Anyone read this?

Another Carpenters' connection:

May 25, 2018
Rogers & Cowan PR Great
Paul Bloch Has Passed Away

Excerpt;
"The UCLA graduate moved up to chairman after serving as head of the agency’s music department. Back then, he repped The Beach Boys, the Bee Gees, Donna Summer, Rod Stewart, Diana Ross, The Carpenters, Kenny Rogers, Trini Lopez, Julio Iglesias and Ricky Nelson, a who’s who of musical artists. "

Here:
Rogers & Cowan PR Great Paul Bloch Has Passed Away
 
Another Carpenters' connection:

May 25, 2018
Rogers & Cowan PR Great
Paul Bloch Has Passed Away

Excerpt;
"The UCLA graduate moved up to chairman after serving as head of the agency’s music department. Back then, he repped The Beach Boys, the Bee Gees, Donna Summer, Rod Stewart, Diana Ross, The Carpenters, Kenny Rogers, Trini Lopez, Julio Iglesias and Ricky Nelson, a who’s who of musical artists. "

Here:
Rogers & Cowan PR Great Paul Bloch Has Passed Away

I remember he was the one quoted in the media at the time of Karen’s passing as he made statements on behalf of the family.
 
Sad news. He was with Carpenters for many years and is pictured with Karen in 1974 in the Rolling Stone article. He also talks about driving Karen to the 1983 Grammy reunion photo session. He said they had a wonderful conversation in the car and that she looked and sounded great.
 
He also talks about driving Karen to the 1983 Grammy reunion photo session. He said they had a wonderful conversation in the car and that she looked and sounded great.

When you look at the state of her in January 1983 (especially in the news reports of the Grammys alumni), how can anyone conceivably think she looked great? She looked like a woman of 50.
 
When you look at the state of her in January 1983 (especially in the news reports of the Grammys alumni), how can anyone conceivably think she looked great? She looked like a woman of 50.

Well, Herb Alpert and her attorney, Werner Wolfen, also said she looked better than she had in years.

I think she looks good in the ET clip where they show them all getting ready for the pic. WAY better than she did on GMA. I honestly think it’s that horribly lit clip of her talking at the event where she looks bad.
 
Well, Herb Alpert and her attorney, Werner Wolfen, also said she looked better than she had in years.

I think she looks good in the ET clip where they show them all getting ready for the pic. WAY better than she did on GMA. I honestly think it’s that horribly lit clip of her talking at the event where she looks bad.
I met Karen several times in person. The first time that I met her I had to ask her name.
She did not photograph well, even with professionals in some occasions but was extremely beautiful face to face.
 
Sad news. He was with Carpenters for many years and is pictured with Karen in 1974 in the Rolling Stone article. He also talks about driving Karen to the 1983 Grammy reunion photo session. He said they had a wonderful conversation in the car and that she looked and sounded great.
I'm intrigued about where he states the story he drove Karen to the grammys. Where can I find it ?
 
Never seen the clip with Herb before, thanks for posting @GaryAlan!

For those interested, Herb starts talking about Karen from 11:13 in the above clip.
 
Little Girl Blue (Schmidt) is where you read of Paul Bloch "drove Karen to CBS Television city...for Grammy photo session." (page 271).

Now, on Line 8 of LGB book you will read: "She looked tired, worn, and much older than a woman of 32."
Unfortunately, that line appears to be Randy's personal opinion (??), as he does not quote WHO
at that Grammy session made that remark about Karen's appearance (at that time).
In particular, Dionne Warwick, to my knowledge, never said that (she was there):
"The last time I saw her was at the Grammy shoot in January 1983. It was a joyous reunion. (Foreword to Schmidt).
 
Little Girl Blue (Schmidt) is where you read of Paul Bloch "drove Karen to CBS Television city...for Grammy photo session." (page 271).

Now, on Line 8 of LGB book you will read: "She looked tired, worn, and much older than a woman of 32."
Unfortunately, that line appears to be Randy's personal opinion (??), as he does not quote WHO
at that Grammy session made that remark about Karen's appearance (at that time).
In particular, Dionne Warwick, to my knowledge, never said that (she was there):
"The last time I saw her was at the Grammy shoot in January 1983. It was a joyous reunion. (Foreword to Schmidt).

Ah, thanks, Gary. I should have checked Randy’s book first.
 
The Late January 1983 Grammy photo session really got me thinking. Here we are, 2019.
How many people from that photo session interacted with Karen that day ?
How many of those folks have since said anything about that interaction ?
Then there is the Coleman book which says that Karen interacted with the patients at Lenox Hill Hospital,
no one---to my knowledge--has ever remarked about those interactions.
I think of these things, because, quite frankly,
Karen did look good in the photo ("you win, I gain") in Levenkron's office. That was near Thanksgiving 1982 (?).
She did not look good in the Downey Christmas 1982 photos,
but, she does look okay at the Grammy session photo-op.
Point being, she changed quite a bit from month to month.
.
 
My Little Sister, The Big Star
Record Mirror
Dec 29, 1973

CuIOwPS.jpg
 
A rehashed story which appeared in today’s UK press but the reader comments are pretty scathing.

Petula Clark reveals 'Elvis Presley angled for a threesome' with her

It is in the Daily Mail, so I wouldn't expect the readers' comments to be particularly coherent. But a lot of vitriol towards Petula, who (unlike some other singers from that era like Cilla Black and Lulu) as far as I know has never had a reptutation for being difficult or attention-seeking.

Petula's comments on working with Richard are interesting - clearly he is a hard taskmaster in the studio.
 
A rehashed story which appeared in today’s UK press but the reader comments are pretty scathing.

Petula Clark reveals 'Elvis Presley angled for a threesome' with her

Rehash indeed. Hasn't this story been circulating forever? Must've been a slow news day at The Daily Mail - Did they run out of photos of Kim Kardashian's derriere? :laugh:

IF this story is true (and I have my doubts), maybe our beloved Karen should have jumped in with both feet. She would've forever lost her "goody two shoes image" and would've become instantly "cool" having "been with" The King Of Rock And Roll. And you're right newvillefan, those comments are BRUTAL!!
 
^^ I know this interview with Phil Cody has appeared in the forum before, but I re-posted it for reference;

Philip Cody : Songwriter Interviews

Songfacts: Did you ever imagine that song sung by a female voice?

Philip: Yeah. I did, actually. But when I heard Karen Carpenter, I had chills down my spine. As a lyricist, you want that thing where an artist owns your lyric. You can measure success by the amount of money you make off a song, but I measure the success of that song by that particular moment, when she made it totally her own. And it's still great. I sat down one day and I listened to all 90 versions of "Solitaire" that people have done, and of all the ones that are out there, Karen Carpenter's is still the one that is the benchmark for all the covers on that song.

Clay Aiken??!! KC will always OWN this song IMHO.

Here is his version;

 
Just discovered this. More Sedaka / Carpenters feuding? Maybe.

I thought perhaps they used Aiken's name since he is younger and more "present" in the mind of listeners. Yes, the Cap. and Tennille are old, but that song was an international smash hit for them (LWKUT), whereas The C's version of Solitaire was not a large commercial success.

In any event, while Aiken does a nice job, the Carpenters version is the definitive one.
 
When I saw Neil in concert a couple of months ago, the show opens with a montage of pictures and hits he’s written for major stars or singers since the late 50’s including Connie Francis, himself, Captain & Tennille, Sinatra, Andy Williams, Carpenters, and Clay Aiken was last. The picture of the Carpenters comes up and their recording of Breaking Up Is Hard To Do plays over the speakers. I thought it odd. The last picture is Clay Aiken and his version of Solitaire plays, which I found pleasant, but still an odd choice. It’s Sedaka’s show, so he can choose the songs. I was still not happy that he chose Aiken over Carpenters for Solitaire. They had the only true hit version with it, out of the 90 covers recorded over the years. BUIHTD was a bit of a payback, and a joke at the same time on The Kind of Hush album. The dig at him, and Captain & Tennille and the end of Boat to Sail was even better I thought.
 
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