributes and later years

Tony Christie paid tribute in a Facebook post. "So very sad to hear that the great Clem Cattini, drummer of the Tornados and prolific session drummer has passed away. Clem played on more number 1 records than any other British drummer," Christie wrote. He called Cattini "a world class musician but also a world class gentleman" and added: "Proud to have known him. My condolences and love to his family."

Carl Palmer, the drummer with Emerson, Lake and Palmer and Asia, also paid tribute. "The drummers all over the UK owe you a lot for opening the door for all of us," Palmer said.

In the 1980s Cattini revived the Tornados for tours. In 1989 he played in the West End run of The Rocky Horror Show. He was portrayed by James Corden in the 2009 film Telstar and appeared himself in a cameo as John Leyton's chauffeur. His memoir, My Life, Through the Eye of a Tornado, was published in July 2019.