Tell me about the Wall of Sound

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as in the Phil Spector-pioneered musical phenomenon of the late 60s and early 70s - not the big beat label

how did it come about?
was Spector the main man? who else brought it to prominence?
what are the main traits of the 'wall of sound'?
when and why did people seem to stop making 'big' pop/soul records like that?
what were the most innovayive aspects of it compared to previous practices/techniques?

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 27 November 2002 20:38 (twenty-three years ago)

early 60s, mate. his last hit (besides the Beatles album) was Checkmates Ltd 'Black Pearl' in 1969.

main traits sonically - always mono, large number of musicians crammed into studio, with several of each instrument.

― michael (michael), Wednesday, 27 November 2002 21:00 (twenty-three years ago)

why was the mono thing of such importance?

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 27 November 2002 21:01 (twenty-three years ago)

because pop records started to be made in stereo, and he never switched. i dunno really, it just always seems to get mentioned

― michael (michael), Wednesday, 27 November 2002 21:04 (twenty-three years ago)

why was the mono thing of such importance?

Would it not make sense to create a "wall of sound" by having all the sounds together in one channel instead of spread out in stereo?

― Vic Funk, Wednesday, 27 November 2002 21:10 (twenty-three years ago)

Phil WAS the man, although his arranger Jack Nietzche was influential as well (after parting ways, he released his own records, I think, and produced Buffalo Springfield's "Expecting to Fly").

Brian Wilson and the Beatles were disciples of the Wall of Sound. The style just went out of vogue with the advent of psychedelic and then 'heavy' rock music...Phil's records were viewed as lightweight and unimportant because they were simple love songs. Fuck that. I'd take the Ronettes over Cream any day.

Phil basically invented overdubbing and mixing as we know it today.

― call mr. lee (call mr. lee), Wednesday, 27 November 2002 21:16 (twenty-three years ago)

Death of a Ladies Man

― Lenny Cohen, Wednesday, 27 November 2002 22:41 (twenty-three years ago)

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