Some controversy on my Phil Spector post:

J,
He DID Produce the Beatles... kind of. When no one knew what to do with the "Get Back" sessions, he was brought in and made what was eventually released as the "Let it Be" album, adding all of the strings and choirs and things that McCartney hated (and has had removed from the most recent release). The other Beatles were sufficiently impressed that he produced all of John Lennon and George Harrison's solo work up to about 1974 -- of course it ended badly in guns and lawsuits when he was producing Lennon's "Rock and Roll" album... He also convinced them to reissue his Christmas album on Apple...
-R

R-
Okay, so he DID ( I'll be sure to let my doc know that, too), but he was still crazier than a loon and defintely killed that girl. However, as a responsible blogger I will amend my post.
J

R responds:
--
Oh, he was probably crazy long before that... though he produced at least two of his greatest records during that time ("Instant karma " and "What is Life").. The "Rock and Roll" sessions were, from most reports, quite insane (though the bootlegs of them can be fascinating..) I'm not sure how his defense will go, ..Did I tell you about the article in "Spin" that rather cynically seemed to conclude that 1 )he probably did it but 2) she was no geat loss??? This is not a defense of Spector, by the way.. He is undoubtedly crazy, paranoid, violent. the whole picture... But in his prime he made some amazing records...Does his current case negate the amazing quality of "What is Life" or "Black Pearl" or "This Will Be the Night"...?
R

R-
No, I didnt say the man was not talented. I think the work he did with Tina Turner alone testifies to that, and his absolutely indisputable gifts to music. But it doesn't give him the right to wave guns around, keep Ronnie Spector locked up in a room and kill that girl, who, while not a big "valuable" star, was somebody's friend, neighbor, daughter. Or to shake down my shrink for drugs.
So THERE!
J

And the thing is, R's not alone! ( Sorry, R, you know I love you. But you knew it was coming...) If one MORE person says, "Yeah, but he invented the 'Wall of Sound'", I'll smack 'em. I KNOW, okay? I got it. One of my favorite songs is "God Only Knows" by the Beach Boys, which he produced. I understand. Still doesn't give you the right to wave guns around and kill people just 'cause. He's a symptom of exactly the kind of thing that happens too much here, which is I'm Famous, So I Get To Do Whatever I Want. He'd been doing that sort of thing ( flaunting firearms, picking up girls, acting like a dick) for YEARS. Did anyone stop him? No. Did anyone SAY anything, like , "hey, Phil, you do that one more time and I'm calling the guys with the straitjackets?" No. Why? Because a.) he's the GREAT PHIL SPECTOR, and b.) this is L.A., and that will actually get you a Get Out of Jail Free card. And now there's a dead woman, and everybody's suddenly saying, "well, he HAS always been a little weird..." HELLO!

Think about it this way: how long was O.J. beating and stalking his wife before he killed her ( and don't argue with me about that, don't even GO there; you know he did it)? A long freakin' time. She divorced him, had restraining orders and ( excuse the pun) the whole nine yards, AND may I simply remind you that this city has the toughest penalities for stalking than ANY OTHER in the country. Yet, he repeatedly got close enough to threaten her, and when she called the police, they let him go. Again, and again, and again. And then he killed her. And he got off ( let's not even get INTO why, or how, or that mess, but suffice it to say he did, period), and NOW has custody of their kids. Is there any other place in the world where that could have happened but here? I've seen some fucked-up stuff, but somehow, I just don't think so, no.

So, as this fine celebration of our Independence comes to a close ( cue patriotic music here), let me just urge all you fine Americans out there to be free of illusions about celebrity being something meaningful in and of itself. Free yourself from delusions about exceptional talent and gifts making people pleasant, functional or even sane in their personal lives. Free yourself from thinking that the justice system actually works equally for those who don't have money or clout. And finally, as you slug that last bit of Budwiser at the bottom of your can, and throw your kids' ice-cream cone wrapper into the trash, remember: nobody gets to wave guns around and kill people in this Great Country, unless we ship them out of here on a Blackhawk to do it.

Thank you, and good-night.