Chris Carpenter

This is a bizarre pop-psychedelic gem of a 45 by Chris Carpenter of Detroit, Michigan.

“This World (Is Closing In on Me) (written by L. Drake) is full of paranoid lyrics. “Waterfalls” (songwriting credits by Parsons, Toma, and Carnes) features a harmonium, thunder sound effects, rattles and yet more obsessive lyrics. Both sides were produced by P. Carnes for Sidra Records, and arranged by L. Drake. Not sure if this is the same Chris Carpenter now involved in sound mixing for Hollywood.

This was originally released on Ocean-Side, a subsidiary of the Sidra label of Detroit in October 1966, then on Sidra itself a month later, and then picked up for national release by United Artists in February 1968, over a year after the original release.

Someone named Jim wrote to me to say that this 45 exists without the sound effects, dampening the impact. Same label, but it’s less common than the 45s with these tricked-out versions.

To make matters more confusing, both sides were remixed with heavy fuzz guitar overdubs and released under the artist name ‘Preston’ on yellow vinyl on the Sound Patterns label in 1969.

Anyone have a photo of the man?

12 thoughts on “Chris Carpenter”

  1. Hey Chas, the L. Drake in question is Lenny Drake of Lenny & The Thundertones, indeed a Michigan band. They waxed up some good 45’s. I had both versions of the Chris Carpenter record, but I think I traded the effectless version.

  2. This is a Detroit, Michigan 45. It was first released on the local Sound Patterns label (on gold vinyl no less) under the name “Preston”. The personnel are Lenny And The Thundertones featuring Lenny Drake, also the song’s author, and Preston Carnes on vocals. The Sound Patterns version is the original and the best. I do not know if the Oceanside issue is the same, but I know the UA version has a vastly different mix that turned the fuzz guitar way down and pretty much neutered it.

  3. lenny drake lived several doors from me on lyndon in detroit. his sister mandy and lenny would have basemnt shows that my brother and sister and i would attend. he started playing an old acoutic guitar with several of his friends. he had a little local success and had a national minor hit. back when it was the fad to put a name on your car and customize it, he had his 53 ford convertible lowered named “so fine” after a song on the charts.

  4. Pretty unusual for an MI release from that period. UA had a local link in those days via SVR and their ilk. I can understand where stylistically, one might not connect this with MI/

  5. I would love to receive more information or links about Chris Carpenter! I am interested in re-releasing the 7″.

    1. What do you want to know? Chris Carpenter is my father (Preston Carnes) who co-wrote the song.

      1. Hi Cristin,

        Came upon this blog while looking for a clean copy of “Someone.” I am restoring an old radio air-check (putting the music back in that was edited out) and the copy posted on YouTube is far too distorted to use.
        This is strictly a not-for-profit venture, and it is the last song I need to restore all the music. If it works out well, I will submit it to Reelradio.com to see if they will post the restored version. Is there any way you or your dad could send me an MP3 of it? That would be great, thanks! – Glenn

    1. Hi,
      Interested in a 45 your father produced on Cristin for an artist called James – “What is happening to my life/Moonset”. Wondering if your Dad still has a copy?

      Kind regards, John

  6. I’m an original member of the T Tones. Now living in North Carolina, I’m going to visit Lenny on my next trip to Mi.

    Pete Weiss
    1/4/2016

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