(Apple Records)
Harvey Philip "Phil" Spector was born on December 26, 1939. He is currently in prison for the 2003 shooting death of Lana Clarkson.
Musically, he is known for his songwriting and his "Wall Of Sound" production. Among those he produced : The Crystals, The Ronettes, Darlene Love, The Righteous Brothers, Ike & Tina Turner, The Beatles, The Ramones, and, indirectly, Bob Dylan.
Like Dylan, Spector was born Jewish, and also produced a holiday album - A Christmas Gift for You from Philles Records (later "from Phil Spector".) This original album was released on November 22, 1963, and was not a big success in the wake of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The album was retitled Phil Spector's Christmas Album, when it was re-released on The Beatles' Apple Records label in 1972.
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(Apple Records)
Phil Spector first produced Bob Dylan for the Concert For Bangla Desh project. Dylan was a surprise guest at the benefit concert organized by George Harrison and Ravi Shankar. While at a radio station, promoting the Bangla Desh concert album, Spector brought along two unreleased Dylan performances from the afternoon set. He effusively praised Dylan's performance, and played "Love Minus Zero / No Limit" (which was not performed at the evening concert), as well as an "accidental" airing of "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall."
After playing "Love Minus Zero," Spector said, "It was just absolutely brilliant . . . " He went on the say that it was left off of the album because the final release was the complete evening concert, and Dylan's side was already 24 minutes. Spector added, " He just came in right from bicycle riding on the day of the show . .. and just got up there and sang . . .and it was probably the best performance he'd ever done . . .We weren't prepared recording-wise as good for the first show . .. In my opinion, the album is worth buying just for Bob Dylan, and I'm not trying to sell the album, but it's such an extraordinary performance."
Dylan, with Harrison, Ringo Starr, and Leon Russell.
"Love Minus Zero / No Limit" was added to the 2005 CD and DVD re-issue of The Concert For Bangla Desh. Dylan won his first Grammy for his participation on the original 3 LP set.
Phil Spector produced and co-wrote the 1977 Leonard Cohen album, Death Of A Ladies' Man. Like A Christmas Gift for You , the reputation of this album grew in stature over the years. Bob Dylan and Allen Ginsberg sang back-up on one track.
Dylan and Cohen are mutual admirers. When Dylan asked, "This is for Leonard, if he's still here," while introducing his song "Isis" while performing in Montreal, it is thought he was refering to Cohen, who is Canadian.
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