Post by cam83 on Sept 26, 2003 13:43:27 GMT -5
Chapter Four
The days passed, and Karen and Richard starting spending more and more time at A&M Record's, beginning work on their next album. Karen was giddy with excitement. The lean years were over, and the years of great things were just beginning, she thought to herself. She was excited with phase 2 of their career. All those years of personal turmoil seemed to just fade away, and a new dawn was beckoning. This new album meant a lot to her, because she had so much of herself to give.
She had learned a lot about herself in the last couple of years, of what she could and couldn't do. People had always said she sang from her heart, and that was true, but now, she could add a depth that hadn't been there before. She had a gift, that Richard had recognized all those years ago, and helped her train to be what she was today.
Richard still did all of the producing, and Karen was the associate producer, so in that area, everything was the same. Karen really wanted to spread her wings and fly like she did when she was in New York recording her solo album. She had had such a wonderful time, and more importantly, being treated like an equal in the studio. There were times that Phil treated Karen the way Richard had treated her, and that bothered her quite a bit. She hated to be told what to do, because she had been recording for about 18 years, and she figured that she knew what she was talking, or should she say, singing about. She had learned a lot, and picked up various techniques of recording and producing.
Richard was always reluctant, it seemed, to let her try anything on her own, and so this solo album was an awakening for her, in a way. On a few tracks, Karen was able to play the drums and she was very pleased. She loved her drums, and it felt like old times before the anorexia entered. The times when she was one of the gang, and could sit behind her beloved drum set. Drumming was a very physical workout that she enjoyed. What no one knew was that when she was drumming, she was getting her anger out, in that way. Pounding out her rage and frustrations. Sometimes, it seemed that she had a lot to vent out, when she couldn't find the words to vocalize it the proper way.
The photo shoots were quite demanding on them physically, always posing, smiling and changing outfits. She grew very sick of the similar outfits for the both of them. She wanted to be an individual, and she knew that Richard wanted that as well. They hated all this stuff about them being cheek to cheek and looking like husband and wife, or twin to twin. But that was what the record company wanted. Any deviation from the formula that had sold millions of records in the 70's, was frowned upon heavily. What about what they wanted? During the 1970's, this had been a big problem as this was the way they were marketed. It had been a big disappointment to learn that their record company didn't care for any other marketing campaign. Goody two shoes was what sold the records, and so they didn't want to rock the boat. Why couldn't anyone see that they were 2 normal everyday people with problems like everyone else. They wanted to be known for their music, not for how perfect or how imperfect they appeared to be.
Singing in the recording studio, to Karen was a piece of cake, pardon the pun, she thought as she laughed quietly to herself. There was really nothing to it. She rarely ever made a mistake, and she just sang. Someone once jokingly said to her that her voice was so flawless, that if she had released a single of her singing a love song about toilet paper, that it would sell millions of record copies and become a big hit single. She wouldn't go that far, but she thought it was funny.
It was a gift that just seemed to come naturally to her. Singing. It had greatly surprised her when people were taken with her voice in the early days. She hadn't set out to be a singer, but a drummer. Now, her being a drummer wasn't as big as deal as it had been in the past. Why, she never even drummed as much as she had back in the early days. Now and then, she got the chance to perform, but those were such a rarity. The questions had always kind of irritated her, about her being a woman's libber, because she was a female drummer. Some of her opinions seemed to anger the women's liberation movement. But she wasn't going to lie, or shift the blame on someone else. That wasn't her style. It never would be. Singing was what people expected of her. She liked singing and trying out new things, and newer approaches.
The days passed, and Karen and Richard starting spending more and more time at A&M Record's, beginning work on their next album. Karen was giddy with excitement. The lean years were over, and the years of great things were just beginning, she thought to herself. She was excited with phase 2 of their career. All those years of personal turmoil seemed to just fade away, and a new dawn was beckoning. This new album meant a lot to her, because she had so much of herself to give.
She had learned a lot about herself in the last couple of years, of what she could and couldn't do. People had always said she sang from her heart, and that was true, but now, she could add a depth that hadn't been there before. She had a gift, that Richard had recognized all those years ago, and helped her train to be what she was today.
Richard still did all of the producing, and Karen was the associate producer, so in that area, everything was the same. Karen really wanted to spread her wings and fly like she did when she was in New York recording her solo album. She had had such a wonderful time, and more importantly, being treated like an equal in the studio. There were times that Phil treated Karen the way Richard had treated her, and that bothered her quite a bit. She hated to be told what to do, because she had been recording for about 18 years, and she figured that she knew what she was talking, or should she say, singing about. She had learned a lot, and picked up various techniques of recording and producing.
Richard was always reluctant, it seemed, to let her try anything on her own, and so this solo album was an awakening for her, in a way. On a few tracks, Karen was able to play the drums and she was very pleased. She loved her drums, and it felt like old times before the anorexia entered. The times when she was one of the gang, and could sit behind her beloved drum set. Drumming was a very physical workout that she enjoyed. What no one knew was that when she was drumming, she was getting her anger out, in that way. Pounding out her rage and frustrations. Sometimes, it seemed that she had a lot to vent out, when she couldn't find the words to vocalize it the proper way.
The photo shoots were quite demanding on them physically, always posing, smiling and changing outfits. She grew very sick of the similar outfits for the both of them. She wanted to be an individual, and she knew that Richard wanted that as well. They hated all this stuff about them being cheek to cheek and looking like husband and wife, or twin to twin. But that was what the record company wanted. Any deviation from the formula that had sold millions of records in the 70's, was frowned upon heavily. What about what they wanted? During the 1970's, this had been a big problem as this was the way they were marketed. It had been a big disappointment to learn that their record company didn't care for any other marketing campaign. Goody two shoes was what sold the records, and so they didn't want to rock the boat. Why couldn't anyone see that they were 2 normal everyday people with problems like everyone else. They wanted to be known for their music, not for how perfect or how imperfect they appeared to be.
Singing in the recording studio, to Karen was a piece of cake, pardon the pun, she thought as she laughed quietly to herself. There was really nothing to it. She rarely ever made a mistake, and she just sang. Someone once jokingly said to her that her voice was so flawless, that if she had released a single of her singing a love song about toilet paper, that it would sell millions of record copies and become a big hit single. She wouldn't go that far, but she thought it was funny.
It was a gift that just seemed to come naturally to her. Singing. It had greatly surprised her when people were taken with her voice in the early days. She hadn't set out to be a singer, but a drummer. Now, her being a drummer wasn't as big as deal as it had been in the past. Why, she never even drummed as much as she had back in the early days. Now and then, she got the chance to perform, but those were such a rarity. The questions had always kind of irritated her, about her being a woman's libber, because she was a female drummer. Some of her opinions seemed to anger the women's liberation movement. But she wasn't going to lie, or shift the blame on someone else. That wasn't her style. It never would be. Singing was what people expected of her. She liked singing and trying out new things, and newer approaches.
