Ethan Hurt
| Ethan Hurt | |
|---|---|
| Born | Ethan Jed Hurwitz March 22, 1964 Manhasset, New York, U.S. |
| 💼 Occupation |
|
| 📆 Years active | 1980–present |
| Known for | Co-writing "Be My Music" (1982); theme composer for Class of Nuke 'Em High (1986); executive producer of What's Cooking (2000) |
Ethan Hurt (born Ethan Jed Hurwitz, March 22, 1964, Manhasset, New York) is an American songwriter, recording artist, record producer, film producer, writer, and visual artist. Beginning at the age of seventeen, Hurt co-wrote "Be My Music", a song from The Kids from "Fame" soundtrack album (BBC Records, 1982), the companion album to the NBC hit television series Fame, which held the UK Albums Chart number one position for twelve consecutive weeks and was the second best-selling album in the United Kingdom for the calendar year 1982.[1][2][circular reference] The album sold in excess of one million copies and remains the highest-selling album ever released by BBC Records.[3] Hurt is also the composer of the theme song for the 1986 Troma Entertainment cult film Class of Nuke 'Em High and other noteworthy projects. He was executive producer of What's Cooking (2000), a film featuring Alfre Woodard, Julianna Margulies, Joan Chen, Kyra Sedgwick, Mercedes Ruehl, and Dennis Haysbert, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was directed by Gurinder Chadha.[4]
Early life
Hurt was raised in Roslyn, a village on the North Shore of Long Island, with a distinguished historical reputation for producing notable figures from the fields of entertainment, finance, and public life.[5][circular reference] Born Ethan Jed Hurwitz, he performed professionally under the name Ethan Hurt from 1980 onward, legally changing his name to Ethan Hurt in 1992.[6]
As a teenager, Hurt performed as a working musician in Roslyn clubs and restaurants, and on the streets of Roslyn Village, as part of a vibrant North Shore scene that drew crowds of over a thousand people on Thursday nights alone, and throughout the weekends. A July 1981 Newsday feature on the village music scene described seventeen-year-old Ethan Hurwitz sitting on a step in front of Acme Leather Co. on Old Northern Boulevard, strumming a guitar and improvising original lyrics, as crowds gathered outside the clubs along Old Northern Boulevard including U.S. Blues.[7]
Hurt often performed at My Father's Place, the historic music venue in Roslyn operated by Michael "Eppy" Epstein, which The New York Times described as having "created a scene that would influence music for decades to come."[8][circular reference] A published review of his performances at the venue described him as a young musician whose work had drawn the interest of record companies and industry executives, including the promoter Sid Bernstein.[9] His band Secret Squarz won the Long Island Sound Off Battle of the Bands at My Father's Place, competing before judges from industry publications including Good Times Magazine and The Island Ear.[10]
It was through the Roslyn music environment that music executive Charles Koppelman first encountered Hurt and his work. Koppelman, who had his estate in Roslyn, signed Hurt to a songwriting contract with The Entertainment Company, which Koppelman operated in partnership with Martin Bandier. Upon hearing "Be My Music", Koppelman responded: "Wow, now that's a hit."[11] Koppelman's nephew, Lawrence Katz, who worked for Koppelman-Bandier and had also grown up in Roslyn, later served as Hurt's personal manager.[12]
Career
Be My Music and The Kids from Fame (1982–1983)
In 1981, at the age of seventeen, Hurt co-wrote "Be My Music" with Lee Curreri, a cast member of the NBC television series Fame. Curreri played the character Bruno Martelli on the series and was a classically trained musician.[13][circular reference] The song was published through Koppelman-Bandier Music Corp.[14] Newsday independently confirmed Hurt's co-authorship, noting that "Be My Music" was composed by Lee Curreri and Ethan Hurwitz and included on the album upon its release.[15] In a recorded interview, Curreri described the songwriting process: his composition "Rainy Weather Friend" was merged with Hurt's "Be My Music," with Hurt contributing the hook and Curreri contributing the verses and bridge.[11]
The Kids from Fame soundtrack album was released by BBC Records in the United Kingdom in July 1982 and on RCA Records internationally. The album reached number one on the UK Albums Chart and remained there for twelve consecutive weeks.[1] It spent forty-six weeks on the chart and sold in excess of one million copies, making it the highest-selling album in BBC Records history.[3] It was the second best-selling album in the United Kingdom for the full calendar year 1982.[1] An independent newspaper confirmed that "Be My Music went to No. 1 in England" in connection with Hurt's songwriting credit.[16] The album was certified platinum by the BPI and holds certifications in Canada and Portugal.[3]
"Be My Music" was subsequently covered by Peaches & Herb in 1983.[17] The Kids from Fame Live, a follow-up album on which "Be My Music" also appeared, was released in February 1983 and peaked at number eight on the UK Albums Chart, remaining on the chart for twenty-eight weeks.[1]
Class of Nuke 'Em High and Troma Entertainment (1986–present)
Hurt composed and performed the theme song for Class of Nuke 'Em High, the 1986 science fiction horror comedy film produced by Troma Entertainment and co-directed by Richard W. Haines and Lloyd Kaufman. The theme was performed under the name Ethan & the Coup (pronounced "KOO").[18][circular reference] The film has been recognized as a cult classic of American independent cinema, having been featured on Stephen King's World of Horror, a 1986 television program hosted by Stephen King, in the same year of its release.[19] The film's soundtrack, including Hurt's theme, has been consistently noted by reviewers as a highlight of the production.[20][21]
The soundtrack received an official vinyl release in 2014 through Ship to Shore PhonoCo., with liner notes by Lloyd Kaufman and Hurt. Ship to Shore described the release as celebrating the work of "Nuke 'Em High theme song composer Ethan Hurt."[22] In April 2015, Hurt appeared alongside Kaufman and actress Lisa Gaye at a signing event at Forbidden Planet NYC, celebrating the release of the Class of Nuke 'Em High 2 Blu-Ray and the original soundtrack LP.[23]
Hurt contributed to Return to Nuke 'Em High Volume 1 (2013) and Return to Return to Nuke 'Em High Aka Vol. 2 (2017).[24] His theme was licensed for Occupy Cannes (2025), a documentary directed by Lily-Hayes Kaufman that premiered at the Fantasia International Film Festival in July 2025.[25]
The Power Station sessions (1991)
In 1991, Hurt recorded at The Power Station in Manhattan, producing several recordings, including the single "Lie", under the production of Brian Stone, who alongside his partner Charlie Greene had previously managed and produced Buffalo Springfield, Sonny & Cher, and Iron Butterfly, making them among the most iconic central figures of the late 1960s American rock scene.[26][circular reference] The session featured bassist Will Lee of the CBS Orchestra on Late Night with David Letterman,[27][circular reference] guitarist Hugh McCracken, whose credits included John Lennon's Double Fantasy,[28][circular reference] and pianist Jon Cleary, the Grammy Award-winning New Orleans musician known for his collaborations with Bonnie Raitt, Eric Clapton, and Taj Mahal.[29][circular reference] The recordings have been commercially available through WaxCo Records NYC on major streaming platforms.[30]
Global Media NYC (1990s)
As president of Global Media NYC, Hurt worked throughout the 1990s as an international music industry executive, signing American artists to distribution deals across European and Asian markets. In 1995, the Delaware County Daily Times reported that Hurt had signed a European distribution deal with a singer-songwriter, noting that Hurt "broke into the music business writing songs for the television show 'Fame'" and that "'Be My Music' went to No. 1 in England."[16] In 1996, a regional newspaper reported that an artist had signed an international recording contract with "Global Media President Ethan Hurt."[31] In 1997, Hurt presented a sales award at CBGB in New York City to Witchdoctor Samuel, a Boston-based band whose recordings had sold in excess of 15,000 copies in the Netherlands through Global Media's European distribution network.[32]
What's Cooking (2000)
Executive Producer, BeCause Entertainment Corp.
Hurt was executive producer of What's Cooking, written and directed by Gurinder Chadha, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2000. Variety, reviewing the film at Sundance, listed the production as "a Flashpoint presentation of a Jeffrey Taylor's Stagescreen production, BeCause Entertainment" and named Hurt among the executive producers.[4] The film featured Alfre Woodard, Julianna Margulies, Joan Chen, Kyra Sedgwick, Mercedes Ruehl, and Dennis Haysbert, and received widespread critical coverage upon its theatrical release. The New York Times called it a formidable accomplishment that brought dimension to its nearly forty principal characters.[33] The Los Angeles Times described it as "a sure-fire winner, an endlessly inventive serious comedy."[34] The film earned two thumbs up from Ebert & Roeper.
Later work to current projects
Hurt composed the theme music for Scream!, a horror film podcast distributed through the Morbid Network.[35] He also contributed music to CICADA! (2018), a cult horror-comedy film directed by David Willis.[36] Through WaxCo Records NYC, Hurt is currently writing and producing I Am God The Musical, a theatrical creative experience available on all major streaming platforms, and Train Wreck Lily, a high energy dance club music project for which he is the writer and producer.[30]
Personal life
Hurt resides in New York. He has two children.
Selected discography
- "Be My Music" (co-writer) – The Kids from "Fame", BBC Records / RCA Records, 1982
- "Be My Music" (co-writer) – The Kids from Fame Live, BBC Records, 1983
- "Nuke 'Em High" (composer/performer as Ethan & the Coup) – Class of Nuke 'Em High Soundtrack, Troma / Ship to Shore PhonoCo., 1986 / 2014
- "Lie" (featuring Will Lee, Hugh McCracken, Jon Cleary) – WaxCo Records NYC, 1991 / released digitally 2017
- "Scream!" (theme) – Morbid Network / Horror Soup, 2020
- I Am God The Musical (writer/producer) – WaxCo Records NYC, ongoing
- Train Wreck Lily (writer/producer) – WaxCo Records NYC, ongoing
Selected filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Class of Nuke 'Em High | Composer, theme song (as Ethan & the Coup) |
| 2000 | What's Cooking | Executive Producer (BeCause Entertainment Corp) |
| 2013 | Return to Nuke 'Em High Volume 1 | Composer |
| 2017 | Return to Return to Nuke 'Em High Aka Vol. 2 | Composer |
| 2018 | CICADA! | Performer/Composer |
| 2025 | Occupy Cannes | Music |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Kids from Fame – full official chart history". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2026-03-01.
- ↑ "The Kids from Fame (album)". Wikipedia. Retrieved 2026-03-01.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "The Kids from Fame – album information and certifications". Kids From Fame Media. Retrieved 2026-03-01.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 McCarthy, Todd (January 24, 2000). "What's Cooking". Variety. Retrieved 2026-03-01.
- ↑ "Category: People from Roslyn, New York". Wikipedia. Retrieved 2026-03-01.
- ↑ "Legal Notice of Name Change, Index No. N-47-92". New York Law Journal. July 22, 1992. Unknown parameter
|note=ignored (help) - ↑ Hershberg, Jim; Firstman, Richard C. (July 31, 1981). "Thursday Night Fever in Roslyn Village". Newsday. p. 8. Unknown parameter
|note=ignored (help) - ↑ "My Father's Place". Wikipedia. Retrieved 2026-03-01.
- ↑ "The Making of a Superstar". Hilltop Beacon. c. 1981. Unknown parameter
|note=ignored (help) - ↑ "Battle of the Bands Fought Out at My Father's Place". The Long Island Sound. March 1982. Unknown parameter
|note=ignored (help) - ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Be My Music – information and Ethan Hurt interview". Kids From Fame Media. Retrieved 2026-03-01.
- ↑ "Lawrence Katz Productions management agreement". December 24, 1987. Unknown parameter
|note=ignored (help) - ↑ "Lee Curreri". Wikipedia. Retrieved 2026-03-01.
- ↑ "Be My Music – publishing credits". SecondHandSongs. Retrieved 2026-03-01.
- ↑ Terry, Carol Burton (March 21–27, 1982). "TV Line". Newsday. Unknown parameter
|note=ignored (help) - ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Havertown Folk Singer Expands His Horizons". Delaware County Daily Times. November 10, 1995. Unknown parameter
|note=ignored (help) - ↑ "Be My Music – cover versions". WhoSampled. Retrieved 2026-03-01.
- ↑ "Class of Nuke 'Em High". Wikipedia. Retrieved 2026-03-01.
- ↑ "Stephen King's World of Horror – connections". IMDb. Retrieved 2026-03-01.
- ↑ "Class of Nuke 'Em High (1986) Review". Love Horror. Retrieved 2026-03-01.
- ↑ "Class of Nuke 'Em High (1986)". Shat the Movies. Retrieved 2026-03-01.
- ↑ "Class of Nuke 'Em High soundtrack vinyl release". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 2026-03-01.
- ↑ "Lloyd Kaufman, Lisa Gaye, and Ethan Hurt to Appear for April 30th Forbidden Planet NYC Signing". The Horror Movies Blog. April 28, 2015. Retrieved 2026-03-01.
- ↑ "Ethan Hurt – filmography". IMDb. Retrieved 2026-03-01.
- ↑ "Occupy Cannes – Troma documentary premieres at Fantasia 2025". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 2026-03-01.
- ↑ "Buffalo Springfield". Wikipedia. Retrieved 2026-03-01.
- ↑ "Will Lee (musician)". Wikipedia. Retrieved 2026-03-01.
- ↑ "Hugh McCracken". Wikipedia. Retrieved 2026-03-01.
- ↑ "Jon Cleary (musician)". Wikipedia. Retrieved 2026-03-01.
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 "Ethan Hurt – discography". Apple Music. Retrieved 2026-03-01.
- ↑ "Bolton Signs International Recording Contract". The Canton Eagle. 49 (25). June 20–26, 1996. Unknown parameter
|note=ignored (help) - ↑ "CBGB award ceremony, Witchdoctor Samuel". 1997. Unknown parameter
|note=ignored (help) - ↑ Scott, A.O. (November 17, 2000). "Pass the Turkey, Tamales, Kugel and Criticism". The New York Times. Unknown parameter
|note=ignored (help) - ↑ Thomas, Kevin (November 17, 2000). "What's Cooking? Boils in Melting Pot". Los Angeles Times. Unknown parameter
|note=ignored (help) - ↑ "Scream! podcast". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 2026-03-01.
- ↑ "CICADA! (2018)". IMDb. Retrieved 2026-03-01.
External links
- Ethan Hurt on IMDb
Category:1964 births Category:Living people Category:American songwriters Category:American record producers Category:American film producers Category:American visual artists Category:People from Roslyn, New York Category:Musicians from New York (state) Category:Sundance Film Festival -->
References
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