Boston (band)

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Boston

Background information
Origin Boston, Massachusetts
Genre(s) Hard rock
Rock
Years active 1969–present
Label(s) Epic Records (1976–1986)
MCA Records (1986–2002)
Artemis Records (2002–present)
Members
Tom Scholz
Brad Delp

Boston is an American rock band that achieved its most notable successes during the 1970s and 1980s. Centered on guitarist, songwriter, and producer Tom Scholz, the band is a staple of classic rock radio playlists. Boston's best-known works include the singles "More Than a Feeling," "Peace of Mind," "Foreplay/Long Time," "Don't Look Back," "Rock and Roll Band" "Smokin'" and "Amanda."

Contents

[edit] History

Boston began when Tom Scholz, an MIT engineering graduate who worked at Polaroid, began to create a series of tape recordings in his home studio accompanied by guitarist Barry Goudreau and drummer Jim Masdea, with whom Scholz played in a prior band. Scholz soon became frustrated with the limitations of the technology at the time and his inability to capture the sound he wanted. He soon began building and designing his own equipment. The first tapes were rejected by the record labels. A second set of tapes with Scholz on guitar (which he learned to play in Goudreau's band), newly hired singer Brad Delp on vocals and Masdea on drums, drew the attention of executives at Epic Records, a division of CBS. The label was dissatisfied with Masdea's performance, and was replaced by Sib Hashian. The label also insisted that Scholz re-record the demo tapes in a professional studio with a full band, which led to the hiring of bassist Fran Sheehan. With the exception of "Let Me Take You Home Tonight", which was recorded in California, Scholz duped the record company and re-recorded the other seven tracks in his home studio. The resulting album Boston was a success and helped revive the popularity of mainstream rock at a time when punk and disco were becoming more popular. It ranks as the best selling debut album in USA history, with over 17 million copies sold.

Boston's first, eponymous album cover
Enlarge
Boston's first, eponymous album cover

During the summer of 1976 Boston would get great publicity when they toured with Black Sabbath and Moxy throughout Texas; after which they got a loyal fan base in Texas. The band then embarked on a worldwide tour to support the new album. This helped establish Boston as one of rock's top acts within a short time. Tensions developed between Epic, which wanted a big follow up album to capitalize on the success of Boston and Scholz, who wanted to be painstaking in the recording process.

The result was Don't Look Back, released in 1978, two years after the debut album. At the time this was considered a long gap between albums, but Scholz considered Don't Look Back to be a rush job and was unhappy with the album's second side in particular. This was confirmed on the Third Stage episode of "In the Studio with Redbeard" when he said that "CBS had no confidence in a second Boston album" and "Epic/CBS was trying to cash in on the success of the debut album". Although it sold four million copies in its first month, Don't Look Back sold under one half as well as the first album.

Another tour followed, and the album's title track was a hit, but Scholz's relationship with Epic began to deteriorate as Scholz began the slow process of working on Boston's third album due to his determination to complete the album at his own pace. In the meantime, Goudreau recorded a solo album, with Delp and Hassan. Goudreau and Hassan have continued to pursue solo careers and are currently involved with a charity organization run by prominent Boston area car salesman Ernie Boch Jr. (Thirdstage.ca, musicdriveus.com)

A lawsuit was filed by CBS alleging breach of contract, further slowing progress toward the next album, which was now being recorded in much the same way the original tapes were, in Scholz's home studio, with Delp, Masdea, and former Sammy Hagar guitarist Gary Pihl. (The former members of Boston would later claim that they also played on the tracks recorded during this time.) CBS also withheld royalty payments to Scholz, leaving him without funds to continue recording. Scholz was able to finance the new album by designing and building equipment and selling it to other artists, such as ZZ Top, Ted Nugent and Journey guitarist Neal Schon. A tape of a song they had been working on, "Amanda", leaked out of the studio in 1984 and was widely bootlegged, but drew strong praise from the band's fans.

"Amanda" became the lead single when Third Stage was finally released in 1986, after MCA Records bought out Boston's contract. Loosely built around the theme of life's "third stage" (the onset of middle age), the album was a big hit and was widely discussed in the non-music press. During Boston's subsequent tour the new album was played, in sequence, in its entirety. Boston also participated in a local charity concert sponsored by Tea Party Concerts to benefit AIDS. This move was lauded by local radio personalities, owing to the stigma attached to AIDS at that time. Boston has continued involvement in a number of charities, including anti-domestic violence groups and local homeless programs. (Boston Herald, 1988; Boston Globe, 1988; bandboston.com). In 1990 a jury ruled in favor of Scholz in the CBS lawsuit, and the court awarded him 1.6 million dollars in punitive damages.

Eight years passed before Walk On (1994) was released. This was the first album without Delp, because of his prior commitment to Barry Goudreau's band Return To Zero (RTZ). Walk On included vocalist Fran Cosmo, who had performed in Goudreau's band, Orion the Hunter. Unlike the previous albums, it only went platinum and reached #7, instead of the Multi Platinum and Top 5 placing Boston had achieved previously. It produced no hit singles, although "I Need Your Love" did well on rock radio. The same timespan passed before the release of Corporate America (2002). This work featured Delp, Cosmo, and a different line-up with drummer Jeff Neal, Fran Cosmo's son Anthony and Kimberly Dahme on which Dahme and Anthony Cosmo contributed songs, including a country song title "With You" written by Dahme. The band also released a greatest hits album in 1997, which contained a handful of new songs.

As of 2006, a new Boston album is in the works, although no release date has been given. The band's first two albums for Epic Records were re-released (remastered personally by Scholz) on June 13, 2006 and were well received. There are also rumors of a tour in 2007, but no definite plans can be confirmed.

[edit] Innovations and style

Guitarist and primary song writer Tom Scholz is regarded as a musical genius by some. His blend of musical styles, ranging from classical to 60's English pop has resulted in a unique sound, most consistently realized on the first two albums (Boston and Don't Look Back). This sound is characterized by multiple lead and blended harmonies guitar work, often alternating between and then mixing electric and acoustic guitars). Another contributing factor is the use of handmade high tech equipment, such as the Rockman, used by artists such as Journey guitarist Neal Schon, the band ZZ Top and Ted Nugent. Def Leppard's album 'Hysteria' was created using only Rockman technology. Scholz' production style combines deep, aggressive, comparatively short guitar riffing and nearly ethereal, generally longer note vocal harmonies. A heavier, lower and darker overall approach came in the next two albums (Third Stage and Walk On). The original track Higher Power on the Greatest Hits album exhibits a near Germanic, almost Techno influence with its sequencer-sounding keyboards, a sound most fully realized on Corporate America's title track.

Singer Brad Delp, who was strongly influenced by the Beatles, is also credited for helping to create Boston's sound with his strong lead vocal.

Boston's albums are played on heavy rotation on Classic Rock stations, with an emphasis on the earlier works.

[edit] Live performances

While concerts performed in the 1970s were widely disparaged as not being able to faithfully reproduce the band's blended guitar and vocal harmonies from their recordings, Boston did develop a startling ability to match their studio quality during live play in the mid 2000s. This is partly due to Tom Scholz, a perfectionist when it comes to the quality of sound, designing his own sound equipment. Another factor is the inclusion of Boston's formerly alternating lead singers, Delp and Cosmo, who are sonically similar. What is heard on the album is nearly identical to a live concert, with an expanded cast playing meticulously arranged parts.

The stage debut for Kimberley Dahme and Anthony Cosmo was in front of 70,000 people at the Fiesta Bowl in 2002 when the group played the National Anthem.

The band also performed at the Red, White, & Blue Award ceremony for Doug Flutie on November 13, 2006. Doug Flutie joined the band for an encore to play drums on the song "Smokin'."

[edit] Trivia

[edit] Band members

[edit] Current members

  • Tom Scholz – Lead, Rhythm & Acoustic Guitar, Bass, Percussion, Piano, Keyboards, Organ (1969–present)
  • Brad Delp – Lead & Harmony Vocals, Rhythm Guitar (1969–1990, 1994–present)
  • Gary Pihl – Guitar (1987–present)
  • Kimberley Dahme – Bass, Guitar, Harmony & Backing Vocals (2002–present)
  • Jeff Neal – Drums - (2002–present)

[edit] Past members

  • Jim Masdea – Drums (1969–1975, 1984-1987)
  • Barry Goudreau – Guitar (1969–1980)
  • David Currier – Drums (1975)
  • Sib Hashian – Drums (1975–1982)
  • Fran Sheehan – Bass (1975–1980)
  • David Sikes - Bass (1987-1997)
  • Doug Huffman - Drums (1987-1994)
  • Curly Smith - Drums (1994-1997)
  • Fran Cosmo - Vocals, Guitar (1990-2006)
  • Anthony Cosmo - Vocals, Guitar (1997-2006)
  • Tom Moonan - Drums (2004)
  • Anthony Citrinite - Drums (2001)

[edit] Discography

For a complete list of Boston albums and singles, see Boston discography.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Boston
Brad Delp | Tom Scholz
Barry Goudreau | Musicians
Discography
Albums: Boston | Don't Look Back | Third Stage | Walk On | Corporate America
Compilations: Greatest Hits
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