German Interview with Richard

Bruno

Member
I just found an interview which Richard did with the German news website ZEIT ONLINE. Go to Google and type in " Zeit Online Richard Carpenter". It is in German language. The interview is from January 2019, inspired by the release of "Carpenters with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra".

Two things stand out for me in this interview.
First: Richard confesses being a perfectionist. He says, thats it is a "curse", but he can't change it. I always thought, that he is suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder.

Second: He talks about having written new songs and going into the studio "in January" (2019 or 2020?). He says, that the name of the singer of these songs is still a secret.

Has anybody heard of this? I would love a new album by Richard! I am listening to "Carpenters with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra" at least once in a week since it's release. Can't get enough of it!
 
He talks about having written new songs and going into the studio "in January" (2019 or 2020?). He says, that the name of the singer of these songs is still a secret.

This rumour has been circulating for as long as I have been a member of this forum. If you look at his official page - last updated May 2004 - it says “Contrary to what you have read, Richard is not looking for a professional partner”. Exactly a year later, S Club 7’s Jo O’Meara surfaced claiming in interviews she had been asked by Richard to record some tracks with him. In October 2008, he flew to Japan for a press conference amid rumours he had found a new singer...and then nothing for a decade. Now the story has surfaced again. If the singer’s name is a secret, it already has been for around 15 years :laugh:
 
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Here’s that section from the article and my own translation (usefully, I have a degree in Languages :)). The article is dated 30th January, but the interview was probably done in late 2018, so I’d say he’s referring to January 2019 here:

Original: Ich habe tatsächlich Songs für ein neues Album geschrieben. Im Januar werde ich damit ins Studio gehen, aber wer da singt, bleibt vorerst mein Geheimnis. Konzerte werde ich allerdings nicht mehr geben. Das ist ohne Karen unvorstellbar für mich.

Translation: I’ve actually written some songs for a new album. In January I’ll be going into the studio to record them, but I’m keeping the identity of the singer a secret for now. But I’ll never perform live again. Without Karen, that would be unimaginable.

Interestingly, the title of the article, which also focuses on this subject, is a quote from Richard: “I hated our album covers!”

The Carpenters: "Ich habe unsere Plattencover gehasst!"
 
Very good translation! I will translate the whole interview and post it here, but not today, because I'm sitting in my office without air condition and it's just too hot in here, I'm melting away....
 
Here’s that section from the article and my own translation (usefully, I have a degree in Languages :)). The article is dated 30th January, but the interview was probably done in late 2018, so I’d say he’s referring to January 2019 here:

Original: Ich habe tatsächlich Songs für ein neues Album geschrieben. Im Januar werde ich damit ins Studio gehen, aber wer da singt, bleibt vorerst mein Geheimnis. Konzerte werde ich allerdings nicht mehr geben. Das ist ohne Karen unvorstellbar für mich.

Translation: I’ve actually written some songs for a new album. In January I’ll be going into the studio to record them, but I’m keeping the identity of the singer a secret for now. But I’ll never perform live again. Without Karen, that would be unimaginable.

Interestingly, the title of the article, which also focuses on this subject, is a quote from Richard: “I hated our album covers!”

The Carpenters: "Ich habe unsere Plattencover gehasst!"

Richard on his own has always been of very little interest commercially. As was the case with the Xmas album, he won't find anyone who would release anything he did. Heck, at this point, interest in Carpenters is likely waning simply because of the passage of time. We are fast becoming the last of the Mohicans.

Ed
 
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