📣 News Carpenters: The Musical Legacy (Discussion)

My copy arrived earlier today and I have devoted my time to its perusal.
It is lavish and beautifully produced. The dust-jacket is a winner, as is the over-all binding.
Physically, it is an over-sized and weighty hardcover book, produced with paper that has a permanent feel to it.
The photographs are beautiful. Karen Carpenter really was a beauty and the photos capture that beauty.
That's my start...
 
After reading the book during the past few days, I must say it's the best $35 dollars I've ever spent! To Chris, Mike and Richard, you've done a stellar job of documenting the Carpenters recording history. Your tedious research and impressive attention to detail will ensure that their musical stardom will shine for many years to come. More comments will follow after everyone has had an opportunity to finish the "offering". Bravo Zulu!
 
United States, Hawaii reporting. I got my book!!!
I've only had a chance to skim, but is is absolutely beautiful, and I will be so proud to have this "gift" in my home!
Thank you Richard, Mike and Chris. Looks like you did good. :)
 
Received my book yesterday. It's a beautiful book. I will gradually be working my way through the dialog and photos.

Thank you to the authors for this beautiful gift, and "Thank you for the music" Richard Carpenter.
 
Nice to see that the boxy sound of "B'wana..." has finally been explained. Turns out they should have gotten Roger Young to do the whole album. Ray couldn't cut it anymore due to hearing loss. Guess it wasn't possible for Richard to know or Ray didn't tell him. I'd assume he had to know.

Ed
 
There are two statements made by Richard under the heading "Richard's Take" on pg.41 (about the "Offering" album) that I strongly disagree with...one involves the songs he thought should not have been included on the album, and the other has to do with who he thought should have been the album's drummer...will elaborate later...
 
Nice to see that the boxy sound of "B'wana..." has finally been explained. Turns out they should have gotten Roger Young to do the whole album. Ray couldn't cut it anymore due to hearing loss. Guess it wasn't possible for Richard to know or Ray didn't tell him. I'd assume he had to know.

Ed
And to expand on this—now that the book is out, this was the problem with everything from Hush on through Portrait. I'll add that into the entry on the next edition for clarity.
 
Usually publishers will go to a second edition if the first does well. This is where we catch things and include whatever was missed the first time around! 😀
So this could potentially mean a second book with new material?
 
Second edition (in contradistinction to second printing) would be awesome.
Where to submit errata ? I have located only three so far (but, not marring anything of 'substance.').
 
Second edition (in contradistinction to second printing) would be awesome.
Where to submit errata ? I have located only three so far (but, not marring anything of 'substance.').
Hang on to those @GaryAlan! There are definitely errors, which we too are documenting.

The next would be a second printing, as anything second “edition” would be a ways off!
 
My copy was delivered a few minutes ago. It sure looks impressive, and I can't wait to get started reading! 📖

If I may make a request, @Chris May , once you've got all the errors documented/corrected, could you please post an errata page(s) here, so that we can print them, to insert into the back of our books. I'm sure that we'd all appreciate that!
 
And to expand on this—now that the book is out, this was the problem with everything from Hush on through Portrait. I'll add that into the entry on the next edition for clarity.

I'm honestly fine with the sonics on everything else. It was "B'wana..." that made no sense to me.
The LP does sound better so I figured it was just something with the mastering to CD. Turns out, a compromised Ray was the issue.
I have a self-modified "B'wana" that I listen to when I want to hear the tune...and I hear it often... :wink:

Ed
 
Yeah, I need to remember where it is again but there’s reference to “vinyls.” “Vinyl” is already plural so that’s definitely a typo. I’ll see if I can find it again. I cringed a little when I saw it. 😂😂

Ed
 
Chris, in the section "A Year In The Life" the promotional video for (They Long To Be) Close To You that was made at A&M Studios is mentioned but I did not find a mention of the promotional video for Love Is Surrender. Were they both taped the same week?
 
One extremely minor quibble of mine about the book has nothing to do with its contents, but its main body typeface. For some reason, every time I come across the record label's name, A&M, it appears that there's a separation between the ampersand and the "M", and there isn't. But my eye gets caught on that. Here's a sample:

1637595916307.png <---- (That mark above the "e" in "the" is just the lower descender of a "g" from the line above.)

The ampersand has "cozied up" to the capital "A", but appears to be distancing from the "M". It's just an oddity of the typeface, and I'm probably the only person in the world that would be bothered by that, but I thought I'd mention it here.
 
Usually publishers will go to a second edition if the first does well. This is where we catch things and include whatever was missed the first time around! 😀
Well, I wasn't going to bring it up, but in context of a "second addition," Minot is in North Dakota, not South Dakota. Yes, I know it is being "persnickety," but for a book that is factual in most every detail possible, here's a minor correction to help that along.
 
Well, I wasn't going to bring it up, but in context of a "second addition," Minot is in North Dakota, not South Dakota. Yes, I know it is being "persnickety," but for a book that is factual in most every detail possible, here's a minor correction to help that along.
Good catch!

I am going to start a separate thread for errors, so I have one place to go to retrieve these later on when submitting to the publisher.

Thanks!
 
Book received just now from TalkShopLive, ordered during the broadcast. No autograph.
But can’t wait to start reading!
 
Well, I wasn't going to bring it up, but in context of a "second addition," Minot is in North Dakota, not South Dakota. Yes, I know it is being "persnickety," but for a book that is factual in most every detail possible, here's a minor correction to help that along.
Please refer to Carpenters: The Musical Legacy ERRATA thread to report any errors.

Thanks!
 
One extremely minor quibble of mine about the book has nothing to do with its contents, but its main body typeface. For some reason, every time I come across the record label's name, A&M, it appears that there's a separation between the ampersand and the "M", and there isn't. But my eye gets caught on that. Here's a sample:

1637595916307.png <---- (That mark above the "e" in "the" is just the lower descender of a "g" from the line above.)

The ampersand has "cozied up" to the capital "A", but appears to be distancing from the "M". It's just an oddity of the typeface, and I'm probably the only person in the world that would be bothered by that, but I thought I'd mention it here.
SUCH a perfectionist lol :laugh:
 
When Richard claims the Carpenters were mismanaged, an item in the touring schedule totally confirms that he is correct. At the height of their fame (17 Top 40 hits at the time) they were booked in a High School Auditorium in Longview, TX on 10/20/76. There are many other questionable venues earlier in their career but this one really stood out.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom