Professor of Rock Changes His Tune on Carpenters
- Thread starter Mark-T
- Start date
-
- Tags
- carpenters
While I appreciate this person's turnaround to liking Carpenters, his claims to be "Professor Of Rock", well, he certainly has some things wrong.
- Every time the video played a Carpenters snippet, it sounds speeded up to me. He even does a segment on her "basement" range - and then played perhaps the highest pitch she sang in the song.
- He mentions the 5th Dimension as being associated with A&M Records. I don't believe that's true at all.
- He mentions the performance of Tommy Morris on harmonica? Pretty sure that should be Tommy Morgan.
I also don't think he gives enough credit to Roger Nichols' music-composing talents.
- Every time the video played a Carpenters snippet, it sounds speeded up to me. He even does a segment on her "basement" range - and then played perhaps the highest pitch she sang in the song.
- He mentions the 5th Dimension as being associated with A&M Records. I don't believe that's true at all.
- He mentions the performance of Tommy Morris on harmonica? Pretty sure that should be Tommy Morgan.
I also don't think he gives enough credit to Roger Nichols' music-composing talents.
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
The title is basically self-styled, it's not awarded to him by any music body or based on any credibility of any kind - which is why I won't watch these videos.
Jack A.
Well-Known Member
I won't deny that he's a fairly engaging content creator, but my main problem with his videos is how drawn out they are - he beats around the bush for several minutes at the beginning before even revealing what artist he's talking about. Then he very slowly moves through the topic of the video, spending too long talking about minute details.
This is a fairly common tactic used among YouTube creators to make their videos longer (because longer video = more ads = more $$$). I usually watch Rick Beato, because his videos are a little shorter, and more to the point.
This is a fairly common tactic used among YouTube creators to make their videos longer (because longer video = more ads = more $$$). I usually watch Rick Beato, because his videos are a little shorter, and more to the point.
Last edited:
I noticed that immediately as well. Sounds to me like he pulled the 1973 VSOd remix.
rockdoctor
Well-Known Member
He probably confused A&M for UA when talking about 5th Dimension. I believe that only one lp was on UA for The 5th Dimension and that was an Anthology(2 record set). In my collection of 5th, the labels are Soul City and Bell and one on ABC. I think their only Arista release was one single until the CD release of Definitive Collection and Greatest Hits on Earth. I believe that all the Arista recordings are now the property of Sony.
John Tkacik
Well-Known Member
He also continues the urban myth started by the Karen Carpenter Story tv movie that Billboard Magazine called Karen "Richard's chubby Sister".
Adam Reader (a.k.a. "Professor of Rock") and I spoke several times over a year ago about possibly doing a segment together with Richard. I'd suggested he do an analysis of "Goodbye to Love," as I felt it not only made a huge impact with regard to the Carpenters' crossover into the 'rock' territory (which would work well with the theme of Adam's YouTube channel), but was a strong single with some great backstory and trivia. Not sure why he decided to go the route he did ... other than the personal connection to "Rainy Days."
Oh, definitely!
BILLSJUKEBOX
Member
I don’t know the guy in the video, but I pretty much agree with everything he said (although a little long). I too didn’t like the Carpenters back then. I was living in a frat house with two other roommates. We had to share music time equally. One guy only played Bread and the Carpenters. He took a lot of heat for that. They began to grow on me. One day he asked if he should turn them off now and I said, no leave them on. I had unknowingly crossed the line. Soon after the movie American Graffiti became popular and with-it oldies were revived. Someone turned me on to “Now and Then” and I was hooked on the Carpenters.
Once that album wore off, I wouldn’t listen to them again until 1978 when my most favorite music (Christmas) and the Carpenters collided. That has been my favorite ever since then. I like other Carpenters music, but find I can’t listen to it because rainy days and Carpenters always get me down. I wish they had done a few more uplifting songs. I think it’s the reason they are not as popular anymore. Although it is good to see younger people beginning to discover them.
Once that album wore off, I wouldn’t listen to them again until 1978 when my most favorite music (Christmas) and the Carpenters collided. That has been my favorite ever since then. I like other Carpenters music, but find I can’t listen to it because rainy days and Carpenters always get me down. I wish they had done a few more uplifting songs. I think it’s the reason they are not as popular anymore. Although it is good to see younger people beginning to discover them.
Jack A.
Well-Known Member
WOW…now that would have been cool.
For as much as I appreciated the shout-out on our book, I do wish—at the very least—that he would have been a little more abbreviated with the overall presentation. And, of course, fact checked everything before putting it out there.
Geographer
Well-Known Member
Noticed the same...and the oft repeated "myth" Karen recorded the song laying on her back.
