Rob Mounsey

New York in 1979 was exploding with disco, funk, soul, and new wave, while records like Heart of Glass, Ring My Bell, He's the Greatest Dancer, and Herb Alpert's Rise were changing what mainstream pop could sound like.

Arranger Rob Mounsey remembered the New York studio world as rougher, faster, and less manicured than Los Angeles, filled with musicians moving constantly from session to session.

Karen had spent most of her recording life at A&M Studios in Los Angeles.

She knew the rooms, the engineers, the musicians, and the routines, and often Richard could understand what she wanted before she even had to explain it.

She could sing with the instincts of a drummer, sitting inside a groove rather than simply floating above it.

Karen also started revealing musical interests that did not fit the stereotype surrounding her.

Rob Mounsey remembered talking with her about James Brown, Bootsy Collins, Parliament, and Funkadelic.

To him, Karen was not a sheltered, easy-listening singer being dragged unwillingly toward funk.