Rocker Tells Huckabee to Lay Off Song

Associated Press ^ | Feb 15th, 2008 | HOLLY RAMER

[Bishop_Malachi]

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - The chief songwriter and founder of the band Boston has more than a feeling that he's being ripped off by Mike Huckabee. In a letter to the Republican presidential hopeful, Tom Scholz complains that Huckabee is using his 1970s smash hit song "More Than a Feeling" without his permission.

A former member of the band, Barry Goudreau, has appeared with Huckabee at campaign events, and they have played the song with Huckabee's band, Capitol Offense.

Scholz, who said Goudreau left the band more than 25 years ago after a three-year stint, objects to the implication that the band and one of its members has endorsed Huckabee's candidacy.

"Boston has never endorsed a political candidate, and with all due respect, would not start by endorsing a candidate who is the polar opposite of most everything Boston stands for," wrote Scholz, adding that he is supporting Democratic Sen. Barack Obama. "By using my song, and my band's name Boston, you have taken something of mine and used it to promote ideas to which I am opposed. In other words, I think I've been ripped off, dude!"

[Bishop_Malachi]

"Boston has never endorsed a political candidate, and with all due respect, would not start by endorsing a candidate who is the polar opposite of most everything Boston stands for," wrote Scholz, adding that he is supporting Democratic Sen. Barack Obama."

_____________________________________________________

So, Boston stands for an appeasement foreign policy, socialism, open borders, and an expansion of tax-payer funded aid to other countries. Is that what you're saying, Scholz?

[Defiant]

Shouldn’t Hucklebee be using “My Darlin’ Clementine” as his theme song?

[proxy_user]

Either that, or he’s against high taxes and amnesty for illegal aliens.

[Bishop_Malachi]

“Either that, or he’s against high taxes and amnesty for illegal aliens.”

______________________________________________________

I’d love to believe that, but his Obama endorsement kinda nipped that in the bud.

[ARE SOLE]

"No more than a feeling". ~ B. Hussein Obama.

[Viking2002]

Pick the search engine of your choice, and research Scholz. While he's inarguably a brilliant man, he's also a tree-hugging left-wing vegan peacenik, and a dictatorial megalomaniac who is despised by every member of the classic Boston lineup. He's essentially George Soros with a guitar.

[ARE SOLE]

I always thought Boston released the same album over and over.

Regards

[littlehouse36]

I have more than a feeling that it's time for Huck to come down from the ledge.

 

Jump, Huck, Jump!

 

GOP held hostage, Day 8. 

Huckabee siphons money from Republican voters for a lost cause. 

McCain forced to do same.

 

 

[Wally_Kalbacken]

Someone out there in copyright law - help me out with this - but if Huckabee owns a copy, and plays it beyond the “fair use” duration (something like 15 seconds) he then has to compensate the copyright holders for use in a “performance” use of the work. I’m not sure if the royalties are paid to ASACP or BMI or others, but in theory if he owns it, he can play it as long as he compensates those entitled to royalties for the number of times it is used, dependent on the size of the audience. I’m also thinking Scholz can pound sand, he cannot do anything other than complain, he does not have the right to restrain its use as background music at appearances. Somebody correct me on this.

[Cowboy Bob]

I always thought Boston released the same album over and over.

I always thought that Boston was one guy. The "group" was formed when the record company forced them to go on tour.

[BallyBill]

Tom Scholz had to come out of the closet after a story broke about him and a 12 year old boy. He is also a Greenpeace and PETA guy.

Doesn't like Mike, can't see why.

[Lurker]

Boston is one of the most over rated rock and roll band in history.

They sucked in the 1970s and they still suck today.

L

[OCC]

Queen’s “Another One Bites The Dust” has a cool baseline that I’m sure Huck can play.

[ClearCase_guy]

I'm no expert in copyright law, but companies can just use Beatles songs to sell their products and justify it by paying a few pennies to Michael Jackson, or whomever owns the rights today. A radio station, sure -- but if you're trying to persuade people or sell a product, I believe the owner can block your use.

By the way, Tom Scholz worked for my father at Polaroid, and later, my father worked for him at Scholz Research and Development.

Absolutely brilliant. Knew it. Wanted you to know it too. Got much worse after he made millions. Tom was a dick.

[OCC]

make that bass line

[ClearCase_guy]

Sheesh! I'm a bone head: "companies cannot just use Beatles songs".

[DB]

They pay big bucks to use a song as well.

[Viking2002]

It is aural white noise after the first album, isn't it?

[Poser]

I think it has to do with who publishes and owns the rights to the music. When I was working in radio, we paid dues to ASCAP and BMI for the right to use their catalogs of music.

Sholtz’s version of More Than A Feeling is on the ASCAP list. If Huck is a dues paying member of ASCAP, he may have the right to use the song.

I recall the Pretenders once complaining that Rush was using their song for his theme. He had paid for the right to use it and still uses it today.

[BARLF]

What’s the name of the song?

[wireman]

a candidate who is the polar opposite of most everything Boston stands for

More than anything else, Boston stands for crappy 1970's schlock rock.

[TChad]

This is about webcasting, but it explains music copyrights, ASCAP, BMI, etc.:

http://www.dnalounge.com/backstage/webcasting.html

The author, Jamie Zawinski, is a famous open source programmer who currently runs a night club.

[JoJo Gunn]

I’m glad someone else sees them that way. I love Long Time, but Boston was nothing but a one hit wonder with the same old borrrrrrring sound. (Scholz apparently couldn’t afford but one distortion pedal for his guitar).

[Larry Lucido]

I'll take Rocker over Huckabee any day.

[Squantos]

LOL.......

[Tribune7]

Wasn’t Scholz the one who broke up the band?

[Last Dakotan]

I don’t believe Scholz was an engineer working for Polaroid. Engineers are most all conservatives.

[Tribune7]

It isn’t a copyright issue, even if Sholz has the copyright, if he’s paying royalties. It’s just a matter of an angry arteest causing bad publicity

[Last Dakotan]

With Brad Delp gone so is Scholz’s career.

[CARepublicans]

LOVE your pic. Huckleberry couldn’t care less about the Party - he just loves being in the limelight. Somebody should tell him to get lost.

[mamelukesabre]

LOL!

Good one.

I believe that we...US, americans...should believe in change...and hope...and hope for change...

[Poser]

“What’s the name of the song?”

More than a feeling.

[Dov in Houston]

25 Years ?

[hope]

Well, now, I’m not a Huckleberry supporter, but I love Boston...The remainder of whats left of that band should just shut up. He’s on his last leg as it is.

[BARLF]

Thanks Poser

[dayglored]

> I'll take Rocker over Huckabee any day.

What in heaven's name is the story behind THAT photo???

[Defiant]

No, he was asking about Rush’s song, which is Back to Ohio.

[machogirl]

He criticized the George W. Bush administration, saying “they’re taking us backward.” He also stated that “The public has been sold a bill of goods about the free market being a panacea for mankind. Turning corporations loose and letting the profit motive run amok is not a prescription for a more livable world.” [11]

from wikipedia

if he doesn’t want all of his capitalistic wealth, i’d be happy to take some off of his hands, i’ll bet he doesn’t live in a 2 bedroom/2 bath house, and drives a 1996 accord

[MadelineZapeezda]

More than a feeling????that should be Crissy Matthews song when he listens to Obama!!!!

[AnotherUnixGeek]

I always thought that Boston was one guy. The "group" was formed when the record company forced them to go on tour.

Boston was at least two guys - Scholz and lead singer Brad Delp. Without either, their first album would have gone nowhere, and their first album is all these guys ever really did worth listening to.

[FreePoster]

“the polar opposite of most everything Boston stands for”

Huh? I don’t remember Boston ‘standing for’ anything in particular. He should just say that HE doesn’t care for Huck, likes Obama, and stop at that. And the fact that an entertainment guy is a liberal — whoa, my jaw drops.

[unspun]

I might suggest “Portrait,” by Kansas.

Kansas is much better than Boson, anyway.

And just look at how the two locations vote.

[NoControllingLegalAuthority]

The writer of a published and widely performed song cannot prevent its public performance by someone just because the writer hates the performer (or his politics). Royalties, however, must be paid for public performance of the song, by friend or foe.

[Moonman62]

(Scholz apparently couldn’t afford but one distortion pedal for his guitar).

Maybe you should look up the inventions he created for the guitar.

[Fresh Wind]

Engineers are most all conservatives.

Yeah, that comes from having to operate in the real world, with real facts, real requirements, and real results. Yes, engineering is "more than a feeling".

[Moonman62]

By the way, Tom Scholz worked for my father at Polaroid, and later, my father worked for him at Scholz Research and Development.

Absolutely brilliant. Knew it. Wanted you to know it too. Got much worse after he made millions. Tom was a dick.

Thanks for injecting some facts, and I love the people on this thread who think they are musical geniuses by instantly dismissing his work. The fact is he created some great songs 30 years ago that still hold up today. Too bad he has a warped sense of reality with no sense of proportion, and he really, really hates corporations.

[Larry Lucido]

Other than being pitcher John Rocker in a moment of enthusiasm, I have no idea. lol!

[Recovering Hermit]

“My City was Gone” lyrics:

I went back to Ohio
But my city was gone
There was no train station
There was no downtown
South Howard had disappeared
All my favorite places
My city had been pulled down
Reduced to parking spaces
Eh, Oh, way to go Ohio

Well I went back to Ohio
But my family was gone
I stood on the back porch
There was nobody home
I was stunned and amazed
My childhood memories
Slowly swirled past
Like the wind through the trees
Eh, Oh, Oh way to go Ohio

I went back to Ohio
But my pretty countryside
Had been paved down the middle
By a government that had no pride
The farms of Ohio
Had been replaced by shopping malls
And muzak filled the air
From Seneca to Cuyahoga Falls
Said, Eh, Oh, Oh way to go Ohio

[Recovering Hermit]

I always thought that Boston was one guy. The "group" was formed when the record company forced them to go on tour.

That's probably pretty close.

IIRC, Jeff Lynne was pretty much the entire Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) early on.

[dayglored]

> Other than being pitcher John Rocker in a moment of enthusiasm, I have no idea. lol!

Ah, enthusiasm! Okay. I was trying to figure out what had hit him on his right ear, causing him to scream in pain!