Phil Spector, whose “Wall of Sound” was a groundbreaking recording technique that powered some of the biggest acts in music, has died at age 80.
The Wall of Sound was a meticulous and layered approach to recording, smacking a listener with a dense, almost symphonic array even on basic rock ‘n roll tunes. It made Spector one of rock music’s first auteurs and one of its most successful producers in a thriving era for pop music. Among his many clients were the Ronettes, the Beatles, the Ramones, the Righteous Brothers, and George Harrison.
But Spector fell from grace when he was incarcerated for the 2003 murder of actress Lana Clarkson at his home. Spector, known to brandish firearms, claimed his gun went off accidentally. He was tried several times for the murder, finally convicted in 2008 and sentenced to 19 years to life in California state prison. He was incarcerated at the California State Health Care facility in Stockton at his death.
Spector would have been eligible for parole in 2024.
Born Harvey Phillip Spector in the Bronx, New York in 1939,
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