Boston is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rockRock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band from Boston, Massachusetts that achieved its most notable successes during the 1970s and 1980s. Centered on
guitaristA guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
,
keyboardistA keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
,
songwriterA songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, and
producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Tom ScholzDonald Thomas "Tom" Scholz is an American rock musician, songwriter, guitarist, pianist, inventor, and mechanical engineer, best known as the founder of the hard rock band Boston. He is also the inventor of the Rockman guitar amplifier...
, the band is a staple of
classic rockClassic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
radio playlists. Boston's best-known works include the songs "
More Than a Feeling"More Than a Feeling" is a song by the rock band Boston, released as the lead single from their self-titled debut album on Epic Records in September 1976, with "Smokin'" on the flipside. The single peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100...
", "
Peace of Mind"Peace of Mind" is a song by Boston from their debut 1976 self-titled album. It was released the next year as the third and final single from the album. As a single, the song peaked at #38 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1977...
", "
Foreplay/Long Time"Foreplay/Long Time" is a song by the rock band Boston, released on the band's eponymous debut album, and as their second single, on Epic Records in 1976. It combines an instrumental introduction, "Foreplay", to the main song "Long Time", generally played as one on the radio and listed as one track...
", "
Rock and Roll Band"Rock and Roll Band" is a song by the rock band Boston, released on the band's eponymous debut album. It contains a fictional account of a band paying its dues and then making it big....
", "
Smokin'"Smokin" is a rock song by the American rock band Boston, released as the b-side to the band's first single,"More Than A Feeling." Like most of the tracks from the group's debut album, it has become a staple on classic rock radio.-History:...
", "
Don't Look Back"Don't Look Back" is a single by the American rock band Boston. It reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978. It is the title track to their second album, Don't Look Back....
" and "Amanda." They have sold over 31 million albums in the United States, of which 17 million are their
self-titled debut albumThe album soared, with three singles becoming Top 40 hits. All eight of the songs on the album still receive regular airplay on classic rock radio to this day, across the country...
and 7 million are their second album, Don't Look Back.
Before debut album
Tom Scholz first started writing music in 1969 while he was attending
MITThe Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
, where he wrote an instrumental, titled "Foreplay". While attending MIT, Scholz joined the band "Freehold," where he met guitarist
Barry GoudreauBarry Goudreau is a musician, best known as one of the original guitarists for the rock band Boston.- Before Boston :Goudreau had developed a musical interest at an early age and got his first guitar, an acoustic which he borrowed from a friend, at age 11. He began taking lessons and by age 13,...
and drummer
Jim Masdea, who would later become members of Boston. Vocalist
Brad DelpBradley E. Delp was an American musician, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Boston. Delp was known for his vocal histrionics, and especially his high range.-Early life:...
was added to the collective in 1970. After graduating with a master's degree in mechanical engineering, Scholz worked for
PolaroidPolaroid Corporation is an American-based international consumer electronics and eyewear company, originally founded in 1937 by Edwin H. Land. It is most famous for its instant film cameras, which reached the market in 1948, and continued to be the company's flagship product line until the February...
, where he used his salary to build a recording studio in his basement, and to finance demo tapes recorded in professional
recording studioA recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
s. These early demo tapes were recorded with (at various times) Brad Delp on vocals, Barry Goudreau on guitar, Jim Masdea on drums, and Scholz on guitar, bass and keyboards . The demo tapes were sent to record companies, but received consistent rejections. In 1973 Scholz formed the band Mother's Milk with Delp, Goudreau, and Masdea. That group disbanded by 1974, but Scholz subsequently worked with Masdea and Delp to produce six new demos. Scholz played all the instruments on the demos, except for the drums, and used self-designed pedals to create the desired guitar sound.
This final demo tape attracted the attention of promoters Paul Ahern and Charlie McKenzie. Masdea left the band around this time. According to Scholz, the managers insisted that Masdea had to be replaced before the band could get a recording deal. Years later, Delp told journalist Chuck Miller: "[Jim] actually told me he was losing interest in playing drums. I know Tom felt very bad when the whole thing happened. And then, of course, we started getting some interest." Scholz and Delp signed a deal with
Epic RecordsEpic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
after Masdea's departure, thanks to Ahern & McKenzie. Before the deal could be finalized, the band had to do a live audition for the record company executives. The duo quickly recruited Goudreau on guitar, bassist
Fran SheehanFran Sheehan is an American rock musician best known for being the bass player in the early incarnation of the rock band Boston.Fran was perhaps the most experienced musician in the original lineup of Boston. He had been gigging with his dad since he was 5 years old, & majored in vocals at the New...
and drummer
Sib HashianJohn "Sib" Hashian is a drummer who was a member of the rock band Boston during their first and most successful lineup. Hashian currently lives in Lynnfield, Massachusetts. Sib is of Armenian descent.-Boston years:...
to create a performing unit which could replicate Scholz's richly layered recordings on stage. The showcase was a success and the band agreed to put out 10 albums over the next six years.
In addition to the firing of Masdea, the record label also insisted that Scholz re-record the demo tapes in a professional studio. However, Scholz wanted the record to be recorded in his basement studio, so that he could work at his own pace. Upon request of Tom Scholz, Masdea played drums on the track "Rock and Roll Band," and the instrumentation was recorded in Scholz's studio. The multitrack tapes were then brought to
Los AngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, where Brad Delp added vocals and the album was mixed by John Boylan. It was then that the band was officially named "Boston," by suggestion of Boylan and engineer Warren Dewey.
Boston (1976)
The debut album,
BostonThe album soared, with three singles becoming Top 40 hits. All eight of the songs on the album still receive regular airplay on classic rock radio to this day, across the country...
, released on August 8, 1976, was an enormous success. The record ranks as the second best-selling debut album in U.S. history (after
Guns N' RosesGuns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
'
Appetite for DestructionAppetite for Destruction is the debut studio album by American rock band Guns N' Roses, released in July 1987 on Geffen Records. It was well-received by critics and topped the American Billboard 200 chart...
) with over 17 million copies sold.
During the summer and fall of 1976, Boston attracted much publicity due to the unprecedented record sales by an unknown act, its unique sound, and singer Brad Delp's vocal abilities. However, there was "a conscious effort to de-emphasize Scholz as the total mastermind behind Boston." After opening for
Black SabbathBlack Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
,
Blue Öyster CultBlue Öyster Cult, often abbreviated BÖC, is an American rock band, most of whose members first came together in Long Island, NY in 1967 as the band Soft White Underbelly...
,
FoghatFoghat are a British rock band that had their peak success in the mid- to late-1970s. Their style can be described as "blues-rock," or boogie-rock dominated by electric and electric slide guitar. The band has achieved five gold records...
and others, the band embarked on a headlining tour in the winter and spring of 1977 to support the album. This helped establish Boston as one of rock's top acts within a short time, being nominated for a
Grammy awardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
as a "Best New Artist". Boston was the first band in history to make their
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
debut at Madison Square Garden.
The album spawned three singles, "More Than a Feeling", "Long Time" and "Peace of Mind", all of which made the national charts. Additionally, the album peaked at #3 on the
Billboard 200The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and remained on the charts for 132 weeks.
Don't Look Back (1978)
Despite having problems with manager Paul Ahern, being caught in the middle of a fight between Ahern and his business partner Charles McKenzie, and doing most of the recording work alone, Scholz completed the second Boston album two years after the debut album's release. The second album, Don't Look Back, was officially released by Epic in August 1978.
At the time this was considered a long gap between albums, but Scholz still considered Don't Look Back to be a rush job and was unhappy with the album's second side in particular. Overall Don't Look Back sold about half as well as the debut album, eventually selling over 7 million records.
Another tour followed, and the album's title track became a Top 5 hit. Additionally, two other singles, "A Man I'll Never Be", and "
Feelin' Satisfied"Feelin' Satisfied" is a 1978 song written by Tom Scholz for the Boston band album Don't Look Back.-Chart positions:It was later released as a single and went up to #46 on the Billboard Hot 100....
" went Top 40 and Top 50 respectively. Despite the success, Scholz's relationship with Ahern completely deteriorated. Delayed by technical renovations to his studio, Scholz eventually began the process of working on Boston's third album, determined to complete the album at his own pace and up to his demanding standard.
Solo projects and CBS lawsuit (1979–1985)
In late 1979, Scholz began writing new material, but Boston's former co-manager, Paul Ahern, argued that, according to an agreement Scholz had signed years earlier with Ahern, Ahern owned a percentage of all songs Scholz wrote from that point on. Delayed further by the dispute, Scholz suggested, in the meantime, the individual members should work on whatever other projects they might be considering.
Goudreau then decided to record a solo album which featured Boston members Delp and Hashian, and which was recorded with the help of an engineer and producer familiar with Scholz' studio techniques. The album, released in 1980, was titled
Barry GoudreauBarry Goudreau is the debut self-titled album of original Boston guitar front man, Barry Goudreau. With the use of Boston members Brad Delp , and Sib Hashian , and future Boston singer Fran Cosmo the album displays a sound very similar to that of Boston's first two releases Boston and Don't Look...
and featured a minor charting single "Dreams". There was tension when
CBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
's marketing connected the album to Boston's signature guitar sound, despite Scholz playing most of the guitar tracks on the Boston albums. Scholz objected to the ad copy, but it became irrelevant when
EpicEpic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
dropped promotion on Goudreau's album citing lack of interest. Goudreau ended up leaving the band in 1981, and forming the band
Orion the HunterOrion the Hunter was a 1980s rock combo and offshoot of the popular band Boston. It featured former Boston members Barry Goudreau on guitars and Brad Delp on backing vocals, as well as future Boston lead vocalist Fran Cosmo....
. Delp contributed vocals and co-wrote songs on their debut album, but returned to Boston and recorded vocals on the third album.
While Scholz and Delp were recording new material for the third Boston album, CBS filed a 60 million dollar lawsuit against Scholz, alleging breach of contract for failing to deliver a new Boston album on time.
During this same period, Scholz founded his successful high-tech company Scholz Research & Development (SR&D), which made amplifiers and other musical electronic equipment. Its most famous product, the
Rockman amplifierThe Rockman is a headphone guitar amplifier. The original Rockman was developed and built by Scholz Research & Development, Inc., a company founded by Tom Scholz, who is also the founder and a key member of the rock band Boston. Scholz Research & Development was sold to Dunlop Manufacturing, Inc....
, was introduced in 1982
The legal trouble slowed progress toward the completion of the next album, which took six years to record and produce. Joining Scholz in the album's development again were Delp and Jim Masdea. In 1985, guitarist
Gary PihlGary Pihl is a guitarist most famous for playing for Sammy Hagar and the band Boston.At his home recording studio, Pihl worked with the founding members of a band that would eventually be called "Night Ranger." They recorded demos for their first and second albums at his home studio...
left
Sammy HagarSam Roy "Sammy" Hagar , also known as The Red Rocker, is an American rock singer, guitarist, and songwriter. Also sings Country Music....
's touring band to work with Scholz as both a musician and an
SR&DScholz Research & Development, Inc. or SR&D is the name of the company founded by Tom Scholz to design and manufacture music technology products. The manufacturing facility was located in Woburn, Ma. in the 1980s...
executive. As CBS v. Scholz played out in court, CBS opted to withhold royalty payments to Scholz, hoping to force him to settle on unfavorable terms.
The lawsuit's first round was eventually decided in Scholz' favor, and Scholz moved the band to
MCA RecordsMCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
.
Third Stage (1986–1988)
Despite the adversity, progress continued to be made on the third Boston album. A tape of one of the songs, "Amanda", leaked out of the studio in 1984. The song became the lead single when
Third StageThird Stage is the third album by American rock band Boston released September 23, 1986 on MCA Records. The album was recorded at Tom Scholz's Hideaway Studio over a six-year period "between floods and power failures"...
was finally released on September 23, 1986.
The album and lead single "Amanda" both went to #1 on Billboard, and subsequent singles, "We're Ready" and "Can'tcha Say" were Top 10 and Top 30 respectively.
The group headed off on tour to promote Third Stage in 1987 and 1988. Third Stage was played in sequence in its entirety during the shows, with expanded arrangements of some cuts. For the tour the group was joined by Doug Huffman and David Sikes, both of whom stayed with the band into the mid-1990s.
The CBS case took seven years to run its course, and in April 1990 Scholz won. A jury awarded him millions in unpaid royalties and punitive damages.
Delp departs; Walk On (1989–1996)
By Spring 1990, Scholz was back in the studio working on the band's fourth studio album. Later that year, Delp told Scholz he wanted to concentrate on other projects, and might not be available for some time. With Delp's departure, Scholz was now the last remaining original member. Before he left, Delp co-wrote the song "Walk On" with Scholz and David Sikes, which eventually became the title track of the new album.
Delp subsequently joined Barry Goudreau's new band, RTZ. Scholz eventually replaced him with Fran Cosmo, who had previously been in Goudreau's previous band
Orion the HunterOrion the Hunter was a 1980s rock combo and offshoot of the popular band Boston. It featured former Boston members Barry Goudreau on guitars and Brad Delp on backing vocals, as well as future Boston lead vocalist Fran Cosmo....
.
For the second album in a row, and for the second time in a decade, Scholz's work was delayed by renovations to his studio. In the end, eight years passed between Third Stage and Walk On, which was released in June 1994. Walk On was certified platinum by the RIAA, but only reached #7 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart. It failed to chart in the Top 5 like all their previous albums. It produced one hit single, "I Need Your Love" which was widely played on some rock radio stations. Delp reunited with Boston at the end of 1994. Their first appearance was for two benefit shows at the House of Blues on December 12 & 13, 1994 in Cambridge. The band also handed a check of $5,000 to Globe Santa and another check of $5,000 to Operation Christmas in Fall River.
The group, with Delp now back in the band, toured in the summer of 1995 with both Cosmo and Delp combining vocals. By this time drummer Huffman had been replaced by Curly Smith, who was previously with
Jo Jo GunneJo Jo Gunne is a rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1971 by Jay Ferguson and Mark Andes after they had left Spirit...
. Following the conclusion of the "Livin' For You" tour in 1995, Scholz announced that a greatest hits album would be released. Initially planned for release in August 1996, the album was pushed back to a 1997 release date.
Greatest Hits and Corporate America (1997–2006)
Boston released a compilation album in 1997, titled simply
Boston: Greatest HitsGreatest Hits is the first greatest hits album by American rock band Boston. The album released on June 3, 1997 features songs originally released on both the Epic and MCA labels, as well as three previously unreleased recordings...
. The album featured all of the band's hit singles except "We're Ready", along with three new songs, "Higher Power", "Tell Me", and an instrumental version of the "Star Spangled Banner". Smith and Sikes left the band in late 1997 and recorded an album together.
Scholz headed back to the studio in 1998 to begin work on a fifth album, which eventually turned out to be
Corporate America-Personnel:*Tom Scholz - Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, Drums, Vocals*Brad Delp - Vocals*Fran Cosmo - Vocals*Gary Pihl - Guitar, Keyboards*Anthony Cosmo - Guitar, Vocals*Kimberley Dahme - Vocals, Guitar on "With you"*David Sikes - Bass*Curly Smith - Drums...
. The title track of "Corporate America" was uploaded by Tom Scholz to
MP3.comMP3.com is a web site operated by CNET Networks providing information about digital music and artists, songs, services, community, and technologies. It is probably better known for its original incarnation, as a legal, free music-sharing service, popular with independent musicians for promoting...
under the pseudonym of "Downer's Revenge" in early 2002 in order to test the album's appeal to a younger demographic. The song reached #2 on the progressive rock charts on the website for two weeks.
November 2002 marked the official release of
Corporate America-Personnel:*Tom Scholz - Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, Drums, Vocals*Brad Delp - Vocals*Fran Cosmo - Vocals*Gary Pihl - Guitar, Keyboards*Anthony Cosmo - Guitar, Vocals*Kimberley Dahme - Vocals, Guitar on "With you"*David Sikes - Bass*Curly Smith - Drums...
on the independent label, Artemis Records. This album featured the largest Boston lineup ever; returning members included Delp and Cosmo on guitar and lead vocals, Scholz on lead guitar and organ, and Gary Pihl on guitar, along with new members Anthony Cosmo on rhythm guitar,
Jeff NealJeff Neal has been the drummer for Boston since 2002. Neal only toured with Boston during the summers the rest of the year he taught U.S. History and Sociology at Bonny Eagle High School in southern Maine. Neal had performed all over New England for the past 15 years...
on drums and
Kimberley DahmeKimberley Dahme is a rock/country music singer, songwriter who is best known as a member of the rock band Boston.She has produced several country solo Music CDs....
on bass and vocals. Dahme, Delp and Cosmo all contributed lead vocals to the album. The group embarked on a national tour in support of the album in 2003 and 2004. In 2006, the first two Boston albums appeared in remastered form.
Death of Brad Delp (2007)
On March 9, 2007, lead singer
Brad DelpBradley E. Delp was an American musician, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Boston. Delp was known for his vocal histrionics, and especially his high range.-Early life:...
committed
suicideSuicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
at his home in
Atkinson, New HampshireAtkinson is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 6,751 at the 2010 census.- History :Atkinson has a rich history, dating back to the American Revolution...
. Police found Delp dead in his bathroom, along with several notes for whoever would find him. In the bathroom where Delp committed suicide, two charcoal grills were found on the bathroom fixtures, and the door sealed. Police Lt. William Baldwin called the death "untimely" and said that no foul play was indicated. Delp was alone at the time of his death according to the police report. Delp was found by his fiancée, who saw a dryer hose attached to his car. According to the New Hampshire medical examiner, Delp's death was the result of suicide by
carbon monoxide poisoningCarbon monoxide poisoning occurs after enough inhalation of carbon monoxide . Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas, but, being colorless, odorless, tasteless, and initially non-irritating, it is very difficult for people to detect...
as evidenced by
carboxyhemoglobinCarboxyhemoglobin is a stable complex of carbon monoxide and hemoglobin that forms in red blood cells when carbon monoxide is inhaled or produced in normal metabolism. Large quantities of it hinder delivery of oxygen to the body...
. Delp's last concert with Boston was performed at Boston Symphony Hall on November 13, 2006 at a concert honoring
Doug FlutieDouglas Richard "Doug" Flutie is a former American and Canadian football quarterback. Flutie played college football at Boston College, and played professionally in the National Football League, Canadian Football League, and United States Football League...
.
A concert in honor of Delp named Come Together: A Tribute to Brad Delp occurred on August 19, 2007 at the Bank of America Pavilion in Boston. The concert included, in order of appearance,
Ernie and the AutomaticsErnie and the Automatics are a blues rock based in Boston, Massachusetts. Guitarist Barry Goudreau and drummer Sib Hashian are both former members of the multi-platinum selling band Boston....
,
BeatlejuiceBeatlejuice is a New England-based Beatles cover band that featured the late Brad Delp, former front-man of the band Boston on vocals. Beatlejuice has the distinction of faithfully reproducing Beatles music note-for-note, from early Beatles to late Beatles, without costumes or stage...
, Farrenheit,
ExtremeExtreme is an American rock band, headed by frontmen Gary Cherone and Nuno Bettencourt, that reached the height of their popularity in the late 1980s and early 1990s.Among some of Extreme's musical influences are Queen and Van Halen...
,
GodsmackGodsmack is an American heavy metal band from Lawrence, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. The band is composed of founder, frontman and songwriter Sully Erna, guitarist Tony Rombola, bassist Robbie Merrill, and drummer Shannon Larkin...
, RTZ,
Orion the HunterOrion the Hunter was a 1980s rock combo and offshoot of the popular band Boston. It featured former Boston members Barry Goudreau on guitars and Brad Delp on backing vocals, as well as future Boston lead vocalist Fran Cosmo....
, and finally the current version of Boston.
All of the living members of Boston were invited to perform in the concert. The singers for Boston included
Michael SweetMichael Sweet is a singer from Whittier, California, United States. Sweet is best known as co-founder, writer and frontman of the Christian glam metal band Stryper. He was also one of the two lead vocalists and one of three guitarists for Boston until August 2011.-Youth:He began his musical career...
of
StryperStryper is a Christian glam metal band from Orange County, California. The group's lineup consists of Michael Sweet , Oz Fox , Tim Gaines , and Robert Sweet...
, former band member Curly Smith, band member Kimberley Dahme, and a Boston fan from North Carolina named
Tommy DeCarloTommy DeCarlo , is an American singer. He is the current lead singer of Boston.DeCarlo was born in Utica, New York, and became a fan of Boston as a teenager. He began recording covers of their songs and posting them on his MySpace with him on vocals. In March 2007, Boston lead singer Brad Delp...
, who was chosen to sing based on his performances of Boston cover songs on his
MySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
page. Another former Boston vocalist,
Fran CosmoFran Cosmo is an American musician best known as a former lead singer of the band Boston.-Music career:Cosmo was first featured on guitarist Barry Goudreau's self titled solo album in 1980, a prelude to the formation of Orion the Hunter in 1983...
, was unable to sing because of a ruptured blood vessel in his throat but did play guitar. Jim Masdea,
Fran SheehanFran Sheehan is an American rock musician best known for being the bass player in the early incarnation of the rock band Boston.Fran was perhaps the most experienced musician in the original lineup of Boston. He had been gigging with his dad since he was 5 years old, & majored in vocals at the New...
and even
Barry GoudreauBarry Goudreau is a musician, best known as one of the original guitarists for the rock band Boston.- Before Boston :Goudreau had developed a musical interest at an early age and got his first guitar, an acoustic which he borrowed from a friend, at age 11. He began taking lessons and by age 13,...
joined Scholz and the rest of the band on stage for the finale, "Don't Look Back". Curly Smith and Kimberley Dahme split the lead vocal on the finale.
Present day (since 2008)
The ongoing conflicts between the surviving band members spilled over to the
2008 Presidential campaignThe United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
. Barry Goudreau appeared with
Mike HuckabeeMichael "Mike" Dale Huckabee is an American politician who served as the 44th Governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007. He was a candidate in the 2008 United States Republican presidential primaries, finishing second in delegate count and third in both popular vote and number of states won . He won...
and played with him at some rallies in New Hampshire. Huckabee used "More than a Feeling" as a
campaignMike Huckabee, former Governor of Arkansas, announced his candidacy for the Republican Party nomination for the 2008 presidential election in the United States on January 28, 2007...
theme song.
Scholz, a self-described "
ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
supporter", sent an open letter to Huckabee in February 2008 stating that the band had never endorsed any candidate, and that he had never authorized the use of "More Than a Feeling" as Huckabee's theme song. Scholz made a point of saying that he, and not Goudreau or Sheehan, actually played all the guitars on "More Than a Feeling" as well as most of Boston’s songs. Huckabee did stop using "
More than a Feeling"More Than a Feeling" is a song by the rock band Boston, released as the lead single from their self-titled debut album on Epic Records in September 1976, with "Smokin'" on the flipside. The single peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100...
" as a theme song.
In the spring of 2008, Scholz and Sweet introduced a new Boston lineup, which subsequently did a North American summer tour, playing 53 dates in 12 weeks (on a double bill with
StyxStyx is an American rock band that became famous for its albums from the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Chicago band is known for melding the style of prog-rock with the power of hard rock guitar, strong ballads, and elements of American musical theater....
). Scholz was the only founding member of Boston to play on the tour, although longtime member
Gary PihlGary Pihl is a guitarist most famous for playing for Sammy Hagar and the band Boston.At his home recording studio, Pihl worked with the founding members of a band that would eventually be called "Night Ranger." They recorded demos for their first and second albums at his home studio...
was also part of the band. In addition to Scholz, Sweet and Pihl, the new lineup also featured Tommy DeCarlo, Kimberley Dahme and Jeff Neal.
In January 2009, Greatest Hits was re-released as a remastered disc.
An update was posted to the official Boston website revealing progress on a new studio album, which is "progressing at an agonizingly slow rate." As of August 13, 2011, according to publicist Gail Parenteau, the new album is 85% complete. Michael Sweet left the band in August 2011 in order to focus on Stryper.
Space Ship
One of the themes of Boston's albums is the presence of a guitar shaped
spaceshipSpaceship can refer to:* Another name for a spacecraft* An Unidentified flr5tyqertaerying object * "Spaceship", a song by Puddle of Mudd from their album Vol...
, ostensibly a colony ship
bearing the city of Boston, with the city's name emblazoned across the front
Appearances
- Boston - Two long lines of guitar shaped starships flee a planet that is breaking up. The ships all have blue flames coming out of the bottom.
- Don't Look Back - The Boston ship is flying low or perhaps hovering over a grassy, crystalline planet. The ship has searchlights on.
- Third Stage - The Boston ship is either headed towards, or perhaps has just undocked from, a large flat spaceship resembling a bank of pipe organ pipes.
- Walk On - The Boston ship is shown crashing through a rock outcropping.
- Greatest Hits - The Boston ship flying low over a planet with turquoise rocks and a turquoise tower in the distance.
- Corporate America - The Boston ship flying towards an Earth-like planet
Innovations and style
Boston's genre is considered by most to be
hard rockHard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
, while combining elements of
progressive rockProgressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
into their music. Former singer
Brad DelpBradley E. Delp was an American musician, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Boston. Delp was known for his vocal histrionics, and especially his high range.-Early life:...
was well known for his extended vocal ranges, shown on hits such as "
More Than a Feeling"More Than a Feeling" is a song by the rock band Boston, released as the lead single from their self-titled debut album on Epic Records in September 1976, with "Smokin'" on the flipside. The single peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100...
".
Guitarist and primary song writer Tom Scholz' blend of musical styles, ranging from classical to 1960s 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
harmoniesIn music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
guitar work (usually harmonized in thirds), often alternating between and then mixing
electricAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
and
acoustic guitarA steel-string acoustic guitar is a modern form of guitar descended from the classical guitar, but strung with steel strings for a brighter, louder sound...
s. Scholz and
Brian MayBrian Harold May, CBE is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the guitarist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen...
are well regarded for the development of complex, multi-tracked guitar harmonies. Another contributing factor is the use of handmade,
high techHigh tech is technology that is at the cutting edge: the most advanced technology currently available. It is often used in reference to micro-electronics, rather than other technologies. The adjective form is hyphenated: high-tech or high-technology...
equipment, such as the Rockman, used by artists such as
JourneyJourney is an American rock band formed in 1973 in San Francisco by former members of Santana. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between the 1978 and 1987, after which it temporarily disbanded...
guitarist
Neal SchonNeal George Joseph Schon is an American rock guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist best known for his work with the band Journey. He is the only member to have recorded on all of Journey's albums...
, the band
ZZ TopZZ Top is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "That Little Ol' Band from Texas". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based boogie rock, has come to incorporate elements of arena, southern, and boogie rock. The band, from Houston Texas, formed in 1969...
, and
Ted NugentTheodore Anthony "Ted" Nugent is an American guitarist, musician, singer, author, reserve police officer, and activist. From Detroit, Michigan, he originally gained fame as the lead guitarist of The Amboy Dukes, before embarking on a lengthy solo career...
.
Def LeppardDef Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Since 1992, the band have consisted of Joe Elliott , Rick Savage , Rick Allen , Phil Collen , and Vivian Campbell...
's album Hysteria was created using only Rockman
technologyTechnology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
. Scholz' production style combines deep, aggressive, comparatively short guitar
riffThe Resource Interchange File Format is a generic file container format for storing data in tagged chunks. It is primarily used to store multimedia such as sound and video, though it may also be used to store any arbitrary data....
ing and nearly
etherealEthereal Wave, also called ethereal darkwave in Europe and ethereal goth or simply ethereal in the US, is a term that describes a subgenre of Dark Wave music...
, 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
GermanicNeue Deutsche Härte is a genre of industrial metal. The term was invented by the German music press after the release of the debut album Herzeleid by Rammstein....
, almost techno influence with its sequencer-sounding keyboards, a sound most fully realized on Corporate Americas title track.
Singer Brad Delp, who was strongly influenced by the Beatles, is also credited for helping to create Boston's sound with his signature vocal sound.
Line-up for first two albums
- Tom Scholz
Donald Thomas "Tom" Scholz is an American rock musician, songwriter, guitarist, pianist, inventor, and mechanical engineer, best known as the founder of the hard rock band Boston. He is also the inventor of the Rockman guitar amplifier...
(1976–present)
- Brad Delp
Bradley E. Delp was an American musician, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Boston. Delp was known for his vocal histrionics, and especially his high range.-Early life:...
(1976–1989, 1994–2007)
- Sib Hashian
John "Sib" Hashian is a drummer who was a member of the rock band Boston during their first and most successful lineup. Hashian currently lives in Lynnfield, Massachusetts. Sib is of Armenian descent.-Boston years:...
(1976–1983)
- Fran Sheehan
Fran Sheehan is an American rock musician best known for being the bass player in the early incarnation of the rock band Boston.Fran was perhaps the most experienced musician in the original lineup of Boston. He had been gigging with his dad since he was 5 years old, & majored in vocals at the New...
(1976–1983)
- Barry Goudreau
Barry Goudreau is a musician, best known as one of the original guitarists for the rock band Boston.- Before Boston :Goudreau had developed a musical interest at an early age and got his first guitar, an acoustic which he borrowed from a friend, at age 11. He began taking lessons and by age 13,...
(1976–1981)
Current members
- Tom Scholz
Donald Thomas "Tom" Scholz is an American rock musician, songwriter, guitarist, pianist, inventor, and mechanical engineer, best known as the founder of the hard rock band Boston. He is also the inventor of the Rockman guitar amplifier...
: Lead and Rhythm Guitar, BassThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, keyboardsA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, percussionA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, backing vocalsA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
(1976–present)
- Gary Pihl
Gary Pihl is a guitarist most famous for playing for Sammy Hagar and the band Boston.At his home recording studio, Pihl worked with the founding members of a band that would eventually be called "Night Ranger." They recorded demos for their first and second albums at his home studio...
: Rhythm and Lead Guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (1985–present)
- Kimberley Dahme
Kimberley Dahme is a rock/country music singer, songwriter who is best known as a member of the rock band Boston.She has produced several country solo Music CDs....
: Bass, Guitar, Vocals (2001–present)
- Jeff Neal
Jeff Neal has been the drummer for Boston since 2002. Neal only toured with Boston during the summers the rest of the year he taught U.S. History and Sociology at Bonny Eagle High School in southern Maine. Neal had performed all over New England for the past 15 years...
: drumsA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussion, backing vocals (2002–present)
- Tommy DeCarlo
Tommy DeCarlo , is an American singer. He is the current lead singer of Boston.DeCarlo was born in Utica, New York, and became a fan of Boston as a teenager. He began recording covers of their songs and posting them on his MySpace with him on vocals. In March 2007, Boston lead singer Brad Delp...
: lead vocals, keyboards, percussion (2008–present)
Past members
- Brad Delp
Bradley E. Delp was an American musician, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Boston. Delp was known for his vocal histrionics, and especially his high range.-Early life:...
(deceased): lead vocals, rhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, keyboards, percussion (1976–1989, 1994–2007)
- Sib Hashian
John "Sib" Hashian is a drummer who was a member of the rock band Boston during their first and most successful lineup. Hashian currently lives in Lynnfield, Massachusetts. Sib is of Armenian descent.-Boston years:...
: drums, percussion, backing vocals (1976–1983)
- Fran Sheehan
Fran Sheehan is an American rock musician best known for being the bass player in the early incarnation of the rock band Boston.Fran was perhaps the most experienced musician in the original lineup of Boston. He had been gigging with his dad since he was 5 years old, & majored in vocals at the New...
: bass (1976–1983)
- Barry Goudreau
Barry Goudreau is a musician, best known as one of the original guitarists for the rock band Boston.- Before Boston :Goudreau had developed a musical interest at an early age and got his first guitar, an acoustic which he borrowed from a friend, at age 11. He began taking lessons and by age 13,...
: guitars, backing vocals (1976–1981)
- Jim Masdea: drums, percussion, keyboards (1983–1988)
- David Sikes: vocals, bass, keyboards (1987–1997)
- Doug Huffman: drums, percussion, keyboards, backing vocals (1987–1994)
- Fran Cosmo
Fran Cosmo is an American musician best known as a former lead singer of the band Boston.-Music career:Cosmo was first featured on guitarist Barry Goudreau's self titled solo album in 1980, a prelude to the formation of Orion the Hunter in 1983...
: lead vocals, guitar (1993–2006)
- Curly Smith: drums, percussion, harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
, backing vocals (1994–1997)
- Anthony Cosmo (also known as Anton Cosmo): guitar, backing vocals, songwriter (1997–2006)
- Anthony Citrinite: drums (2001–2002)
- Tom Hambridge: drums (2002)
- Michael Sweet
Michael Sweet is a singer from Whittier, California, United States. Sweet is best known as co-founder, writer and frontman of the Christian glam metal band Stryper. He was also one of the two lead vocalists and one of three guitarists for Boston until August 2011.-Youth:He began his musical career...
: lead vocalsSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, Rhythm GuitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
(2008–2011)
Studio albums
| Year |
Album |
U.S. The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
|
UK The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
|
RIAA CertificationThe Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
|
BPI The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
|
| 1976 |
Boston The album soared, with three singles becoming Top 40 hits. All eight of the songs on the album still receive regular airplay on classic rock radio to this day, across the country...
|
3 |
11 |
17× Platinum |
Gold |
| 1978 |
Don't Look Back |
1 |
9 |
7× Platinum |
Silver |
| 1986 |
Third Stage Third Stage is the third album by American rock band Boston released September 23, 1986 on MCA Records. The album was recorded at Tom Scholz's Hideaway Studio over a six-year period "between floods and power failures"...
|
1 |
37 |
4× Platinum |
— |
| 1994 |
Walk On |
7 |
56 |
Platinum |
— |
| 2002 |
Corporate America -Personnel:*Tom Scholz - Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, Drums, Vocals*Brad Delp - Vocals*Fran Cosmo - Vocals*Gary Pihl - Guitar, Keyboards*Anthony Cosmo - Guitar, Vocals*Kimberley Dahme - Vocals, Guitar on "With you"*David Sikes - Bass*Curly Smith - Drums...
|
42 |
- |
— |
— |
| 2012 |
TBA 2012 |
- |
- |
— |
— |
External links