ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION'S VIC GUDER is the Mr. Guder The Carpenters sing about on their first album, Close to You.
The album is selling very fast and it is predicted to sell over a million copies.
Mr. Guder premiered last summer during the Burt Bacharach Concert at the Greek Theatre.
I played with Vic Guderin the UCLA Alumni Band in the early 80s, late 90s. He does not play anymore but I still do!
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised this was published in the Line since the song was sort of written as an insult to Vic Guder because Richard Carpenter was released from his gig at Coke Corner for playing contempory songs that were guest requests.
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you're still alive Mr. P
Westcot - I wasn't familiar with the song, so I went to look at lyrics. It is quite uncomplimentary! Maybe someone it was an open inside joke at the Park--or maybe Vic had a sense of humor about it?
ReplyDeleteWOW, neat stuff. "They long to be, close to you..." Hey, where the heck have you been Progressland? I thought maybe you got stuck in Holidayland and couldn’t find a way out! Welcome back!
ReplyDeleteProgressland,
ReplyDeleteOf course some of the traits mentioned *can* be positive, but even so it is weird that it would be plugged in the Line since it was *intended* to be derogatory.
I was with Richard and Karen at CSULB and played in various groups with him. He was also my accompanist as I was a music education major. They were both great people as was Vic Guder, who also happened to have been my high school band director at Westminster High School (in Westminster, CA).
ReplyDeleteJust to set the record straight.....I never fired Richard Carpenter...a great musician. Richard only worked at Coke Corner for our summer seasons and special events...Karen appeared at a special event ....so sad we lost Karen..a wonderful talent.Also for the record I am still playing the woodwinds and happy to have the wonderful memories of the Disney days and my 20 years in Music education and directing Broadway Musicals...Music is the highlight of my life and may the world of Music continue to live in our lives. I do miss the Carpenters and their unique sounds..but the recordings continue to reflect their great music....now you have the facts..MR> GUDER
ReplyDeleteVic,
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by and commenting!
Jason
Actually, Vic was steamed about the song and Richard Carpenter! The Disney Brass, in so many words, told him to "drop it, leave it alone--totally!" I worked numerous years in the Huntington Beach Union High School District where Vic was working before he got the Disney gig. Vic also was responsible for doing things like telling the Barbershop singers, there were a number, to show up to work "clean shaven." That is, no mustaches! Whoever saw or heard of a barbershop quartet without mustaches--real or glue on? It is quite possible Vic never fired Richard or anyone else--he simply told them they had to meet the Disney profile, rules and regs, or they were out of the entertainment division. A number of musicians and others got out of that division and took other part-time (full-time in summers) jobs working the rides, Jungle Boat was popular, security, and maintenance. And when I was working in a couple of high school districts in Anaheim and Huntington Beach, from the mid 1960s to 1986 Vic continued to advance in the Contracts area for various big time studios/entertainment companies. Things evidently did not continue to improve and he spent his last few years working as a junior high music teacher. Kind of a come-down or fall-back but perhaps it was what he really wanted to do. All the music folks in the Huntington Beach Union High School District, in the 19070s, will tell you, Vic was pretty pissed about Richard Carpenter and the song, Mr. Guder! Did I ever meet him or know him? Yes. And in some ways he was an OK guy. Milrose
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed readiing your post
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