Phil Spector and the Wall of Sound

[TheWalkman]

It seems only appropriate that ASR acknowledge the death of Phil Spector, creator of the Wall of Sound. Though Spector certainly had his personal issues, I think we would all agree that he was a major force in the recording industry who changed what recorded music sounded like and we are all benefiting today from his influences fifty years ago.

 

[Blumlein 88]

I disagree. The wall of sound recording technique is horrible IMO. Yes plenty of music was popular and made for hits. I'd contend nearly all of it would have been even better with almost any other recording technique.

 

[dmac6419]

I disagree. The wall of sound recording technique is horrible IMO. Yes plenty of music was popular and made for hits. I'd contend nearly all of it would have been even better with almost any other recording technique. Nor do I think his technique changed the industry.

According to the recording experts it did and you can quote me.

 

[mhardy6647]

I disagree. The wall of sound recording technique is horrible IMO. Yes plenty of music was popular and made for hits. I'd contend nearly all of it would have been even better with almost any other recording technique.

Deeply and profoundly horrible, I'd opine.

I hope I don't have to say this, but, to be clear -- I am not at all glad to hear he died, but he was, at best, a polarizing figure -- not unimportant historically in pop music, and (presumably), like Liberace, he cried all the way to the bank when his style was criticized... but he was also pretty clearly a very disturbed individual for much of (perhaps even most or all of) his life.

(and my apologies for that horrific, run on sentence; weird punctuation notwithstanding)

 

[andreasmaaan]

Here's another clunky sentence:

Every album he produced of any artist that I like is my least favourite of that artist's albums.

 

[mhardy6647]

Here's another clunky sentence:

Every album he produced of any artist that I like is my least favourite of that artist's albums.

1) I concur.
2) I understood it perfectly.

[2a) I am left handed... which pretty much explains everything]

on topic.

 

[Jmudrick]

Here's another clunky sentence:

Every album he produced of any artist that I like is my least favourite of that artist's albums.

I thought the Lennon , Cohen , and Dion albums' production were indeed awful. That said I disagree that the Darlene Love and Ronnie Spector records would somehow be better without Spector's production. I'm grateful they exist.

 

[617]

Acknowledged

 

[bobbooo]

Phil Spector brought joy to pop music – and misery to so many lives

 

[Tom C]

1) I concur.
2) I understood it perfectly.

[2a) I am left handed... which pretty much explains everything]

on topic.

View attachment 106743

Is that a wig?

 

[mhardy6647]

Is that a wig?

yes.

 

[Jmudrick]

yes.

In addition to his other qualities the man had a keen fashion sense

 

[SIY]

What he did to Let It Be was deserving of capital punishment.

 

[andreasmaaan]

I thought the Lennon , Cohen , and Dion albums' production were indeed awful. That said I disagree that the Darlene Love and Ronnie Spector records would somehow be better without Spector's production. I'm grateful they exist.

Actually, I'm not so familiar with Darlene Love and Ronnie Spector. It was artists like Cohen, Lennon, The Beatles, etc. that I had in mind...

 

[Jmudrick]

What he did to Let It Be was deserving of capital punishment.

It never struck me as being as bad as the others I mentioned. True Long and Winding Road was insufferable.

https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertai...non-sabotaged-the-long-and-winding-road.html/

 

[mhardy6647]

I should say that I think/assume/believe it was a wig.

Re: Let It Be -- yeah, I rarely fall into "Paul McCartney apologist" camp but I think it is safe to say that the late Mr. Spector did not do the source material he had to work with any favors.

Speaking of which -- y'all did see this, yes?

 

[Jmudrick]

Actually, I'm not so familiar with Darlene Love and Ronnie Spector. It was artists like Cohen, Lennon, The Beatles, etc. that I had in mind...

Well those artists only turned to Spector based on their fondness for the earlier work with the Ronettes and Crystals.

 

[andreasmaaan]

Well those artists only turned to Spector based on their fondness for the earlier work with the Ronettes and Crystals.

Is that so? I tried to research why e.g. Cohen (my favourite of the three) decided to collaborate with him, and there seem to be many conflicting accounts. The only thing that seems clear is that he was happy with neither the collaboration nor the end product...

 

[StefaanE]

My appreciation is that the man was just ghastly, both at the personal and the musical level. Quite clearly, some people are so messed up psychologically that they pursue their own interests with little or no regard for others, and Spector (like many well-know people) was part of that category. He did influence popular music, and everyone can judge for themselves whether or not they liked his style. I most emphatically do not.

 

[Robin L]

Those of you interested in the whole ugly story will want to check out "Tearing Down The Wall Of Sound" by Mick Brown, including the final interview with Spector just before his arrest for murder. A very uncomfortable read: