Spector: Great producer, legendary eccentric

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(CNN) -- Phil Spector is almost as well known for his idiosyncrasies as he is for his records.

Spector created the "Wall of Sound," the unearthly echoed instrumental sound that made the songs he produced -- from the Ronettes' "Be My Baby" to the Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' " to Ike and Tina Turner's cataclysmic "River Deep, Mountain High" -- sound like they were emerging from a cavernous rock 'n' roll cathedral.

Moreover, Spector made the Wall of Sound with primitive two-track machines, recording his tracks live and mixing his musicians on the fly, with only the strings and vocals being overdubbed. It was an amazing achievement, something today's producers would have trouble duplicating with countless overdubs.

His hit records earned him millions of dollars, along with the nickname "the first tycoon of teen" from author Tom Wolfe.

The Wall of Sound's influence on pop music can be heard in thousands of records since, from the Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds" album to the Raspberries' single "Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)" to Bruce Springsteen's song "Born to Run" and on to any densely produced record on today's charts.

But Spector also could be difficult in the studio, working his musicians through countless takes and retakes in pursuit of perfection. However, engineer Larry Levine takes pains to note that Spector's behavior was "not out of contempt -- only because he was so preoccupied with the record."

Spector could be rough on his musicians. He dismissed the Righteous Brothers as "mediocre singers" after "Lovin' Feelin' " hit No. 1 in early 1965. As co-founder of Philles Records, he made deals with songwriters and industry execs but broke them at his whim, according to Mark Ribowsky's biography, "He's a Rebel."

Moreover, his six-year marriage to Ronnie Spector of the Ronettes was marked by his jealous tirades and rumors of abuse. After their 1974 divorce, he prevented her from singing any of her Ronettes hits on television. Ronnie Spector and the group have engaged in a protracted legal battle to win royalties from Phil Spector. In October, the New York Court of Appeals ruled the Ronettes weren't entitled to a share of the money their recordings earned through movies, television and advertising.

"I can't sing any of my hits, from 'Be My Baby' to 'Walking in the Rain.' It's so silly," she told The Hartford (Connecticut) Courant in 2000. "Obviously he's still angry with me from the divorce. I just don't understand why he's holding on to me like gum on my shoe. You know, it's sick."

Spector has been famously reclusive for decades. Even before he retreated from the public eye his behavior could be erratic. In 1966, he took out large ads exclaiming "Benedict Arnold Was Right!" after the U.S. commercial failure of "River Deep, Mountain High," which became a hit in Britain.

Working with the Beatles

In 1969, he returned to the charts with his production of the Checkmates Ltd.'s "Black Pearl," and appeared in the movie "Easy Rider" as a drug dealer. The next year he took the many hours of the Beatles' "Let It Be" tapes and gave them their final gloss.

The "Let It Be" results have been debated ever since; John Lennon praised Spector's work, but Rolling Stone magazine characterized the album as being "rough gems" turned into "costume jewelry."

"Phil Spector puked all over 'Let It Be,' " engineer Glyn Johns has said.

Recently, Paul McCartney announced he was producing the "Let It Be" tracks in a "back-to-basics" version.

Lennon and George Harrison later enlisted Spector to produce a handful of their solo albums, but Lennon and Spector had a falling-out. The release of Lennon's 1975 album "Rock and Roll" was delayed because Spector refused to give him the master tapes.

Spector's last major production was the Ramones' 1980 record, "End of the Century." It, too, was marked by pitched battles between producer and artist. During the session, the late bassist Dee Dee Ramone said Spector pulled a gun on the band.

In a 1995 biography by Rolling Stone magazine, Spector was alleged to have demonstrated near-psychotic and abusive behavior.

"It had to stop," Spector said of his behavior in a 1977 Los Angeles Times interview. "Being the rich millionaire in the mansion and then dressing up as Batman. I have to admit I did enjoy it to a certain extent. But I began to realize it was very unhealthy."

Spector was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.

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