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Richard & Joe Osborn

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Wow, Chris! Thanks SO much! Fascinating!

I listened to the Richard Harris (and Jimmy Webb) versions of "One of the Nicer Things" on YouTube just to hear what "could have" been, and it seems like it would've been difficult to reframe the lyric to a female vocal. How did they do it?
 
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Well, that's why Joe became part of the Wrecking Crew. He learned it quickly, and he could run with it right away. I too would love to hear more of this.
 
Fantastic to hear the sheer FORCE of the sound in those instrumental tracks, Chris! This should remind us that Richard was eminently capable of creating music with beauty AND power. I could listen to these kind of tracks all day just to revel in how much energy and dynamism is there in the arranging and playing.

More, please!!! MORE!!! :bow::bowdown2:
 
Fascinating to 'sit in' on the creative process.
Noticing, also, the bass and harmony of Only Yesterday,
along with Richard singing and tapping his finger to it,
his brilliant pop song.
Thanks, Chris , for the entree into the studio.
 
This next clip is California Dreamin'. The backstory on this one is, the original was cut on 4-track at Joe's studio. It included bass, Wurlitzer electric piano throughout the entire track, KAREN on drums, a second keyboard track creating "fake" strings, which Richard played on the old Chamberlain Music Maker - and of course Karen's vocal.

For the As Time Goes By release, Richard replaced literally EVERYTHING (with the exception of Karen's lead vocal obviously). The Wurlitzer electric piano was replaced by acoustic piano on the verses, a new Wurlitzer electric piano solo was cut, new drums added, new string track, and a new bass track.

Here, Joe is cutting the new bass line, playing against all of the ORIGINAL tracks before everything was replaced - very raw, and at one point they pull everything out except for Karen's lead and Joe's bass so they can evaluate Joe's composite [take]. Enjoy!

 
masqueraded said:
Thanks Chris! Just makes me wish we had the original demo like we have for Nowhere Man. :/ Great stuff though. :)
Click to expand...

Not sure what you mean? Nowhere Man had the same treatment before the orchestration was added. Incidentally I do have the session footage from that as well (pre-orchestration).
 
Chris May said:
Not sure what you mean? Nowhere Man had the same treatment before the orchestration was added. Incidentally I do have the session footage from that as well (pre-orchestration).
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chris, i think he means the garage fire at joe osborns nashville home. where many very early carpenters/spectrum tapes were lost......


AWSOME stuff chris, i owe you a big hug and thanks:bowdown2:
 
1979lee said:
chris, i think he means the garage fire at joe osborns nashville home. where many very early carpenters/spectrum tapes were lost......
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I guess that's why I'm confused because what you're hearing on the playback *is* the original 4-track from Joe's. It didn't burn (obviously) because they had it to transfer to digital for further completion for this album.
 
Chris May said:
I guess that's why I'm confused because what you're hearing on the playback *is* the original 4-track from Joe's. It didn't burn (obviously) because they had it to transfer to digital for further completion for this album.
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some didnt, this tape was given to richard by joe, Read about this on the liner notes from ASTB cd.
but yes all other 4 track tapes burned in 1974
 
1979lee said:
some didnt, this tape was given to richard by joe, Read about this on the liner notes from ASTB cd.
but yes all other 4 track tapes burned in 1974
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That's correct. I knew that...just making sure we're on the same page :)
 
Chris, I meant like how the original (bootleg) version of Nowhere Man is out (different than the ATGB version, the ORIGINAL). I wish we had the ORIGINAL California Dreaming demo (WITH Karen drumming). Sorry for the confusion. :)
 
masqueraded said:
Chris, I meant like how the original (bootleg) version of Nowhere Man is out (different than the ATGB version, the ORIGINAL). I wish we had the ORIGINAL California Dreaming demo (WITH Karen drumming). Sorry for the confusion. :)
Click to expand...

OH! You mean on As Time Goes By. Okay - I was just making sure that you realized that what you're hearing in the video IS the track with Karen drumming. All good! :)
 
Chris-An Ordinary Fool said:
Nice...the ending is priceless...Karen and Joe sound good together!!!
Pardon my ignorance but who said that? I don't know his name.
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The gentleman you are referring to is the late Ron Gorow. You'll notice on the Carpenter albums a credit that says 'Special thanks to Ron Gorow'. Ron was Richard's copyist. He wrote down every single note that was in Richard's head and made sure it was correctly translated to paper - whether it was the orchestra (strings, horns, woodwinds) or rhythm charts, bass etc.
 
Chris, thank you so much for posting these clips. It's a fascinating insight into the recording process and I'm amazed to see how relaxed everyone is, sitting around casually while Joe lays down his parts or listens back. Richard's comment at the end of the 'California Dreamin'' clip is just great..."Ok well...that's that one!"
 
This clip is something I edited from the Nowhere Man session. Because it's a lot of "fluff" as far as the bass lines are concerned (because there's no established rhythm with drums etc), Joe is mostly listening to the track and noodling in between to figure out what Richard and Ron wrote for him on the chart. Again, the playback here is pretty bare - the only "new" piece that has been added is Richard's updated piano for the introduction. He did that so he could add different lead orchestration (i.e. the harmonica and strings). That new piano intro blends into the existing mono piano track that Karen is "locked" into. Enjoy! :)

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

 
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