I don't know whether you heard it or not today, but NPR aired an oddly fascinating interview with 1970s pop star Richard Carpenter (of The Carpenters), conducted by Terry Gross. It's the 40th anniversary of the Carpenters signing with A&M Records (the label co-founded by Herb Alpert), and there's a new CD compilation being released called 40/40 to commemorate the occasion. Anyway, Richard Carpenter talks about all the usual subjects: the band's formation and early years, the Carpenters' unique sound, the stories behind their big hits, etc. But the interview takes a left turn around the 26:10 mark. Terry admits that she used to find the Carpenters' music "corny" and asks Richard what he thought of Sonic Youth's remake of "Superstar." The results are unexpectedly entertaining.