|
Post by coyote on Jan 17, 2021 17:02:00 GMT
Legendary "wall of sound" producer has died in prison where he was serving a sentence for 2nd degree murder (what we would call manslaugter) in 2003 www.BBC.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-55697979I will always think of 'Be My Baby' when I hear Spector's name, and also the original, much maligned 'Let It Be' album that Paul tried to stop being released. Highly illustrious career in the 60s and 70s, he worked with a host of big names, but rather went off the rails in his later years.
|
|
|
Post by McCann on Jan 17, 2021 22:19:38 GMT
He pulled a gun on the Ramones to get them to record their biggest hit single 'baby I love you'.
But I heard on the news earlier this was far from an isolated incident to motivate some young punk rockers. He also pulled a gun on Leonard Cohen and Debbie Harry and no doubt others. Can only imagine what John Lennon and the Beatles made of working with him.
|
|
|
Post by coyote on Jan 17, 2021 22:32:10 GMT
Can only imagine what John Lennon and the Beatles made of working with him. The Beatles didn't work with him - he was brought in by Allen Klein, given the hundreds of hours of 'Get Back' recordings and told to make an album of it. His version was the third attempt to get an album out of those tapes - The Who producer Glyn Johns had 2 previous efforts rejected. As I mentioned Paul hated Spector's mix with all its lavish overdubs so much that he tried to prevent its release, and when he couldn't, arranged to release his first solo album 'McCartney' on the same day, prompting EMI to put 'Let It Be' back a month. 33 years later Paul got his version of the album - 'Let It Be... Naked' with all the Spector production taken out. He worked with both George and John as solo artists in the 1970s, and he's even in the 'Imagine' film. I've seen a documentary or two about him, he certainly came across as a bizarre character but unquestionably a genius of his day in his field.
|
|
|
Post by pr1 on Jan 18, 2021 8:18:26 GMT
I really like his work with George Harrison and John Lennon.
Spector could be described as strange for most of his adult life.
|
|
|
Post by fordcapri on Jan 18, 2021 19:54:15 GMT
|
|
|
Post by Portland Road on Jan 20, 2021 8:33:39 GMT
There is no doubt that his productions were distinct, and live on indefinitely. However I am not over-keen on the sound because in putting so many instruments onto a mono track it is muddy and muffled.
The song themselves e.g. 'Da Do Ron Ron', 'And Then He Kissed Me' are fine. Indeed they may have been better with a clearer sound from a different producer. And I'm going to be a bit controversial here and suggest that the Tamla Motown version of 'River Deep Mountain High' (1970), by The Supremes & The Four Tops and produced by Ashford & Simpson, is better.
Ironically, he influenced later 'wall of sound' productions by e.g. The Beach Boys and Roy Wood, which had better clarity, and one of his best productions was the George Harrison (UK) b-side 'What Is Life' which I actually prefer to 'My Sweet Lord'.
Whilst not disputing Phil Spector's contribution to music, it is hard to feel sympathy at his death as he was not a nice man unfortunately.
|
|