Will Richard Follow Elton John's Lead?

Mark-T

Well-Known Member
I just read Elton John will release an almost 150 song boxed set on Friday. Perhaps this will encourage Richard to release additional music. He and Karen are certainly well loved, and even though he and John Bettis were not as prolific, new music would be welcomed. What do you think?
 
Doubtful. Tho he has plenty of stuff to make up one.
RCT, magic lamp recordings, Spectrum demo tape, Your Navy presents, as time goes by leftovers, etc. Also, you'd think with the multiple fires, Richard would just let the fans enjoy the music before it becomes erased from the world.
 
Richard has already been there and done it with the equivalent From The Top. That contained remixes, outtakes, demos, radio jingles, previously unreleased completed recordings and home recordings galore. There would never be enough left in the vaults to replicate just how much new material we got on that set. He could release all of the Spectrum demos, Your Navy Presents tracks etc tomorrow, but if I’m honest I’d never listen to them if they were released. Those Your Navy Presents tracks are already out there on YouTube and I don’t listen to them now. I’d settle for two or three more individual, high quality studio outtakes from their later years such as All My Life or Why Don’t They Understand.

The Rolling Stone review of the set states “John personally selected the tracks for the collection, which includes rarities, demos, B-sides and fan favorites from throughout his long career”. Elton’s set consists of a mammoth 8 discs, but that’s because he’s had a much longer career spanning 30 studio albums, more than double that of Carpenters, so the spoils will be so much richer to choose from. That said, I see plenty of piano demos on it, but not a single track labelled as a “previously unreleased” studio track or outtake. In that respect, From The Top is actually better.

 
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if I’m honest I’d never listen to them if they were released.

^This.

I trust that Richard knows what's release-worthy and what isn't. How many of you have played the AS TIME GOES BY album today or even just a portion? This week? This month? Any time in the last year?

I've had several box sets and CDs with studio outtakes that were *maybe* interesting to hear once - but not really ever again. When the Beatles released they ANTHOLOGY set of CDs, it was chock full of alternate takes of both familiar and unfamiliar songs, excerpts, rehearsals, etc. And as much of a Beatles fan that I am, I really looked forward to those three sets. I think I listened through them once - maybe twice - and they've been sitting on the shelf ever since. Truth is, if I want to hear the Beatles, I'll play one of their regular albums, not go digging through alternate takes on ANTHOLOGY.

And I feel the same way about most any artist. And I'll bet with regards to Carpenters recordings, Richard feels the same way. Suppose he has in his archives a thousand different concert tapes. A wealth of material one might say? But in reality, listen to any live performance of say "Superstar" and Karen performs it exactly the same way in every one of them. "La-OOO-NG ago, and oh so far away".

I don't need to hear some live concert from Timbuktu in 1974 to know that it sounds exactly like LIVE IN JAPAN or BUDOKAN or even my own Valley Forge recording. They all sound the same.

Richard's released the best of the best, and he wants his and Karen's legacy to be those great recordings, not some scraps of tape where someone fouls up, or the song or recording just isn't good enough.

Those of you who want something new - I suggest that you go back and listen to some song that you didn't like, and learn to appreciate it a little bit more.

Go on - get out "Druscilla Penny" and revel in Karen's "aah-aah-waah" backing vocals. Or check out "Crescent Noon" and let the goosebumps flow in that "fairy-tale forest".

Or, go play AS TIME GOES BY - you just said it's been a long time...
 
^^Me, too ! I listened to the entirety of
As Time Goes By
just last week. Here is why: I can't get enough of California Dreaming and Nowhere Man !
The Como Medley is one that I love, especially for my not being a fan of Medleys generally.
And When He Smiles, that's another favorite of mine.

Now, whether or not I need another new release, I do not know. Ten years ago I would have said emphatically, Yes.
But, in today's business-model and music environment, I am not so sure.
Perhaps, though, a 1975 Karen-Sedaka Live Medley ?
An issue with As Time Goes By is its incoherence:
it is hardly a 'studio' album, being a compilation of different vocals, from different times, recorded for different occasions.
Liner Notes help a lot to fully appreciate what it is that As Time Goes By is supposed to represent.
On the other hand, a chronologic box set of untouched rarities would get my vote.
No updating of instruments, no re-records, no new mixings--untouched. That's what I do crave.
 
^This.

I trust that Richard knows what's release-worthy and what isn't. How many of you have played the AS TIME GOES BY album today or even just a portion? This week? This month? Any time in the last year?

I've had several box sets and CDs with studio outtakes that were *maybe* interesting to hear once - but not really ever again. When the Beatles released they ANTHOLOGY set of CDs, it was chock full of alternate takes of both familiar and unfamiliar songs, excerpts, rehearsals, etc. And as much of a Beatles fan that I am, I really looked forward to those three sets. I think I listened through them once - maybe twice - and they've been sitting on the shelf ever since. Truth is, if I want to hear the Beatles, I'll play one of their regular albums, not go digging through alternate takes on ANTHOLOGY.

And I feel the same way about most any artist. And I'll bet with regards to Carpenters recordings, Richard feels the same way. Suppose he has in his archives a thousand different concert tapes. A wealth of material one might say? But in reality, listen to any live performance of say "Superstar" and Karen performs it exactly the same way in every one of them. "La-OOO-NG ago, and oh so far away".

I don't need to hear some live concert from Timbuktu in 1974 to know that it sounds exactly like LIVE IN JAPAN or BUDOKAN or even my own Valley Forge recording. They all sound the same.

Richard's released the best of the best, and he wants his and Karen's legacy to be those great recordings, not some scraps of tape where someone fouls up, or the song or recording just isn't good enough.

Those of you who want something new - I suggest that you go back and listen to some song that you didn't like, and learn to appreciate it a little bit more.

Go on - get out "Druscilla Penny" and revel in Karen's "aah-aah-waah" backing vocals. Or check out "Crescent Noon" and let the goosebumps flow in that "fairy-tale forest".

Or, go play AS TIME GOES BY - you just said it's been a long time...

Actually, I'd be happy to finally get Richard's long-rumored Christmas album as a "new" release.
 
Harry, you're funny! I listened to As Time Goes By Last week. But I respect your opinion.
^^Me, too ! I listened to the entirety of
As Time Goes By
just last week. Here is why: I can't get enough of California Dreaming and Nowhere Man !
The Como Medley is one that I love, especially for my not being a fan of Medleys generally.
And When He Smiles, that's another favorite of mine.

Color me amazed...
 
How many of you have played the AS TIME GOES BY album today or even just a portion? This week? This month? Any time in the last year?
Do I hear a "any time in the last DECADE"? I'm serious, I don't think I've played the "As Time Goes By" album in the last ten years. I nearly forgot that I even own the CD. :oops:

I hope this admission doesn't mean that I have to turn in my fan club card? :laugh:

Or, go play AS TIME GOES BY - you just said it's been a long time...
Challenge accepted! Now, if I could only remember which box it's packed away in...
 
The other thing different about the EJ release is, what material IS previously released is songs that are fan favorites, not necessarily hits. So you won't be buying your 12th copy of "Bennie and the Jets," but you might hear some gem that you haven't necessarily heard before, such as "Street Kids" (one of his very best rock'n'roll tunes that never got any attention) or "We All Fall In Love Sometimes" (a fantastic ballad that was ignored due to it's side-2-song-4 spot on its original LP) and a whole LOT of songs that have never seen the light of day at all previously. Whereas when you buy a new Carpenters compilation, you're pretty much guaranteed to get the umpteenth remix of "Yesterday Once More." So the ground is more fertile for Elton to be tilling. Plus, he's still here to go out and promote it. Richard is still here too, of course, but he doesn't have the most important part of his act with him anymore, sadly. So he just doesn't have as much to offer, box set-wise, as Elton does.
 
The other thing different about the EJ release is, what material IS previously released is songs that are fan favorites, not necessarily hits.

Spot on. I scanned down the tracklist across the 8 discs and was amazed that I only found four song titles I recognised:

• Skyline Pigeon
• Border Song
• Philadelphia Freedom
• Song For Guy

Aside from that, there are zero hits on that box set.
 
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Being a huge Elton John fan, I’m looking forward to the 8 disc cd set. The vinyl is on 3 separate collections. Divided up along types of music or eras. It was a good deal at Target with buy 2 get 1 free. I canceled my order at Amazon to get the better price. Can’t wait. His output is huge. There are a lot of instrumental cuts in the early discs. I think before Elton met Bernie. Also his work with the group Bluesology. Should be a fun listen over several days. As far as Carpenters, anything from the vaults we don’t already have would be very welcome. Fingers crossed for something, someday. Even a 2nd volume of Royal Philharmonic.
 
I wish Richard would embrace online and put these items up so fans can have a casual listen but not necessarily on a CD or box set release and not necessarily go back and listen to all the time but for curiosity and admiration. There are various things we've heard online in poor quality or leaked over the the years and I'd love to hear clean higher resolution versions and some of the unreleased things. I don't need another collection or box set but I want to hear everything Karen sang, in addition to the perfection that was officially released over the years.
 
I'm only a casual Elton John fan and this box set is WAY too comprehensive for me, but I'm happy to see that my favorite song from CARIBOU is on there, "Ticking", on the DEEP CUTS disc.

 
My all time favorite Elton John song as well. It’s sad and haunting. Very much with the times now, even though it was released in 1974. If I’m a bit down, it can make my eyes well up and cry. Thanks Harry. Great minds think alike sometimes.
 
I would imagine us fans who were younger when AS TIME GOES BY was released relate to the album differently than those who had been fans for decades. For me it was the Carpenters album of new material that was released during my fandom. I was way too young when Lovelines was released----so believe it or not----I associate ATGB with my highschool years. I remember the crisp autumn morning I received my package from CD Japan with the album in it. "Nowhere Man" reminds me so much of these days. "Leave Yesterday Behind" as well.

It's actually an album I keep in my car. I guess we all have our own stories and our own "history" when it comes to fandom.

Barbra Streisand's "Release Me" album is another knock-out album that includes only unreleased songs. And I listen to it often as well.
 
Wow, that Elton boxed set sounds incredible! I'm a huge fan and I'd love to hear it.

As for Carpenters, I can't imagine any true fan NOT wanting to hear their songs stripped down into demo form. Just imagine Karen's vocals only with Richard's piano on songs we know and love. That 'unplugged' concept would definitely be well-received by Carpenters fans and casual fans alike.
 
Wow, that Elton boxed set sounds incredible! I'm a huge fan and I'd love to hear it.

As for Carpenters, I can't imagine any true fan NOT wanting to hear their songs stripped down into demo form. Just imagine Karen's vocals only with Richard's piano on songs we know and love. That 'unplugged' concept would definitely be well-received by Carpenters fans and casual fans alike.

So much this. Karen was always the calling card of Carpenters. Stripping off the production revealing Karen, the melodies, and changes themselves would be amazing...and it'll never happen.

Ed
 
So much this. Karen was always the calling card of Carpenters. Stripping off the production revealing Karen, the melodies, and changes themselves would be amazing...and it'll never happen.

Ed
Harry insisted elsewhere recently that it would never happen, i.e., Richard would never make it happen - but it isn't necessary to go completely "unplugged" or even to "strip off the production" (well, maybe some of it like some of the excess orchestration and several layers of the stacked background vocals) - the only change that's needed to create an incredibly exciting new release is the strategic, surgical removal from all recordings where it was inexplicably used (mostly to sell records to teenagers with skulls full of mush in the early 70s) the overdubbing or double-tracking of Karen's gorgeous voice by Karen herself - this practice, which sounds so bush league today 50 odd years later, was an abomination that everyone who says they love Karen's voice above all else should be ranting about incessantly - like me! It's that simple, and yet that complicated...
 
Harry insisted elsewhere recently that it would never happen, i.e., Richard would never make it happen - but it isn't necessary to go completely "unplugged" or even to "strip off the production" (well, maybe some of it like some of the excess orchestration and several layers of the stacked background vocals) - the only change that's needed to create an incredibly exciting new release is the strategic, surgical removal from all recordings where it was inexplicably used (mostly to sell records to teenagers with skulls full of mush in the early 70s) the overdubbing or double-tracking of Karen's gorgeous voice by Karen herself - this practice, which sounds so bush league today 50 odd years later, was an abomination that everyone who says they love Karen's voice above all else should be ranting about incessantly - like me! It's that simple, and yet that complicated...

i realize everyone is entitled to an opinion. i was a teenager in the early '70s and i find your remarks to be offensive.
 
I don't get why anyone would think that Richard, the keeper of the flame, the creator of "the sound" of Carpenters, would suddenly think it's a good idea to strip away all of his work just so that the Karen-only-worshippers can hear her voice all alone? It just doesn't make any sense.

Wishing for it? Trying to do it with technology by yourself? Maybe some of that makes sense, but really, don't expect anything like that from Richard. He's spent his whole life attempting to embellish Karen's enormous gift with the right arrangements and settings. Sometimes he went overboard - I think we all agree with that - but he's not going to be stripping away his life's work for the amusement of a few.
 
i realize everyone is entitled to an opinion. i was a teenager in the early '70s and i find your remarks to be offensive.
Sorry about that - I apologize - I got carried away with my passion - hell, I was a teenager in the 60s and didn't "have a skull full of mush" so I guess I can allow for the possibility that you personally didn't in the 70s - but there sure were a lot of them around then, and in fact, there still are...
 
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