I never loved this shit too much but it doesn't bother me immensely but I will say that Brad Delp from boston, his suicide made me sad. He put 2 charcoal grills in a bathroom and locked himself in to be asphyxiated. Intense.
"More Than A Feeling" was actually a demo that every label passed - every single last one, then Epic got it. It sounded exactly like it does on the album. Album has sold 17 million copies.
The first tapes Scholz sent out were rejected by the record labels.[/b] But he persisted: In Goudreau's words, Scholz "refined the songs and recordings to a point where they could no longer be denied."[/b] In 1975, after years of futility, Scholz and Delp were signed by Epic Records, with the help of record industry vets Charlie McKenzie and Paul Ahern who signed the band to a management contract.
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With the exception of "Let Me Take You Home Tonight," which was recorded in California under the direction of producer John Boylan, Scholz re-recorded the other seven tracks in his home studio[/b] with only Delp & Hashian (with Goudreau making an appearance on "Foreplay/Long Time" and Sheehan playing bass on "Foreplay").
Little further background....though yes, I could have very well been incorrect about the rerecording...
"One day while the head of A&R, Steve Popovich, was away on a business trip, one of my colleagues, named Lennie Petze, came knocking on my office door, accompanied by a fellow he introduced to me as Paul Ahearn. Lennie explained that, like Lennie and myself, Paul came from Boston, and had brought a cassette of this new band he was working with. Lennie explained that he had heard it, and that he would like my opinion. We went next door to Steve???s office (bigger, more couches, better stereo) and I put the cassette in the player. I still can see the scene clearly in my mind???s eye, as the experience was so memorable. We listened to the first tune, which I would characterize as the best single song demo I???ve ever heard in my life, and then halfway through the second tune, which was every bit as good as the first, I leaned over and put the cassette player on pause.
I looked at them for some kind of explanation, and asked if perhaps this was actually some musical version of Candid Camera. I told them this was simply unbelievable music ??? with a whole new guitar sound ??? that sounded like it might have been made on another planet. Paul, the band???s manager, said he was gratified that both Lennie and I responded so positively to the music, since we were his last stop in New York, and that everyone else he had seen that day had passed on it. I had trouble believing this, but he swore that we were the only label who really liked Boston???s demo tape. The first song was ???More Than a Feeling,??? and I told Lennie and Paul to sit tight while I phoned Steve. I told Steve that I believed we had just discovered what was perhaps the best rock & roll band in the country, and asked if we could go see them live at the earliest possible moment. He responded with ???Better than the Who, Werman???? because he knew this was my favorite band. I replied ???I said ???in the country???, Steve.??? After the phone call, I turned to Paul and told him that if his band could even approach this demo in live performance, I guaranteed him a very generous album deal. Of course, I had no authority to promise this, but I thought it was the most effective way to express our enthusiasm for what we had heard.
A few days later, Lennie and I returned to Boston for Thanksgiving break, and we arranged to see Boston play live at Aerosmith???s rehearsal facility in a suburb of Boston. While the live presentation was a little stiff at that point, and while Tom Scholz was not exactly Pete Townshend on stage, they did indeed come very close to the recorded sound.
Things progressed, and the project ultimately was produced by John Boylan, new to the Epic staff on the West Coast. John was an experienced producer, although mostly with folk-rock (Linda Ronstadt, Rick Nelson, some of the early Eagles). I was a little inexperienced to be producing this new act, but John was an excellent choice, because Tom Scholz co-produced, and would have ridden right over anyone with less experience and knowledge. I well remember the night during the following July, when I listened to the finished album on headphones while gazing out over Los Angeles from a balcony on a high floor at the Century Plaza Hotel during our convention. It was a transporting experience."
I used to have a Air Force record, The Young Professionals ('76? It had a nice version of "I Wish" on there, too), with a version of "Carry On". That song reminds me of the Strangers With Candy episode where Steven Colbert's character is ashamed of letting people know he, deep down, wants to rock.
Journey by a country mile. Much better songs, even in the later years, than Boston. Escape tour was one of my first shows, my aunt's boyfriend was dealing the whole crew blow backstage during the concert. f*cking great show.
the related links for this youtube page for Wheel in the Sky are Carry on my Wayward son and More then a feeling, i kid you not.
Comments
Little further background....though yes, I could have very well been incorrect about the rerecording...
http://popdose.com/the-producers-tom-werman-chapter-seven/
"One day while the head of A&R, Steve Popovich, was away on a business trip, one of my colleagues, named Lennie Petze, came knocking on my office door, accompanied by a fellow he introduced to me as Paul Ahearn. Lennie explained that, like Lennie and myself, Paul came from Boston, and had brought a cassette of this new band he was working with. Lennie explained that he had heard it, and that he would like my opinion. We went next door to Steve???s office (bigger, more couches, better stereo) and I put the cassette in the player. I still can see the scene clearly in my mind???s eye, as the experience was so memorable. We listened to the first tune, which I would characterize as the best single song demo I???ve ever heard in my life, and then halfway through the second tune, which was every bit as good as the first, I leaned over and put the cassette player on pause.
I looked at them for some kind of explanation, and asked if perhaps this was actually some musical version of Candid Camera. I told them this was simply unbelievable music ??? with a whole new guitar sound ??? that sounded like it might have been made on another planet. Paul, the band???s manager, said he was gratified that both Lennie and I responded so positively to the music, since we were his last stop in New York, and that everyone else he had seen that day had passed on it. I had trouble believing this, but he swore that we were the only label who really liked Boston???s demo tape. The first song was ???More Than a Feeling,??? and I told Lennie and Paul to sit tight while I phoned Steve. I told Steve that I believed we had just discovered what was perhaps the best rock & roll band in the country, and asked if we could go see them live at the earliest possible moment. He responded with ???Better than the Who, Werman???? because he knew this was my favorite band. I replied ???I said ???in the country???, Steve.??? After the phone call, I turned to Paul and told him that if his band could even approach this demo in live performance, I guaranteed him a very generous album deal. Of course, I had no authority to promise this, but I thought it was the most effective way to express our enthusiasm for what we had heard.
A few days later, Lennie and I returned to Boston for Thanksgiving break, and we arranged to see Boston play live at Aerosmith???s rehearsal facility in a suburb of Boston. While the live presentation was a little stiff at that point, and while Tom Scholz was not exactly Pete Townshend on stage, they did indeed come very close to the recorded sound.
Things progressed, and the project ultimately was produced by John Boylan, new to the Epic staff on the West Coast. John was an experienced producer, although mostly with folk-rock (Linda Ronstadt, Rick Nelson, some of the early Eagles). I was a little inexperienced to be producing this new act, but John was an excellent choice, because Tom Scholz co-produced, and would have ridden right over anyone with less experience and knowledge. I well remember the night during the following July, when I listened to the finished album on headphones while gazing out over Los Angeles from a balcony on a high floor at the Century Plaza Hotel during our convention. It was a transporting experience."
the related links for this youtube page for Wheel in the Sky are Carry on my Wayward son and More then a feeling, i kid you not.
bonus beat:
Afro-Fu Manchu Shred Face is