Tearing Down the Wall of Sound: The Rise and Fall of Phil Spector (Vintage) by Mick Brown Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Tearing Down the Wall of Sound: The Rise and Fall of Phil Spector (Vintage)
Book Review: Money and power doesn't always bring happiness
Summary: 4 Stars
Phil Spector-Wasn't he the musical genius in the 60s and 70s, the man who created "the wall of sound?" Wasn't he the guy charged with murdering a 40-year-old actress Lana Clarkson whom he had just met. Spector is both-but so much more in between.
I appreciated the thoroughness of this book. Brown left no aspect of Spector's life unexamined. We ride the highs and lows of his work with the Ronettes, The Righteous Brothers, Cher, and other famous groups and individuals (including two former Beattles), and too many others to mention.
Counted as a friend were John Lennon and Lenny Bruce, who both died young. He shared with many of his friends the experience of father abandonment (his committed suicide when he was 9).
Spector often co-wrote songs (or simply added his name) and was a very accomplished musician on several instruments. He had a keen ear for the right combination of instruments and sounds.
The Righteous Brothers "Lost that Loving Feeling" (produced by Spector) is the most requested song ever-first to exceed 7 million performances. But Spector was so difficult to work with because of his demands and eccentric behavior that many worked with him only once.
Brown filled the 466 pages with so much info I was often on overload (happily). Every story showed Spector bordering on genius-and madman-often at the same time. He was eccentric in both clothing and hairstyle, and loved being noticed, even negatively. Once he had the status of needing bodyguards, he could be rude and they'd handle things.
A loyal secretary said, "I don't think Phil likes himself as much as other people like him," and he was forever trying to prove himself, mostly to himself. He didn't know what happiness was. A former girlfriend said, "I don't think he minded being thought of as neurotic, but he didn't want to show that he was venerable." For multimillionaire Spector, money did not buy happiness.
I found the book fascinating and would recommend it to anyone who loved music from that era-or reading about a genius who fell hard. Only a small portion of the book is devoted to the 2003 murder and trial, the first ending in a mistrial in 2007.
Armchair Interview says: Brown, a British journalist, author and broadcaster, used a very even-handed approach to Spector's life, and it is obvious he also really knows the music business.
Book Review: Good, but even then, there can be too much information!
Summary: 4 Stars
Interesting biography of a sick, sick puppy whose scant 2-3 years of true creativity have financed a hell of a lot of bad behavior and lulled our culture into thinking he's a legendary genius. Did you know that Phil's parents were first cousins? Eeeeeeew.Book Review: My wife threw it in the fireplace fearing our conversations would be only about spector..
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is so well writing that half way through after my wife got so sick of me talking about this jerk spector she tossed it in the fireplace just to make it stop. This guy got away with murder. NO doubt about it.Book Review: Best Spector Bio
Summary: 5 Stars
I've read them all, and this is both the best-researched and best-written biography of Phil Spector. I got a fuller picture of Spector, the (troubled, neurotic, brilliant, unstable) man than I have from any other book. In addition, the author places Spector's work in its proper historic perspective, with great insights into the shifting world of pop music, from Spector's rise in the early 60s through his decline in the 70s. He interviewed many of those who helped to create the "wall of sound," so we get a good idea of how the Spector classics came to be, as well as innumerable amusing, interesting or, at times, appalling anecdotes. If you love Spector's music, or 60s pop in general, this is a must-read. Book Review: Dense, entertaining look at popular music, and one man's genius and demons
Summary: 4 Stars
"Tearing Down the Wall of Sound" is an engaging, informative, and very entertaining reading experience. This is in large part due to the fact that even if one gets a little tired of the endless personal antics of Mr. Spector, the book also functions as a pretty comprehensive examination of the evolution of popular music from the 50's to the present. But to also give the book's subject his due, it's also fascinating to learn exactly what a record producer does and how Mr. Spector, during several specific moments in history, did it better than anyone else.
Alas, the book also makes it pretty clear that the gun tragedy of a few years ago involving Mr. Spector was bound to happen sooner or later, as author Mick Brown recounts literally dozens of incidents of Mr. Spector waving a gun at someone in jest, in a bullying manner, or in jealousy or anger.
But it's the many musical stories and anecdotes that really stand out here. Reading all the behind-the-scenes stuff about the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Sonny and Cher (Sonny got his start taking down sandwich orders for Phil Spector and his technicians!), the Ronettes, Teddy Bears, etc. is a blast, and also kind of reassuring: we see that, despite talent and often genius, our musical heroes often struggled to produce good work; usually relied on the guidance of a good producer or other technical person; and worried what people thought of them. In other words, we're reminded that those musical heroes, in at least some ways, weren't too different from the rest of us.