40th Anniversary Box

[davidgra]

Royalties and permissions are not too cost prohibitive -- otherwise we wouldn't have TV specials on DVD from Andy Williams, the 5th Dimension, Captain and Tennille, etc. There are people whose job it is to take care of those details, so it's quite doable.

Richard simply doesn't WANT to release the specials, and that's pretty much the end of the story. Since he owns the rights, it's his call. But blaming royalties isn't a legitimate excuse...

David

 

[carrpentersboy1]

I agree, David. I know two companies, one that put out Sonny & Cher and Captain and Tennille, who really wanted to do the Carpenters shows but Richard refused. The DVDs would not take away from the music but, as you say, it's his call.

What a pity! I know they'd sell well and be popular.

 

[SakuraSYayoi]

Didn't Richard allow some songs on DVD, from "Make Your Own Kind Of Music" and TV Specials? (Some of us who have seen skits from "Make...." think that we don't like the certain skit where Karen appeared.)
And this time the video of "I Need To Be In Love" that Richard doesn't like is on this box set, and fans can watch it at your DVD player.
Richard introduced "Ave Maria" to us in TV program "Sayounara Carpenters" in late 1983.

Carpenters TV specials on DVD are not likely to be released soon, but I hope they will be released someday.

I have read that Richard has digital remastered "Live at the Palladium" in an interview a few years ago.
It aired with Live at BBC 1971 in Britain last year?

I have read that there were plans of Carpenters TV Specials on DVD's and Christmas Specials on DVD.

"This Is Your Life" was released as in box set and as single disc DVD.

The company was going to release Donny & Marie on DVD, it was planned that it would have Olivia Newton-John. I think I watched her at pre-view of the DVD set at Donny's site.
The vice president of the company wrote back to a fan that her ex-husband (fans didn't think him) didn't allow it or something. After the DVD set was released, I read that Olivia wasn't on the DVD.
The vice president was interested in release of Carpenters TV specials on DVD.

The company released Bob Hope Special(Show?) and it has skits but songs.

Has anyone watched Karen and Richard on Andy Williams Show DVD?
I think Richard allowed "For All We Know" on air in Japan last year.
And a part of this song on "Close To You-Remember the Carpenters".
In Japan Andy Williams Show aired recently. The skit where Karen appeared aired, though I cannot watch it.

Wasn't the DVD "The 5th Dimension Travelling Sunshine Show" that David mentioned released in Canada and America? I think I read that it would be released in Japan, too. I bought foreign release and it had skit, too.


Can't we hope Live with Boston Pops on DVD?

I hope Christmas Specials will be released this year or next year. Does anyone know there is plan? No more?

Sakura

 

[Jeff]

I broke down and ordered this set. Should arrive shortly. Reason being is that if the recordings are in fact more prisitine then I'd like to hear them. We'll see and I'll let y'all know.

Jeff

 

[newvillefan]

One of the most touching is a photo of Karen and her Dad from Christmas, 1982, standing in front of the Christmas tree at the Newville Ave. house.

I would LOVE to see that photo!!

 

[Jeff]

This set arrived recently and aside from sounding very "clean" I hear little else. I suppose I was hoping for some once hidden background vocal to seize me. The liner notes by Richard are interesting. These are comments I have wished to hear long before now. All in all I'm happy with this set. The only drawback was a price tag that still has me feeling buyers remorse.

Jeff

 

[Harry]

Did you get a legitimate set?

The reason I ask, of course, is that we've seen pictures of bootleg versions that had the spine of "Maade In America" spelled wrong, which obviously signals a fake.

Harry

 

[Jeff]

Alas MAADE IN AMERICA is in my set. However, sonically and the way the cd's and liner notes appear, all else is in tact. Mighty tall price for something that I in good conscience could not advertise and sell. Still part of me is happy and another feels like something of a snook.

Jeff

 

[Harry]

Then you also likely did not get the genuine technology of SHM-CD's, which is what that set was really all about.

Sorry you didn't see our little discussion here about the bootlegs.

I'd contact the seller and see if they'll refund your money. Best policy in cases like these is to be nice and try to make it seem like THEY might not have known it was a fake.

We recently had dealings with an eBayer who sold us a fake STAR TREK VOYAGER season set, and the "honey" worked better than accusations did on a different bootleg seller.

Harry

 

[davidgra]

I'm curious, Jeff -- from what country did your set ship? Did it come from Japan, or did it come from a different part of Asia like Hong Kong, Korea or Taiwan?

David

 

[Jeff]

The seller was from Md. Funny thing is 2 weeks ago my home was burglarized and now this. I knew nothing of bad guys being on Ama....com. Perhaps tomorrow after the grand jury indictment of my home predator I'll tackle this one as well. The discs themselves say shm.cd and the A&M, Universal LLC Made in Japan and so on. I guess I'm either very naive or lucky to have gotten a bootleg shm.cd. I'd hate to think these were bunk. But howd'ya know? What sound should I be listening for that I wouldn't ordinarily hear on the Remastered Classics series?

 

[Harry]

I can print SHM-CD on this post, but it doesn't make it an SHM-CD. Bootleggers will print anything on anything to sell cheaply made discs to the unsuspecting public.

Since it's an Amazon purchase, I'd contact the seller. Be nice about it. Indicate your surprise that it's not authentic (your proof is the misspelled spine for MADE IN AMERICA). The seller doesn't want to run afoul of Amazon, so you've got THAT in your back pocket, and the seller will likely offer a refund if you steer the conversation in that direction.

The genuine article is probably still available from Japanese sellers, but should cost in the $400+ range.

SHM-CD's, although I don't have but one (40/40), should sound somehow smoother than regular CD's, with perhaps a touch more clarity in the high frequencies. It's all rather subjective, but that's what I hear.

Harry

 

[Jeff]

Okey dokey I contacted the seller via Amazon and I'm awaiting reply. I'll keep you posted. Thank you Harry for the enlightenment. My remorse came to a $350 tag.

Jeff

 

[Jeff]

The seller responded and asked for return of set. he said something like I'm sorry, so sorry and so on. Refund of purchase and shipping pending. So thanks again Harry!

Jeff

 

[Harry]

Good, Jeff. I'm glad THAT headache is solved at least. Hope your burglary situation works itself out, too.

Harry

 

[goodjeans]

I have a boxed set for sale. Titles go as follows.
Ticket To Glide
Close To Stew
Caarpenters
A Song For Ewe
Now and Again
The Pringles
Her Eyes On
A Kind Of Blush
Pressage
Out Of Africa
Age Lines
If anyone is interested please contact me at:
1-800-bridge2sell
Sorry for the inconvenience of anyone who purchased a bogus set. I am simply trying to add levity to the annoyance. Peace.

 

[andywithaz]

I so laughed at the post above. Hilarious!

 

[Actorman]

Sounds like a nice set, Goodjeans. I'm glad it includes The Pringles (1969-1973) instead of The Shingles (1969-1983). I much prefer the former over the latter.

 

[Harry]

[ I am simply trying to add levity to the annoyance. Peace.

And a good job you did, too. Thanks!

Harry

 

[Jeff]

Well after proceeding as Harry indicated AMAZON and the seller have credited me $352.97. Thank goodness! So I then ordered the BEST SELECTION shmcd from Amazon.jp. I gotta get it right sooner or later. Keep ya posted.

Jeff

 

[CarpentersToYou]

Just got this set! Finally found a legit copy! I meant to buy it when it was released, but having it shipped to France at the time was much too expensive (because you have to pay the tax on top of it). So, finally, I have the set! I can feel complete. *ha*

The GOLD DVD commentary is absolutely fun! It seems VERY impromptu!

Here are some spoilers for some, and just interesting for those of you who don't plan on purchasing the set.
During the "Close to you" Intro Richard calls it an overture, and then says that's not quite correct. Very strange!

We've Only Just Begun includes little commentary, mostly mentioning that it's from the Bob Hope show.

Richard says "Those Good Old Dreams" was filmed on a day where they filmed 3 other videos at the A&M lot. He laughs about his sun tan. He says the video upsets him, seeing that Karen doesn't look well. He calls it a "Bitter sweet experience" watching the video again. He also comments on a few of the photos they show of their family footage. He seems extremely proud of the song.

On Superstar we hear that they shot both Superstar and Rainy days and Mondays in 1971 in April. He goes on the reminisce about how they chose the sequencing for the "Carpenters" album. They were shot at a hotel called "The Desert Inn." They were "filmed" and not "video taped." Very humourous in spots! During "Mondays" he says his original plan was to put "Superstar" and "Rainy days and mondays" together, but Herb Alpert asked them to put them on 2 different sides of the records because there was too many hit songs on one side.

On All You Get From Love Is A Love Song Richard recalls it being the debut single for "Passage." He also says in hindsight that it shouldn't be a single. The video was done in studio D of A&M records, a studio built in 1973.

During Top Of The World he goes on and on about the collage of photos and then goes on to talking about "The Carpenters Very First Television Special." It did very well on ratings, and they couldn't use the video from the intro because it wasn't just the 2 of them. He goes on to say "Our records sold themselves, so very few promo films were made. We don't have actual music videos to promote our (early) records. "

Ticket To Ride he claims didn't have the album intro when they initially made the video. They used the mono mix for the video when it was made. It's a "spot, beautiful produced and directed" from a pop music show. It was shot on Karen's 20th Birthday. It was extremely cold. He says it was ahead of its time. What became "music video." He seems very proud of it.

Only Yesterday was filmed mid 1975 in Studio D. He talks about how they were told to make it look like they were filming the actual shooting. Karen did actually record the lead at that studio. The rest of the video was shot in Pasadena, the Huntington Library and Gardens.

On Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft Richard talks about how it was their biggest single undertaking (as we've heard before). He reminisces about Tony Peluso's DJ'ing fondly. He never thought it would be a single, and mentions that the record was released as a single because of the release of Star Wars. He said "This one the decided to do a music video on!" as a joke. "It was done on the cheap, and to be fair to A&M, MTV hadn't happened yet...". He claims that it's an edited version (even though it's not that version). He goes on to say the track worked perfectly for the SACD of "Singles 1968-1981".

Beechwood 4-5789, Richard talks about it being filmed on the same day as the other 2 Made in America singles. He says there's not a lot to say about it, but says Karen was much too thin. He also reminisces that the dancer on the video just "couldn't get it."

Touch Me When We're Dancing he calls "One of his favourite Carpenters recordings and their last top 20 single." That's it.

I Need To Be In Love he starts out with "Oh no, oh no. I really like the record, but loathe the video. I did it as a favor, we wanted to make a video of it...but not this (video). It was an idea of an acquaintance of his. He compares it to "The Love Boat." He only put it on the "Gold DVD" after the success of "I Need To Be In Love" in Japan. He ends with "Just close your eyes and listen to the song."

Hurting Each Other says the video was filmed in Studio B of A&M records where they made most of their early recordings. This video he says "I like the video, and I'm a tough audience!"


Please Mr. Postman was one of the last videos where an act was allowed to film a video at Disneyland. He says Karen was a Disney buff, and in all of her glory. Richard says he felt foolish doing it. The video was shot in winter of 1974.

There's A Kind Of Hush. Filmed in Japan in 1976 in Osaka. They played there for 5 nights, so it was all set up. He said lipping it made it much easier!

Close To You was their first video ever shot. This, however, is not that video. This one's from "Make Your Own Kind of Music." He says they never should have done that special. It was the only video shot for thet song that Karen wasn't behind the drums, and he claims that's why they used it.

He ends with "I hope you've enjoyed my recollections here."

I certainly did. What a nice little addition to "Gold." As someone said before, it really completes the DVD.

 

[Mr. Guder]

Thanks for the summary. I agree that the commentary was a nice addition to the dvd. It's just a pity that Universal did not incorporate the 5.1 remixes created for the SACD too.

I was also surprised to hear that Richard's wife Mary features in the I Need To Be In Love video!

 

[richard_sloat]

On All You Get From Love Is A Love Song Richard recalls it being the debut single for "Passage." He also says in hindsight that it shouldn't be a single.

It shouldn't?? It is the MOST "singlish" of all tracks from that album!

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Well, 2 years later I finally decided to get this box set before it gets harder to find. I got one of the few left from Amazon in Japan. I primarily wanted it because of the DVD material and finally getting a digital copy of I Need To Be In Love video and of course wanting Richard's commentary. I opened it last night, excited like it was Christmas eve, I took some pics to give you a better idea how the set looks. I am really impressed with the detail and work that went into this set from a colletible standpoint. The Japanese never let the fans down on these limited edition sets.

I have not listened yet to the CD's but I am sure I will be very happy as I have been very impressed with the SHM CD's from my Carpenters 35th anniv set and from Olivia's 40th anniv box set. So far I am very happy I obtained this set and I have not even got to the music yet. It is a true collectors item and ones we see so few of from the Carpenters, I had to obtain it.

The notes from Richard are so nice to read, this is what I have been wanting and he gives more details on each photo in the little books. I was quite impressed to see a large number of photos I had never seen before. I have listed some detail notes some photos that are new to me included in each book.

I really don't see a need to place a spoiler note, however if you have not picked this set up and want to be suprised then by all means stop reading. I have seen alot of Carpenters photos in my lifetime but these listed below are new to me. Some photos of the set below I took last night and today trying to capture the best photos is hard in certain lighting.

My notes on the new photos included:
Offering
Photo from 1970 in living room w/ Karen & Richard displaying their trophies & album Offering
Feb 1070 Richard next to piano before leaving for Burt Bacharach show to perform

Close to You
Feb 1971 Karen & Richard on the set of the Johnny Cash Show relaxed photo
Feb 18 1971 performing on the Johnny Cash Show

Carpenters
March/April 1971 Billboard Marque performing at the "Sands" as opening act
April 1971 Karen at drums (I did not know this tidbit about the watch she was wearing)

Song for You
July 1972 Close up Karen with rolled eyes
Aug 1972 Karen & Richard holding Song for You promo balloon opening at Greek Theatre

Now & Then
March 73, Newville front showing awesome photo of 72 Ferrari taken before the covershoot
July 73 Richard sitting in Ferrari after show at Valley Forge Music Fair in Penn

Horizon
Feb 74 During European Tour

Hush
Sept 74 Richard w/ Frank Pooler rehersal Richard in tank top
June 75 Awesome photo of Karen Richard and Jose Feliciano at Riviera Hotel

Passage
June 75 Awesome photo of Richard Karen at A&M records displaying Japanese awards
March 76 Awesome photo of Richard, Karen, Mr Machijiri of King Records in Japan

MIA
April 76 Richard, Karen and mom & dad in Japan
June 76 alternate photo of Karen, Richard and Jerry Weintraub in dressing room, very nice.

VOTH
May 77, alternate shot of Karen, Richard and Wes Jacobs on A&M Chapman Stage

Lovelines
Feb 2 1980 photo has been seen but Richard comments he likes this one from Karen's shoot in NY
Nov 15, 1979 The famous Karen & Miss Piggy, we learn why the photo was taken and this one includes the full length photo. (I've always wondered what the exact date of that photo was & now we know

ATGB
Alternate photo of Richard taken for backcover of VOTH

Sweet 16
Richard shirtless July 1966 after Hollywood Bowl driving a 1960 car photo taken at pitstop
March 1970 Lake Tahoe outside by beach

Christmas Portrait
Dec 69 family christmas tree (what an awesome early early photo of Karen, Richard, Agnes close up

An Old Fashioned Christmas
Ariel view b/w photo of Newville Home (awesome)
2nd front wide enhanced view of Newville front home very clean Ferrari out front
Oct 1971 photographed by a fan from a helicopter, very nice photos
Dec 71 Christmas photo Newville home, Karen in pink robe
Dec 19, 1982 Karen and Dad in front of Christmas tree Karen in black outfit w/ high tan boots
such an awesome photo before they leave for restaurant in Orange County CA, I've never seen it.

 

[Harry]

Good stuff, Chris. Thanks for sharing. The set looks impressive. Enjoy!

Harry