Carpenters rare video clips

My primary thesis is, however, not altered: One of those songs --You're Enough--sounds vocally much stronger than the other !

I’ve often wondered if there was more than one recording session in April 1982. Karen was home for around two weeks, so it’s entirely plausible that the two songs were recorded on completed different days during that period. You’re right though, she does sound much stronger on You’re Enough. It’s amazing how different she sounds between the one song and the other.
 
Hello! Here is the next tape, a Dutch Carpenters radio special about their new album “Made In America” Interview with Mireille Bekooij, 1981.

The interviewer gets quite a bit out of Karen and Richard. So many interviewers talk too much. This interviewer leaves all the space to K & R.

It was interesting to hear them talking about 'Made in America'.

It was especially revealing hearing Karen describing Richard's character, and her own.
 
Hello! Here is the next tape, a Dutch Carpenters radio special about their new album “Made In America” Interview with Mireille Bekooij, 1981.


This interview and Karen's comments about her personality and Richard's personality demonstrates how the internet can spread misinformation and unfair ill feeling, and also the danger of taking partly-fictional movies, etc. as your main source material for information and opinions. If you read reviews for Carpenters' music on Amazon.com and responses to videos on Youtube, there are quite a few that suggest that Richard was aggressive and dominating; even an abuser of Karen. Here, we hear Karen herself say, not all that long before she died, that Richard's personality was the opposite of that, and suggesting that she never felt any aggression from him. It must cut Richard up, reading the vitriol from what seems to be Richard-haters. I think he'd have to steer clear of reading people's comments on such sites. (He's probably not tempted to, anyway). Actually, I'm sure he's confident enough in the reality of his life, of what actually and truly happened and his true relationship with Karen to be bothered by people's unfair conjecture.
 
Hi everyone,

I am an archivist in-training (currently getting my Master's degree in Library & Information Science). We are taught in archival studies to think about provenance (where materials come from), so I re-watched the Gold: Greatest Hits and the Interpretations DVDs. Two names that stood out to me were Paul Surratt (of Research Video) and DC Video. Unfortunately, Paul Surratt passed away recently, and it's not clear who manages Research Video now, or if it even exists (and if it doesn't exist, where did those tapes go?). However, DC Video is still very much in operation. They do video transfers, so they don't own the tapes or know where the tapes are permanently stored.

I would love to know one day where the Make Your Own Kind of Music and TV special tapes are stored. DC Video did a good job at transferring those tapes for Interpretations.

By the way, speaking of Interpretations, does anyone know where/when the bulk of this video comes from? (i.e. which TV show, when it aired) Wikipedia says Make Your Own Kind of Music, but I have an inkling of doubt...

Thanks!
Cuyler
 
This interview and Karen's comments about her personality and Richard's personality demonstrates how the internet can spread misinformation and unfair ill feeling, and also the danger of taking partly-fictional movies, etc. as your main source material for information and opinions. If you read reviews for Carpenters' music on Amazon.com and responses to videos on Youtube, there are quite a few that suggest that Richard was aggressive and dominating; even an abuser of Karen. Here, we hear Karen herself say, not all that long before she died, that Richard's personality was the opposite of that, and suggesting that she never felt any aggression from him. It must cut Richard up, reading the vitriol from what seems to be Richard-haters. I think he'd have to steer clear of reading people's comments on such sites. (He's probably not tempted to, anyway). Actually, I'm sure he's confident enough in the reality of his life, of what actually and truly happened and his true relationship with Karen to be bothered by people's unfair conjecture.
Bravo! And, did you notice how she said she takes after her mother? Karen said she's just like her! Agnes gets quite the misdirected vitriol, too.
 
Hi everyone,

I am an archivist in-training (currently getting my Master's degree in Library & Information Science). We are taught in archival studies to think about provenance (where materials come from), so I re-watched the Gold: Greatest Hits and the Interpretations DVDs. Two names that stood out to me were Paul Surratt (of Research Video) and DC Video. Unfortunately, Paul Surratt passed away recently, and it's not clear who manages Research Video now, or if it even exists (and if it doesn't exist, where did those tapes go?). However, DC Video is still very much in operation. They do video transfers, so they don't own the tapes or know where the tapes are permanently stored.

I would love to know one day where the Make Your Own Kind of Music and TV special tapes are stored. DC Video did a good job at transferring those tapes for Interpretations.

By the way, speaking of Interpretations, does anyone know where/when the bulk of this video comes from? (i.e. which TV show, when it aired) Wikipedia says Make Your Own Kind of Music, but I have an inkling of doubt...

Thanks!
Cuyler
According to the Japanese DVD of the GOLD video compilation with Richard's commentary, he indicates that the version of "Close To You" in *that* program came from MAKE YOUR OWN KIND OF MUSIC, and that it was selected for THAT compilation because Karen isn't sitting behind the drums. He also indicates that the main video for "Close To You", which is the one in INTERPRETATIONS, was filmed (taped) by A&M at A&M's Studio B.
 
According to the Japanese DVD of the GOLD video compilation with Richard's commentary, he indicates that the version of "Close To You" in *that* program came from MAKE YOUR OWN KIND OF MUSIC, and that it was selected for THAT compilation because Karen isn't sitting behind the drums. He also indicates that the main video for "Close To You", which is the one in INTERPRETATIONS, was filmed (taped) by A&M at A&M's Studio B.
Wonderful, thank you for that information!

I can confirm that the Gold version of "Close to You" is from the premiere July 20, 1971 episode of Make Your Own Kind of Music.

The Make Your Own Kind of Music "Highlights" on YouTube are in chronological order, but they are not divided per episode; you'll notice that the letters go in order. The clip of the Gold version of "Close to You" can be found toward the end of Highlights 2:

Thank you for that wonderful bit of information about the Interpretations version. I would love to hear that whole commentary you're referring to!

Best,
Cuyler
 
Does anywhere know where one can find a clear transfer of the eight episodes MYOKOM? (I'm definitely willing to pay for DVDs.)
 
The Museum of Broadcasting in NYC may have the series. Not sure. When I visited it in 1984, the only program I asked to watch was Make Your Own Kind of Music. They only listed the first episode for public viewing, unfortunately. I would have stayed all day if the others were available. It was great to see it without any commercials. The Doodletown Pipers......... it was 1971 after all. I’ve never seen them advertised for sale on EBay, or anywhere else.
 
Hi everyone,

I am an archivist in-training (currently getting my Master's degree in Library & Information Science). We are taught in archival studies to think about provenance (where materials come from), so I re-watched the Gold: Greatest Hits and the Interpretations DVDs. Two names that stood out to me were Paul Surratt (of Research Video) and DC Video. Unfortunately, Paul Surratt passed away recently, and it's not clear who manages Research Video now, or if it even exists (and if it doesn't exist, where did those tapes go?). However, DC Video is still very much in operation. They do video transfers, so they don't own the tapes or know where the tapes are permanently stored.

I would love to know one day where the Make Your Own Kind of Music and TV special tapes are stored. DC Video did a good job at transferring those tapes for Interpretations.

By the way, speaking of Interpretations, does anyone know where/when the bulk of this video comes from? (i.e. which TV show, when it aired) Wikipedia says Make Your Own Kind of Music, but I have an inkling of doubt...

Thanks!
Cuyler
Welcome here, Cuyler!
According to the notes by Richard with the Interpretations VHS tape I have, that version of "Close To You" was taped at NBC in Burbank, September 1970, for the Don Knotts Show. I'm kind of surprised that the DVD doesn't seem to have such notes? You can read them here on one of the photos of this eBay item.

Greg
 
Welcome here, Cuyler!
According to the notes by Richard with the Interpretations VHS tape I have, that version of "Close To You" was taped at NBC in Burbank, September 1970, for the Don Knotts Show. I'm kind of surprised that the DVD doesn't seem to have such notes? You can read them here on one of the photos of this eBay item.

Greg
This is some amazing information! I wonder if there are any clips out there of the Carpenters' appearance on the Don Knotts Show. The one question still in my head is--was that brief clip of Richard playing those "quintuplets" in the original performance, or did they film his fingers in ~1995 when they did Interpretations?
 
If anyone is interested, Tomka Productions, which produced Make Your Own Kind of Music, also produced The Don Knotts Show (which may explain why the aesthetics of "(They Long to Be) Close to You" on Interpretations blends right in next to the Make Your Own Kind of Music clips).

I did a business search on the State of California, Secretary of State website, and found this: https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=00485597-7195840

Tomka Productions, Inc. was dissolved in June 2005, and the dissolution was signed by "Jesse Donald Knotts, Director." I wonder if that performance on The Don Knotts Show influenced Don Knotts's decision to offer the Carpenters their own summer series.

Cuyler
 
Newvillefan,
I read From The Top Liner Notes, for the song "Now"...."this recording is from April 1982 and what became Karen's last recording session."
Then, information from the official Carpenters webpage: "Karen made a short trip to Los Angeles in April for a visit, during which time several rhythm tracks with work leads were recorded, including Now and You're Enough."
Source:
 
Then, information from the official Carpenters webpage: "Karen made a short trip to Los Angeles in April for a visit, during which time several rhythm tracks with work leads were recorded, including Now and You're Enough."

Even from that official source it’s not really clear how many visits to the studio Karen made during that short stay. I just thought it was interesting that she sounds very different on the two tracks cut and whether they were done in the same session or not.

Also, I wonder how many tracks with work leads is “several” and why none of the others have gone on to be released. It would be absolutely fascinating to hear more material from her very last recording session(s).
 
I've just made new rips and uploaded all the episodes (highlights) directly from my VHS copy to my YouTube channel...

They're only slightly better/bigger quality than what was currently on there.


Thank you for sharing! Do you have Mark Lindsay’s performance of “Arizona” from this episode? (M for Mark)
 
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