Carpenters: Hal Blaine & Joe Osborn Interview 2013
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- Опубликовано: 27 авг 2024
- Karen and Richard Carpenter monopolized the airwaves during the 1970s with hits such as We've Only Just Begun, Close To You, Superstar and Rainy Days and Mondays, having sold over 100 million units to date. This exclusive and candid interview with Carpenters' studio drummer Hal Blaine and studio bassist Joe Osborn reveal several insights on the duo, as we discuss many behind-the-scenes details in the recording of their hits, including the making of (They Long To Be) Close To You. We also talk about some of the personal challenges involved in working with the brother-sister duo, as well as Joe's work recently with Richard Carpenter on an upcoming Christmas album.
That was very enjoyable,I was very young,but I remember vividly when Close To You dominated the air waves.50 years ago.
The thing about all the takes on Close To You is more about the overdubs of the vocals, not the basic tracks. I heard an interview with Richard where he also talked about how amazing Karen was when doing overdubs, that she could perfectly synchronize with her previous phrasing and be in tune. He said she never really appreciated how good she was.
One of the greatest voices ever heard. One hit after another.
Beautiful voice!!!!
I recall a silly argument with band members about sucky stuff and someone mentioned the Carpenters in a disparaging way. I blew up. Karen was a great musician/drummer/singer. I still think I'm right.
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It’s natural for immature people to trash other people’s genres.
i Agree plus the voice of an angel.
I read somewhere that Richard called Hal and Joe into the studio a few years ago to overdub on some recently discovered vocal tracks from Karen. It was so intensely emotional for them hearing those new vocals from Karen that they were in tears and couldn't get through the session.
I believe it!!! The unreleased Karen solo album. 👍👍
34 years today, Karen left Earth and is in Heaven.
Eliane Vaccavo only if she trusted Jesus Christ as Savior
Guys, Karen was a kick ass drummer. Buddy Rich couldn't say enough about her playing. She could really play!!
Totally agree! Karen is amazing and one of my big influences drumming, not to mention singing too! Miss Karen so much!
Gary Whitesides She was a really good drummer. But i guess she didnt have the proffessional chops to cut a record.. Per.. Hal B....
@@jamesmilardo5694 NOVICE AT BEST...SHE LATER BECAME PRETTY GOOD...AT FIRST, SHE WAS A BEGINNER...
Yeah, I would love to see or hear evidence of Buddy Rich praising Karen Carpenter's drumming. That claim is highly dubious because Buddy rarely complimented any drummers. She could keep a beat, but where is the proof that she was "amazing"?? If that were the case, why was Hal Blaine hired to play drums on the Carpenters' records?
She was an excellent drummer . The reason they used Blaine was expediency, after all , Karen was the “voice” behind the Carpenters ! People seem to forget , recording was done much differently back in the late 60’s -70’s . Groups would record an LP in a week !
"Close to You" was the number one song when I was born. My mother said she sang it to me when it was on the radio which was often.
Hal Blaine & Joe Osborn: The smoothest recording groove I have ever heard as a career musician (Keyboards) for over 40 years. What a beautiful compliment to the soothing, magnetic voice of Karen Carpenter, as well as Richard's performing. Timely fills, tasteful dynamics, and a convincing Feel for each song is what comes to mind. Hal & Joe, did you get involved with the arrangements with the people you've recorded for as well? Chris May, thanks for posting this, Dan Damon (career musician)
I love these interviews with Hal. What an amazing time, and so interesting to hear these two guys recall how things went down.
Joe Osborne came up with the finest bass solo I've ever heard on the song Only Living Boy in New York by Simon and Garfunkel on their Bridge Over Troubled Water album, perhaps the best album of that golden era.
Hal's a goldmine of pop music history. And a fantastic artist. Perfect time and dynamics.
He's a national treasure!
Oh god! Wonderful interview...
Thank you for posting this Chris May!
"dont go anywhere ,ok?; karen said backstage after the show and had a wonderfull time just talking. she got called over for an interview. so , i said, "ok. im not going anywhere ....she laughed and proceeded to give the interview. then , when finished she came back ,and we continued to talk about druming [i was a former drummer] ...she was interested in the fact i was now into songweiting , and i remember i said ....its hard to put lyrics to a 16 beat drum beat. she really laughed and ask if i had any stuff they would be interested in. i said i had a few ballads , but not sure it was their style. she gave me an address that i should mark a certain way on the envelop , if i got something and send it because she said 'i will get it at this address and mark on envelop" now i wonder if i did have any thing that would have b een possible. i doubt it, but i did in late 81 find that address and sent a hello and how great those days were and our dis. would you believe i got a signed photo back with both karen and richards signatures and the time we shared.i miss her . i should have sent a love ballad i wrote , and a candy bar. we clicked i believe more than i realized. there may still be a song for her yet. J
Glad you had this interview, they're gone now. Met them both at various NAMM shows in Anaheim.
Valuable interview. Thank you for doing it and sharing it.
Hal Blaine is one of my heroes ,carpenters songs wont be as good without Hal Blaine’s drumming!
Great interview! Richard Carpenter has stated that Joe Osborn is the greatest bass guitar player ever!
Joe Osborne and James Jamerson. Add Jazz and Jaco Pastorious.
Carol and Leland might want a word. LoL
@@willwires8348 Of course. There is no greatest bass player. I can think of dozens just as great but none greater.
Thank you. I miss them always!
RC is talented but if someone else was singing his work, would his work been as well known all over the world? Karen's biggest issue is that she was in a family who could not accept that not only is she talented like RC, she is also special
I can't believe there was ever a question that Richard wasn't going to play keyboard/piano on their records.
Karen's was the best voice that pop has ever heard. Perfect pitch and timbre. Richard's arrangements got a little syrup-y at times, a source of irritation for some. I found some of Hal's work with Carpenters (there is no THE in their name) to be over-the-top busy with his triplet runs down the octo-toms... less would have been more in a number of instances.
It's strange that pianist Jack Daugherty is never mentioned here. Jack DISCOVERED the Carpenters & introduced them to Herb Alpert at A&M & then became their Producer there. Jack introduced me to Hal who played drums in Jack's rehearsal band at A&M. Jack was a very significant element during the Carpenters early days!!! 😮
Not quite accurate, with all due respect. Jack was a trumpet player who was given the Carpenters' demo. However, it was John Pisano (with Herb's TJB) that gave the demo to Herb and Jerry. Jack was credited as "producer," however he never actually produced them. He contracted studio musicians for a number of the sessions and ultimately fulfilled the role of an assistant. Herb has even recently confirmed that Richard was the actual producer on every Carpenters record.
Would love to hear some of those original recordings from Joe's garage!
There are some tracks from 1966 that have been re-issued, and also on RUclips, recorded in Joe’s garage.
Some of Joe's garage recordings are on RUclips. Mike Deasy recorded there often. Jan and Dean, save for a rainy day, was made there and there was a Karen carpenter single 45rpm record made there some of them are perhaps still around on the magic lamp label. Taj Mahal, ry cooder, Milton Berle recorded there as well.
After moving to Tennessee there was a house fire in February of 1975. All of the tapes from Joe's garage were lost. Lee denson, recorded a couple of songs under the name "Jesse James" they have the distinction of being the only recordings with Richard and Karen carpenter singing background vocals. They too are on RUclips.
HAL WAS ASKED TO LEAVE KAREN AND RICHARD BY THEIR MOTHER BECAUSE HAL SAID TO KAREN, SHE SHOULD FRONT THE BAND IN FRONT OF THE DRUMS.....OLD LADY CARPENTER HAD HAL FIRED.....BIG MISTAKE...NOW, THEY DID A PBS SPECIAL...AND HAL BLAINE WAS NEVER MENTIONED.....I GUESS KAREN PLAYED ON EVERY SONG...
Absolutely did not happen
Where did that instrumental version of won't last a without you come from? That was awesome.
Interesting. If you watch Goodbye to Love Richard doesn't come out of it well. "no one realised how ill she was". (right after interviews with friends who were worried sick). Erm, she was a skeleton for years. It says it all that when he was in rehab she immediately put her own money into a solo album. (which he persuaded her not to release).
Sarah holland - That was a hatchet job. It was almost all dramatizations. A director can put any spin on it. And Richard did not veto the solo album. According to other accounts, several people were reviewing the album and, ultimately, Karen herself decided not to release it.
Girls don't look natural behind a drumset. . . um, well, rhythm comes entirely naturally to me. Rhythm isn't masculine, sheesh.
THX 1138 right on
It was a Man's Era at that time and very difficult for women, regardless of talent or vocation, to truly advance and be truly acknowledged for that talent.
cry baby cry!!!... keep crying!!
"Richard's the one that needed the click" ...hilarious
Glenn McCready - Interesting, but why is it hilarious? He just wasn’t familiar with it.
"Richard was a Momma's boy" LOL Called as seen, I guess!
Yeah, Joe has known them from the beginning and I appreciate his honesty. Him mentioning that Richard was not only a Momma's boy, but the star, etc., etc., in the mother's eye, and how Karen never got any credit for anything... wow! That is very telling, esp from someone who worked with them closely and knew them from the very beginning. But sadly, it's not surprising. RIP Beautiful Karen. Your legacy lives on, beautiful angel. You are still loved around the world, and you still have an influence on little girls who want to play the drums. Good on you! I give you ALL the credit for giving me the encouragement to play drums. Seeing you play, kickass play in concert, for a little 11-yr-old kid, yeah! Coolest thing ever to see a girl drummer in the early 70's. And it's cool to hear them both say that even at 16 she had an amazing voice and could play the drums very well. Yes!
Well, Richard was three years older, and showing great signs of being a very good musician. Karen was a Tomboy, and spent her early childhood outside playing baseball and other activities with her friends and had nothing to do with music for several more years. Which one do you think the parents are going to concentrate on more??
trekgrrl3: 19:09 "....Richard was the, the momma's boy and HE was the STAR. He was the artist that--he was responsible for whatEVER. And Karen got no credit for ANYthing." --Joe Osborn
Didn't Richard wind up marrying his aunt?
Where did check did you read that. I doubt he was into incest. Whomever he married, I read he has 5 daughters. I am sure he has grandkids now as well.
So did Karen play drums on any of the recordings?
Yes
No, it was Hal.
I was present when Karen drummed please Mr. Postman. My father, Joe Osborn told me Karen played on quite a few of them. Which ones, I have no idea.
@@davidosborn146 Wow! It must’ve been great to be around for that? I play bass guitar, David and your father has been a huge influence on how I play. Joe was an incredible talent.
@@shaunmcgee4204
It was "just another day" at the time, but now I feel fortunate to have gone to many sessions with Dad starting in '64 at 7 years of age. I was into drums and watching Hal then later Jim Gordon was an amazing experience. Dad was a great influence on being a professional musician of integrity. Always give your best, don't get lazy.
i had to quit listening after Karen died--it just makes me sad.
They wanted to HIDE her behind drums.
The woman interviewer chiming in with mumbles, "hmmm"s and "oohs" ruins the entire interview
Hal Blaine: "After all these hit records, why are you (Karen) still behind a set of drums? You should be up there on the microphone in front. And once again, I guess, the family (meaning Karen's mother) was upset. They kept saying, "No, she's just the drummer."" As Osborne implied, the Carpenter family (mother) gave no credit to Karen for any of their success. Like Hal Blaine said, so sad.
hal blaine: "they started running with all the actors".
"girl drummers. they just don't look natural behind a set of drums".
Point blank, no one would kick a guy in any band off the drums no matter how they played. I would've thought it was difficult to be in the male dominated music industry, where people's talent is curtailed. Maybe in their opinion, Karen shouldn't play on the record. If they were told that, there would be hell to play. I've seen a lot of mediocre male musicians that will think if they just take a spoon and bang it on a can that they are a musical genius.
zumbakat37 - Hal has said he replaced Dennis Wilson on some Beach Boys recordings.
You would think Joe Osborn, knowing, as anyone else on this planet does, that Karen died of complications from anorexia nervosa, WOULD NOT call her "chubby." That really pisses me off! People like him, calling her chubby and fat, did not help with her self esteem and probably had a lot to do with her struggle.
Yeah, he's a nobody. But Karen, on the other hand will live on in countless millions of hearts for eternity.
He's telling his story - as it was back then - in the early 60's. Trying to rewrite the history and tut-tutting him on using the words that "offend" you is stopping him from being honest about how he felt.
Joe Osborn - a nobody? Do your research before you write nonsense: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Osborn
They were still very young when Joe and Hal met them, and still had full cheeks, but I never saw them as "fat."
I think you’ll find , both Joe and Hal we’re assholes ( no doubt about it ) ... they were both excellent musicians, but none the less , had the big head ... they were good , but also lucky to be around the industry to play on so many songs . There are other drummers and bassists that could have done it ... but , many wouldn’t have , instead wanted to be in a group situation ... but I’m not in any way diminishing their awesome talent
The Carpenters were Housewife Pop. The Stones were a bottle of whiskey, the Carpenters were a can of Tab.
I don’t like your analogy. At all !!!