Richard & Joe Osborn

[Chris May]

Is that Herb Alpert on the sofa?

No, that was Richard's [then] manager David Alley.

 

[Mark-T]

OK, thanks, Chris. My other thought was Richard was missing part of his finger(?).

 

[Chris May]

OK, thanks, Chris. My other thought was Richard was missing part of his finger(?).

VERY close

 

[Mark-T]

The ring?

 

[song4u]

P.S.: Notice anything slightly different about Richard? Hint: It's near the very top.

Hair plugs? Toupee?

What's the date on this clip?

 

[Chris May]

Hair plugs? Toupee?

What's the date on this clip?

This was January of '98. And yes Mark, Richard briefly removed his ring and this is evident as he points to a measure on Joe's chart!

 

[song4u]

Ha! When you said "It's near the top" I took you literally.

 

[Chris May]

Ha! When you said "It's near the top" I took you literally.

Hahaha! No, but Richard was definitely starting to show baldness by this point and jokes about it in passing conversation later on in the session.

 

[kprather]

I'm late to the party, Chris, but thank you so much for sharing this, and thank you Richard for allowing it to be shared.

 

[Guitarmutt]

I love these clips. Keep them coming if you can!

 

[Guitarmutt]

Ha! When you said "It's near the top" I took you literally.

Ha! From The Top!

 

[Chris May]

And since we're on the topic of As Time Goes By with all of the session footage, this morning I received some beautiful photos of the Plymouth Satellite that was featured on the cover of that album - now fully restored! In fact if you go to the thread I posted some time back featuring Richard's cars, you'll see this one when it was stripped to the bone! Here it is now in all its glory:

 

[Geographer]

Tribute to mom and dad Carpenter, I see.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Chris, on the last photo on the back wall I see a jukebox and to the right it looks like a cabinet for audio equipment with possible speakers on each side, what is right above that on the wall something silver but I can't read what it says.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

What's so interesting to watch in these clips is how Richard already knows what he wants the bass line to sound like, he is mimicking it to Joe and Joe you can't tell what he is thinking, he doesn't say anything (just keeps on playing) it's like is he thinking yeah I already know or is he trying to figure it out on the fly...and then in other parts Richard motions over to the music sheet to show Joe here here right here all along Joe doesn't say much. So is Joe actually looking at this music sheet for the first time here? I guess I'm not getting all that's going on but it's all fascinating to watch.

I also can't believe this footage is almost 20 years old, wow time flies.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

So I have another question...the music sheet 'Nowhere Man' that we see at the top would this be a re-created music sheet that Richard had created when this track was found and mixing began or was this the actual music sheet back in 1967 when Karen actually recorded the track in the garage studio? If not then what was Karen singing to when she recorded this demo.

 

[Chris May]

Chris, on the last photo on the back wall I see a jukebox and to the right it looks like a cabinet for audio equipment with possible speakers on each side, what is right above that on the wall something silver but I can't read what it says.

What you're seeing is musical wall art. I have a few other pics with it in the background but not close up enough for you to see it. Here is an example:

 

[Chris May]

So I have another question...the music sheet 'Nowhere Man' that we see at the top would this be a re-created music sheet that Richard had created when this track was found and mixing began or was this the actual music sheet back in 1967 when Karen actually recorded the track in the garage studio? If not then what was Karen singing to when she recorded this demo.

What you're seeing is the sheet that Richard's copyist, the late Ron Gorow wrote (he's the gentleman wearing the plaid shirt shown in the clips). It is an instrumental sheet that includes the intro melody line that would later be played on the harmonica by Tommy Morgan (also played on Rainy Days & Desperado) on the treble clef (top line), and then the bass clef which includes the notes that Richard and Ron came up with ahead of time - before the session - for Joe to read down, learn, and play/record for the bass track.

 

[GaryAlan]

Joe Osborn Interview (2015) The Carpenters, The Wrecking Crew and More:

 

[newvillefan]

Joe Osborn Interview (2015) The Carpenters, The Wrecking Crew and More:

This interviewer has to be the most annoying person ever to listen to. Take a hint: turn your mic volume down, stop shouting and bin the canned laughter! It's an effort to listen to.

 

[Chris May]

This interviewer has to be the most annoying person ever to listen to. Take a hint: turn your mic volume down, stop shouting and bin the canned laughter! It's an effort to listen to.

Completely agree - not that I'm biased since I did interview Joe on my show as well, but his volume was way too low and out of balance. Knowing Joe, I'm surprised he even agreed to it.

 

[GaryAlan]

Joe Osborn seemed to take it all (the above posted interview with Eddie Winters) in stride.
I love the line from Joe Osborn (about the Carpenters)...."They discovered me."

Well, maybe not the easiest interviewer to listen to, but, then:
"I know I ask perfection of a quite imperfect world and fool enough to think that's what I'll find."

 

[Mark-T]

I'll take it all- laughter, pauses, anything. It is SO much fun to watch and listen to! Can't wait for the next installment. Thank you, Chris!