One of pop music’s greatest – and weirdest – producers was the late Phil Spector. His ‘Wall of Sound’ literally changed how pop songs were produced during the 1960s, and influenced almost every music production that followed. From his late 50s start with The Teddy Bears’ #1 charting hit ‘To Know Him is to Love Him’, through the ‘girl groups’ of the early 60s and his first #1 charting production – the aptly titled ‘He’s a Rebel‘ – he went on to give us such classics as ‘You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling’, ‘Unchained Melody‘ and ‘River Deep, Mountain High‘. His work with the Beatles’ final project – ‘Let it Be‘ – has been both praised and criticized. And there’s more to Spector … which I’ll detail in my upcoming spotlight.
There’s another ‘Phil’, I’ll salute as well – Phil Collins turns 70 – with his own dramatic career from ground-breaking work as drummer/vocalist for Genesis to a brilliant solo career. And I’ll have birthday celebrations for two Canadian female singers: Margo Timmins of the Cowboy Junkies and Sarah McLauchlan.
I hope you’ll join me for a ‘tale of two Phils’ on the next edition of ‘Vintage Favourites’ this Sunday (31st) on Zoomer Radio.