Eko

The creative vision of composer and guitarist John O'Connor gave rise to the music released under the EKO name, a Sanskrit term signifying “one.” Between 1974 and the late 1990s he issued five albums on the Higher Octave label, beginning with Future Primitive, which reached Billboard’s Top Ten on the new age chart. After Celtica appeared in 1996, O’Connor joined the composing team for Fox’s award-winning animated series King of the Hill.

Of Irish descent, O’Connor relocated from London to California in 1987. While still based in the U.K. he had owned and run Bark Studios, recording demos for other songwriters; the demands of that schedule left scant room for his own projects. Once a new manager assumed part of the administrative load, O’Connor could devote more energy to original material. He also contributed guitar to sessions for Bucks Fizz, Rick Kemp, and Maddy Prior.

A major songwriting breakthrough arrived when he and Graham Lister wrote the novelty track “Arthur Daley,” which ascended to the British Top Ten. The same partnership produced “Star Trekkin,” a song that initially drew minimal attention. After O’Connor manufactured 500 copies on his own label and radio airplay began, the single reached number one in the U.K., Japan, Australia, and across Europe, ultimately surpassing one million units sold.