He's a Rebel: Phil Spector--Rock and Roll's Legendary Producer

by Mark Ribowsky

Phil Spector created the "wall of sound," produced the Beatles' last record, persuaded the Ramones to go "pop," made the Righteous Brothers sound respectable, and was a millionaire by age 21. His credits include some of the most important and memorable songs of the 1960 The Ronettes' "Be My Baby," The Crystals' "And Then He Kissed Me," and Ike and Tina Turner's "River Deep, Mountain High."

Culled from more than 100 interviews with Spector's closest associates, including staff producers, singers, musicians, and ex-wives, He's a Rebel discusses all stages of Spector's varied musical career, from his first hit, "To Know Him Is To Love Him" (written as a teenager) to his appointment to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

In addition to chronicling his musical achievements and unpredictable genius, the author boldly explores Spector's legendary eccentricities, addictions, and violent, reclusive tendencies. He's a Rebel offers a definitive, unflinching portrait of Phil Spector, the producer who transformed the airwaves and forever impacted the sound of popular music.

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction, Rock N Roll

Paperback

First published April 5, 1989

About the author

Mark Ribowsky is the author of seven books, including the New York Times Notable Book Don't Look Back: Satchel Paige in the Shadows of Baseball. He lives in Plainview, New York.

Reviews

[Ethan Miller · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've had this book on my shelf for years and finally got around to reading it. All I really knew of Spector was his music, reputation and the most colorful stories of his misdeeds that haunt the rock and roll camp fire's. The writing in this bio is fairly poor, it's not particularly compelling in form and pace and much of the action and anecdotes are presented with minimal first person quotes from those who were there and a bit too much 3rd person narrative from Ribowsky as if he was there (and that usually leaves a bio reader feeling like they are reading fiction, which in essence they are--not good). But Spector casts a long shadow over the history of rock and roll music and even a poor bio can't completely take the interest out an in depth look at his discography, his career and his notorious behavior and neurosis/psychosis. All I can really say about Ribowsky's book is that I didn't know much about Spector's life and career outside the headlines and now I do. With such a truly complex, fragile and magnificent villain as subject matter it should have been a lot more fun than that.

[Colleen Mertens · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book cover Phil Spector's life until about 1989 when it was written. The more I read about Spector, the more I realize that he lived on the fine line between genius and madman and ended up crossing that line to madman and never coming back. I can't imagine how people managed to work with him. Phil knew what he wanted but seemed to make people crazy to get it. The book follows familiar paths as other books I've read on Spector but it was worth reading for some of the details of how Phil did things. He was a strange man with a gift for music.

[Brian Kovesci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phil Spector was always a fucking lunatic asshole! But Jesus he played a big part in some of the best music from the 1960’s. Wild. I pity everyone who ever crossed his path but am grateful for the art he created.

[Mark Suffern · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wonder what this Spector did for the rest of his life,I bet he sorted himself out and got rid of his demons.How was River Deep not a hit in the US?

[Shenanitims · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book's split down the middle - 50/50: interesting vs boring. Let's face it, everyone buys it to hear about Spector's production. How he did it, what he used, the groups he worked with, all of that. Sadly Ribowsky splits this focus with too much insight into Spector's relationships. Knowing about his father's suicide when Spector was a child, or his mother's and sister's resulting mental problems are certainly interesting, but don't need as much attention as they're given here. If it doesn't tie into his idea of bouncing echoes around channels, we really don't need to hear too much about it. The book also suffers from Spector's own reluctance to participate in it. Not surprising, given the subject, but it also gives all the people who feel shorted/cheated by him to air their grievances without a rebuttal.

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like all things biographical so I read this along with Tearing Down the Wall of Sound to get a better glimpse of Phil Spector, the person who absolutely exploited everybody he could to make himself a music mogul during his prime. The fact that he was mental, misogynistic, and abusive until he ultimately killed a woman while in a megalomaniacal stupor, is confounding to say the least. Why so many men and women tolerated his left of center behavior for so long and passively allowed him to get away with it until someone was left dead in his wake, is disconcerting indeed and says little about the social imperative we have as human beings to be accountable to each other in every sense of the word, regardless of the industry we're in. Very little to admire about the man he ultimately became. Good book that gives good insight into a man and the music industry of his time.

[Matthew Harding · Rating 2 out of 5]

The cool thing is that I read most of this book within a half mile of Spector's last compound which is in Alhambra not Pasadena as the book says (though it was published in 87 so I suppose he could've moved again . . .) But this is part and parcel to the problem. I was interested in the material, but the writing was sloppy and I don't care about Ribowsky's opinions. I really don't. I prefer a straight-ahead just the facts ma'am with biographies, unless the biographer is interesting in his or her own right. This one isn't. On a simple level, it was often hard to tell who he was quoting and thank god it's chronological or you wouldn't know what the fuck was going on. So basically, if you're not a music geek, I wouldn't bother, though Spector is a fuckin' piece of work man. Sheesh.

[Trey]

I bought this at a used bookstore in Austin, TX last weekend and wasn't able to put it down. My edition was published in 1989 so it doesn't address all the recent insanity. I've been listening to his music quite a bit lately and never really knew that much about him. The writing itself is good, if a bit stilted and aged (although, in editions published in the last 20 years, maybe this problem has been rectified). At any rate, I enjoyed learning more about Phil Spector while I listened to "River Deep, Mountain High" and drank my coffee in the mornings.

[Tosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty good biography on the man who shaped a sound that was over-the-top yet it had deep levels of meaning. Phil Spector tragically, has other meaning to today's world - yet that tension in him was in his production You feel something was going to break and hell will happen. He was also surrounded by great arrangers, great songwriters and superb singers. The moment he had was the best. And I wished that we remember him for the 'was' aspect of his great talent.

[Jason · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed. I check a book about a legendary producer out expecting details on HOW he produced, not so much a catalog of his shady business & personal moves, and the usual laundry list of what charted well and what flopped. Oh well.

[Jesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great & updated portrait of the extreme psycho bizarritude that is Spector.

[bigbonton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wall of Sound. Such a cool phrase. Involved a lot of knobs.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this almost as much as I enjoyed Ribowsky's book on The Supremes. Spector is a total maniac.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

got this out of the Philadelphia library

[Stevie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't like him. He shouldn't have messed with Dee Dee.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun read. Kind of made me think his music was a silly gimmick.

[rebecca hutchinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

you could say Phil made everyone in the business somebody,,and they all know it ,I really don't believe he shot that woman I think she did it to herself~

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author brings us up to date (early/mid-07) on Phil's insane life.