Karen Carpenter, along with her brother Richard, took a moment to connect with their fans during an interview, offering a candid view of their lives and careers. At the time of this conversation, Karen and the band were in the midst of a busy tour, having recently traveled to cities like Paris, Amsterdam, and London, and were soon to head to Germany and Rio. Despite the hectic schedule, Karen expressed that traveling for a set period, such as the month-long tour, wasn’t too exhausting as long as the experience was enjoyable.
The topic of travel led to Karen discussing how the Carpenters had taken some time off after years of consistent touring and recording. They had decided to take a break and then started working on their album “Made in America.” Karen mentioned that while the band didn’t change their musical style during this break, the time off allowed them to refresh and come back with a new perspective.
Fans called in with questions, and Karen shared insights into her early career. When asked when she first realized she wanted to pursue singing, she explained that it wasn’t until she was 16 years old. She also shared how her brother Richard, who was always musically inclined, was a major influence on her decision to start singing and playing the drums. In fact, Karen mentioned that she initially wanted to avoid subjects like geometry in school, so she focused on joining the choir and marching band, which ultimately led her into a professional music career.
A fan also inquired about a potential British tour, and Karen assured them that there were plans for a return to the UK in about 6 to 8 months.
As the conversation continued, Karen reflected on some of her favorite songs, revealing that while songs like “Goodbye to Love” and “Close to You” were significant, the song “Because We Are in Love”—written by Richard—was particularly special to her, as it was the song her brother wrote for her wedding.
The interview also took a playful turn when Karen mentioned her fondness for a Space Invaders-like game called “Astro Wars”, which she had brought on tour. She shared that it was a fun, lighthearted distraction, though she laughed at the thought of playing it on a plane.
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