Interesting Finds in the Mook Book

[Chris Mills]

It's been bugging me for a while exactly what Mook refers to. Apparently it's a blend of magazine and book, half magazine and half book, hence Mook. Just wanted to throw in that bit of trivia.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

The Mook has several interviews inside, A Super Long Interview from Richard Carpenter that is broken up in sections:
(1) Prelude 1946-1968 (This is where the 45 record is shown that I posted on page 1 of this thread of Karen's first recording 2 tracks
(2) Ticket To Ride 1968-1969
(3) Debut 1969-1970
(4) A Song for You 1970-1973
There is a photo in this section of Karen & Richard with Richard Nixon and next to it is a track listing that says:
1. Close To You, 2. Love is Surrender, 3. Top Of The World, 4. For All We Know, 5. Superstar, 6. Rainy Days & Mondays, 7. Mr. Guder, 8. Sometimes, 9. We've Only Just Begun.
Could this be the set list they played for the President?
(5) Now & Then 1973-1974
(6) Karen 1974-1975
(7) Horizon 1975-1976
(8) Struggles 1976-1981
(9) Solo Album 1980-1983
(10) Sorrow 1983
(11) Voice Of The Heart 1983

The Richard interview scan approx 20 pages long with the above sections all in Japanese text.

There is also a John Bettis interview that scans about 5 pages all in Japanese text.

The last page of the Mook if a small picture of Yuka standing with Richard outside next to one of his collector cars, below the photo is a long written message I'm assuming is from Yuka in Japanese. Yuka does write some in English that says she basically thanks Richard for his time and effort to help Yuka create this Mook. She also thanks Richard's family especially his kids for stealing their daddy at their bed time while he helps Yuka complete Mook. Something interesting that Yuka writes in English is about who helped her make Mook. Yuka says she wishes to thank Kathi Saunders for her painstaking effort to transcribe the interview tapes. She also thanks John Bettis who it sounds like did his interview by phone. She thanks many others as well and last but not least she expresses her gratitude to Karen for watching Yuka from above.

So it sounds like Kathi Saunders transcribed the interview tapes. Sure wish an English version was available. I wonder if Yuka can help us get the English version, I'd love to read Richard's and John Bettis's articles.

 

[moog]

Chris- could you (or somebody) possibly post the scans so those of us with Japanese-speaking friends can translate them?

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Has anyone ever seen this Carpenters CD Collection before? This is shown in The Mook and it says 1989, was this a UK release? If you look closely it has the albums in the standard jewel cases but the one in the front is showing the cover of Honolulu City Lights. I did not know this was released as a CD single inside a collection box set? I got a magnifying glass and it actually says Honolulu City Lights and the cover matches the 45 picture sleeve. I also could not find this on David's Carpenters site in 1989. See below from Mook

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

We have talked about that famous Carpenters Logo Neon Sign before but here is a great shot in color of the Carpenters Neon Sign (I'm assuming that was at the Newville Home?
Does anyone know when this sign was made, before or after Karen passed away?
Check out the pillow made from The Singles 69-73 love that.

 

[mr J.]

Has anyone ever seen this Carpenters CD Collection before? This is shown in The Mook and it says 1989, was this a UK release? If you look closely it has the albums in the standard jewel cases but the one in the front is showing the cover of Honolulu City Lights. I did not know this was released as a CD single inside a collection box set? I got a magnifying glass and it actually says Honolulu City Lights and the cover matches the 45 picture sleeve. I also could not find this on David's Carpenters site in 1989. See below from Mook

That is the Japanese "Compact Disc Collection"-Twelve albums(including CP special edition).

"Honolulu City Lights" cd-single wasn't part of that set.

 

[Harry]

Twelve albums(including CP special edition).

"Honolulu City Lights" cd-single wasn't part of that set.

Yes it was.

It was the ten studio albums, plus the very first release of LIVE AT THE PALLADIUM on CD, and the single for "Honolulu City Lights" b/w "Slow Dance"

Here's Keith Hirsch's report on that first box set:

http://www.keithhirsch.com/the-japanese-carpenters-box-set-carpenters-collection

and another look at that set:

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/mega-1986-first-carpenters-box-set-404080533

Pretty rare.

Harry

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

That's it Harry, same catalog # Do you own this rare set?
So it also contained Live at the Palladium. Man, I wonder how these CD's sound as far as mastering goes since this was the very first time pressing on CD. This is really rare indeed, especially with Honolulu City Lights included.
Wow another collection I am missing. I'd love to own this one!!!
Thanks for the links and pics.

 

[Harry]

Nope. Never found one. The search continues.

Harry

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

I just noticed something else, the US 45 single of Honolulu City Lights is b/w I Just Fall In Love Again.
The Japan 45 single of Honolulu City Lights is b/w When You Got What It Takes
The CD Single of Honolulu City Lights is b/w Slow Dance.
How odd is that?

 

[A&M Retro]

Richard has talked about recordings he has of Karen at age 14 before she developed her 'chest voice'. He said in a late '80s interview that Karen would NOT be happy if he made them commercially available. All signs indicate that the Russell single is indeed a one-off pressing of those recordings. Pretty amazing.

 

[newvillefan]

I just noticed something else, the US 45 single of Honolulu City Lights is b/w I Just Fall In Love Again.
The Japan 45 single of Honolulu City Lights is b/w When You Got What It Takes
The CD Single of Honolulu City Lights is b/w Slow Dance.
How odd is that?

That is odd Chris, and something I'd never noticed myself!

While I was looking up the various versions online, I came across this other Japanese rarity. I tried to post it on the original thread about this release but it's closed to further comments. When I first saw this, I thought it was some kind of collection of songs from their TV Specials because it's called 'ABC Sampler'. But on further inspection, it's a 20 track promo only collection of songs by 'ABBA', Bee Gees' and 'Carpenters' - my three favourite bands! And there's one up for sale currently if anyone's after it...

http://www.cdandlp.com/item/2/0-1101-0-1-0/2980390755/carpenters-abc-sampler.html

 

[newvillefan]

We have talked about that famous Carpenters Logo Neon Sign before but here is a great shot in color of the Carpenters Neon Sign (I'm assuming that was at the Newville Home?
Does anyone know when this sign was made, before or after Karen passed away?
Check out the pillow made from The Singles 69-73 love that.

Great picture Chris!

That's the same room where Richard was filmed for this interview:





The Singles 1969-1973 pillow is very cool, never seen that before!

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

I'm really interested in "Mr Blue Man" looking all comfy and cozy on that couch to the left of Singles pillow...I bet he's got lot's of memories to tell, huh?

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

That is odd Chris, and something I'd never noticed myself!

While I was looking up the various versions online, I came across this other Japanese rarity. I tried to post it on the original thread about this release but it's closed to further comments. When I first saw this, I thought it was some kind of collection of songs from their TV Specials because it's called 'ABC Sampler'. But on further inspection, it's a 20 track promo only collection of songs by 'ABBA', Bee Gees' and 'Carpenters' - my three favourite bands! And there's one up for sale currently if anyone's after it...

http://www.cdandlp.com/item/2/0-1101-0-1-0/2980390755/carpenters-abc-sampler.html

Stephen, here it is on the bay now, with tracklisting, $200.00 wow that must be rare. Interesting that they put The Rainbow Connection on this CD, never would have thought that one would make the cut.

 

[mr J.]

Yes it was.

It was the ten studio albums, plus the very first release of LIVE AT THE PALLADIUM on CD, and the single for "Honolulu City Lights" b/w "Slow Dance"

Here's Keith Hirsch's report on that first box set:

http://www.keithhirsch.com/the-japanese-carpenters-box-set-carpenters-collection

and another look at that set:

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/mega-1986-first-carpenters-box-set-404080533

Pretty rare.

Harry

My mistake-I actually thought that was the "Compact Disc Collection" released around 1990.It had the 12 albums "Ticket" through "Lovelines"-including the CP Special Edition. No "Palladium" disc and no "Honolulu" cd-single.

Wasn't even aware this earlier boxed set even existed.

 

[Harry]

Easy to mistake - both have the word "Collection" in their title, and both were early box sets.

If I had to guess about the Japanese set, it would probably have all of the same mixes that were first put onto compact disc, so they'd mirror the old A&M CDs.

Harry

 

[Jeff]

Anybody making headway at MOOK's English translation?

 

[newvillefan]

First off, I noticed a 45 single listed in a section titled "Prelude 1946-1968" now this pic is super small but with a magnifying glass I can clearly see a Russell label showing it to be a 45 then Karen Carpenter and the song "We'll Be Together"

VERY cool! I wonder if the record has Karen singing in a "high voice" or a "low voice?" (The latter supposedly didn't happen until "You'll Love Me," when her low voice "popped out.")

Just re-reading this thread now since it appeared back at the top of the forum...my guess on the above question is that Karen was singing these two 1964 songs in her high voice. I remember at least one interview with Richard where he seems to have been talking about these songs without referring to them by name. He said words to the effect that Karen had recorded tracks before her real voice had developed and was singing in her head voice, but that he'd never release them because "she would not be happy". I wish we'd had them on 'From The Top' instead of tracks like 'Caravan' and 'Iced Tea'.

 

[GaryAlan]

Seems to me, and I will have to locate the reference, that Richard has reservations, now, regarding
recording " Don't Cry For Me Argentina" due to its key being a bit too high for Karen's vocals.
Well, the " money may be in the basement", but why second guess these recordings primarily on the 'basis' that
Karen Carpenter is using her 'head' (--higher--) voice compared to her 'chest' (--lower--) voice.
In other words, he has no compunction about recording a mediocre song, if sung in a 'low' voice, but,
even a 'great' song (the above from Passage) is downplayed because of its 'higher' vocal.
Yes, money in the bank on those ultra-low notes, but, still let's expand our horizons.
Karen Carpenter was so much more than, say, the opening note ('After...") on "Only Yesterday".

 

[GaryAlan]

In reference to previous post, I have located the aforementioned documentation:
40th Anniversary Liner Notes, Passage,
Don't Cry For Me Argentina:
Richard Carpenter..." song submitted by publisher...I immediately felt it was perfect for Karen,
though, now, I feel differently..as I believe the song doesn't linger long enough in a lower register."

An aside,
1977 A&M Press Release for Passage:
Karen: " I'm awfully pleased with 'Argentina' ."
Richard: " I heard the Evita album and it took just one listening."
And the press release ends quoting the lyric--7 lines-- of the song!

 

[GaryAlan]

Interesting , the Karen Carpenter Session Photos--those in the Mook (pages 15,24,25,129,131)--
are quite eye-catching. Karen really looks healthy and happy. I love those.
Next Up:
On page 39--bottom right of "Super Long Interview"--is the List of the nine songs performed at The White House.
Pages 104-112 give "Carpenters 50 Greatest Songs"...with commentary...
I was wondering if the 50 listed songs are Richard Carpenter's choices, or Yuko Ogura's choices.
Note that when the Discography is Listed, only the Offering Album has the complete track
list in English (page 138).
Page 77 has the Singles, with chart action: Goofus tops out at#56, I Believe You#68.....interesting placements.

 

[CarpentersFan]

It's been bugging me for a while exactly what Mook refers to. Apparently it's a blend of magazine and book, half magazine and half book, hence Mook. Just wanted to throw in that bit of trivia.

Thanks for posting that! I was embarrassed to ask what Mook meant! I've wondered for a while. I feel better now!