Phil Spector’s musical legacy survives

A dictator in the studio
Still, Spector went on to produce critically regarded solo albums in the 1970s by John Lennon and George Harrison before his production fell off amid increasingly frequent reports of bizarre behavior.

He was said to have angered Lennon by firing a gun during one of his recording sessions; another accusation had him pointing a gun at bassist Dee Dee Ramone. Drummer Marky Ramone has since said that episode was overblown.

In the mid-’90s, Spector also recorded several tracks for Celine Dion, but the partnership fell apart over creative differences.

More recently, Spector produced two tracks for the British indie band Starsailor’s 2003 album, “Silence is Easy.”

Described by many as a dictator in the studio, Spector was never easy to work with, said Bill Medley of the Righteous Brothers. But the results he got, Medley quickly added, made the partnership worthwhile.

“Even in those days he was a little odd,” Medley said of working with Spector in the 1960s. “I think he wanted people to think he was an eccentric. And then, who knows, he might have talked himself into it.”

Many of those who worked with him in the early years continue to speak highly of Spector, however. For the most part, they have avoided discussing the murder case.

“I’ve felt very badly about the whole thing,” Kaye said shortly before the case went to the jury. “I did see him at a funeral about five-six years ago. He was older, like we all are, but to me he seemed like the same guy.”

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