Vinylalbumcovers
Ah am so steel een luv weeth yoo
Jay Graydon did the Manhattan Transfer’s biggest records. He’d have been a great choice too. I also like Phil as a choice, honestly.
Ed
Karen Carpenter Solo Sessions - Continued
- Thread starter leadmister
- Start date
Ed
Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
So why of all the producers to ask why did Herb pick Phil? Was this all under the table or was word out all over town that Karen was looking for a producer for her solo album?
Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
So in your own opinion at playback do you think Herb generally liked the album but that it just didn’t have any hit material to make it OR do you think he was disappointed at what Phil produced? While the record company knew Phil, they didn’t really know what kind of material he was going to produce for the album right?
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
What has always confused me is why the label didn't put a stop to things sooner if they weren't happy. Karen was playing these tracks to all sorts of people every time she came back from New York for a break. Agnes heard one track and disapproved of its lyrics, so you can bet Richard heard that song as well and likely others. She also played them to Olivia Newton John - with Richard present - and several of her other friends and music associates.
Well, as I've said many times, none of us were at that playback, so it's impossible to know, other than what's been relayed by those who were there. At this point, now, we're dealing with ghosts. Karen's gone, Phil's gone, Jerry Moss is gone. Herb and Richard are all that's left and it all took place 44 years ago. I was probably in a meeting 44 years ago, but I couldn't begin to tell you what went on in it!
Yes, with certain albums, I can recall the moment I first heard them, but with the passage of time, real details fade away. I've relayed the story of listening to the solo album for the first time outside of the Sam Goody store in my car. I remember being disappointed in the few tracks that I hadn't heard already before, and that I listened a couple of times that day. And this all took place 28 years ago, but it was momentous in that it had been anticipated for so long. That's why I still have a memory attached to it.
Since Richard has been hounded all of his life, I suspect he's reflected on it a number of times over the years, and that's somewhat sad in his case. Herb is approaching 90 now and who could say what he remembers?
Yes, with certain albums, I can recall the moment I first heard them, but with the passage of time, real details fade away. I've relayed the story of listening to the solo album for the first time outside of the Sam Goody store in my car. I remember being disappointed in the few tracks that I hadn't heard already before, and that I listened a couple of times that day. And this all took place 28 years ago, but it was momentous in that it had been anticipated for so long. That's why I still have a memory attached to it.
Since Richard has been hounded all of his life, I suspect he's reflected on it a number of times over the years, and that's somewhat sad in his case. Herb is approaching 90 now and who could say what he remembers?
Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
When did Karen meet Itchy? Itchy and Phil married in '77, and I always assumed Karen met Phil through her.
Itchy and Phil actually met in 1977. I'm not sure exactly when they married. In Little Girl Blue she is described as Phil's girlfriend when she and Karen met early 79 when the solo sessions started. When Karen returned to New York for the Levenkron therapy in early 82 Randy L. Schmidt wrote Itchy, now married to Phil.
Fair enough. Itchy's wikipedia said they married in '77, so I just went with it. Funny, I had it in my head that Itchy and Karen were friends a lot longer than that.
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
No, I don't believe Karen met Itchy until 1979, once she was onto the solo project. She barely knew Phil before that either, hence the intrepid call(s) to NYC from LA to sound him out about producing her album before she moved out there on May 1, 1979.
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motownboy
Well-Known Member
If the powers that be, which I guess is still Richard, wanted to do something to extended the life of his and Karen's legacy, I suggest that there be an album of material using Karen and Richard's vocals with newly arranged and recorded backing tracks. If Richard didn't want to do it all himself, he could hand select a producer, arranger, and musicians to oversee and collaborate with. I wouldn't select too many of the obvious hits, but delve into the album cuts and Karen's solo LP. A timeless voice stays timeless. It would be great if Richard did this before too much time passes...
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
That will never happen in his lifetime. In his view, he's done his job of preservation. Perfectionists don't give up editiorial control after 50 years. He could have collaborated years ago to broaden their appeal by bringing in outsiders to revitalise their music. I'm even sure it's all as tightly locked down in his will as if he were still here.
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motownboy
Well-Known Member
It would be sad and a big loss if the legacy doesn't get cultivated in some way.
Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
Totally agree. Richard has done a fine job in keeping the legacy alive without over saturating the market. Someone a while back showed a photo of all that he has released since Karen passed away and it’s a true gift for the fans.
I’m so looking forward to Christmas redux this fall, CD and DVD combo, maybe we will get a preview of something…Christmas in July??
What I really wish for is that Karen’s solo album would get remastered by Richard for a re-release. I’m not saying change anything but add more clarity and bring the vocals up, he’s so good at this stuff. What a great opportunity for him to add 1 or 2 bonus tracks he could complete like he mentioned in Mook. Maybe issue it in Japan as well with an exclusive bonus track so that we all buy the album twice. We like doing that…willingly.
In reality I know he won’t touch it but would be a real treat for the fans. I guess it would depend on who owns her music for a re-release. Does A&M own rights or Phil or Richard or maybe it’s a combination of all?
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
I'm sure A&M (or its now parent company UMG) owns the rights to the album since its release on the label in 1996.
I agree. There's an element to this story that we don't know.
Thankfully, we now have the ability to 'up mix' and pull the individual 'stems' from stereo and even MONO tracks to create brand new mixes! The Beatles 'Now and Then' is a prime example. Capitol/EMI was able to take John's demo from 1979 and isolate it from a lousy boombox recorded cassette tape with vibrating piano, TV sounds and background noise to create a 'new' separate vocal. And it's all HIM. No additional AI or anything else added. The same technology can be used on Carpenters or Karen solo material. So, in our current world of technological advancement, many things are possible that weren't until very recently.
Granted, the MASTERS are the best choice, but not the only choice. : ) And we can thank filmmaker Peter Jackson for this new invention, which is just getting ramped up.
Granted, the MASTERS are the best choice, but not the only choice. : ) And we can thank filmmaker Peter Jackson for this new invention, which is just getting ramped up.
Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
Maybe we should all send an email to Ume to ask them to remaster it with Richard at the helm. They might reply Karen didn’t have a solo album it was shelved.
Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
@Chris May does Ume own the rights to Karen’s solo album? Do they decide, I’ll seriously send an email if it is.
Hey they could remaster it and re-release in 2026 and market as her 30th yr anniversary of her solo album being released with special hologram embossed sticker that changes photo as you tilt it. Remastered from original master tapes like you’ve never heard before. Complete with additional photos taken from her sessions, never released officially before inside CD or LP.
Am I taking this too far?
Guess I just lost my head
Hey they could remaster it and re-release in 2026 and market as her 30th yr anniversary of her solo album being released with special hologram embossed sticker that changes photo as you tilt it. Remastered from original master tapes like you’ve never heard before. Complete with additional photos taken from her sessions, never released officially before inside CD or LP.
Am I taking this too far?
Guess I just lost my head
Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
motownboy
Well-Known Member
For the record, Peter Jackson did not invent the technology that can separate parts of a song's mix. He may have tweaked it certain ways for his own use, but that technology was around for years before Peter Jackson made use of it on the Beatles project. There are literally dozens of websites and companies that do this.
If you or anyone want to try the technology out with one of your favorite songs, you can go here for free. Go to the option "Instrument Separation", sign in with your Google account, upload your song, and follow the instructions. Their results are quite good.
Remove Vocals and Extract Instruments | Gaudio Studio
Split your music into vocal and instrument tracks. Upload your music, sit back, and let our world-class stem separation AI model do the rest. Try it for free!
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Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
Not sure if this was previously posted.
July 9, 1983
It always seemed like from interviews that Phil was always so direct and here he speaks about Karen’s solo album.
He says that Stephanie Mills with Polygram and Karen Carpenter with A&M had similar fates with their solo album never being released.
It’s hard to say which he is referring to with his theory.
July 9, 1983
It always seemed like from interviews that Phil was always so direct and here he speaks about Karen’s solo album.
He says that Stephanie Mills with Polygram and Karen Carpenter with A&M had similar fates with their solo album never being released.
It’s hard to say which he is referring to with his theory.
