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Paul Heck (born July 23, 1967) is an American record and video producer. He produces music projects in a range of styles, as well as related concerts and videos.[1]

Early career

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Heck was raised in Bridgewater Township, New Jersey. He was named HS All-American in boys lacrosse in his senior year at Bridgewater-Raritan High School.[2][3] In 1985, he attended Brown University, majoring in Art History and Economics. [citation needed]

AIDS Music Project (AMP)

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In 1991, Heck created the AIDS Music Project[4] to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and normalize discussing safe sex. In this endeavor, Heck pursued the idea of an AIDS benefit alternative rock compilation. He partnered with fellow Brown alumni Chris Mundy (a Rolling Stone senior writer) and Jessica Kowal (a freelance writer for Newsday) to produce the album No Alternative, the third album in the Red Hot Organization's (RHO) AIDS Benefit Music series.No Alternative, released on Arista Records in October 1993 featured original tracks from the alternative rock scene of the 90s.[5] The album received an A+ review in Entertainment Weekly and was described by Rolling Stone as "a jaw-dropping compilation of musical gems."[4] A No Alternative MTV special and VHS featured a mix of live performances by Smashing Pumpkins and Goo Goo Dolls, music videos, short films by directors Hal Hartley, Tamra Davis, Michael Stipe, Jim McKay and Matt Mahurin as well as information about AIDS for an audience otherwise untargeted by other AIDS organizations. No Alternative raised over $1.5 million and the proceeds were donated to AIDS relief organizations across the US.

Following the commercial and critical success of No Alternative, Heck has produced other HIV/AIDS awareness raising albums and a series of concerts at Brooklyn Academy of Music.[6] Heck's subsequent productions include: Red Hot + Bothered, Offbeat, Red Hot + RIO, Red Hot + Rhapsody, Red Hot + Indigo,[7][8] Red Hot + RIOT,[9] Red Hot + RIO2,[10][11] Red Hot + FELA[12][13] and Master Mix: Red Hot + Arthur Russell.[14]

In 2004, Heck was honored by Brown University as the recipient of the John Hope Award for Career Public Service.[15]

Heck co-produced Dark Was The Night (2009), an AIDS benefit album that raised over $1 million and featured artists like The National, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, My Morning Jacket and Jose Gonzalez.[16]

In 2013 Heck produced a 20th Anniversary reissue of No Alternative on vinyl (Sony Legacy) for Record Store Day.[17]

In 2019 Heck produced Love is the Drug,[18] a campaign in N. Carolina featuring live music pop-up events with video storytelling focused on raising awareness around Harm Reduction and Opioid Addiction. The project was funded by a grant from the Open Society Foundation.

In 2020 Heck invited another Brown alum, fine artist Keith Mayerson, to create a portrait of Dr. Anthony Fauci as a part of a limited art edition fundraiser for Treatment Action Group (TAG).[19]

Music and film credits

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Heck served as original score composer and music supervisor on the film "East of Havana" (2007) a film about three young rap artists in Cuba and their struggle for survival and self-expression. The film was produced by Charlize Theron and D+D Films and released by SonyBMG Films.[20][21][22]

He co-produced The National's second album "Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers" (with Nick Lloyd and Peter Katis - Brassland, 2003)[23]

Heck was a part of the Red Hot team that provided Music Supervision for "How To Survive A Plague", (2012) an Academy Award-nominated documentary film directed by David France about the early years of the AIDS epidemic, and the efforts of ACT UP and TAG. He introduced the idea of using the music of Arthur Russell in the film, an avant-garde gay songwriter and performer who was living in downtown Manhattan during the time frame covered by the film who died of AIDS-related causes in 1992.[24]

Heck worked as an A&R for Arista Records and Warner Bros. Records in the mid-1990s.

Heck was produced the compilation albums:

With his company Cobeep, Heck has produced video projects and live events for Steve Martin, Yo-Yo Ma[32] and Joe Walsh's annual VetsAid benefit concerts and livestreams.[33]

References

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  1. ^ "30 years of Red Hot". brownalumnimagazine.com.
  2. ^ "James Metzger - Everything I ever needed to know about business I learned on the sports field » All American Lacrosse Team". Jamesmetzger.net. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
  3. ^ Seiler, Andy. "Red Hot: Bridgewater man produces major new rock album as a fund-raiser for AIDS", Courier-News, October 24, 1993. Accessed July 23, 2020, via Newspapers.com. "'My family always asks me, "What are you going to do next?" and I say, "I don't know,"' said Heck, a Bridgewater native and, currently, an aspiring actor in New York City.... Heck compared his persistence to his days as an All-American and All-State lacrosse player at Bridgewater High School East."
  4. ^ a b "No Alternative". Rolling Stone. November 11, 1993.
  5. ^ SPIN. SPIN Media LLC. October 1993.
  6. ^ "Red Hot + Rio 2: The Next Generation of Samba Soul".
  7. ^ "Eddie Murphy sings on the Shrek soundtrack". Ew.com. March 8, 2001. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
  8. ^ "Roots, Blige, MMW Highlight Red Hot Ellington Tribute". MTV News. Archived from the original on April 23, 2016. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
  9. ^ "'Red Hot and Riot' CD Honors Fela Kuti". Npr.org. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
  10. ^ O'Connell, Sean J. (June 28, 2011). "Don't Call It a Comeback: Red Hot + Rio 2's Paul Heck". L.A. Weekly. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
  11. ^ "Show Me Love: An Interview with Red Hot Organization Founder John Carlin". Popmatters.com. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
  12. ^ "Behind Red + Fela". Lifeandtimes.com. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
  13. ^ "All Star Fela Kuti Tribute In The Works". Clash Magazine. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
  14. ^ "Red Hot Projects Streaming Era". thebody.com. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
  15. ^ "John Hope Award". Alumni-friends.brown.edu. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  16. ^ "Show Me Love: An Interview with Red Hot Organization Founder John Carlin". Popmatters.com. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
  17. ^ "No Alternative Turns 20". Stereogum.com. October 28, 2013. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
  18. ^ "Free concert uses music to raise awareness of the opioid crisis, change perception". June 30, 2019.
  19. ^ Weeden, Leslie, "HIV/AIDS," Brown Alumni Magazine, April–May 2021
  20. ^ Seitz, Matt Zoller (February 1, 2007). "Courage Through Rhymes (Published 2007)". The New York Times. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
  21. ^ Koehler, Robert (July 21, 2006). "Review: 'East of Havana'". Variety.com. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
  22. ^ "A Chat with Paul Heck of Red Hot Cuba". The New Cuba. May 22, 2012. Archived from the original on November 29, 2021. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
  23. ^ "Brassland | Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers". Brassland.org. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
  24. ^ "Film review: 'How to Survive a Plague'". Washingtonblade.com. September 27, 2012. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
  25. ^ "Shuggie Otis on Returning to 'Inspiration Information,' Re-emerging With 'Wings of Love'". MTV News. Archived from the original on June 27, 2017. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
  26. ^ "The resurrection of Shuggie / Soul rocker Otis back after decades of obscurity, and critics say he's a master". SFGate. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
  27. ^ "Fela Kuti: The Underground Spiritual Game Album Review | Pitchfork". Pitchfork.com. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
  28. ^ "Gravadora americana lança coletânea dedicada a Tim Maia - Correio de Uberlândia Online" (in Brazilian Portuguese). September 25, 2012. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
  29. ^ "African artists assemble to celebrate U2 on compilation". Pastemagazine.com. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
  30. ^ "le petit nègre". Lepetitnegre.com. June 11, 2009. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
  31. ^ "In the Name of Love: Africa Celebrates U2 | Village Voice". Retrieved July 4, 2017.
  32. ^ "Yo-Yo Ma bringing 'Day of Action' to Pittsfield Common".
  33. ^ "Joe Walsh".
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