Be My Music Information and Ethan Hurt Interview

I was recently contacted by Ethan Hurt who co-wrote "Be My Music" with Lee Curreri. Ethan is a musician, singer, song writer and film producer and he very kindly agreed to talk to us about a little about "Be My Music" which resulted in some very interesting information!

Firstly though his name because some of you may be thinking it doesn't say Ethan Hurt on your copy of the album or CD as he is also credited under Ethan Hurwitz, Ethan Horowitz and Ethan Horwitz. I'll let Ethan explain:

"The name issue is interesting for sure my friend and my name was legally changed from Hurwitz to Hurt in 1990, by a judge in NYC. I'd used the "Stage Name" Ethan Hurt since 1980. The mess up is with regard to publishers and record labels along the way who confused my legal name with my stage name, and with what my contracts said, and what I should be called and credited as, as well as, many, many typo issues along the way (lost in translation 101, via many releases in many countries at the same time....)... Hence, if you are still able to breathe after hearing this tale, because I cannot, I "legally" the name changed to "Hurt" so that this would cease to be an issue for me from 1990 onward into the future.... But here we are today still discussing it... LOL!"
Here's the Exclusive interview with Ethan:

Kids From Fame Media: What was your Inspiration for writing “Be My Music”?


Ethan Hurt: "A girlfriend of mine named Susan Kraker, who now is a fine film maker and producer in Los Angeles. I was 16 and she was 15 at the time.

However, Lee and I wrote the final version of "Be My Music" together... My version, the original "Be My Music" (which in no way was the great final collaboration between me and Lee) had some of the current lyrics and the entire chorus as you now hear it in the final version, but needed Lee's genius for other great lyrics, musical betterment and to tie the entire song together... etc... It was therefore 100% a collaborative effort between us resulting in what we now hear as "Be My Music"...."


KFFM: Have you ever recorded “Be My Music” yourself or performed it in any of your own shows?

EH: "Performed at shows YES, Never recorded for an Ethan Hurt Album... Yet... maybe that's a great idea. Maybe ask Lee to join me in duet format somehow..."
(That would be great to see so I've said to Ethan that I will send a link to this page to Lee on Facebook and see if there is any response!)

KFFM: How did your song become involved in the Fame TV series? Did you have to submit the song for them to use or did they approach you to use the song?

EH: "Charles Koppelman, the executive producer, is from the same town I grew up in on Long Island NY, so I was able to get an interview with him pretty easily, at 16 I played for him some of my music in his offices in NYC and the rest is history. He heard "Be My Music" amongst many songs I played live for him that day, and when he heard BMM he said "Wow, now that's a hit"... Pretty cool huh?"

KFFM: Lee Curreri has said in an Interview that you wrote “Be My Music” and he wrote a song called “Rainy Weather Friend” and the two songs were merged together to form what we now know as “Be My Music”. Could you tell us your memories of what happened?

EH: "Cool! Wow! I never knew that. But it still is totally in harmony with my version of the story 100%...

PS: Please send me that interview, I love it!"
As requested I sent the interview to Ethan and also added it to a video I made for the Album Version of "Be My Music" Press Play below to hear what Lee had to say or read below:


Lee Curreri: "You know I think "Be My Music" might be a good bet because that was something that I wrote. And actually I wrote a song that was self contained and it was one of the guys that was working on music on the show, decided to marry that song to another song. Cause my song was "Rainy Weather Friend" and, er and and this other guy's song was "Be My Music" and and it came together in that Ethan's part of the song was the hook and then my part of the song was the verses and the bridge, and so it sort of had an interesting a little er, sort of a... what I thought at the time was a shot gun wedding but now I listen to it, it seems to work pretty well."

KFFM: Were you involved in the merging of the songs and did you and Lee work together on this or did someone else merge the songs?

EH: "Lee and I worked together apart... he did the final merge. I was 17 by this time, just prior to inclusion in the show and the album, it was my first professional foray into the music business, and Lee was the "PRO" mentor on this one.... That being said, his writing and "merging" skills were/are brilliant. So No I am not "The merger"...."

KFFM: Were you happy with the finished results?

EH: "Yes, happy... Blown away actually."

KFFM: The Kids From Fame album from which “Be My Music” comes was a huge selling record, certainly in the U.K. when it was originally released back in 1982. Did you get Royalties from the album or were you just paid a flat fee for the use of your song?


EH: "Still am getting royalties from "Be My Music"... Bought my first cool apartment in NYC with the first proceeds from "Be My Music", that... and a BMW... The song was slated to be released as a single and never was... That being said, had it been released as a single, I would have been able to buy the entire building, LOL..."

Footnote, "and I am not sure Lee would be happy to hear this, as I am not happy to re-tell this tale. No names here... But the Publisher at that time back in 1983, was approached by Barry Manilow who wanted to follow up his huge HIT "I Write the Songs" with "Be My Music", a pretty cool idea and great, logical fit. He (Barry) wanted to do all NEW Barry Manilow music on the remainder of the album. ALL his own brilliant songs, all his own publishing etc.... The deal fell apart because, the nameless publisher in question, wanted more than half the record to contain songs that HE (the nameless publisher) owned and controlled... The outcome? Barry Manilow walked away from "Be My Music" and that deal. Greed is a powerful thing Huh?"

Footnote #2: "Journey was almost pursued, but not... "Faithfully" released after "Be My Music", well. go take a listen side by side with "Be My Music"... Enjoy that one... LOL."

(Listen to Journey's Faithfully to compare just how similar the music is to "Be My Music".)

Footnote # 3 : "was the #2 album of 1982 in the UK, sold in excess of 2 million copies in the UK alone... have you ever seen he sales figures for the UK?"
KFFM: “Be My Music” is different to your most of your other songs. What are your thoughts on this song today?

EH: "Different than most, but very similar in lyric and music to my ballads.... The Ethan Hurt artist recordings and arrangements are not FAME- ish in any way, that's true... More rock in nature, my natural style."

KFFM: Are you proud of your connection to Fame or has it become like an albatross around your neck?


EH: "I am so proud... Fame in my life launched me in Europe and made me lots of money and opened unlimited doors for me.... The connection to Fame made so many things possible... Have you seen my film "What's Cooking?"... I produced that."

Many thanks to Ethan Hurt for being so kind and taking time to talk to us.

For more information and to listen to Ethan's music click to go to his website:

www.ethanhurt.com

Doris Schwartz Time And Again Part 3

Here's part 3 of my new on going Fan Fiction Series "Doris Schwartz Time and Again". You might need tissues for this part!

Part three is called "To See Your Face Again " click the link below: 

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Fame Trivia Kids From Fame Books Deception!!

In 1983, 2 Kids From Novels were published by Sphere Books and written by Lisa Todd, or were they?

Lisa Todd doesn't actually exist it is actually a pen name of sci fi writer Stephen Gallagher. Here's what he had to say about the books:

"What can I say? I was broke and these novelisations provided me with enough cash to finance the research for Oktober.

A courier delivered a box of twenty-six complete scripts from MGM Los Angeles. I split the pile into two and went through each script in turn, noting possible running storylines and scenes worth drawing upon.

The next day, I started to write. I turned out two 50,000 word novels in twenty-one days and picked up £4,000 for the gig. I think I ran out and bought a fan magazine so I'd have some pictures of the cast for reference, but that's all the research I did.
To this day, I still haven't seen a single episode of the series or even the Alan Parker movie that inspired it."

"I used the name Lisa Todd to put as much professional distance between myself and these titles as possible."

"I'm not ashamed of them - for what they are, they're decent and honest pieces of work - but if they don't carry any of my DNA then they shouldn't be carrying my name, either."

"One thing I didn't bargain for - Lisa Todd started to get fan mail. Most of it from young girls taking dance lessons and dreaming of a career on the stage.

I couldn't dash their illusions so I had to respond in character. But I didn't deceive them completely - I told them it's a tough life and there are no guarantees of happiness. So I'm kind of hoping that God will let me off."

Fame Top Ten Things I Love No 9!

At Number 9 on my count down of things I love about Fame is The Dancing and Gene Anthony Ray.

The dancing on Fame was a fundamental part of the show and that made the show unique as no other drama at the time had the dance and musical numbers. The dance numbers gave the show a feel good hi energy vibe and dancing almost became like a character of it’s own.

Debbie, Gene and the Fame dancers did an excellent job of keeping the dancing alive and creative and keeping the audience interested. It rarely felt like the dancing got in the way of the action and drama. For me only the “Deer Dance” in season 2’s “Words” seemed misplaced.

Gene was such a natural raw talent and so great to watch. He made dancing cool particularly for guys. If tough macho, street wise Leroy could be a dancer then it suddenly became acceptable for teenage boys to join dance and performing arts schools and clubs all around the World.

The dancers were a huge part of the Fame family and although for the most part they were in the background, some of them were given the opportunity to develop characters of their own. It was also a great creative opportunity for the dancers in real life and a number of them namely Marguerite Pomerhn and Michael Rooney became World famous choreographers.

To discuss click the link below to go to the forum:
http://www.atfreeforum.com/kidsfromfamemed/

Doris Schwartz Time And Again Part 2

Here's Part 2 of my new on going Fan Fiction Series titled "Doris Schwartz Time Again" where Doris finds herself back in 1982.

Part two is called "An Echo In Time"

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Doris Schwartz Time And Again Part 1

Today sees the start of my new on going Fan Fiction Series titled "Doris Schwartz Time Again"

Part One of the story is called "All My Past Behind"

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Fame Top Ten Things I Love!

Having listed my top ten pet hates on Fame, this week sees the start of a new count down and this time we're looking at the positive aspects of the show with my top ten things I love about Fame.

So at number 10 on my count down is Comedy.

I love any show that can take me on an emotional journey. Something that can make me laugh as well as make me cry and Fame can do that.

When I talking about the comedy on Fame, it's not so much the out and out ridiculous episodes they came up with in the later years like “Mr Wacky’s World” and the supposed comedy of people having pies thrown in their face. (Oh dear what were MGM thinking when thought Fame should be an actual comedy series?)

Instead it's the sharp scripted clever lines that often came so fast you could miss them, comedy that I love. Sometimes it’s only with repeated viewing that some of these hilarious lines come to light.

Actually when the show was trying hard to be funny for instance when Danny was telling jokes or doing a comedy routine I very rarely found that funny but when a character was being serious they would often through some very funny lines into the script and I love that.

We were lucky on Fame that we had a number of very talented and naturally funny actors and the humour would always come out in their performances.

Lee Curreri has talked about how Albert Hague loved his one liners and how funny he can be and whether it was actually the writers or Albert himself this quality is definitely in Shorofsky and he gets away why some great comments.

Valerie seems like a natural with comedy material too and again whether it stemmed from Valerie or the writers, Doris definitely got some great comedy lines too.

A particular favourite of mine is the banter between the older cast members. In the earlier years there were often some great scenes set in the teachers lounge as the teachers play off one another and often with multiple conversations going on. This for me was particularly good when Ken Swofford came on the show and the little arguments and comments Morloch and the other teachers would exchange were great and often accompanied by some great facial expressions too.

Ann Nelson as Mrs Berg was also wonderful and could always be relied upon to deliver some great comedy moments.

Fame wasn’t a comedy despite what MGM may have thought but it certainly knew how to write some really funny feel good character moments and in my opinion the show was all that much etter for them.

Billy Hufsey Dream Lover

"Dream Lover" is Performed by Billy Hufsey and comes from his live album.

Cynthia Gibb Footloose Italian Tv Performance

Cynthia Gibb Performs "Footloose" on Italian TV.

 

Out On their Own Fan Fiction Part 2 Act 2

Act 2 of part 2 of the "Out On Their Own" Fan fiction story "Doris Never Can Say Goodbye" is now available to read on the fan fiction site.

This is the final part of this first story.

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Carlo Imperato Renegade Hero Italian Tv Performance

Carlo Imperato performs Renegade Hero on Italian TV.

Download  MP3 

With thanks to Brian Mattocks for the footage.

Lee Curreri After They Were Famous

Interview and feature on Lee Curreri from After They were Famous!

 

Thanks To Brian Mattocks for provideing the footage.

Nia Peeples High Time Italian TV Performance

Nia Peeples performing her single "High Time" on Italian TV.