Tear Down in Downey
A vivid memory of my early adolescence was the Grammy Awards (back when I actually watched it) and upon being handed the Best New Act statue by Karen Carpenter, Bette Midler quipped "She's so white she's invisible." I thought I was quite hip at the time for being such a fan of Midler and was very closeted about my fondness of the terminally unhip Carpenters.Today Karen's hipness knows no boundaries and Bette is about as hip as...white bread. Isn't She Great? anyone? I think the last time I bought a record of hers was Married Men back in 1979
So imagine the sacrilege of the news of the famed house in Downey that has even been serenaded on a St. Etienne album is facing demolition. Why isn't it a public shrine already instead of being a private residence anyway? It so resembled similar places I frequented during that time for zilch parties while listening to Schilsson Nilsson.
Expect riots to rival White Night or Stonewall as Orange County finally finds its place on the geo-political map, or at least in a good way.
Labels: 1970s, icons, Karen Carpenter, Music
posted by Ladrón de Basura (a.k.a. Junk Thief) @ 2:46 PM
7 comments
7 Comments:
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It's so ironic it's almost not.
But they can't do it. They simply can't!
Expect me there handcuffed to the doorknob, in a Karen Carpenter wig. (It wouldn't be the first time)
Jason - I may join you -- dressed in a shag wig and red bell bottoms a la Richard.
I've really learned to loves me some Carpenters over time, although I'm not yet quite in the camp of Those Who Worship -- then again, there's very little I do worship.
However, only in America would anyone consider turning a tract home in Downey, California (!) (or anywhere else) into a Historic Site. My guess is that the Cubano who now owns the home will really clean up after this recent barrage of PR. I'll betcha he nets millions for that little slice of suburban cul-de-sac.
Sidebar: not sure whether to love or hate the LA Times's semiclever headline in the Sunday print edition: "Fans love Carpenters, not carpenters." Oy gevalt.
Joe - Oy gevalt, indeed. You must be feeling better. I'm with you on the non-worshiper camp.
I was and remain a huge fan of The Carpenters and remember buying this album and thinking it was so cool because it opened up like that. Oddly enough, I didn't know the history of it. I figured it might be their home but didn't give it more thought than that. I try to imagine Karen living there but wouldn't you think she would have moved up to something grander.
Gary - I was in the same camp and did not know that it was there home until I saw the news about the tear down. I sort of like them more for continuing to live rather modestly.
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