Phil Spector: Life without wigs

This is probably the last we'll hear of Phil Spector--the legend behind "the wall of sound." There is no question he made major contributions to pop music--and even changed the way it was made. I never really forgave him for what he did to The Beatles "Let It Be" album, which McCartney later re-released (as "Let it be...naked"), stripped of its strings and choral work . He made a mess of The Ramones' "End of the Century." On the other hand, he did produce the excellent megahits "All Things Must Pass" by George Harrison, as well as his No. 1 triple album "Concert for Bangladesh." And John Lennon's hit album"Imagine" (clearly Harrison were fans of his work, while Macca was not). And then there is all his great mid-sixties music, from the Righteous Brothers "Unchained Melody" to "Be My Baby" to Ike and Tina Turner's great but monumental flop "River deep and mountain high."

Spector stated on more than one occasion his philosophy of making albums. All you had to do was come up with "two hits and ten pieces of s**t".


In these photos, you see some of the hair styles fabled Phil Spector wore during his protracted murder trial in Los Angeles (which, with massive breaks, ran from May 2005 to May 29, 2009. Spector was sentenced two weeks ago to 19 years to life in prison for the murder of the actress Lana Clarkson, who was shot through the mouth in the producer's home, in 2003.



This mug shot of Phil Spector released Wednesday by the California prison system unveils Phil with his wigs confiscated. The mug shot, of a bald-headed Spector with long stringy hair on the sides, was taken on June 5 as part of the prison intake system.
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