newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
Great video Chris, thanks for posting this up. That guy has a couple of other really interesting interview with Richard from various times in 1983, a couple of which I'd also never seen before.
30th Anniversary coverage of Karen's death
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newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
Found another really good coverage clip on youtube...there's a great interview with them at 1m44s. Karen looks the picture of health.
Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
Yes, I saw that one too. It's so nice to see Karen was really remembered this year from fans all over the world.
The first thing I noticed about that clip at 1:44 above is that Karen is wearing the same shirt she wore on the cover of Horizon, take a look. It makes me wonder if the cover for Horizon was shot this same day. She does look amazing!!
The first thing I noticed about that clip at 1:44 above is that Karen is wearing the same shirt she wore on the cover of Horizon, take a look. It makes me wonder if the cover for Horizon was shot this same day. She does look amazing!!
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
You're right Chris, well spotted! It doesn't give a date, only '1974'. I don't think it's the same day, Richard looks like he'd had a haircut by the time of the album photoshoot lol. They looks like they've just come back from holiday in this clip, very tanned!
Also in the same clip at 10m42s, there's that last brief 'interview' with her at the 1983 Grammys, the cleanest, best quality clip of this I have seen to date.
Jeff
Well-Known Member
Wow wow wow uuumph ugh sigh. The above 14 min clip took me back to that very day. Strange how grief relives itself. I watched in disbelief here over 30 years later. My comment is also on the clip at 1:44. Although Karen's appearance had changed in the KIND of HUSH and PASSAGE photos from '76 & "77, she again looked nearly identical to this clip and the HORIZON shoot of '74, '75 upon meeting her in Feb '78. She had the glow of the CHRISTMAS PORTRAIT cover and the all one length hairstyle of '75. Perfectly healthy looking on stage in her oyster shell silk skirt and blouse. Downstairs in her dressing room she wore a formal looking silken robe over a long silk negligee. I guess she liked silk. While seeing her in these outfits which tend to conture to ones shape she was an average weight for a petite female. I was taken aback at how pretty she was. These are the images I try try try to focus on. The MADE in AMERICA promos and videos are so alarming. The entire saga is ghastly and no matter how I slice it the result is always the same.
Uuumph ugh sigh,
Jeff
Uuumph ugh sigh,
Jeff
Wow, that is much better quality than the copies that have been going around for years now. Thanks for posting. So sad, but I'm also glad we have the great interview clips that surfaced in these reports. Just goes to show those interviews indeed exist in their entirety in the vaults of those original sources.
I'm coming in late, but I posted a fairly substantial tribute column to Karen on the 30th anniversary date, "Remember the Drummer Girl," at splashingrocks.blogspot.com. Among other things, it focuses on the contrast between the so-called critics disdain for the Carpenters vs. the enormous admiration and respect for Karen's voice and the Carpenters' music among their performing peers of past and present, including giants like Mancini, McCartney, and Elton John.
byline
Well-Known Member
I don't think so. If you look at the attached screenshots from the video, Karen is wearing the same cap-sleeved top she wore for the Horizon cover photo. Richard is wearing a different shirt, but with a similar color scheme to the one he wore on the same cover; this is short-sleeved, while the shirt he wore for the cover shoot was long-sleeved and zipped up the front.
Chris
Well-Known Member
Wonderful blog post on the solo album, Mark.
When going through some of my files I found this old scan I did of the image from inside the 'Yesterday Once More' album. The scan from inside Chris' mook is wonderful and it reminded me of the color version. How I love that original violet color scheme! We are so lucky to have Mark's description of what her full gatefold album was like. As I've said before, I wish they would have used the original colors for the 1996 CD release.
byline
Well-Known Member
Beautiful photo. Something I've always wondered about her solo album is why they chose to redo (or retouch) the photos as paintings. Why not use the actual photos, themselves? I know they're all retouched in some way (airbrushed, etc.), but it seems to me that the photos are more vivid, somehow. The paintings create an emotional distance, IMO.
Chris
Well-Known Member
Many of us have wondered about that as well. The reason may have been just as you said, to "create an emotional distance". Perhaps because the album was being released so long after its original plan, they may have felt it was inappropriate to use the original photos and color treatments. In my opinion, it made it all the more lackluster. I think they should have at least used the original photos instead of the sketched, washed out look that appears on the CD cover.
They could have at least used the original photo in sepia tone if they didn't want to go with the colorful ones. I put together a side by side comparison of the CD cover and the photograph:
Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
I agree the untouched photo should have been used, it was yet another example of how they could never get the artwork correct for Karen or the Carpenters. The colorized photos could have been fun for the inside but should not have been used for the outside presentation. I also feel the b&w promo shot above (that was also provided in the A&M promotional flyer) gives the viewer a feel of loss or she is no longer here, much how you feel when looking at old family B&W photos of those no longer with us. It makes you smile, yet you still miss them dearly.
I guess you could say that the music is really the only thing approved by Karen. She did not approve of the album design.
I guess you could say that the music is really the only thing approved by Karen. She did not approve of the album design.
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
I have always thought this too Chris. Phil Ramone said that this was delivered as Karen approved it, mixes and all. He clearly was not referring to the artwork as you say. The cover as released is AWFUL, the features of her face have been washed out and it makes her look like a cartoon.
In sales terms it wouldn't have made much difference when released in 1996. The name is there on the cover for all to see, yet even the font of that was changed, as it was originally in a 'signature' style as if Karen had personally signed it. But as a fan, I would have preferred to see this kept 100% intact, exactly as it would have been had it been released in 1980 and then re-released onto CD many years later. In many ways, this was Karen's baby, and I don't think she would have approved.
Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
It makes me wonder if Richard was involved in any part of seeing the final product before this CD was released, meaning did he get to preview what the artwork was going to be once it was released in 1996. If he did, I can't understand how he would allow these altered photos of Karen being colorized, airbrushed cartoonish affect to final product.
I reminds me of the video (I thought I had a photo I snaped but can't locate it) it was I think E entertainment tonight segment of Ms Ramone holding the VOTH signed album cover she was given signed by Karen to Ms Ramone about her solo album. It was interesting because she obviously had this long before Richard decided to use the same pic for the VOTH cover.
I know that a picture of the original artwork (front & back cover in a gatefold) that Karen approved is out, hint hint, so it would not have been hard for someone back in 1996 to get a hold of what it looked like and create from there an almost 100% replica of what was approved.
I reminds me of the video (I thought I had a photo I snaped but can't locate it) it was I think E entertainment tonight segment of Ms Ramone holding the VOTH signed album cover she was given signed by Karen to Ms Ramone about her solo album. It was interesting because she obviously had this long before Richard decided to use the same pic for the VOTH cover.
I know that a picture of the original artwork (front & back cover in a gatefold) that Karen approved is out, hint hint, so it would not have been hard for someone back in 1996 to get a hold of what it looked like and create from there an almost 100% replica of what was approved.
I agree about the solo album cover-it's horrible(no-brainer!).From the information that I have,the decision to finally release Karen's album in 1996 was made by A&M.An A&M exec that I was talking to in April 1996 casually mentioned that Karen's album would be coming out that October and stated "enough time has passed".I think A&M felt,13 years after Karen's death,that it was finally safe to put it out-but they wanted it to be regarded as a "dated period piece" for curiousity seekers,and not an album that was "fresh" and "modern".
That could possibly explain why they changed the cover artwork -giving it a "stale" look,instead of the fresh,lively look of the original artwork.No doubt,A&M released it as a catalog album.
From a personal perspective,I'd rather have the VOTH cover pic of Karen,anyway.With a fantastic pic like that,who needs the solo album cover?
That could possibly explain why they changed the cover artwork -giving it a "stale" look,instead of the fresh,lively look of the original artwork.No doubt,A&M released it as a catalog album.
From a personal perspective,I'd rather have the VOTH cover pic of Karen,anyway.With a fantastic pic like that,who needs the solo album cover?
Well it's not like they haven't used the same pictures over and over again on the compilations...
Harry
song4u
Well-Known Member
Is it online? I can't find it.
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
I'm confused...the link on page 2 of this thread recounts the story by someone who saw the original 1980 jacket pressing for the solo album (in 1989) and reviewed the front, inside and back photos:
"The front was the same photo as the cover of what was eventually released but not colorized in greys, browns and greens. Instead rose, violets and blues were the tones of choice, her clothes obviously colorized to match. Similar to to the Carpenters' album 'Passage', it was a gatefold album, where the cover opened like a book to reveal a two page photograph of Karen looking absolutely terrific. The back of the album had a photo of Karen holding up the back of her hair."
This means the VOTH was never actually the album's cover. So what was it that Itchie was holding in her hands in that short E! television clip?
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