The James McMahon Music Podcast

Episode 141: Lucy O'Brien on the search for the real Karen Carpenter

• James McMahon • Season 2 • Episode 141

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Author, journalist, and NME legend Lucy O’Brien has written some of the best music books I’ve ever read, principally about women in music. She’s perhaps best known for She Bop, her evolving history of women in rock, pop and soul, but her books on Dusty Springfield, Annie Lennox, Madonna and Skin from Skunk Anansie, are very worthy of your time too. And now there’s a new name to add to her bibliography, the late, extremely great Karen Carpenter, who Lucy has just written a book about for the ever awesome Nine Eight Books. Titled Lead Sister: The Story of Karen Carpenter, the book is out now, and sets out to explore exactly who the New Haven born singer and drummer was. Much more than a tragedy, is her conclusion. Much, much more than an easy listening icon too. I loved this episode, I hope you do too. 

Watch this episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHd2bcijRAk