by Mick Brown
Ahmet Ertegun (who, sadly, passed away in 2006), New York, May 2003.
Emil Farkas, Los Angeles, October 2005.
Peter Fonda, Montana, August 2003 (by telephone).
Kim Fowley, Redlands, California, August 2003.
Patrick Fraley, Los Angeles, May 2003 (by telephone).
Mitchell Geffen, Los Angeles, October 2005.
Arnold Golan, Los Angeles, September 2004 (by telephone).
Zach Glickman, Los Angeles, October 2005.
Ira Greenberg, New York, April 2004.
Tony Hall, London, October 2003.
Jimmie Haskell, Los Angeles, August 2003.
Al Hazan, Los Angeles, August 2003.
Dennis Hopper, Los Angeles, April 2006 (by telephone).
Gloria Jones, Los Angeles, October 2003 (by telephone).
Bruce Johnston, Santa Barbara, January 2005 (by telephone).
Courtney Kanner, Los Angeles, July 2003 (by telephone).
Dan Kessel, Palm Springs, California, August 2003; Los Angeles, October 2005.
David Kessel, Los Angeles, October 2003 (by telephone).
Tony King, London, October 2003.
Charles Kipps, New York, June 2005 (by telephone).
Don Kirshner, Boca Raton, Florida, December 2003.
Al Kooper, Boston, May 2004 (by telephone).
Harvey Kubernik, Los Angeles, August 2003.
John Leckie, London, April 2004 (by telephone).
Jerry Leiber, Los Angeles, August 2003.
Linda Leitch (née Lawrence), Ireland, November 2003 (by telephone).
Nola Leone, Los Angeles, October 2004 (by telephone).
Karen Lerner, New York, December 2004.
Larry Levine, Los Angeles, August 2003.
Ann Marshall, Los Angeles, August 2003.
Annette Merar, Los Angeles, October 2004.
Bob Mercer, Los Angeles, March 2005 (by telephone).
Ron Milstein, Los Angeles, March 2005 (by telephone).
Jerry Moss, Los Angeles, August 2003.
Beverly Noga, Los Angeles, June 2004.
Yoko Ono, Paris, September 2003.
Andy Paley, Los Angeles, August 2003.
May Pang, London, June 2003.
Alex Peltz, New York, April 2004.
Michelle Phillips, Los Angeles, August 2003.
Stu Phillips, New York, March 2005 (by telephone).
Burt Prelutsky, Los Angeles, August 2003 (by telephone).
Sy Presten, New York, August 2006 (by telephone).
Don Randi, Los Angeles, August 2003.
Joan Rivers, New York, September 2005 (by telephone).
Devra Robitaille, Los Angeles, June 2004.
Eric Root, Los Angeles, May 2003 (by telephone).
Beverly Ross, Nashville, July 2004 (by telephone).
Diana Ross, New York, February 2004.
Stan Ross, Los Angeles, August 2003.
Chuck Rubin, Woodstock, April 2004.
Catherine Sebastian, New York, December 2003.
John Sebastian, Woodstock, December 2003 (by telephone). Harold Seider, Los Angeles, October 2003.
Frances Sheen, DeSoto, Texas, October 2003 (by telephone).
Charlie Sheen, Los Angeles, October 2003 (by telephone).
Joe Smith, Los Angeles, August 2003.
Phil Spector, Los Angeles, December 2002.
Michael Spencer, New York, February 2005; January 2006.
Stewart Stern, Washington State, April 2006 (by telephone).
Nedra Talley, Virginia, December 2004.
Nino Tempo, Los Angeles, August 2003.
Russ Titelman, New York, January 2006.
Ike Turner, Los Angeles, August 2003.
Klaus Voormann, Bernried, Germany, April 2004 (by telephone).
Bill Walsh, Boston, March 2005 (by telephone).
Jerry Wexler, Tampa, Florida, August 2003.
Brian Wilson, Los Angeles, November 2001.
Toni Wine, Los Angeles, June 2004 (by telephone).
Selected Bibliography
There have been five books written about Phil Spector prior to this one: those by Richard Williams, Rob Finnis, Mark Ribowsky, Dave Thompson and Carlton Smith. I have drawn on all of them in researching this book, and I salute all five authors. Other books consulted include:
Abbott, Kingsley. Back to the Beach: A Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys Reader (Helter Skelter: London, 2002).
Baker, James Robert. Fuel-Injected Dreams (Bantam Press: New York, 1986).
Benjaminson, Peter. The Story of Motown (Grove Press: New York, 1979).
Betrock, Alan. Girl Groups: The Story of a Sound (Delilah Books: New York, 1982).
Biskind, Peter. Easy Riders, Raging Bulls (Simon Schuster: New York, 1998).
Bono, Sonny. And the Beat Goes On (Pocket Books: New York, 1991).
Boyd, Joe. White Bicycles: Making Music in the 1960s (Serpent’s Tail: London, 2006).
DiLello, Richard. The Longest Cocktail Party (Canongate: Edinburgh, 2005).
Egan, Sean. The Guys Who Wrote ’Em (Askill: London, 2004).
Emerson, Ken. Always Magic in the Air: The Bomp and Brilliance of the Brill Building Era(Viking: New York, 2005).
Finnis, Rob. The Phil Spector Story (Rockon: London, 1975).
Gillett, Charlie. Making Tracks: The Story of Atlantic Records (Souvenir Press: London, 1988).
Gillett, Charlie. The Sound of the City (Souvenir Press: London, 1996).
Goldman, Albert. The Lives of John Lennon (Bantam: London, 1998).
Goldman, Albert, and Lawrence Schiller. Ladies and Gentlemen—Lenny Bruce! (Ballantine: New York, 1974).
Gordy, Berry. To Be Loved: An Autobiography (Headline: London, 1994).
Hoskyns, Barney. Waiting for the Sun: The Story of the Los Angeles Music Scene (Viking: London, 1996).
King, Tom. The Operator: David Geffen Builds, Buys, and Sells the New Hollywood(Broadway Books: New York, 2001).
Kooper, Al. Backstage Passes and Backstabbing Bastards (Billboard Books: New York, 1998).
Loog Oldham, Andrew. Stoned (Secker Warburg: London, 2000).
———. 2Stoned (Secker Warburg: London, 2002).
Love, Darlene, with Rob Hoerburger. My Name Is Love (William Morrow: New York, 1998).
MacDonald, Ian. Revolution in the Head: The Beatles’ Records the Sixties (Fourth Estate: London, 1994).
McDonough, Jimmy. Shakey: Neil Young’s Biography (Vintage: London, 2003).
McKeen, William (ed.) Rock and Roll Is Here to Stay (Norton: New York, 2000).
Miles, Barry. Ginsberg (Viking: London, 1990).
———. Frank Zappa: A Biography (Atlantic Books, London: 2004).
Nadel, Ira B. Various Positions: A Life of Leonard Cohen (Bloomsbury: London, 1996).
Norman, Philip. The Stones (Penguin: London 1993).
———. The True Story of the Beatles (Hamish Hamilton: London 1981).
Picardie, Justine, and Dorothy Wade. Atlantic and the Godfathers of Rock and Roll (Fourth Estate: London, 1993).
Ribowsky, Mark. He’s a Rebel: Phil Spector, Rock and Roll’s Legendary Producer (Cooper Square Press: New York, 2000).
Rice, Tim, Joe Rice, and Paul Gambaccini (eds.) Guinness Book of British Hit Singles of the 60s (Guinness: London, 1979).
The Rolling Stone Interviews (1967–1980)(St. Martin’s/Rolling Stone Press: New York, 1981).
Smith, Carlton. Reckless: Millionaire Record Producer Phil Spector and the Violent Death of Lana Clarkson(St. Martin’s Paperbacks: New York, 2004).
Smith, Joe. Off the Record: An Oral History of Popular Music (Warner Books: New York, 1990).
Spector, Ronnie, with Vince Waldron. Be My Baby (Pan: London, 1991).
Strongman, Phil and Alan Parker. John Lennon and the FBI Files (Sanctuary: London, 2003).
Thompson, Dave. Wall of Pain: The Biography of Phil Spector (Sanctuary: London, 2003).
True, Everett. Hey Ho Let’s Go, The Story of the Ramones (Omnibus: London
, 2002).
Twiggy. In Black and White (Pocket Books: London, 1998).
Tynan, Kenneth, John Lahr (ed.) The Diaries of Kenneth Tyan (Bloomsbury: London, 2001).
Wexler, Jerry, and David Ritz. Rhythm and the Blues (Jonathan Cape: London, 1994).
Wilson, Brian, with Todd Gold. Wouldn’t It Be Nice: My Own Story (Harper Collins: New York, 1991).
Williams, Paul. Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys: How Deep Is the Ocean (Omnibus: London, 2003).
Williams, Richard. Phil Spector: Out of His Head (Omnibus: London, 2003).
Wolfe, Tom. The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby (Jonathan Cape: London, 1965).
Newspapers, Periodicals and Broadcasts
“A Giant Stands 5 ft 7 in,” Time, February 19, 1965.
Anson, Robert Sam. “Legend with a Bullet” Vanity Fair, June 2003.
Bart, Peter. “A Groovy Kind of Genius,” New York Times, July 10, 1966.
“Behind the Shooting at Phil Spector’s Home,” Fox News, March 17, 2003.
Blackmore, Tim, and Charlie Gillett. “Phil Spector: The Story of Pop, ” BBC Radio, 1983.
Boucher, Geoff. “Spector Was in Dark Place, Friends Say,” Los Angeles Times, February 7, 2003.
Brennan, Sandra. “Vice girls” (synopsis), http://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=avg sql=1:162035.
Briggs, Joe Bob. “Lana Clarkson: Requiem for the Barbarian Queen,” Slate, http:// www.slate.com/id/2078263/.
Brown, Mick. “Behind the Wall of Sound,” Sunday Telegraph, November 10, 1991.
———. “Found: Rock’s Lost Genius,” Telegraph magazine, February 1, 2003.
———. “Juke Box Jury,” Telegraph magazine, February 5, 2005.
———. “Unscripted Ending,” Telegraph magazine, August 26, 2003.
Carr, Roy. “The Phil Spector Story,” New Musical Express, March 6, 1976.
Cleave, Maureen. “Fifteen Hits in a Row,” Evening Standard, January 25, 1964.
Cohn, Nik. “Phil Spector,” The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock Roll, 1976.
Collins, Glenn. “A ’90s Refrain for a ’60s Girl Group,” New York Times, June 26, 1998.
DeCurtis, Anthony. “No Mercy: Leonard Cohen’s Tales from the Dark Side,” Rolling Stone, February 21, 1993.
Deutsch, Linda. “Coroner: Spector May Not Have Shot Victim,” Associated Press, May 7, 2004.
———. “Phil Spector Replaces Lawyer, Hires Leslie Abramson to Replace Him,”
Associated Press, February 3, 2004.
———. “Phil Spector’s Former Personal Assistant Claims Sex Harassment,” Associated Press, March 29, 2006.
“Devra Robitaille to Warner/Spector Post,” Cash Box, July 19, 1975.
Doncaster, Patrick. “The Man Who Said No to a Million,” Daily Mirror, February 7,1964.
Garrison, Jessica. “Behind Wall of Silence, Spector Busy with Suits,” Los Angeles Times, May 24, 2006.
Gordinier, Jeff. “Naked Ambition: with the No. 1 hit ‘Because You Loved Me’ Canadian Songbird Céline Dion Finally Seduces America,” Entertainment Weekly, March 29, 1996.
“Gotti Lawyer to Rep Spector,” CBS News.com, August 25, 2004.
Graham, Caroline. “Dad Always Had a Gun on Him: He Ruled by Fear,” Mail on Sunday, December 14, 2003.
Hilburn, Robert. “Spector on Spector: 10 Golden Memories,” Los Angeles Times, November 10, 1991.
——. “Tearing Down the Wall of Silence,” Los Angeles Times, November 10, 1991. Hoerburger, Rob. “The Power of Love,” New York Times, June 20, 1993.
Holden, Stephen. “Leonard Cohen Obscured: a Haunting by Spector,” Rolling Stone, January 26, 1978.
Kubernik, Harvey. “Phil Spector,” Goldmine, August 2000.
———. “Wild Colonial Boy: Phil Spector,” copyright 2003.
———. “Phil Spector: Jack Nitzsche Remembers the Wall of Sound,” Goldmine, June 1988.
“Lawyer Defends Work for ‘Mafia Cops,’” Associated Press, June 30, 2006.
Lloyd, Robert. “‘Time of the Session’: When the Music Was Fast, and the Players Anonymous,” LA Weekly, April 8, 2004.
Macintyre, Ben. “Down with Blazing Wallet,” The Times, April 16, 1993.
Nitzsche, Jack. “Sylvie Simmons: Interview with Jack Nitzsche,” Spectropop, http:// www.spectropop.com/JackNitzsche/sylviesimmonspage1.htm.
Peterson, Helen. “Spector’s Ex-Wife Shocked,” Daily News, December 9, 2003.
Petridis, Alexis. “Life After Tulsa,” Guardian, May 14, 2003.
“Phil Spector in Mystery Mishap,” Rolling Stone, April 11, 1974.
Priore, Domenic. “Steve Douglas,” Dumb Angel, no. 4, 2005.
Puterbaugh, Parke. “Reconstructing Producer Phil Spector’s Legendary Style,” RollingStone, August 23, 1990.
Raab, Scott. “Be My, Be My Baby: The Phil Spector Story,” Esquire, July 2003. Rose, Derek. “Spector’s Sons: Dad Caged Us,” Daily News, May 26, 2003.
Segal, David. “Crossly Examined,” Washington Post, June 24, 2006.
Selvin, Joel. “Over the Wall,” Mojo, May 2003.
“Spector Drops Suit Against Former Attorney,” Associated Press, December 17, 2005.
Sweetingham, Lisa. “Judge: Prosecutors Can Scan Spector’s Civil-suit Deposition,”
Court TV, January 27, 2006.
Talbot, David, and Barbara Zheutlin. “Expecting to Fly: Jack Nitzsche,” Crawdaddy, November 1974.
Trow, George. “Eclectic, Reminiscent, Amused, Fickle, Perverse”: 2-part profile of Ahmet Ertegun, The New Yorker, 1978.
Usborne, David. “The Control Freak,” Independent, June 27, 1998.
Wenner, Jann. “The Phil Spector Interview,” Rolling Stone, November 1, 1969.
Wexler, Mark. “Phil Spector: Freaky Genius of Rock…,” People, September 22,1975.
“What I’ve learned: Phil Spector,” Esquire, September 1999.
Williams, Richard. “The Producer,” Guardian, February 5, 2003.
Websites
www.spectropop.com: the definitive website for anyone interested in ’60s pop music.
www.history-of-rock.com: a useful, comprehensive overview of the history of pop.
www.rocksbackpages.com: probably the world’s most extensive online library of rock journalism. http://lpintop.tripod.com/jeffbarry: Jeff Barry: The Man and His Music.
www.bigmagic.com/blackj: The Blacklisted Journalist: Al Aronowitz.
www.usc.edu/libraries/archives/la/scandals/chessman.htm: Caryl Chessman.
www.carolconnors.com: Carol Connors/Annette Kleinbard.
http://acereco01.uuhost.uk.uu.net/gotrt/feb01/cdchd793.htm: Dion: Born to Be with You, by Sean Rowley, Ace Records.
www.felderpomus.com: Doc Pomus.
www.rachellemarie.com: Rachelle Spector.
www.goldstarrecordingstudios.com: Gold Star Studios.
www.bpfallon.com/joey_spector.htm: “A Goodbye Note to Joey Ramone from Phil Spector.
” www.livingdollproductions.com: Lana Clarkson.
http://web.inter.nl/users/wilkens/Lh06.htm: The Lee Hazlewood Story.
www.serve.com/cpage/LCohen/BBCshow.htm: Leonard Cohen on BBC Radio.
www.snopes.com/music/artists/spector.htm: “(Let’s Dance) The Screw.”
http://rarebeatles.com/ghpsatmp.htm: Letter from Phil Spector to George Harrison re: All Things Must Pass.
http://members.aol.com/dcspohr/lenny/original.htm: Lenny Bruce—extract from Lenny Bruce essay “I Remember Lenny” by Grover Sales.
www.freenetpages.co.uk/hp/lennybruce: The Complete Lenny Bruce.
www.mann-weil.com: Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil.
www.richmondhillhistory.org/JackMaple.htm: Jack Maple remembered.
www.spectropop.com/JackNitzsche: Jack Nitzsche.
www.wtv-zone.com/dpjohnson/parissisters: Paris Sisters.
http://www.lincolnu.edu/[.similar]nordstro/jou335/payola.htm: Payola history, Lincoln University of Missouri.
www.philspector.comhttp://home.t
bbs.net/[.similar]msland/Spector: the Phil Spector record label gallery.
www.righteousbrothersdiscography.com
www.performingsongwriter.com: They Call Me Mr. Big: Notorious Rock Managers, Bill DeMain.
www.ramones.com
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/carousel/pob00.htm: You Are the Plastic Ono Band.
ILLUSTRATIONS CREDITS
The Spector family: Harvey, Benjamin, Bertha and Shirley. A celebratory dinner, circa 1947—Courtesy of Paulette Brandt.
The Teddy Bears, 1958. (Left to right) Phil Spector, Annette Kleinbard and Marshall Lieb—Corbis.
With Jack Nitzsche (left) and Darlene Love, Gold Star Studios, 1963—Ray Avery/CTSIMAGES.COM.
With Larry Levine and Annette Spector, Gold Star Studios, 1963—Ray Avery/CTSIMAGES.COM.
With the Ronettes, Gold Star Studios, 1963—Ray Avery/CTSIMAGES.COM.
With Tina and Ike Turner, Gold Star Studios, 1966—Ray Avery/CTSIMAGES.COM.
Phil Spector and George Brand guarding the La Collina mansion, 1975—Corbis.
The Pyrenees Castle, Alhambra, photographed on the morning of Spector’s arrest—AP.
Lana Clarkson—AP.
Rachelle Spector—Neil Zlozower.
Phil Spector appears in court, May 2005—AP.
ALSO BY MICK BROWN
Richard Branson: The Inside Story
American Heartbeat: Travels from Woodstock to San Jose by Song Title
The Spiritual Tourist: A Personal Odyssey Through the Outer Reaches of Belief
Performance
The Dance of 17 Lives: The Incredible True Story of Tibet’s Seventeenth Karmapa
*1Hill and Range administered Elvis Presley Music, the company which had been set up by Presley’s manager Colonel Tom Parker. Freddy Bienstock, a cousin of Hill and Range’s founders Jean and Julian Aberbach, had the sole responsibility for selecting material and presenting it to Elvis personally. “I had a song written by Leiber and Stoller which I thought was very good for Elvis,” he remembers. “I went out to Memphis and played it for him. And he listened to the first eight bars and he took it off and said, ‘It’s not for me.’ I was disappointed, and I thought I’ll wait. And not the next session, but the session after that, I resubmitted it to him. And he started playing it, and after eight bars he looked at me and said, ‘I didn’t like it the first time.’ I was stunned. He must have heard thousands of songs in between.”