AnalogPlanet Radio's WFDU HD2 "Phil Spector Great Nonetheless" Radio Show Streams Now (Full Show)

From where came the inspiration for a two hour Phil Spector radio show, I do not know. However it did and I acted on it. So here is a two hour show featuring Phil Spector produced songs sourced exclusively from vinyl.

Yes, I considered that Phil is currently locked up, convicted of shooting and killing a woman in his home but like Roman Polanski and Woody Allen movies, Phil Spector's recorded output remains brilliant and should be appreciated for what it is—especially by people who reached adolescence during Phil's peak musically orgasmic years.

This music holds up remarkably well, as well as fins on a '50s era Cadillac or port holes on a Buick and I'm not sure why I chose a car analogy but the music is equally classic and timeless. The tracks were sourced from an original Philles Greatest Hits collection, a double hits package put out in the late '70s by Warner/Spector records, three UK sourced '70s era hits packages, original Righteous Brothers albums, a UK original DECCA pressing of River Deep, Mountain High that has insanely great sonics and the "mastered in analog" by Phil Spector and the late Larry Levine, who was the original engineer on so many Spector classics, Back to Mono ABKCO five LP box set originally released in 1991.

And please read the multi-part interview I was fortunate to have with one of the owners of Gold Star Studios, the now deceased Stan Ross. I wish I had read it again before doing the show because Stan says there were no stereo mixes, or multitrack tapes to remix so the "stereo" version of "Walking In the Rain" is bogus. He talks about the "record from England" that I used here and he thinks they may have overdubbed a string section. Listen to the background singers too, sounds suspicious. Oh well.....

I hope you enjoy listening to this show as much as I did putting it together in (mostly) glorious mono!

1 The Teddy Bears: To Know Him Is To Love Him
2 Ben E. King: Spanish Harlem
3 Ray Peterson: Corrina, Corrina
4 Curtis Lee: Angel Eyes
5 The Ronettes: Be My Baby
6 The Ronettes: Be My Baby (OP)
7 The Crystals: Da Do Ron Ron Ron
8 The Ronettes: Walking In the Rain
9 The Ronettes: Walking in the Rain (stereo)
10 Veronica (Ronnie future Mrs. Spector): So Young
11 The Righteous Brothers: You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling
12 The Righteous Brothers: God Bless the Child
13 The Ronettes: Do I Love You
14 The Beach Boys: God Only Knows
15 Ike and Tina Turner: River Deep, Mountain High
16 Martha and The Vandellas: A Love Like Yours
17 Ike and Tina Turner: A Love Like Yours
18 The Checkmates, Ltd.: Proud Mary
19 Nilssony and Cher: A Love Like Yours
20 The Righteous Brothers: Ebb Tide
21 The Righteous Brothers: Unchained Melody
22 The Checkmates, Ltd.: Black Pearl
23 The Treasures: Hold Me Tight
24 The Beatles: The Long And Winding Road (Phil’s)
25 The Beatles: The Long And Winding Road (naked)
26 Darlene Love: Christmas (Come Home Baby)
27 Bruce Springsteen: Born to Run

COMMENTS
ixtayul's picture

Thank you Michael. Took me back. We were all in love with the Ronettes.

Little short on the time though. Cuts out at 1 hour 32 minute in the midde of Ebb Tide.

Michael Fremer's picture
Are you sure? I'll check ASAP.
Michael Fremer's picture
I don't know what happened. I'll upload again and fix.
Michael Fremer's picture
Is now there. Thanks for noting and posting that!
Razorball's picture

Awsome show but sou forgot this track which to me just sounds plain amazing. It s Phil doing Spanish Harlem alone on guitar. We should sign a petition so they release it on vinyl! Thanx again for this awsome show!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsqxrWIjK3Y

Anton D's picture

If it times short, don't forget he produced "Death of a Ladies Man."

Ryan L.'s picture

...was all-analogue? Cool!

Fsonicsmith's picture

This lead-in will seem like one of Herb Reichert's. I was reading about a break-in and wine theft at Napa's French Laundry this morning. The article quoted someone else who described the stolen Domaine Romanee Conti as "like classical music". That got me to thinking about audio and how 95% or so of high end equipment reviewers mention their love for classical music and use it to describe the performance of the gear under review. Except for one very notable exception, the golden-eared man behind this great site, Mike Fremer. Am I wrong? Have I missed something? Why do I ask? I ask because I wonder if a life spent without true appreciation of classical music is a life less lived in the Thoreau sense. At 57 and facing a certain hip replacement despite a lifetime of fitness and bicycle racing, I am feeling mortal and philosophical lately. I love rock and jazz. I appreciate every other genre I have ever encountered other than a mere handful; Galic, industrial/rave, and classical. Mikey, I, I look up to you and would appreciate any response. My sense from reading you for years is that you are about my age and have always been a rock fan at heart. Am I missing something both/either about you or about life?
[footnote] This is more or less a tongue in cheek inquiry, should there be any doubt.

Michael Fremer's picture
About my appreciation for classical music? Really? There are many classical music reviews on this site...have been listening to it since I was a kid. Had a subscription for more than a decade to The New York Philharmonic: 20th row center seat..... I have mentioned that in reviews but I don't wear it on my sleeve!
Fsonicsmith's picture

Yeah but it is relatively uncommon compared to your colleagues. Do you love classical or just appreciate it?

Michael Fremer's picture
I listen to it all the time. It's always in the mix....
BillK's picture

Phil's "The Long and Winding Road" is really the only Beatles track I like, save for "Let it Be."

thomoz's picture

The well-worn teddy Bears 45 sounded remarkably transparent despite those surfaces!

I was also disappointed that L Cohen was passed over. I have several of the Phil Spector Records imports, they have a lot of top end but are well pressed. Some rare stereo there too.

My favorite Spector 45s are "He Hit Me (And Ir Felt Like A Kiss)" and "You Came, You Saw, You Conquered".

Logansport Berry's picture

Regarding Stan Ross' comments about the "stereo" Walking in the Rain - if you have a spare 4 or 5 hundred dollars you can buy a copy of Philles Records ‎ ST-90721. What will that $$$ get you? Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes came out on lp in <<>> in 1964 - only catch was you had to be a member of the Capitol Record Club to get a copy. Finding a clean copy is a challenge. The album is not rechanneled, nor was it made with newly recorded strings by someone who got a dub of Spector's session tapes - it's real stereo that was given a limited release in '64.

Does it sound fabulous in stereo? You be the judge: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfcxxYyovjo

Just for fun - try this mix minus the rain effects: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-acBvdsP_DQ

doublenaught's picture

This radio show prompted me to purchase a vinyl copy of "Love is All We Have to Give" by the Checkmates, Ltd. I scored a still sealed copy with a sticker that reads: "This disc employs the CSG process and may be played either stereo or monaurally". The sound quality is horrendous. Is there a vinyl copy of this record that does not employ the CSG process?

X