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TEARING DOWN THE WALL OF
SOUND
The Rise and Fall of Phil Spector
Knoff
By Mick Brown
452 pages
Just weeks before storied 60's pop
producer Phil Spector was involved
in a shooting in his "castle" that left a
woman dead, English journalist Mick
Brown had a 4 hour sit-down with
the reclusive record maker, who at
one time was known as "the tycoon
of teen."
After the incident, for which Spector
would eventually be charged with
second degree murder. Brown
would use the interview as a jumping
off point for this factual and
fascinating look at a tortured, yet at
one time extremely talented man.
Now that Spector's trial has ended in
a mistrial-that the prosecution says it
will retry-the Spector legend/circus
will march on for the foreseeable
future.
As for the diminutive producer's
past, Brown has produced a highly
detailed account of Spector's highs
and lows, and eventual withdrawal
from the music producing business
for 25 years.
Brown writes that Spector was the
child of married second cousins, and
the possibility that some of the
family's mental health
issues-Spector's sister has been
institutionalized several times-was
the result of such a union.
Yet it is also possible that such iffy
genetics was responsible for
Spector's incredible musical
ability/genuis of having what's
known in the business as perfect
"ears."
Not only would Spector write and
record a number 1 hit record at age
19 in 1958 -To Know Him Is To Love
Him, and ode to his father who
committed suicide when Spector
was 10-but he would also learn to
play the guitar and piano with such
skill,
Brown says it rivalled that of some of
the era's best session men who
played on Spector's Wall of Sound
productions.
Yet, as Clint Eastwood remarked that
a "good man has to know his
limitations," Spector quickly realized
his fame would not ignite in a vocal
group, but rather as the sonic
architect of the best ones he could
find, beg, borrow, or even steal. and
bring into his studio.
So, a succession of pop hits with
Spector as the producer began in the
early 60s, including the Ronettes,
and culminating with the
humongous hits produced by
Spector with the Righteous Brothers.
When things were hot for Spector
during this period, his mercurial-and
sometimes downright bizarre habits,
including screamfests with
associates and friends and gun
play-were basically overlooked.
But when his style of production-the
grand sonic stew of his big honking
production-started to sound "old,"
Spector began to unravel, drinking to
excess and basically making an ass,
and an enemy of himself to many in
the cutthroat music biz.
Put simply-if anything can be simply
put when it comes to Spector-it is
Brown's thesis that after Spector's
grand plan for the song River Deep,
Mountain High stiffed in 1966,
Spector basically gave up.
He would go on to work with the
Beatles and then later the Ramones,
yet he would never be the big player
he always considered himself
although he never produced another
hit record.
Throughout the years after he
"retired" in 1980, Spector would
descend into a madness fueled by
drugs and alcohol, culminating with
his arrest for murder.
A sad ending for what had been 10
years of musical innovation and art.
-------------------------------------------------------
More on Spector's Beatle connection
at:
SOUND
The Rise and Fall of Phil Spector
Knoff
By Mick Brown
452 pages
Just weeks before storied 60's pop
producer Phil Spector was involved
in a shooting in his "castle" that left a
woman dead, English journalist Mick
Brown had a 4 hour sit-down with
the reclusive record maker, who at
one time was known as "the tycoon
of teen."
After the incident, for which Spector
would eventually be charged with
second degree murder. Brown
would use the interview as a jumping
off point for this factual and
fascinating look at a tortured, yet at
one time extremely talented man.
Now that Spector's trial has ended in
a mistrial-that the prosecution says it
will retry-the Spector legend/circus
will march on for the foreseeable
future.
As for the diminutive producer's
past, Brown has produced a highly
detailed account of Spector's highs
and lows, and eventual withdrawal
from the music producing business
for 25 years.
Brown writes that Spector was the
child of married second cousins, and
the possibility that some of the
family's mental health
issues-Spector's sister has been
institutionalized several times-was
the result of such a union.
Yet it is also possible that such iffy
genetics was responsible for
Spector's incredible musical
ability/genuis of having what's
known in the business as perfect
"ears."
Not only would Spector write and
record a number 1 hit record at age
19 in 1958 -To Know Him Is To Love
Him, and ode to his father who
committed suicide when Spector
was 10-but he would also learn to
play the guitar and piano with such
skill,
Brown says it rivalled that of some of
the era's best session men who
played on Spector's Wall of Sound
productions.
Yet, as Clint Eastwood remarked that
a "good man has to know his
limitations," Spector quickly realized
his fame would not ignite in a vocal
group, but rather as the sonic
architect of the best ones he could
find, beg, borrow, or even steal. and
bring into his studio.
So, a succession of pop hits with
Spector as the producer began in the
early 60s, including the Ronettes,
and culminating with the
humongous hits produced by
Spector with the Righteous Brothers.
When things were hot for Spector
during this period, his mercurial-and
sometimes downright bizarre habits,
including screamfests with
associates and friends and gun
play-were basically overlooked.
But when his style of production-the
grand sonic stew of his big honking
production-started to sound "old,"
Spector began to unravel, drinking to
excess and basically making an ass,
and an enemy of himself to many in
the cutthroat music biz.
Put simply-if anything can be simply
put when it comes to Spector-it is
Brown's thesis that after Spector's
grand plan for the song River Deep,
Mountain High stiffed in 1966,
Spector basically gave up.
He would go on to work with the
Beatles and then later the Ramones,
yet he would never be the big player
he always considered himself
although he never produced another
hit record.
Throughout the years after he
"retired" in 1980, Spector would
descend into a madness fueled by
drugs and alcohol, culminating with
his arrest for murder.
A sad ending for what had been 10
years of musical innovation and art.
-------------------------------------------------------
More on Spector's Beatle connection
at:
A young Spector with his
group, The Teddy Bears
group, The Teddy Bears
Spector's mug shot, circa 2003
Spector with a body guard, and
gun, in the 70s.
gun, in the 70s.
Phil Spector and the Ronettes
yucking it up after another triumph
yucking it up after another triumph
Phil Spector, as a boy, with his
father, mother, and sister
father, mother, and sister
Mr. Cool, with a fellow producer
Phil, at the
board,
doing what
he does the
best, with
his first wife,
board,
doing what
he does the
best, with
his first wife,