Anyone read this?

[GaryAlan]

A glance through the index of Coleman regarding 'touring',
and perusal of requisite pages of the Biography, gives no real
indications as to how much money these tours garnered for
Carpenters-- Or, how much the cost to Carpenters.
One line quotes (page 119) "financial suicide" for the rented planes.
Richard: "We thought it was worth the money."
But, nowhere is it claimed that the touring was not ultimately
financially rewarding. (Another interesting aspect of Carpenters' career
worth mulling over---The Concerts).

 

[Mark-T]

I agree with this review by Mr. Peter Jones.

 

[GaryAlan]

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) recently announced their sales figures for 2014 and while the overall numbers
for music sales dropped a litttle from the previous year, streaming audio and vinyl sales continued an upward trajectory.
According to the report, the overall value of the U.S. music industry falls in at $6.97 billion, down 0.47 percent from 2013.
Digital formats surpassed previous years, clocking in at $4.5 billion in 2014, accounting for 64 percent of industry revenues
while physical music sales dropped 7.1 percent to $2.27 billion.
RIAA chairman Cary Sherman posted a statement about the findings on the organization’s website. “The music business continues to undergo a staggering transformation,” he said. “Record companies are now digital music firms, earning more than two-thirds of their revenues from a variety of digital formats.
Streaming services collectively are generating meaningful revenue: nearly $2 billion in 2014, a 29 percent increase over 2013.”
Sherman said it’s now up to the industry to adapt to the change in consumer habits. “Streaming music has been the subject of a healthy debate, which is appropriate,” the report continues. “These are new models – how their value to the artist and label accrues is different than buying a CD or a download. But the reality is that the consumer has spoken and this is what fans want. The entire music community must come together to help make these services work for fans, artists and the music industry.”
One bright spot continues to be the rise of vinyl sales, which jumped to just over $320 million, up nearly 50 percent frrom 2013. “The music business is not without its challenges,” Sherman said. “But the foundations of a continued comeback are strong. Music is more relevant to commerce and culture than ever before. It is fundamentals like these that continue to give us great hope.”

 

[byline]

It is sad and must have been frustrating for both of them that this was usually always the case. Even though his credit as Producer is plastered on every single album jacket, people either didn't seem to care or weren't interested. Here was The Voice, as Richard himself has even described her on occasion.

Once again Randy's Yesterday Once More reader comes to the rescue. This quote is from the long, extensively detailed 1975 Melody Maker interview by Ray Coleman, "Carpenters – Good, Clean, All-American Aggro!"; Richard is replying to Ray's question:

Do you want to make an impact on pop music for posterity?

Absolutely. I guess people will remember Karen more than anything because of her voice. So recognizable. I feel the original success was a great deal to do with Karen's singing more than my arrangements, but I do want us to be remembered in 50 years as the quality, contemporary music duo.

(Richard goes on to explain the importance of arrangements and his role in crafting "Close to You" into a hit, and then says this): It was my arrangement, but the public never recognized arrangers. Singers get famous, songwriters get famous. Jim Webb, of course, Bacharach and David, of course, Lennon/McCartney.

But arrangers don't get famous. [Henry] Mancini would never have gotten famous as an arranger, even though he's brilliant as an arranger.

It definitely wouldn't be as a singer that I will be remembered. I am a good background singer, not a solo singer. I sing well for a background singer, in tune and a good lung. But I've got a talent as an arranger and as a producer, I mean all those songs that were hits, every song we've done, I selected them all.

*****

So Richard seemed to understand this situation, yet, understandably, was unable to resign himself to it. It's probably because the duo was Karen and himself, yet she received most of the public's attention. Henry Mancini was famous because, as Richard noted, he moved into other areas that got his name out there. As a prolific film composer, Mancini's music was a memorable "brand" that people recognized every bit as much as the film, itself. How I wish Richard had been able to do something similar. I am forever grateful to him for keeping his and Karen's music out there, and steadily releasing more from the vaults, but it's sad to me that he was never able to carve out that niche for himself ... one that was all his own.

 

[Jamesj75]

And the role of GaryAlan is being played today by byline!
Seriously, good stuff, byline!

 

[byline]

Actually, I was looking for a specific answer to Must Hear This Album's question about the timing of singles releases for the Horizon album, in the Official Review: Horizon (SP-4530) thread. I never found a direct reference to that in Randy's book ... but I did find all these other goodies!

 

[newvillefan]

As a prolific film composer, Mancini's music was a memorable "brand" that people recognized every bit as much as the film, itself. How I wish Richard had been able to do something similar. I am forever grateful to him for keeping his and Karen's music out there, and steadily releasing more from the vaults, but it's sad to me that he was never able to carve out that niche for himself ... one that was all his own.

What's sad is that he had massive potential - both before and after Karen's passing - to achieve that sort of status, given his natural talent. He just never seemed to want to do it.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

What a terrific article....this ran in Billboard mag Feb 10, 1996 it solidifies Japan will forever hold Carpenters close to heart. The singles mentioned I believe were the 3" CD singles, "I Need To Be In Love" and in this same issue you will find that this song charts again in Japan list of hits as of Feb 5, 1996.

 

[byline]

What's sad is that he had massive potential - both before and after Karen's passing - to achieve that sort of status, given his natural talent. He just never seemed to want to do it.

You may be right, but I also think that prior to Karen's death, Richard's greatest wish, career-wise, was to keep on doing what they were doing until he reached a point where he felt ready to expand beyond what they were doing. And who knows when that was? For whatever reason, he may not have felt ready yet, or he may not have felt the time was right yet.

Then, after Karen's death, who knows the role that grief may have played in the dulling of Richard's ambitions beyond the Carpenters? I think only he knows the answer to that. Understandably, at least to my knowledge he hasn't commented publicly. But it's clear to me that he took great joy in arranging for Karen's voice. And with her gone, perhaps it was terribly difficult for him to find that same kind of joy in other musical ventures. Basically all we can do is speculate. But I tend to give him the benefit of the doubt on this one. It's his life, after all. I just wish there were more of an oeuvre for him than what most will remember: his work as caretaker of the Carpenters' legacy.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

I missed the memorial ad that Billboard ran in issue Feb 19, 1983, many have already seen this but in this same issue is an article written by Paul Grein that I had not seen before.

 

[NowhereMan]

I remember reading this article when it first appeared in 2005. Although the author gets the date of the release of the album (and Karen's death) wrong, I really appreciate his sentiments regarding Karen's rendition of "Silent Night."

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/635171068/Carpenter-was-truly-a-woman-of-courage.html?pg=all

 

[song4u]

That's beautiful. I'd never seen either before that I recall, unless it was back at that time. Thank you for sharing.

John Bettis' words are heartbreaking. I think one reason Richard Carpenter never found his niche after Karen was gone was that for him, his music lost the most beautiful voice it ever had as well.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

July 1st 1976 concert review at Riviera Hotel, Las Vegas.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Billboard concert review Dec 19, 1970

 

[song4u]

Billboard concert review Dec 19, 1970

That's so funny! All the Carpenter puns and yet he has Richard on electric guitar!

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Right, I laughed too and I bet Richard read that back in 1970 and said, guitar?

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Here is another really cool concert review this time from California in Billboard issue Feb 05, 1972. It covers the first 3 albums from Carpenters with a hint of a new album on the way, so this concert must have been in Jan 72 sometime possibly. What's interesting is that the Carpenters performed "And When He Smiles" (I was not aware they performed this in the US) and what is the song, "All The Things You Are"?

 

[Harry]

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Thanks Harry...hearing this for the first time....oh man I can hear Karen singing this for sure, really nice. This would be a great question for Richard, did Karen really sing this or was this performed as an instrumental for that concert.

 

[song4u]

That would have been awesome to see and hear! Has anyone here attended a show where they performed this song? This would have been a good one for Karen to sing with Ella F on Music, Music, Music as well.

 

[newvillefan]

Here is another really cool concert review this time from California in Billboard issue Feb 05, 1972. It covers the first 3 albums from Carpenters with a hint of a new album on the way, so this concert must have been in Jan 72 sometime possibly. What's interesting is that the Carpenters performed "And When He Smiles" (I was not aware they performed this in the US) and what is the song, "All The Things You Are"?

I love that tune "Love Look At The Two Of Us"

 

[A&M Retro]

'All The Things You Are' was performed as a jazz instrumental. They also performed it on The Tonight Show in 1971.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Carpenters Concert Review New Jersey in Billboard Aug 11, 1973

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Posted the link to this earlier but here is the article itself, a good read on Carpenters techniques from July 14, 1973

 

[newvillefan]

This article explains for the first time what Karen's role as Associate Producer was...thanks for posting Chris