A NEW Eric Carmen Song!

[The NH Bushman]

Michael,

I can get you a HIGH-RES file (suitable for radio play :-) if you know somebody.

Bernie

Bernie, Taiwan's all-English national radio network ICRT used to have an air personality named Richie Walker. Richie, originally from the US, is an old guy like me and I have personally heard him on ICRT talking about the negative impact of rap music and such on newer artits whom he thinks *should* be doing pop but choose to to play it safe (my kinda guy!). Unfortunately he is no longer with them and I have no idea who to contact there about a new EC tune. This is the link to their Contact page: http://www.icrt.com.tw/en/A04.php Why don't you give that a try since you are the direct contact person, and if you would like me to follow up locally with a telehone call (if you do, please mention that in your contact with them) I can very easily do that. As Eric Carmen music is a daily radio staple here in Taiwan, I cannot imagine anything but a positive response!

[The NH Bushman]

I don't believe there is any problem whatsoever with radio stations playing the song. Both Eric and Desmond have their songwriting copyrights filed for the tune. It may be quite a surprise to see the title "Never Say Die" come up on their quarterly BMI reports, though :-) Anyway, anyone who is thinking about sending the song to radio stations should contact me or Tommy Allen for something HIGH-RES that would be better suited for airplay. I'm all in favor of "Never Say Die" growing via a grassroots movement and spreading virally from computer to computer and from local radio show to local radio show. Stranger things have happened.

Bernie

Bernie, the only problem you will encounter (in the US, that is) is whether or not it is cleared for airplay by the appropriate performing arts society (BMI, in this case). That is something the publisher (or writers) must do. Even though a MD may love the tune, I have never found a commericial radio station to ever put any uncleared tune in their rotation as they are charged a great deal of money for the licensing to play the cataloged tunes, so they don't take airtime to play uncataloged tunes. Uncleared tunes of this nature are more likely to be played on "rock history" or feature type shows rather than in rotation. I've lectured on the topic of publishing and clearing before as it is a little-understood aspect. Copyrights are only part of the issue. In fact, one has a common-law copyright which becomes effective the moment a work is created. That is why signed and dated workbooks should be kept around forever. When you see Eric this weekend ask him if the song is cleared and if not, as him to do it. You may be able to act as publisher on this release and clear the tune yourself.

[seattlesteve]

Bernie,

What did you keep from the demo track, and how did you build it? I assumed you started with piano and vocals, and added the rhythm section then guitars. Or did you even keep piano for fidelity purposes?

I'm assuming this demo was cut on the piano, but after hearing the current version, if Eric was to play it live and capture the current version, I picture him with an acoustic guitar in front of the band, particular for the chorus, ala Make Me Lose Control.

Seattle Steve

[Raspbernie]

Steve,

All we kept from the original demo were Eric's vocals and the keyboards in that little break-down section after the guitar solo.

Most of the original demo's music was comprised of a sterile drum machine and some electronic keyboard parts sequenced by a musician brought in by the track's original producer Susan Hamilton to provide a backing track for Eric's vocals.

Tommy Allen, who by an amazing coincidence was also in the studio with Eric when he cut the original demo, says that Eric wasn't really into the sound of the track as laid down that night and the sessions were more mechanical than creative. That is indeed why the track was allowed to lay unfinished and virtually forgotten for years. It's important to note that without this FIRST HAND knowledge, I would never have embarked on the project in the first place.

Bernie

PS: There are indeed multiple acoustic guitars on the track strumming along with the electrics to give it that BIG oomph! All of which (including some very cool french horns on the bridge) are best heard through headphones :-)

[marvin]

Some interesting comments taken from an interview in the "HISTORY" sectioN of this site, conducted around the time of the "WD" release:

Q: You once played me a song called "Never Say Die," which you wrote with Desmond Child ó was that a contender for the album?

Eric: No, I never submitted it for anything. Somehow it just didn't feel like the right song for me.

Q: It didn't sound like you singing it at all. When you played it, I was wondering if it was you or Desmond singing it.

Eric: The verse was a totally weird thing for me to sing. The chorus was OK.

---------------------------

Marvin

[JuliaAllByMyself]

Bernie ~ are the lyrics available anywhere for NSD? (or will they be printed on the sleeve of the CD...)

[darlene]

Things seem to be taking on a life of their own! Congratulations to all involved in Never Say Die!

VERY exciting! and Japan, too?! ALRIGHT!

--Darlene

[mymooladi]

Darlene wrote:

Things seem to be taking on a life of their own! Congratulations to all involved in Never Say Die!

VERY exciting! and Japan, too?! ALRIGHT!

--Darlene

Did I miss something?

June

[mannoman]

Quote:

Darlene wrote:

Things seem to be taking on a life of their own! Congratulations to all involved in Never Say Die! !

Darlene, Fill us in. To what are you referring?

Ted