ALI MOORE, PRESENTER: The man who almost single-handedly defined the music of the early '60s is now facing the prospect of dying in gaol after being convicted of second degree murder. At 68, legendary music producer Phil Spector was convicted by a jury six years after he shot a film actress in his mansion in Los Angeles. It hasn't come as a surprise to those familiar with the reclusive star's alcohol and drug-fuelled lifestyle which also included an unhealthy fascination with guns. Thea Dikeos reports.
THEA DIKEOS, REPORTER: They were the stars, but he was the svengali who would find his own fame.
STUART COUPE, MUSIC CRITIC: He worked with The Ronettes, he worked with the Righteous Brothers, with Ike and Tina Turner. He created - pretty much created the girl group sound. He worked with The Beatles as a band, he worked with John Lennon, he worked with George Harrison, he worked with Leonard Cohen, he worked with the Ramones. You know, like a massive number of people.
THEA DIKEOS: In the early '60s, Phil Spector crafted the music of some of the biggest names in rock 'n' roll. His obsession with detail and grandiose arrangements would eventually earn its own label.
STUART COUPE: Out of that, he created this thing that is known as "the Wall of Sound", which is just this glorious cacophony of, you know, just huge sound. And it's probably the most emulated recording sound in the history of popular music.
PRESENTER (archive footage): The greatest record producer pop music has ever seen, Mr Phil Spector.
PHIL SPECTOR, MUSIC PRODUCER: It doesn't matter if I ever get to Heaven; I've been honoured by Cue Magazine and you, and Heaven can't be any better than that. Thank you.
THEA DIKEOS: The trappings of success came early: at just 21, he was a millionaire. But in his mid-20s, he became somewhat of a recluse and the dark side to the bright star began to emerge.
STUART COUPE: And then of course there were drugs - lots of drugs, by all reports; heavy, heavy consumption of alcohol and a predilection for firearms. You know, he'd pulled guns on musicians in the studio to, presumably, get them to concentrate or become more focused, as a gun at your head tends to do. He pulled guns on the Ramones when he was recording the 'End of the Century' album. I mean, for Heaven's sake, he apparently pulled a gun on Leonard Cohen when he was recording the album 'Death of a Lady's Man'.
THEA DIKEOS: Six years ago in the early hours of the morning, Phil Spector's dark side hit the headlines. Aspiring actress and cocktail waitress Lana Clarkson met Phil Spector at a music club and that night accompanied him home to his castle in Los Angeles for a drink.
FAYE BUGARIN, LOS ANGELES SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT (archive footage, 2003): The officers arrived at the scene and discovered a female had been shot inside the location. The victim was pronounced dead. Mr Phillip Spector from Motown Records has been arrested and booked for murder.
THEA DIKEOS: 40-year-old Lana Clarkson had been found shot in the mouth. What followed was a classic celebrity trial. Phil Spector's parade of wigs were as compelling as the case of the B-grade actress murdered in the home of the reclusive rock genius.
??? (archive footage, 2007): He has a new, rather subdued look of attire. He wore a long black coat with tan slacks and a tan shirt. And he had a new hairdo, which everybody has noticed.
THEA DIKEOS: Spector's legal team argued that Lana Clarkson had committed suicide because she was depressed over her failing career and financial troubles.
PHIL SPECTOR (archive footage, 2007): The actions of the Hitler-like district attorney and his storm trooping henchmen ...
THEA DIKEOS: The prosecution painted a picture of Phil Spector as having a history of playing Russian roulette with women when drunk.
STUART COUPE: It was clearly a disaster waiting to happen. And so when I heard the news that he'd been arrested, and it was a woman, it was at his home, it was late at night, he'd been drinking, there was a gun involved - surprise factor: zero.
THEA DIKEOS: In the first trial, the jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict. Today, the jury was in no doubt.
JURIST: We the jury in the (inaudible) action find the defendant Phillip Spector guilty of the crime of second degree murder of Lana Clarkson ...
THEA DIKEOS: Today, Phil Spector looked old and frail, albeit with a more sensible wig. One of the most damning aspects of the case was the testimony of his chauffeur, who said on the night of the killing Spector emerged from the house and said, "I think I've killed somebody."
JOHN TAYLOR, CLARKSON FAMILY SPOKESMAN: The family's pleased that the jury rejected the distortion and trashing of Lana Clarkson's life which was a part of this trial, the past trial and it's been going on now for six years. Actions have consequences; Mr Spector has to face the consequences of his acts. There's no joy here today - it's a tragedy.
THEA DIKEOS: Lara Clarkson's family say they'll seek civil damages, but much of Phil Spector's fortune has gone to pay for his legal fees. Phil Spector's lawyer says the result is a travesty and his client will appeal.
For a man who defined a generation of music and then withdrew into his own world, it's probably not surprising that none of the great artists who worked with him during his life ever fronted up to court to support the reclusive Phil Spector.
STUART COUPE: I think a lot of what has happened in his life is because he's become so reclusive. You know, was it by design? Or was he just too terrifying to hang out with? You know, if someone rang me up one night and said, "Hey, Stewart, it's Phil Spector. I got a ton of drugs, I got a lot of booze and I got about eight guns. You want to come round and play pinball?" I think I got something better to do, don't you?
ALI MOORE: Thea Dikeos reporting.
THEA DIKEOS, REPORTER: They were the stars, but he was the svengali who would find his own fame.
STUART COUPE, MUSIC CRITIC: He worked with The Ronettes, he worked with the Righteous Brothers, with Ike and Tina Turner. He created - pretty much created the girl group sound. He worked with The Beatles as a band, he worked with John Lennon, he worked with George Harrison, he worked with Leonard Cohen, he worked with the Ramones. You know, like a massive number of people.
THEA DIKEOS: In the early '60s, Phil Spector crafted the music of some of the biggest names in rock 'n' roll. His obsession with detail and grandiose arrangements would eventually earn its own label.
STUART COUPE: Out of that, he created this thing that is known as "the Wall of Sound", which is just this glorious cacophony of, you know, just huge sound. And it's probably the most emulated recording sound in the history of popular music.
PRESENTER (archive footage): The greatest record producer pop music has ever seen, Mr Phil Spector.
PHIL SPECTOR, MUSIC PRODUCER: It doesn't matter if I ever get to Heaven; I've been honoured by Cue Magazine and you, and Heaven can't be any better than that. Thank you.
THEA DIKEOS: The trappings of success came early: at just 21, he was a millionaire. But in his mid-20s, he became somewhat of a recluse and the dark side to the bright star began to emerge.
STUART COUPE: And then of course there were drugs - lots of drugs, by all reports; heavy, heavy consumption of alcohol and a predilection for firearms. You know, he'd pulled guns on musicians in the studio to, presumably, get them to concentrate or become more focused, as a gun at your head tends to do. He pulled guns on the Ramones when he was recording the 'End of the Century' album. I mean, for Heaven's sake, he apparently pulled a gun on Leonard Cohen when he was recording the album 'Death of a Lady's Man'.
THEA DIKEOS: Six years ago in the early hours of the morning, Phil Spector's dark side hit the headlines. Aspiring actress and cocktail waitress Lana Clarkson met Phil Spector at a music club and that night accompanied him home to his castle in Los Angeles for a drink.
FAYE BUGARIN, LOS ANGELES SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT (archive footage, 2003): The officers arrived at the scene and discovered a female had been shot inside the location. The victim was pronounced dead. Mr Phillip Spector from Motown Records has been arrested and booked for murder.
THEA DIKEOS: 40-year-old Lana Clarkson had been found shot in the mouth. What followed was a classic celebrity trial. Phil Spector's parade of wigs were as compelling as the case of the B-grade actress murdered in the home of the reclusive rock genius.
??? (archive footage, 2007): He has a new, rather subdued look of attire. He wore a long black coat with tan slacks and a tan shirt. And he had a new hairdo, which everybody has noticed.
THEA DIKEOS: Spector's legal team argued that Lana Clarkson had committed suicide because she was depressed over her failing career and financial troubles.
PHIL SPECTOR (archive footage, 2007): The actions of the Hitler-like district attorney and his storm trooping henchmen ...
THEA DIKEOS: The prosecution painted a picture of Phil Spector as having a history of playing Russian roulette with women when drunk.
STUART COUPE: It was clearly a disaster waiting to happen. And so when I heard the news that he'd been arrested, and it was a woman, it was at his home, it was late at night, he'd been drinking, there was a gun involved - surprise factor: zero.
THEA DIKEOS: In the first trial, the jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict. Today, the jury was in no doubt.
JURIST: We the jury in the (inaudible) action find the defendant Phillip Spector guilty of the crime of second degree murder of Lana Clarkson ...
THEA DIKEOS: Today, Phil Spector looked old and frail, albeit with a more sensible wig. One of the most damning aspects of the case was the testimony of his chauffeur, who said on the night of the killing Spector emerged from the house and said, "I think I've killed somebody."
JOHN TAYLOR, CLARKSON FAMILY SPOKESMAN: The family's pleased that the jury rejected the distortion and trashing of Lana Clarkson's life which was a part of this trial, the past trial and it's been going on now for six years. Actions have consequences; Mr Spector has to face the consequences of his acts. There's no joy here today - it's a tragedy.
THEA DIKEOS: Lara Clarkson's family say they'll seek civil damages, but much of Phil Spector's fortune has gone to pay for his legal fees. Phil Spector's lawyer says the result is a travesty and his client will appeal.
For a man who defined a generation of music and then withdrew into his own world, it's probably not surprising that none of the great artists who worked with him during his life ever fronted up to court to support the reclusive Phil Spector.
STUART COUPE: I think a lot of what has happened in his life is because he's become so reclusive. You know, was it by design? Or was he just too terrifying to hang out with? You know, if someone rang me up one night and said, "Hey, Stewart, it's Phil Spector. I got a ton of drugs, I got a lot of booze and I got about eight guns. You want to come round and play pinball?" I think I got something better to do, don't you?
ALI MOORE: Thea Dikeos reporting.
interview taken from http://www.abc.net.au
No comments:
Post a Comment