Re: BOSTON<\/p>\n
This was the most memorable musical encounter in my 12-year A&R career at Epic Records.
\nOne late afternoon my friend and colleague Lennie Petze brought Paul Ahern to my office and asked if I would listen to a cassette Paul brought him.
\nWe stepped into A&R head Steve Popovich’s office (Steve was out of town and had the best sound system), and played the first song, “More Than A Feeling” . Halfway through the next song I stopped the cassette and jokingly asked Paul and Lennie “Is this Candid Camera”?
\nI couldn’t believe something this good was being dropped in our lap.
\nNo audition. No club showcase. No rehearsal room performance. We didn’t even have to leave the building.
\nI called Steve right away and asked if we could promise Paul a deal with the provision that Lennie and I first saw the band perform.
\nWe saw them a few weeks later at Aerosmith’s rehearsal facility — I think it was in Waltham, a Boston suburb.
\nAt that time I didn’t have sufficient producer credentials to be assigned the project, but we had recently hired a more experienced guy named John Boylan to be on the A&R staff.
\nAnd the rest, of course, is history.<\/p>\n
Tom Werman<\/p>\n
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When I was at WMMS\/Cleveland, Steve Popovich would occasionally call to get my opinion on a new rock act he had a hand in signing.<\/p>\n
It might have been sometime in the summer of 1975, Pop called to say, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I really like this, man. Lemme send you this. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s from your old neck of the woods. Tell me if you like it.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d It was the Tom Scholz\/Brad Delp Boston demo tape.<\/p>\n
I listened. It blew me away. Especially \u00e2\u20ac\u0153More than A Feeling\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201c all seven minutes of it.<\/p>\n
I called Pop back and said it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s what album rock is looking for \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and an edit of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153More than A Feeling\u00e2\u20ac\u009d would be a CHR crossover summertime hit. He replied that \u00e2\u20ac\u0153More Than A Feeling\u00e2\u20ac\u009d should be edited \u00e2\u20ac\u201c even on the album (\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Leave \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcem wanting more\u00e2\u20ac\u009d) and he wanted to change the name an lyrics to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153San Francisco Day,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d since the band was named Boston (It became \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Hitch A Ride\u00e2\u20ac\u009d on the album). Then he asked me if I heard of Paul Ahern, who was managing them. I told him the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Horse with No Name\u00e2\u20ac\u009d story and that he had \u00e2\u20ac\u0153the ear.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Later than year, the Boston album showed up in the mail at WMMS the weekend before it was to be released \u00e2\u20ac\u201c with no return address. We threw it on the air immediately.<\/p>\n
Popovich called the next day. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What da ya think?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I told him. replied, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I hope you said it was a \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcworld premiere exclusive.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 You were the first station in the world to play it.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
John Gorman<\/p>\n
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I was road managing a popular regional band called Duke & the Drivers in Boston..we were playing the Cape Cod Coliseum and my great friend Charlie McKenzie who was the ABC\/Dunhill promo rep at the
\ntime made me listen to a demo called “More than A Feeling” .which of course blew me away..he could not stop raving about this guy Tom Scholz..Charlie partnered with former Asylum National Promo Director Paul Ahern and I specifically remember sitting with a group of friends in the living room of WBCN salesman Kenny Greenblatt’s apt. while the name “Boston” was being thrown around…eventually I went with Charlie to Tom’s basement studio in Watertown, MA to deliver him some equipment Charlie was planning on having me road manage the band..but after some small talk with Tom and my complete lack of knowledge of anything electronic.. he squashed that idea immediately..LOL..The audition for Epic’s Lenny Petze at Aerosmith’s Warehouse space was filled with BCN family and friends…I remember those early days so well Paul was in LA mostly and Charlie’s “office” was a phone in a small lake house that Kenny Greenblatt had in Littleton, MA..The period after the release of “More than a Feeling’ was amazing !!! It took off so fast and especially those first royalty checks that changed so many lives!!! The first gig was opening for the Drivers in Waltham Ma…then Black Sabbath tour and the rest is history…unfortunately there was a falling out with Tom and Paul and Charlie…and sadly we lost Charlie in 2002.What an amazing ride and I will always remember those amazing early days with the original band and Brad’s amazing voice…!!! And the 6x Platinum Record on Charlie’s wall !!!<\/p>\n
Thanks,
\nPeter Wassyng<\/p>\n
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As a member of the Nils Lofgren Band we opened for Boston a few times. After our set we all waited and checked them out.
\nThey killed, it was better then the record! Brad was like an angel. With a voice like his you would think he would be arrogant, he was not.
\nAfter the shows he would hang around and talk and compliment our band on how we sounded. He was a beautiful soul.
\nWe opened for a lot of groups back then, but Boston lived up to their music hands down. Lucky to have saw them.<\/p>\n
Wornell Jones<\/p>\n
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Great article on Boston. My band Boulevard had The pleasure of opening for them in 1989 across canada and one date in Seattle. What amazing experience that was to tour with your heroes! As you pointed out Brad Delp was probably one of the most amazing human beings you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll ever meet and of course possibly the Premier rock singer of all time!<\/p>\n
Tom was certainly the obvious genius but also not entirely a social creature. He pretty much played hoops backstage all day while the ever humble brad chatted with us between sound checks and Tried to secure a better golden eagle bus for our band seeing as the heat had gone out on ours and it was -40 in Winnipeg! Yikes.<\/p>\n
They brought a pipe organ !!<\/p>\n
They had not played in years and brad was so excited to just get out and will that he almost blew his voice the first night back. He calmed down after that but still sang like a bird.
\nCould probably write a whole pile more but the biggest memory was really how amazingly down to earth these guys were. Humble and kind and NOT rock stars. Just happy to be out playing some of the best rock songs ever written!<\/p>\n
I was glad to have had that opportunity in my lifetime!
\nTo hear what happened to brad broke my heart. He was the best
\nCheers.<\/p>\n
Andrew Johns.<\/p>\n
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Of course I threw the album on having not heard it in a while. My 4yr old walked in to the kitchen as I was making him breakfast, Foreplay \/ Long Time was on.<\/p>\n
He listened intently for about 6 seconds and said \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Dad, please add this song to my Spotify playlist.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Love witnessing that instantaneous connection when the song and the sound makes you know you need more of it.<\/p>\n
Cheers,
\nSteve Andrews<\/p>\n
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Love your rants, Bob. Almost as much fun are the memories posted in your “mailbag”.So if you don’t mind….
\nIn ’76 I was 20, running a popular surf shop in Ocean City, MD For some reason EVERYBODY wanted to look like a surfer and had to have a Sunshine House t-shirt, so we were mobbed all summer. We were also known for always having great music playing on good equipment (Marantz, Bose, etc.) Every night at closing\/clean-up time, we’d crank up the tunes for one last hurrah. One night I have the new Boston album playing (loud!), and a friend walks in smiling and grooving and says “who’s this?” and I launch into my own rant about how the Rolling Stones are no longer the greatest rock and roll band on the planet….. Well, I guess that was only true for one album, but what an album! 44 years later, it still resonates, and when you hear it, you automatically reach for the volume.. If that’s not the mark of a HOF recording….<\/p>\n
Thanks for all your writing,
\nAll the best,<\/p>\n
Jay Maher<\/p>\n
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Tom Scholz cares about people like few realize, you just have to be on the right side of the line and then he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a mensch proper – now of course, that may exempt a few band mates (but that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a thing musicians hold to themselves) and a lot of industry folk (not Harvey) (Hey Harvey!)<\/p>\n
Outside the industry, Tom is as big hearted and keen to help and assist expecting nothing in return, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been there as he donated to save endangered wildlife, never seeking attention for it, and keeping in touch with the front line, there<\/p>\n
Brad Delp, as friendly and folksy as Robert Plant, sad story, yet no one looked after the tour crew family more than Brad and if you had it in you, he was always game to go see sunrise with his beloved camera gear. Had an eye for architecture, too.<\/p>\n
Smart guys, as Boston Mass tends to spit out<\/p>\n
Dennis Pelowski<\/p>\n
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Thank you for reminding me about Boston!
\nI love it!<\/p>\n
Richard Griffiths<\/p>\n
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Those first 3 albums were majestic. I only got into Boston on Third Stage and then went back to discover the beauty. There was nothing fake about the songs. Long live Boston!!!!<\/p>\n
fernando tavares<\/p>\n
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Bob, my wife & some friends caught Brad’s Beatlejuice band in a lounge outside of Boston. His ability to do both John & Paul was jawdropping & at the break, he made the rounds & said hello to every table. Just seemed like a genuine nice guy (with enormous talent). It was such a shock to hear about his passing. Truly missed & a timeless LP. Best, Jeff\/Maine<\/p>\n
Jeff Hayward<\/p>\n
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Not sure if you ever watched, or cared about, the show \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Scrubs\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, but they had an amazing episode where they auditioned members of a lip sync\/air guitar band, and the end of the episode features Donald Faison and the staff of the hospital lip syncing to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153More Than a Feeling\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s one of my favorite moments of TV in the last 20 years.<\/p>\n
youtu.be\/I0jxRwp3V5Q<\/a><\/p>\n Jonnie Bock<\/p>\n _______________________________<\/p>\n It was early September 1976 when I first heard “More Than A Feeling” on WAAF in Worcester and owned it 12 hour later. A morning trip to Strawberries downtown (skipped school) because I just had to have it. I honestly wore the album out over the next year.<\/p>\n Just last week I pulled out Tom’s remaster to vet a rehabbed Marantz 2270 and Bose 901’s. I nearly cried it was so damn good. Tom and Brad created something just this side of magic in that Watertown basement. So original and visionary. Not a bad moment on the entire record.<\/p>\n Chris Herrmann<\/p>\n PS – Check out Rich Beato’s take on “More Than A Feeling.” youtu.be\/ynFNt4tgBJ0<\/a><\/p>\n _______________________________<\/p>\n You nailed it. More Than A Feeling, a song I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d press the station buttons in the car hoping catch it, which wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t hard for a long while, it was ubiquitous. Couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t buy the LP fast enough. The soundtrack of junior year of high school ski club in Buffalo, 45 minute bus ride from school to Kissing Bridge, might hear a Boston tune 2-3 times. They were the first concert I ever saw, The Aud in Buffalo, Cheap Trick opened, and was nearly booed from the stage. No one had heard them yet, and too much excitement for Boston. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t Look Back was a really good record but seemed like outtakes from the debut. But the debut, whew!<\/p>\n It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s A Long Way There was a terrific tune by LRB, their debut record was excellent.<\/p>\n Jack Powers<\/p>\n _______________________________<\/p>\n Rundgren admitted to trying to cop Boston on this song. Truth be told I like it better than anything Boston ever did. I never bought into their sound. Too slick for me. Different strokes.<\/p>\n