The Swan Songs

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Karen Carpenter (1950-1983)

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Superstar

Karen Carpenter was a staggering 108 pounds when she died of cardiac arrest on February 3rd, 1983. Anorexia Nervosa was a new disease at the time and few knew how to treat the psychological disorder. For years, clothes hung off her skeleton figure as stardom wore on her mental state. A shy, self-conscious individual, Karen felt the weight of the lime-light and slowly disappeared into her own insecurities. Her haunting voice would always soar above her physical deterioration; it was her constant battle with trying to appear beautiful in the public eye that lead to her early demise.

Robert Carpenter was an established piano player and composer before The Carpenters came to fruition. Karen, still in high school, learned how to play the drums and ended up playing with her brother’s various collaborations until settling on the brother and sister duo. Robert was the family’s Golden Boy, appearing to have the most talent with the ability to write and compose, Karen was viewed as inadequate in comparison causing her mental insecurities throughout her life.

It was no doubt that Robert had a knack for composing; with Karen on the drums, lending her velvet harmonies toward songs that would dominate pop charts for years to come.  Karen loved to play the drums, but her voice forced her to become the front-woman of the band. Everyone’s eyes were on her, defining her own image of herself.

She was obsessed with fan mail that would say she was cherub-like and voluptuous, when she clearly was not. Behind the drum kit was a hiding place, somewhere she could continue to project her abilities, but be obscured from the public eye. The record company executives didn’t like this, wanting to capitalize on her vocal presence, they removed her from her safe space and into the eyes of the discerning public.

Doing regular TV spots, The Carpenters were as much an image as they were a sound. In Karen’s mind, the whole world was looking at her, and the whole world was judging her appearance.  Constant touring also wore on the band as Rodger began abusing Quaaludes. After a grueling regimen of touring and recording TV specials, Rodger went to rehab, begging his sister to examine her problems as her weight was getting increasingly detrimental to her health.

Karen refused, going on to record an album that was so ill-received by her producers and family that it was never released.  Now deep in depression, Karen found the help of a psychiatrist who suggested that she should quit singing altogether as it would help her become someone who she really wants to be, rather than a silhouette of what the public prefers.

Both Robert and Karen returned to the studio to record some new material with Karen’s earnest. She was tired of how she was being treated by her psychiatrist and wanted to be who she always was, a singer. Shortly after, Robert witnessed Karen’s state during recordings, he reported to her producers and managers that she was in desperate need of treatment. Karen confronted her brother, when he told her that he loved her and just wanted her to be healthy.

Karen Carpenter died a week later due to complications due to Anorexia Nervosa. She was 32 years old.

Anorexia Nervosa is a mental disorder where a person finds a compulsion in dieting to the point of starving their cardiovascular system of nutrients viable for keeping the body alive. At the time, experts didn’t know the severity, let alone the treatment of the disease.  Nobody, other than her brother, noticed that she was fading away.

Thank You Keren Carpenter. Thank you for finding that Rainbow Connection.

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The theme of The Muppet Movie, preformed by Karen Carpenter. 

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Late in her Karen’s career and near the end of her life.

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One of The Carpenter’s many TV specials. The Bob Hope Special, 1973

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One of The Carpenters more melancholy hits.

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Karen’s Beautiful voice giving aid to this wonderful cover of the Beatles’ Ticket To Ride

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Karen Carpenter showcasing her abilities playing the drums.

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Bradley Nowell 1968-1996 You have been missed

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I Don’t Practice Santeria

On the morning of May 25th, 1996, Bud Gaugh woke to the sounds of Lue Dog whimpering while curled up on the bed; Bradly Nowell lay dead on the floor. Lead singer and guitarist for the ska/reggae trio, Sublime, Bradley Nowell was waging a long battle with substance abuse. After months of being sober, Bradley relapsed one last time and died of a heroin overdose a week after his marriage, and just days before a European tour.

By 1996, Sublime was becoming the biggest band to emerge from the Sothern California ska scene. Fusing reggae with punk rock, the band had two hit records on independent labels. Bradley wrote songs that embodied the punk culture of Southern California which was all about drugs, parties and having a good time.  Bradley’s expert song writing made him an indispensable feature in the band with guitar chops that could no better be described than by Nowell himself:                “I can play the guitar like a mother-fucking riot”

Long time childhood friends, Bud Gaugh and Eric Wilson were introduced to reggae by fellow musician Bradley Nowell and formed the Band Sublime in 1988. Playing rowdy parties and underground clubs, ska began to gain traction in the punk rock circles due to Sublime and No Doubt demos circulating on college radio stations.  On their own label, Skunk Records, Sublime released 40oz. to Freedom, which catapulted them to stardom with the single, “Date Rape”, finding its way onto mainstream radio circulation. By 1995, Sublime headlined the first Warped Tour with Bradley’s Dalmatian, Lue Dog.

Every show was an out of control party, with sublime inviting anyone and their mother on stage to smoke joints and slam dance.  During a show at the KROQ annual Weenie Roast, Sublime with Gwen Stefanie were headliners of the festival. Bands were allotted a handful of backstage passes, whereas Sublime printed out hundreds of fake passes, begging for the fire marshal to be called.

The whole time, Bradley was abusing heroin and drinking to the point of passing out on stage.  Many times, the band would help Bradley get sober, but all efforts eventually were repaid with relapse. Songs like “Pool Shark” would display Bradley’s addiction as a desperate call for help; that beckoning came in the form of Bradley becoming a father. He vowed to stay sober for his son, Jacob, but that vow was short lived. Recording sessions for Sublime’s final self-titled album started in February of 1996. Brad relapsed with pressure of the album weighing down on his shoulders. This was to be their first album on a major label and before entering the studio and he only had a handful of songs written. The band’s manager sent Bradley home to sober up, which he did, marrying the mother of his child, Troy Dendekker.

After wrapping up the recording sessions for the self-titled album, the band was gearing up for a short northern California tour, followed by a European / East coast tour to promote new songs from the upcoming album. On the night of May 24th, after a show in Pomona, Bradley scored some Heroin. Bud recalls Bradley bursting into the room as the sun was rising, suggesting they go surfing. Bud waved him off, not knowing that the next time he would see his friend, he would be dead on the floor.

The album would be released later that year, to critical acclaim despite the lead singer being deceased. Many fans didn’t know this fact; in music videos, Bradly would appear transparent, using stock concert footage, and Lue Dog would always appear.

In 1997, Sublime won the MTV Video Music Award for best Alternative Video, for “What I Got”. Lue Dog joined the surviving band members on stage. The band had already broken up, due to respect for Bradley and his irreplaceable voice that existed on every track.  Although Sublime has found new incarnations since Bradley’s death, they don’t reflect the same essence that Bradley brought to the band in the early 90s.  Every generation since, has made Sublime’s music timeless. The youth have embraced the vibes that existed in ‘96 like it was composed today. Sublime will exist forever, as one of those facets in time where people just wanted to party and have a good time.

Bradley Nowell was 26. Thank you Sublime, because I’m a Badfish too.

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My own personal favorite Sublime track.

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Sublime’s second single and most popular to date.  Released months after Bradley’s death, the song reached #29 on the Billboard top 100. 

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One Of the videos that were made post Bradley’s death, still featuring him in spirit. 

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Pool Shark not only paints a portrait of the life of an addict, it’s stringy lyrics and vocalizations make it clear the hold that heroin had on Bradley.

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Sublime live with Gwen Stafani at the KROQ Weenie Roast. 

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Sublime’s First major hit which was the catalyst for making 40oz. To Freedom their best selling album.