Already well established in the business, Lester hired Phil Spector in 1959. Spector worked in the booth for Trey Records, as a session musician and as an apprentice to Leiber and Stoller.
In the video snippet, He’s A Rebel (1982), Lester Sill, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller provide interviews on what it was like to work with Phil Spector.
Biography: The Wall of Sound
Relevant edits
In 1961, Phil and Lester formed Philles Records, “Philles“ represents a combination of both partners first names. The Philles label was somewhat successful in New York, but it wasn’t until Spector’s return to Los Angeles that the foundations for "The Wall of Sound” began to manifest during recording sessions at Gold Star studios. Artists featured on the label included the Ronettes, the Crystals, Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans, and Darlene Love, among others.
Spector and Sill did not part on good terms in 1962, with Sill settling for a “pittance” so as to avoid dealing with Spector at all any longer; however, Sill found a lifelong friend in Sonny Bono, a Phil Spector apprentice.
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Lester Sill recalls his years with The Monkees
JULY 30, 1988
Longtime record executive Lester Sill was involved with the Monkees project from the very start. In the early days, Sill was the music coordinator for the group, overseeing the recording process under the helm of Don Kirshner. When Kirshner was sacked in early 1967, Sill took over as musical supervisor. He later became president of Screen Gems / Colgems Music.
In this frank two part interview that originally aired in July and August 1988 on the Headquarters Radio Show, Sill discusses many topics, including how he got started in the music business, the Beverly Hills Hotel incident, The Monkees as musicians, his impressions of Michael, Peter's recording techniques for "Lady's Baby," traveling and recording during the 1967 summer tour, the Head soundtrack mylar cover, Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider, his regret on releasing "D.W. Washburn" as a single in 1968, and much more.
(Both episodes also contain some unique audio, too, including "The Girl I Knew Somewhere" from the Mobile, Alabama '67 bootleg, Davy performing in Japan in the early '80s, live material from the 1987 US tour, etc.)
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Billboard Magazine
A Day In the Life Of LESTER SILL
Veteran Publisher Now Heads All OF EMI's Music Firms In the U.S.
December 25, 1976
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Library of Congress
Off The Record Interview WIth Lester Sill
March 13, 1986
by Joe Smith
Lester Sill’s comprehensive background story, arriving in Los Angeles, meeting his step-son shortly before meeting his wife, his beginnings on Record Row.