Tearing Down the Wall of Sound

The Rise and Fall of Phil Spector

By: Mick Brown

Narrated by: Ray Porter

Length: 17 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

Phil Spector, born in the Bronx in 1940, grew up an outsider despised by his peers. Yet after his family moved to California, he learned everything he could about music, formed a band, and had a number-one hit with "To Know Him Is to Love Him". He quickly became the top producer of early rock and roll and the originator of such girl groups as the Ronettes. He was a millionaire by age 21 and owned his own record label by 22. Hit followed hit, and for all of them he used a new recording style and technique called the "wall of sound".

But the reign of the boy-man who owned pop music seemed doomed by the "British Invasion", and Spector spiraled into paranoid isolation and peculiar behavior. Though he seemed to improve for a time, and even returned to the recording studio to work, his renascence didn't last, and in 2003, the actress Lana Clarkson was found at his home, dead from a gunshot wound.

©2007 Mick Brown (P)2007 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic reviews

• Nominee, 2008 Audie Award, Biography/Memoir

"Bloodcurdling....This book would feel like a crime story even if its subject were not currently on trial for Ms. Clarkson's murder." (The New York Times)
"[This] uber-detailed study of pop's scariest visionary is just about as good as a music bio can get." (Kirkus Reviews)
"[A] remarkable book about, among other things, fame, obsession, genius, money and madness....This is the definitive study of the man and the myth that engulfed him." (Observer)

Most Interesting Person

Story is well told and very interesting. I enjoyed every minute of it. Since he is still alive, his story continues on each day with his trial for the murder of Lana Clarkson.

Fascinating and odd character in music history

Any additional comments?

This book was published in 2008, just as Spector's murder trial was getting started so it doesn't have much in the way of that tragic ending to his career. But the murder and the police reports do factor in the ending to this book. The bulk is made up of Spector's rise, his work habits, his increasingly obsessive love life and irrational behavior, all foreshadowing the ignoble end.

The book is heavy on gossip, much of it sourced, as well as fair assessments of the music and skill Spector demonstrated, as well as his drive.

In the final chapters Brown recounts that fateful night when Spector (apparently accidentally) killed Lana Clarkson in his mansion. He had access to police reports and Spector's public announcements and while we don't get the final verdict, based on the foreshadowing throughout the book, we get the sense it will all come crashing down.

Ray Porter does a good job reading the book.

Very informative

This was very informative and was read in a very factual and matter-of-fact manner. I not only learned much about Phil Spector, but also so much about the popular music business of the 60's and 70's. The book ends just before his trial begins, so you have to go to other sources to learn about the actual murder trial itself,,, but it is a very comprehensive tome leading up to the trial. He is a most unique character who was right about so many things but so wrong about so many others, a deeply flawed character who gave so much to the world, but demanded so much more in return.

Too many words

Great job on getting on the details. It did help develop Spector’s character. Just a little too long.

Descent Into Madness

This book is fascinating and I could not stop listening to this.
This is an incredible well researched book, that tries to portray a history of very complex man. Phil Spector worked with some of the most seminal musicians of the 20th century.
I have to echo the thoughts of a previous members review, it would have been great to have snippets of the music mentioned in the book playing in the background. I would look up the songs on the Internet to become familiar with the music. A complex man who finally succumbed to his demons, as talented as he was it is no excuse for his actions.
A cautionary tale for those who live in Ivory towers and have no real friends to point out that they need help. This is not a book about Lara Clarkson, and this is only mentioned in the afterword. This is a book about confronting the dark side of genius and the madness of a wounded soul.

luvs2listen

Excellent to know this screwball's background. I enjoyed every minute of it.

Fascinating Character

I had only been aware of Phil Spector's contribution to pop music in a general sense. I've learned so many things about the specifics of his contributions from this book. These contributions, however, are diminished to a strong degree by his serious flaws as a person. His story is fascinating and tragic at the same time. I highly recommend this book.

Interesting and comprehensive

A lot more than just the story of Phil Spector. Plenty of R&R history

Hmmm, I Didn't Know

I didn't know a lot about Phil Spector, I knew the name and the music but not the stories behind. This is a very interesting bio on a music giant from the other side of the music industry. Well narrated.

A Biig Surprise

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Ray Porter did an absolutely phenomenal job here. I've heard him narrate other audiobooks (listen to Seal Team Six for instance) but his delivery here is a revelation. While he has great material to work with, Porter's contribution to this project makes it one of the best audiobooks that I've listened to in my life. This one should win a Golden Voice or Audie award for best true crime audiobook narration.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Phil Spector

What about Ray Porter’s performance did you like?

He clearly took a creative approach to his performance here. The whole audiobook sounded like a 60 Minutes episode on steroids.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes.

Any additional comments?

I will definitely be listening to this one again. I hope that Porter applies his "method narrating" to other audiobooks. In fact I hope that he does more true crime story narrating. This one's a gem!