"Larry Levine, the recording engineer who helped create Phil Spector’s groundbreaking “wall of sound” technique on hit records by the Crystals, the Ronettes and the Righteous Brothers, died May 8 at his home in Encino, Calif. He was 80.
Mr. Levine had been suffering from emphysema, said a cousin, Stan Ross.
Mr. Levine, a house engineer at Gold Star Recording Studios in Hollywood, first collaborated with Mr. Spector in 1962 on the Crystals hit “He’s A Rebel,” the first of many Spector-produced records featuring lush instrumental backgrounds and heavy use of echo chamber. The wall of sound technique, which Mr. Spector and Mr. Levine refined through a process of trial and error, defined a string of hits, including “Be My Baby” and “Walking in the Rain” by the Ronettes, “Da Doo Ron Ron” and “Then He Kissed Me” by the Crystals, and “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” and “Unchained Melody” by the Righteous Brothers." Link. via Stupefaction who says "Thats Larry on the left in the picture, and of course, Phil Spector in the middle."
Bummer.
The music world loses another legend.
DanielC in SC
Posted by: DanielC | May 20, 2008 at 05:01 PM