Karen Carpenter Solo CD Reissue/Remaster?

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

If there's one CD that I enjoy the most it is Karen's solo CD. I tried searching here and going thru 4/5 pages of posts but couldn't find anything but I'm sure we have talked about it.

Was Karen's solo CD ever re-issued or re-mastered?

The CD I have says on the back, "Digitally Remasted from original sourse tapes for superior sound quality" My Cd is also a US release with the 1996 date at the bottom.

Today I noticed on Amazon the original release date of October 8, 1996
See here:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...1/104-3699846-3562368?s=music&v=glance&n=5174

Now I noticed another release date February 6, 2003 which looks like a Japan release, Would this be a re-issue and if so do you think the sound would be worst, the same or better than the original release? Does anyone have both and compared the 2?
See here:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...3/104-3699846-3562368?s=music&v=glance&n=5174

 

[Harry]

I've only got the original US disc, and really have no idea as to whether or not the Japanese re-issue is any different. Though I suspect it's likely the same, it IS possible that a foreign pressing might sound a little better or worse depending on the quality of the mastering.

There are always reports in the Beatles world where people swear that Japanese pressing or a German pressing of a particular CD might have an edge one way or the other in the way that they sound, but this really applies more to vinyl variations in the old days.

It's likely that the Japanese pressing of KAREN CARPENTER sounds identical to both its predecessor and to the US disc from 1996. Perhaps someone from Japan who's heard can help you out here.

Otherwise, I suppose you could always bite the bullet and check it out yourself. Since it's your favorite album, you could always use a duplicate for backup, right?

Harry

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

That would be cool if someone here actually owned 2 and could post what they think of each release. I've always been pretty inpressed with the Japan releases, my most recent is the compilation "Love Songs" by Olivia Newton-John Made in Japan, the sound quality I was really impressed with and this Cd also contained, Face to Face duet with Barry Gibb that I've never owned before on CD. I've also been impressed with the remastered mini LP style CD's made in Japan of Carpenters, I remember the first one I ever purchased was the Lovelines and VOTH as standalone mini LP style Cd's and was very impressed with sound quality.

So if the CD Karen Carpenter was reissued in Japan in Feb 6 2003, where did Japan get the original mastertape from to cut this from? Was the mastertape shipped from the US to Japan to re-issue this?

 

[Harry]

So if the CD Karen Carpenter was reissued in Japan in Feb 6 2003, where did Japan get the original mastertape from to cut this from? Was the mastertape shipped from the US to Japan to re-issue this?

That's the big question, and the likely answer is that it's the same master that they used in the '90s to issue the disc. I don't believe that Richard himself, or even Phil Ramone, have tampered with these in any way since then.

Having heard the results of quite a few Japanese CDs, I'd venture that there's no difference at all, perhaps a slight increase in quality if mastering techniques improved over the ten-year period. In other words, it might be louder, or more compressed than the older disc, or it might be exactly the same. There's really no way to tell until someone compares them side-by-side.

My money's on the "no difference" angle, and I'd bet that this is just a straighforward "re-issue". Albums go in and out of print all of the time in Japan, and mostly, each subsequent printing is pretty much the same as the prior one. Use the 22 HITS OF THE CARPENTERS as an example. It was re-issued this past year as a tenth anniversary issue and it sounds identical to its ten-year-old counterpart. The new one's claim-to-fame was the inclusion of the Karaoke disc as sort of a bonus, with "Sing" added".

Harry

 

[SakuraSYayoi]

I'm sorry but I cannot help you, Chris.
Wait for Yuka, Mitch or a member who got both.

I didn't buy re-issue because I had not found in the web articles that the CD in 1996 would be remastered. Every article that I found said it would be released again.
If I remember correctly it was released on January 29(30?) of 2003 with special version of 22 Hits(gold plated CD plus DVD set). Amazon(U.S.) might start sell it on Feb. 6. Mine is Japanese release, September 11, 1996.
I sometimes see the re-issue CD at CD shops.

I read there was remastered 22 Hits on Yuka's site. Japanese CD company may issue Carpenters CD without US master.

I don't think you remember that I talked about my sister's VHS. The VHS had Japanese morning show where Japanese talked about Karen's solo and DVD Live at Budokan 1974. It was aired in August 1996 and also had Richard's video from early 1996 press conference where Richard talked about recording of "Now". Chris must remember the press conference.
A few days ago my husband cleaned his room and my old VHS and cassette tape boxes that he put in his large box were found. Some VHS's that I have searched for were found!! Richard at "Kayama Yuzo Show - Carpenters Once More" and "Sayounara Carpenters - Karen's Vocal Forever".... I have not watched the Sayounara VHS. I was so sad that I couldn't watch the VHS.

In late '70s or early '80s I heard about Karen's solo. It would be released in spring of 1980, 45 was not be determined and such. Then I heard radio interview with Karen, probably on June 12 of 1981. Karen said she was back as Carpenters. I gave up hoping Karen's solo release. Some songs were included on Carpenters album or compilation CD. Then "Karen Carpenter" was released!! If it will be released again, I'd love to have original cover!!

We talked about "Make Believe It's Your First Time" before. I'm not sure if it was on this forum or another, Murray talked about copyright year of sheet music of this song.
Bobby Vinton 1977 copyright 1980 hit?
Carpenters 1978 copyright,
However Richard wrote the following on song note;
Music and Lyrics by Bob Morrison and Johnny Wilson
In early 1980, believing this song to be one of the better selections in Karen’s solo project, and now knowing that project was not going to be released, I set out to arrange the song for the album on which we were starting production. In the process, I contacted the writers, asking them to write a bridge, which it originally did not have. The revision was made and a track recorded with Karen’s “work lead.”....
Was 1978 misprint?

Last year I bought a book which contains 1996 interview with Richard, in Japanese. Richard talked about late 1982. After awhile from Thanks Giving dinner Richard and Karen were working at studio. She had to lay on sofa at 8 p.m. They would not be able to release solo album.
It was recorded at radio station. I didn't know if the interview was aired or not.
Has anyone heard this? Was anything cut off? Was a plan of Karen's solo to be released in 1983?

Sakura

Edit; Yuka wrote liner notes for Karen's solo, Japanese releases.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Sakura, thank you for writing.

I did not know that Yuka wrote liner notes for Karen's solo CD, was this for the Japan release in January 29(30?) of 2003? Is Yuka's liner notes in Japanese only or also english?

Thanks.

..hoping that someone posts who bought Japan release...

 

[SakuraSYayoi]

Yuka wrote it for 1996 release. And according to your link to 2003 release, "liner notes: Yuko Ogura" is at Obi.
Yuka's liner notes are in Japanese only, translations of Phil's and Richard's words, her liner notes, lyrics and her Japanese llyrics are on insert, and English booklet, probably the same as American release.
Mrs. Ramone's name was incorrect in Japanese insert. Hope this was corrected on 2003 release.

Sakura

P.S. I was wrong about Live at Budokan in my previous post. It was LD and VHS, not DVD.

I also found cassette tape that I recorded Charlie Tuna's short interview with Richard. I remember I air-checked his interview with Karen and sometimes listened to it, but I have totally forgotten this. My cassette players and deck all broke except deck with broken amplifier. Can I listen to the tape in case the cassette deck has headphones terminal(Jack?)?

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Last year I bought a book which contains 1996 interview with Richard, in Japanese. Richard talked about late 1982. After awhile from Thanks Giving dinner Richard and Karen were working at studio. She had to lay on sofa at 8 p.m. They would not be able to release solo album.
It was recorded at radio station. I didn't know if the interview was aired or not.
Has anyone heard this? Was anything cut off? Was a plan of Karen's solo to be released in 1983?
Sakura
Edit; Yuka wrote liner notes for Karen's solo, Japanese releases.

Sorry for bringing back a really old topic (I think Gary is rubbing off on me LOL) but this was an interesting post by Sakura. I wonder if this book Sakura mentions above is The Mook since The Mook came out in 1996 and it contains an interview with Richard in Japanese and there are sections he speaks about 80-83. I can't be certain since Sakura doesn't post here anymore but if this is The Mook she is speaking of...she is saying that Richard mentions he and Karen were working in the studio after Thanksgiving Dinner? This is the first I have heard of this. Now was the last recording session of Karen and that was in April 1982 per liner notes on From The Top. Then Sakura talks about could not release solo album and was there a plan to release the solo album in 1983?

I still can't get past the article on Billboard Magazine Sept 21, 1996 page 41 that talks about the song from Karen's solo album, "Remember When Lovin Took All Night" written by Molly-Ann Leikin who said that the session took place only a few days before Karen died in 83. She could have meant a few months which took me back to what Sakura said about Karen & Richard being in the recording studio after Thanksgiving. Yes I understand the song Remember When Lovin Took All Night was recorded back in 79/80 but did Karen & Richard have another recording session after thanksgiving late 82 for further work?

I'm just wondering if more info is hidden in The Mook than we know about.

In addition, I did not know that Yuka wrote liner notes for Karen's solo album. I bought the Japan release of Karen's solo CD recently and sure enough there is a white insert inside written in Japanese....so I took my camera app text grabber that converts Japanese to English and it picks up the name Yuka at the end of the article, unfortuanately this app picks up mostly gibberish when trying to convert Japan to English but for the end of the article it translates 1996 the name Yuka. Did you all know that Yuka wrote a very long liner notes in 1996 for Karen's solo album.

 

[Jeff]

I wish I were bi-lingual. This is crazy fun with anticipation.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

I wish I were bi-lingual. This is crazy fun with anticipation.

I'm checking on a possible translator as we speak....I'm really curious about this interview that covers Solo Album 1980-1983, Sorrow 1983 and Voice Of The Heart 1983.

I wonder if Yuka would give us the translation she wrote inside liner notes for Karen's solo album if we asked her?

 

[mr J.]

Sorry for bringing back a really old topic (I think Gary is rubbing off on me LOL) but this was an interesting post by Sakura. I wonder if this book Sakura mentions above is The Mook since The Mook came out in 1996 and it contains an interview with Richard in Japanese and there are sections he speaks about 80-83. I can't be certain since Sakura doesn't post here anymore but if this is The Mook she is speaking of...she is saying that Richard mentions he and Karen were working in the studio after Thanksgiving Dinner? This is the first I have heard of this. Now was the last recording session of Karen and that was in April 1982 per liner notes on From The Top. Then Sakura talks about could not release solo album and was there a plan to release the solo album in 1983?

I still can't get past the article on Billboard Magazine Sept 21, 1996 page 41 that talks about the song from Karen's solo album, "Remember When Lovin Took All Night" written by Molly-Ann Leikin who said that the session took place only a few days before Karen died in 83. She could have meant a few months which took me back to what Sakura said about Karen & Richard being in the recording studio after Thanksgiving. Yes I understand the song Remember When Lovin Took All Night was recorded back in 79/80 but did Karen & Richard have another recording session after thanksgiving late 82 for further work?

I'm just wondering if more info is hidden in The Mook than we know about.

In addition, I did not know that Yuka wrote liner notes for Karen's solo album. I bought the Japan release of Karen's solo CD recently and sure enough there is a white insert inside written in Japanese....so I took my camera app text grabber that converts Japanese to English and it picks up the name Yuka at the end of the article, unfortuanately this app picks up mostly gibberish when trying to convert Japan to English but for the end of the article it translates 1996 the name Yuka. Did you all know that Yuka wrote a very long liner notes in 1996 for Karen's solo album.

One thing to remember in a situation like this-don't believe everything you read in newspaper and magazine articles.There's alot of inaccurate and mistaken information in the news media.Many news articles are written on very short notice-and the writers/journalists don't always verify or proofread information they present in an article.

The book that Sakura was referring to is indeed the Mook.

K&R did no recording after April 1982.They probably did spend time in the studio in late 1982 reviewing the material they recorded that past April.

"Remember When Lovin" was recorded in 1979.I'm familiar with that 1996 Billboard article where Molly-Ann Leiken was interviewed-and obviously the info about that track being recorded a few days prior to Karen's death is erroneous.

There was never any plan to release Karen's album in 1983.Again,this is erroneous information.Karen's album was a period piece- and A&M had a very narrow window of time to release Karen's album-if it wasn't out by late 1980/early 1981,then it would've been considered "dated".

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

See even this is new information to me....if it's true.....even if they didn't record any material, I never knew they even went back into the recording studio (again if this is true) in late 82. I thought the last time Karen had ever been in the recording studio was April 82.So if they had gone back into the studio in Nov or Dec 82 they would have had to book the studio and didn't that cost them money. It also makes me think what would they have been reviewing if they had gone back in the studio in late 82.

 

[newvillefan]

See even this is new information to me....if it's true.....even if they didn't record any material, I never knew they even went back into the recording studio (again if this is true) in late 82. I thought the last time Karen had ever been in the recording studio was April 82.So if they had gone back into the studio in Nov or Dec 82 they would have had to book the studio and didn't that cost them money. It also makes me think what would they have been reviewing if they had gone back in the studio in late 82.

Karen did go back into the studio with Richard as late as January 14, 1983. The studio visit came after her dinner with Richard and Dennis Heath and is detailed in the Coleman book (p. 318):

"She was now OK to do what they had planned to do after dinner - to drive to A&M's studios and hear some playbacks of the tracks she and Richard had cut in April 1982 during her break from treatment in New York. When they reached the studios, Richard's concern increased. Normally Karen would stand behind the control board, or sit next to him at the board, and react animatedly to what she heard. That night, she could neither stand nor sit near it. But on a couch she listened quietly to the music and went back with Richard to Downey to stay at Newville, pronouncing herself "all right". Richard found the experience that night "really upsetting".

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Karen did go back into the studio with Richard as late as January 14, 1983. The studio visit came after her dinner with Richard and Dennis Heath and is detailed in the Coleman book (p. 318):

"She was now OK to do what they had planned to do after dinner - to drive to A&M's studios and hear some playbacks of the tracks she and Richard had cut in April 1982 during her break from treatment in New York. When they reached the studios, Richard's concern increased. Normally Karen would stand behind the control board, or sit next to him at the board, and react animatedly to what she heard. That night, she could neither stand nor sit near it. But on a couch she listened quietly to the music and went back with Richard to Downey to stay at Newville, pronouncing herself "all right". Richard found the experience that night "really upsetting".

Thanks Stephen, my aging mind can't remember all these details from Coleman to Schmidt.
If this is the case in the studio in Jan 83....then Karen looked (on the outside) pretty much what we see from the video in her last appearance at Grammy's....the signs were all pointing that the end was near for Karen, she looked better from the outside but little signs Richard was picking up...her body was shutting down on the inside ....I guess at that point there was no changing what was going to happen. It's so heart wrenching. It makes one wonder how did it all get to this point.

If nothing else we can know her last months she was trying to get back to doing what she loved being in the recording studio and getting back to business of making music.

 

[1979lee]

If nothing else we can know her last months she was trying to get back to doing what she loved being in the recording studio and getting back to business of making music.

Yes, I really do hope that's what Karen was trying for. such a sad ending to0 such (as ive read , Karen was a very special person)

 

[A&M Retro]

I remember another posting from here years ago that detailed somebody's visit to A&M. While there, the fan was beyond lucky because Karen happened to be there talking with Clare Baren, I believe (spelling could be wrong). That was just before Thanksgiving, 1982. Karen said, 'Happy Gobble Gobble Day' to her and the fan that wrote the specific posting on A&M Corner. I remember she also asked where he lived. He told her he lived in San Francisco, and she said, 'Wow! What a cool place to live!'

We also know Karen was at A&M in mid-January to visit Herb Alpert, which turned out to be the last time he saw her. So, it appears she made it to A&M on several occasions in her last few months.

 

[Harry]

I remember another posting from here years ago that detailed somebody's visit to A&M...

http://www.amcorner.com/forum/threads/karen-carpenter.1556/#post-13644

Harry

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

I had forgot about Jon's meet with Karen in Jan 1983, wow so much great information in archives....I hope this is all backed up safe somewhere I'd hate for the forums to crash and lose all these great memories shared at A&M corner.

 

[newvillefan]

I had forgot about Jon's meet with Karen in Jan 1983, wow so much great information in archives....I hope this is all backed up safe somewhere I'd hate for the forums to crash and lose all these great memories shared at A&M corner.

Funny you should say that...another forum I am a member of announced this week it's closing down and will be deleted at the end of this month. So sad when you think of all the thousands of threads, fan stories, statistics and memories that come with a forum like this. God forbid it never happens here!

 

[20thcentury]

On the subject of whether Japan releases sound better than US, I recently purchased the CARPENTERS-TICKET TO RIDE-JAPAN SHM-CD, and I also compared this with an earlier CD version, and to be honest I didn't think there was much audio difference between them.

 

[CarpentersToYou]

I just purchased the SHM CD of "Karen Carpenter" but unfortunately I don't have a CD drive on my computer and can't listen to it to compare until after Christmas. It did feel nice opening up another copy of the album, I must say.

 

[Jeff]

Alex, your gonna love her

 

[moog]

Funny you should say that...another forum I am a member of announced this week it's closing down and will be deleted at the end of this month. So sad when you think of all the thousands of threads, fan stories, statistics and memories that come with a forum like this. God forbid it never happens here!

I know what you mean... the once-hopping forum at karencarpenter.com is LONG gone (having been hacked, initially; now the site itself, once a great resource for the newsletters and the like, is also gone.

 

[20thcentury]

Having said what I said, I just had a listen to The Carpenters / The Singles 1969-1973 PT-SHM Japan, and it sounds terrific, am I right in thinking that this is the single versions rather than album versions?

I did notice that the stereo is better channel spaced especially on We've Only Just Begun.