Hey A&M family out there! How have you all been doing? I hope OK! Me, I've been very busy, and just this week, here in NY, we had a TORNADO of all things that hit us here! Brooklyn was hit pretty bad what with some houses being wrecked and all, and---oops! I'm digressing, aren't I? I just wanted you all to know why I've been away for awhile, and now get to what I really want to write about!
For a few years now, I had wanted to write/ask a question on this subject, but I was afraid that some of you might have gotten offended, I might have been deleted, or some such thing. But due to youtube, some public outcry, and a query/prodding from a friend, I've decided to jump into the lake,let the chips fall where they may, and go for it!
I think I've said this before, but I go to youtube a lot, and a lot of times, I go to see Herb's videos there. One of the videos I look at frequently is the "Rise" video.Like I said before, it's a great video to look at after a hard day's work, and great to see Herb blow his horn, Bill Earl "playing" the guitar, and Lani dancing with Herb, and everybody gathering on the beach together. As many of you know when you scroll down beneath the video, there are commentaries from people pretty much all over the world saying what they think about the videos they see.
Well, the general consensus for "Rise" as of late is that people love the song/video, but are dismayed by the fact that the song was use as a theme for rape on the soap opera "General Hospital"!(that whole Luke and Laura scenario) I myself was unaware of this, until I read one of those pop music history books that was published by Billboard; "The Top Number One Hits of the Pop/Rock Era", or something to that effect. The section on 'Rise' said that the song went to number one, thanks to a relative of Herb's(Randy "Badazzz" Alpert) and a daytime drama. We all know about Randy (and Andy's) contribution, but here's where 'General Hospital' comes in: one of the producers of the show said that she wanted a song that would illustrate the rape of Laura by Luke, a song that would force Laura to remember her assault everytime she heard it. Tony Geary(Luke) suggested the song to the producer because he felt it was "gutteral"( oh brother...) and she agreed, and that's how the song got used on the show.
Well, ever since people found out about how 'Rise' was used, they've been a bit disappointed. One person commented that they see the song in a new light now that they've found out that 'Rise was used for rape, and I don't think in a postive light, either. Another commented that they couldn't imagine the song being used for rape, and another commented that they were dismayed that record sales for "Rise" actually WENT UP due to its use on "General Hospital". I was talking to my friend Rick a few nights ago about the youtube controversy surrounding "Rise", and he himself didn't know of its usage( my friends and I aren't soap opera fans, even though "GH" was the most popular soap in '79-80) and he also said it seemed out of character for Herb to give his permission for "Rise" to be used in such a fashion!(if he did...) Or did Randy and Andy give permission for Rise to be used on GH? I understand that both of them own the tune with Almo Music, so it's possible that they could have given permission as well.(though it would seem out of character for both of them to do this as well)
Or could it have been that the show 'hijacked ' the tune; meaning that they would use the song anyway without anybody's permission(I've heard that a lot of this went on; not only with soaps , but also commercials, and even political endorsements; look at Pat Metheny's and fellow A&Mer Bryan Adams troubles in this regard; of which I will comment on later!)before all of the fine-tunings of copyrights, payments, royalties and such.
Surely 'Rise' didn't need this type of endorsement, as from what I understand, it was already climbing the charts, and most likely would have already been a number one hit anyway without 'General Hospital'.So how about it folks: who gave permission for 'Rise' to be used on GH? Herb? Randy and Andy? A&M? Or did GH just use it without permission? Like I said, I don't want to start any controversy, but it's been on my mind for some time, and other people are talking, and my friend suggested that I ask,so...that's why I brought up the subject. Randy has been very nice to me in answering my questions, and I hope I haven't offended him or "uncle" in any way, and perhaps he could shed some light on the subject as well, but as always, when I ask a question around here, I always end with, "would like to know!" Thanks for your time, and I hope I get some answers back!
For a few years now, I had wanted to write/ask a question on this subject, but I was afraid that some of you might have gotten offended, I might have been deleted, or some such thing. But due to youtube, some public outcry, and a query/prodding from a friend, I've decided to jump into the lake,let the chips fall where they may, and go for it!
I think I've said this before, but I go to youtube a lot, and a lot of times, I go to see Herb's videos there. One of the videos I look at frequently is the "Rise" video.Like I said before, it's a great video to look at after a hard day's work, and great to see Herb blow his horn, Bill Earl "playing" the guitar, and Lani dancing with Herb, and everybody gathering on the beach together. As many of you know when you scroll down beneath the video, there are commentaries from people pretty much all over the world saying what they think about the videos they see.
Well, the general consensus for "Rise" as of late is that people love the song/video, but are dismayed by the fact that the song was use as a theme for rape on the soap opera "General Hospital"!(that whole Luke and Laura scenario) I myself was unaware of this, until I read one of those pop music history books that was published by Billboard; "The Top Number One Hits of the Pop/Rock Era", or something to that effect. The section on 'Rise' said that the song went to number one, thanks to a relative of Herb's(Randy "Badazzz" Alpert) and a daytime drama. We all know about Randy (and Andy's) contribution, but here's where 'General Hospital' comes in: one of the producers of the show said that she wanted a song that would illustrate the rape of Laura by Luke, a song that would force Laura to remember her assault everytime she heard it. Tony Geary(Luke) suggested the song to the producer because he felt it was "gutteral"( oh brother...) and she agreed, and that's how the song got used on the show.
Well, ever since people found out about how 'Rise' was used, they've been a bit disappointed. One person commented that they see the song in a new light now that they've found out that 'Rise was used for rape, and I don't think in a postive light, either. Another commented that they couldn't imagine the song being used for rape, and another commented that they were dismayed that record sales for "Rise" actually WENT UP due to its use on "General Hospital". I was talking to my friend Rick a few nights ago about the youtube controversy surrounding "Rise", and he himself didn't know of its usage( my friends and I aren't soap opera fans, even though "GH" was the most popular soap in '79-80) and he also said it seemed out of character for Herb to give his permission for "Rise" to be used in such a fashion!(if he did...) Or did Randy and Andy give permission for Rise to be used on GH? I understand that both of them own the tune with Almo Music, so it's possible that they could have given permission as well.(though it would seem out of character for both of them to do this as well)
Or could it have been that the show 'hijacked ' the tune; meaning that they would use the song anyway without anybody's permission(I've heard that a lot of this went on; not only with soaps , but also commercials, and even political endorsements; look at Pat Metheny's and fellow A&Mer Bryan Adams troubles in this regard; of which I will comment on later!)before all of the fine-tunings of copyrights, payments, royalties and such.
Surely 'Rise' didn't need this type of endorsement, as from what I understand, it was already climbing the charts, and most likely would have already been a number one hit anyway without 'General Hospital'.So how about it folks: who gave permission for 'Rise' to be used on GH? Herb? Randy and Andy? A&M? Or did GH just use it without permission? Like I said, I don't want to start any controversy, but it's been on my mind for some time, and other people are talking, and my friend suggested that I ask,so...that's why I brought up the subject. Randy has been very nice to me in answering my questions, and I hope I haven't offended him or "uncle" in any way, and perhaps he could shed some light on the subject as well, but as always, when I ask a question around here, I always end with, "would like to know!" Thanks for your time, and I hope I get some answers back!
