As time goes by-Is there finally a U.S. release?

[JAZZ4JEFF]

According to the web site www.amcorner.com, there is an April 13 release date for the U.S. version of "As Time Goes by". Here is the info.

APRIL:
13th As Time Goes By CD--Carpenters (6064931122)

Does this mean that A&M has finally solved the legal problems that has left this collection off the U.S. record racks? And not to speculate, but will the track selection be identicle to the Japan release, or different.

 

[Harry]

Interesting - by April, four of the tracks on that album will have been issued in the US on the ESSENTIALS box set and the new GOLD CD.

Hard to believe it's a three-year old album already.

Harry
NP: "Your Wonderful Parade", Carpenters

 

[davidgra]

Does this mean that A&M has finally solved the legal problems that has left this collection off the U.S. record racks?

Or does this mean Universal won and Richard agreed to leave a couple of the tracks off...?

David

 

[PJ]

Great news for USA / Canada Carpenters fans -at long last this set will be available for wider audience

Sure most diehard USA collectors / fans and forum members have obtained via one of the import releases -but with the potential success of 2 CD Gold -35th Anniversary compilation -this should set up some success for ATGB with wider audience

I doubt Richard has agreed to cut the track listing by omitting via Universal's plan :

I Got Rhythm / Nowhere Man / Carpenters & Como Medley

Richard delivered this album in 2000 and all the releases have contained
15 tracks as intended

Originally Richard wanted to include 17 tracks on ATGB -Randy's site listed :

You'll Never Know (1980) and Good Vibrations/ Coming Thru' The Rye (1976) as cut tracks

Unlikely USA ATGB will contain more tracks -at least it will be released
for all Carpenters fans

Peter

 

[Rudy]

Since the import was widely available in the US (I think even Best Buy stocked it), I don't see any point in releasing it here. Anyone who's enough of a fan who would have wanted a collection of what is pretty much rarities, has probably already purchased it anyway.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Wanna hear something funny. I wanted this import so bad that I ordered it online when it first came out, I also ordered the Cd Single for Rainbow Connection at the same time. When it arrived they messed up & sent me 2 copies of As Time Goes By CD & No Single CD. So I emailed them & they apologized for the mess up & sent me the CD Single the next week and didn't charge me anything extra nor did they request the other Cd back. I still have it sealed. So I got charged only for 1 CD & 1 Cd Single but recvd 2 original ATGB Cd's & 1 Cd Single.

...who recvd 2 copies of ASGB for the price of 1, online....

 

[mr J.]

One thing is almost guaranteed-AS TIME GOES BY is not going to sell well when it's finally released here in the US.It's been available for almost 3 years already,and everyone that's wanted to get there hands on it probably already have it(almost every retailer stocks the import-Tower,HMV,CD Universe,Barnes& Noble,Amazon,Etc).Plus,a good chunk of the album is available on compilations,anyway.The fact is,in order for an album of this nature("rarities")to sell well,it has to have some element of surprise.And,that no longer exists in this case.Incidentally,I doubt the new GOLD collection is going to be a big seller,either-it's almost identical to most of the other compilations.(give or take a few tracks).Richard and A&M need to shuffle the song selection a little bit differently.

 

[JAZZ4JEFF]

Not to start any rumors, because I have yet to see any confirmation from web retailers on the release of ATGB. However, what if the U.S. ATGB has additional tracks not found on the Japan release? This could be a boon to Carpenter collectors.

Depending on how A&M markets the new GOLD collection, it could drive up interest in Karen & Richard. Arista had tremendous success with their "Ultimate Manilow" CD, and Rhino did very well with a Chicago hits collection. If the set is marketed, with TV spots and co-op money with large chains like Wal-Mart & Target, it could be done.

Of course, the ultimate would be for Richard to be involved in any sort of marketing. In today's climate, you almost have to do the TV & radio "dog & pony show" to get the consumers attention.

 

[PJ]

Most of the replies here are looking at ATGB from our perspective -many fans and music buyers are STILL unaware of this album being released outside USA

Longterm / diehard fans like us have already obtained ATGB -that huge USA wider / general audience need a full promotional / marketing campaign and if Universal want to follow up on the 35th Anniversary 2 CD set -this is the time to advertise Carpenters latest set

If Universal and to a lesser extent Richard want to expand Carpenters base to new & younger audience -then these two releases offer the best way to widening the fanbase and opening up the entire catalogue to new admirers

Incidentially Universal would have no interest in promoting a more specialist compilation -one with few singles or Carpenters classics -like a Standards set or updated Treasures album tracks release -these are overdue -but really appeal only to a minority of Carpenters buyers

Peter

 

[andywithaz]

I agree with Peter that other Carpenters fans might not know about ATGB. I know about 4 people that are true Carpenters fans but have never heard about ATGB. I hope that maybe it will sell good and open up a new generation of Carpenters fans.

It took me about 1 1/2 years to find this site with all this information about releases so about 3/4 Carpenters fans don't even know of its existence.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

I tend to disagree that most Carpenters fans have not heard of ATGS import from Japan. I think that they have heard of it but either would not order online for overseas shipment or it was just too expensive for them to purchase.

It is way too easy for Carpenters fans to find out about the latest release of the Carpenters (this includes anywhere in the world) The internet keeps us all informed. Now-adays almost every household has at least 1 computer and the internet is a vast of information. All one has to do is search ebay & there it is you don't even have to search extensively through some personal website of the carpenters.

I just think with this new release there just making it "easier" for the U.S. to buy it. But still think most diehard fans have already got it as an import. And if don't have it then have surely heard about it.

..enjoying my day off today...

 

[engineer]

I tend to agree with those who think that the majority of American Carpenters fans don't know about ATGB. But my definition of the word "fan" probably isn't the same is some of yours.

A "fan" is someone who enjoys the music of the Carpenters and would spend money to buy a CD if they found the right opportunity.

We are not "fans;" we are, for the most part, crazed, fanatical enthusiasts. Most of us here are, at least. We seek out everything available, we look for others with whom to have discussions about the music, we actively seek any news we can find.

A casual "fan" does not seek out any of this. For example, I'm a fan of Jackson Browne. I don't have every album he's ever released, but I have most of them. I don't ever look him up on Google, nor do I participate in any discussion groups about him. But when I see that he's released a new CD, I buy it.

I'd suspect that 90% of the Carpenters "fans" out there are that kind of fan. They don't know about ATGB, but if it were heavily advertised and available at a reasonable price all over the country, it would sell quite a few copies.

GOLD actually seems to stand a better chance at being a best-seller. With a lot of '70s acts, the music-buying public doesn't want to hear new stuff, they want collections of all the songs they remember from back then. How many gajillions of copies has Barry Manilow's "Ultimate" collection sold? how about ABBA's GOLD? Even people who hardly consider themselves "fans" will buy these collections. With enough TV ads, print ads, store promotion, etc., the Carpenters GOLD could sell millions of copies. It's up to Universal, how they want to market it.

With a huge push for GOLD, following in two months with ATGB could prove to drive its sales to much higher levels. It all depends on the marketing...

Dan

 

[andywithaz]

Dan, you said it perfectly

 

[song4u]

We are not "fans;" we are, for the most part, crazed, fanatical enthusiasts. Most of us here are, at least. We seek out everything available, we look for others with whom to have discussions about the music, we actively seek any news we can find.

LOL . . . guilty.

 

[andywithaz]

We all are