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Post by cam83 on Oct 8, 2003 0:13:12 GMT -5
Hi All,
This excerpt is from the SEDAKA'S BACK book written by Neil Sedaka. I hope there is no problem in typing this out from the book...
CHAPTER 26...THE CARPENTERS...
After weeks of rest my health was back to normal. Karen and Richard Carepnter, clients of BNB, were abou to embark on a six-week tour, beginning on the East Coast in open-air theaters, continuing to Vegas, and finally to Japan. Elliot told me that Richard wanted me as their opening act. Elliott recommended it-The Carpenters played to my kind of audience. "Also," he said, "SEDAKA'S BACK is still not selling despite 'LAUGHTER[IN THE RAIN]'s number one postion and a tour might help." I agreed.
Richard created a very clever show, combining a number of familiar old hits with more current material. I was to come on at the beginning of the show and do thirty-five minutes, and return to the stage at the end to sing several encores with Karen and Richard.
We opened the tour at Ben Segal's Oakdale Music Theatre in the Round in Wallingford, Connecticut. At our first show I was a nonstop bundle of energy from start to finish and the audience was cheering all the way. Then Karen and Richard came on to do their portion of the program. Karen had an exquisite voice, and their songs and music were tasteful and musically superb. Richard's piano was the perfect complement to this beautiful, mellow, romantic music. However in contrast to my thirty-five minutes, their act was quiet and subdued. Everything sounded the same, whereas my songs were varied. You could sense the difference in the audience's response. They were appreciated but unexcited, and the Carpenters received only mild applause. While I was obviously thrilled to be onstage, The Carpenters seemed to walk through their act.
When the first reviews came out in the Connecticut papers, they were polite to the Carpenters and raved about me. They called it the surprise of the year. Ben Segal had to hid the reviews from Karen and Richard.
More to come...
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Post by cam83 on Oct 8, 2003 0:33:43 GMT -5
We went on to the Garden State Art Center in New Jersey, Pine Nob in Detroit, and the Ravinia Festival in Chicago. THE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS headlined;TEXT. As beautifully as Karen and Richard performed, I thought their music was a carbon copy of their recorded versions. Although each not was polished, to me it sounded sterile and unemotional. I was a big fan of their, but I had to admit that the audience was not moved. The most popular section of their set was the finale, when Karen and Richard and I appeared onstage for the duets and trios.
Unsurprisingly, I began to detect some resentment. When we arrived at the Riviera hotel in Las Vegas for a two-week engagement, we played to a packed house, including such celebrities as Glenn Campbell and Paul Anka. The audience cheered each of my songs, and by the end I had them on their feet. By the second night, Richard decided to take out the finale-he said the show was running too long. The third night, Dick Clark called me to say he was coming to the show, as did Tom Jones, and during the show I introduced them to the audience. When I left the stage I heard Richard Carpenter screaming, "Get that son of a XXXXX out!" Karen, about to go on, was in tears. "Neil, I'm so sorry about this," she said. She looked painfully thin, and weighed only about ninety pounds.
The next morning Elliott called. "Neil, Richard wants to call it quits. he would like you to leave the tour today."
I was shocked. "I can't believe it," I told him.
I called the group in and told them the news--we were to pack up that afternoon. My name was to be removed from the marquee of the Riviera hotel.
When Wayne Newton heard he calle to ask if he could do anything for me. "It's so unfair," he said. Eydie Gorme and Steve Lawrence promised to make an announcement durin gtheir show. "You're being fired because you're too good," Steve told me.
I called my friend Alan Carr, a famed producer and show business manager, and told him what had happened.
"Neil, you must call a press conference in Vegas. You must let the public know what really happened. make this work for you. Above all, before you leave, let Elliott rebook you in Vegas as a headliner at the Riviera Hotel."
I followed his advice. The next day, after the press conference, stories appeared in the U.P.I and A.P wires stating "Sedaka fired for being too strong." DJ's picked up on the incident as well, and the Carpenters looked bad. While my records continued to do well on the air. The Carpenters records were often followed by snide remarks from DJs. Before I left Las Vegas, Elliott had arranged for the new contract--I was to return to the Riviera in a few months as a headliner and I have been working there eight weeks a year ever since.
A few days later Karen Carpenter was hospitalized. In her worn down condition, this had been too much for her. She was in a state of depression. The Carpenters cancelled their Japanese tour.
I think if Richard had realized the repercussions, he might have kept me on the tour. Since then, on the few occasions I have met The Carpenters, we have always been cordial to each other.
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Post by Christian on Oct 8, 2003 10:01:33 GMT -5
Hi Cam!
Cool that this story was brought up on the forum as I am sure most of the fans have heard of it. It must have been a big deal back in 1975 when it happened and it truly hurt the Carpenters and their career. When i read what you have posted from NS I can`t help thinking that this guy must be so full of himself. Makes me sick!!
As for introducing Clark and Tom Jones, the showbiz rule is that this in the headacts job, not the opening act. I think the entire thing went to NS head.
Personally I have never liked this guy although he wrote some nice songs. I remember seing a documentary on him some years ago and took an immediate disliking to him as he was so full of himself.
(I was also chocked when his children suddenly appeared as I have always thought he was gay, so did the rest of the people I watched the show with)
Anyway, it makes me sick to read that part from his book. What a horrible little man!
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Post by ThomB on Oct 8, 2003 18:38:32 GMT -5
this did hurt the Carpenters at that time. But as time has marched on it's the Carpenters who are still selling millions very year, and they can still make it in the top 10 in various parts of the world. sedaka on the other well he doesn't do as well. So who's to say.
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Post by cam83 on Oct 8, 2003 20:01:55 GMT -5
Does anyone know, how many millions of records Neil Sedaka sold?
It is too bad that they had the problems between them...it certainly didn't help that Karen was emaciated and not in the right mind to help make the best decision with Sedaka and them. And I believe she was down to 80 pounds then. But it shows that Karen felt bad about it when she said to Neil, "I'm so sorry about this!"
What a caring woman she was even in the midst of her own illness.
Also, I wonder what Neil thought of their song BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO released the following year on their gold album A KIND OF HUSH? Did it cause them to be more together...
Cameron
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Post by Federico Cruz on Oct 8, 2003 20:24:09 GMT -5
Thanks, Cameron, for that excerpt.
That's history, and bad or good, truth or lie, I want to know it.
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Post by Rick Henry on Oct 8, 2003 21:45:12 GMT -5
I'm not certain, but I would say Sedaka has probably sold about 40 million albums and maybe around 40 -50 million singles.
Carpenters I believe have sold maybe close to 120 million albums and something like 60 million singles. Of course this is on a worldwide basis. and also guestimates.
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Post by Christian on Oct 9, 2003 11:52:09 GMT -5
Hi Rick!
I believe your figures about the Carpenters` record sales might be wrong. The number mostly mentioned are a total of 100mill records totally(both records and singles) as a total worldwide.
As for NS, I would guess max. 30mill records and singles worldwide. He was never that big outside the US, certainly not in Europe. I know Linda Ronstadt has sold somewhere between 30-40mill records and she is/was way bigger than NS.
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Post by cam83 on Oct 17, 2003 13:24:24 GMT -5
Hi All,
The last I heard, which was several years ago was that they had sold over 110 million records worldwide which must be closer to 115 by now...
Cam
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Post by goodjeans on Jun 25, 2008 13:45:15 GMT -5
UGH. I think that the beginning of 'Laughter In The Rain" is a copy of "We've Only Just Begun". I try to judge only by the music, but when this whole thing went down and I think 'Soilitaire" was the summer's single, Carpenters were treated like sh*t from Dj's and I hated Sedaka for that. They also ran photos of karen in her fur coat and a poor expression on her face. Not as bad as TMZ today, but the poor girl. noone really gave her a break. I think Neil also broke a key from Richard's piano. Creep.
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