We Can't Work It Out: Famous Feuds & Fallouts in Rock Music
Sep 29, 2026 · 33 min · 10 segments
By early 1980, Karen Carpenter had finished the album she once feared she couldn't make without Richard. A&M Records had prepared photographs, artwork, a catalog number, and plans for a spring…
Last time, Karen Carpenter went to New York to see what would happen if Richard Carpenter wasn't in the room.
Working with Phil Ramone, Billy Joel's musicians, Rod Timperton, Bob James, and others, she discovered she could choose songs, shape arrangements, change lyrics, and build a record with an entirely different group of people.
For the first time in her professional life, Karen was not simply the voice at the center of Richard Carpenter's production.
Karen invested roughly $400,000 of her own money in the album, on top of A&M's financial commitment.
This was not a side project designed merely to keep her occupied while Richard recovered from addiction.
That fact would become enormously important, because Karen's solo album had begun largely because Richard could not work.
Now the original partnership was suddenly available again, just as A&M had to decide what to do with Karen on her own.
He believed Karen Carpenter could make a remarkable solo record, but he did not believe this was that record.
In fact, A&M had originally encouraged the solo project, partly because Karen's voice was still a valuable commercial asset, while Richard couldn't work.
If Karen succeeded alone, it could strengthen the Carpenters when the duo eventually reunited.
He had watched Karen grow more confident during the sessions, and he believed the finished album represented something important artistically as well as personally.
Last time, Karen Carpenter went to New York to see what would happen if Richard Carpenter wasn't in the room.
Working with Phil Ramone, Billy Joel's musicians, Rod Timperton, Bob James, and others, she discovered she could choose songs, shape arrangements, change lyrics, and build a record with an entirely different group of people.
For the first time in her professional life, Karen was not simply the voice at the center of Richard Carpenter's production.
Karen invested roughly $400,000 of her own money in the album, on top of A&M's financial commitment.
This was not a side project designed merely to keep her occupied while Richard recovered from addiction.
That fact would become enormously important, because Karen's solo album had begun largely because Richard could not work.
Now the original partnership was suddenly available again, just as A&M had to decide what to do with Karen on her own.
He believed Karen Carpenter could make a remarkable solo record, but he did not believe this was that record.
In fact, A&M had originally encouraged the solo project, partly because Karen's voice was still a valuable commercial asset, while Richard couldn't work.
If Karen succeeded alone, it could strengthen the Carpenters when the duo eventually reunited.
He had watched Karen grow more confident during the sessions, and he believed the finished album represented something important artistically as well as personally.
The rest of this transcript — segmented and speaker-labeled, so you land on the exact moment something was said
Search every transcript — by keyword, by phrase, or by meaning, across every show Radar indexes
Trends — what is surging across podcasts, measured against its own baseline
Alerts — when a name you follow appears in a newly indexed episode
No account is needed to search Radar.
