Boston (album)
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| Boston | ||
| ||
| Studio album by Boston | ||
| Released | August 25 1976 (U.S.) December 3 1976 (UK) | |
| Recorded | October 1975-April 1976 at Foxglove Studios, Watertown, Massachusetts Capitol Studios, Hollywood Record Plant Studios, Los Angeles | |
| Genre | Rock | |
| Length | 37:40 | |
| Label | Epic Records (U.S.) CBS Records (UK) Epic/Legacy (2006 Remaster) | |
| Producer(s) | John Boylan and Tom Scholz | |
| Professional reviews | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Boston chronology | ||
| Boston (1976) | Don't Look Back (1978)
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Boston is the self-titled debut album by American rock band Boston. The album broke fast, with several blockbuster hard rock hits. All eight of the songs on the album still receive regular airplay on classic rock radio. It was the fastest selling debut album for any American group, and has the most total sales for a debut album with over 17 million units sold to date. Creem Magazine voted the album cover art one of the Top Ten Album Covers in 1977.
Contents |
[edit] Background Story
Tom Scholz started off jamming in a makeshift band that included future Boston members Barry Goudreau and Brad Delp. Unsatisfied with the live sound, the perfectionist Scholz disbanded the act and instead made demos in his home studio with Delp on vocals. The demos soon attracted the attention of Epic Records.
Scholz was satisfied with the demos to the point that he wanted to use them as a final album, but Epic said no. "The material had to be recorded in a 'professional' studio in exactly the same way!" Scholz later wrote. Scholz insisted on doing the rerecording in his basement. Epic producer John Laydon made a deal with Scholz. Laydon would take the rest of the makeshift band, Delp and Sib Hashian, with Barry Goudreau joining toward the end, while Scholz made his multitrack recordings at home.
Most of the guitar, bass, and keyboards were performed by Scholz and recorded at his basement studio. Most of Delp's vocals were recorded in Los Angeles with Ladyon. Only two tracks include all the musicians who ultimately toured under the name Boston, "Foreplay/Long Time" and "Let Me Take You Home Tonight."
[edit] The Remasters
This album and the group's second (Don't Look Back) were remastered and re-released on June 13 2006. The re-releases were digitally remastered personally by the band's leader, Tom Scholz, after he heard (not directly) that the remastering project was to be handled by Sony's team. This was unacceptable to him. He took it on himself after negotations with Legacy. "I've always wanted to make those albums sound good on CD, and the chance arrived.",<ref> Official release letter, boston.org</ref> The re-masters have received very high praise from magazine critics, and especially from the die-hard fan base.
[edit] Track listing
All songs written by Tom Scholz, except where noted.
- "More Than a Feeling" – 4:46
- "Peace of Mind" – 5:02
- "Foreplay/Long Time" – 7:47
- "Rock and Roll Band" – 3:00
- "Smokin'" (Bradley Delp, Scholz) – 4:20
- "Hitch a Ride" – 4:13
- "Something About You" – 3:48
- "Let Me Take You Home Tonight" (Delp) – 4:43
[edit] Personnel
- Bradley Delp – vocals, harmony vocals, acoustic guitar on 8
- Tom Scholz – organ on 3 5 6 7 8, keyboards, clavinet on 3 6, lead guitars on 1 2 4 6 7, rhythm acoustic guitars on 3 6, rhythm guitars on 4 7, electric guitar on 1 2 3 5 6 7 8, acoustic guitar on 1 2 3 7, bass guitar on 2 4 5 6 7 8, top seceret space pedal effects on 3
- Barry Goudreau – rhythm guitars on 3, lead guitars on 3 8
- Fran Sheehan – bass guitar on 3 8
- Sib Hashian – drums on 1 2 3 4 6 7 8
- Jim Masdea – drums on 5
[edit] Production personnel
- Producers: John Boylan, Tom Scholz
- Direction: Paul Ahern, Charles McKenzie
- Engineers: Warren Dewey, Tom Scholz
- Assistant engineers: Deni King, Bruce Hensel, Doug Ryder
- Mixing: Westlake Audio, Los Angeles assisted by Steve Hodge
- Remastering: Tom Scholz, Bill Ryan, Toby Mountain at Northeastern Digital, Southborough, Massachusetts, Hideaway Studio II
- Digital transfer: Tom "Curly" Ruff
- Artwork and Design: Kim Hart, Tom Scholz
- Direction: Paul Ahern, Charles McKenzie
- Photography: Jeff Albertson, Ron Pownall
- Photo Editing: Gary Pihl
- Illustrations: Roger Huyssen
- Reissue design: Joel Zimmerman
[edit] Miscellanea
- "Peace of Mind" was played on the 2005 Sci-fi Ghostly show Supernatural at the end of the 7th episode of the first season called "Hookman".
- On the original vinyl and CD releases, the length of "Rock & Roll Band" is actually listed as the unconventional "2:60" rather than the more suitable "3:00".
- "Smokin'" was featured on Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas video game soundtrack on K-DST radio station.
- In the Adult Swim show, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Carl claims "More Than a Feeling" to be the "ultimate song".
[edit] References
<references/>
[edit] Charts
Album
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Billboard Pop Albums | 3 |
| 1987 | The Billboard 200 | 101 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | "More Than A Feeling" | Billboard Pop Singles | 5 |
| 1977 | "Foreplay/Longtime" | Billboard Pop Singles | 22 |
| 1977 | "Peace Of Mind" | Billboard Pop Singles | 38 |
[edit] Certifications
| Organization | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| RIAA – U.S. | Gold | October 26 1976 |
| RIAA – U.S. | Platinum | November 22 1976 |
| CRIA – Canada | Platinum | January 1 1977 |
| CRIA – Canada | Gold | November 1 1978 |
| CRIA – Canada | Double Platinum | December 1 1978 |
| CRIA – Canada | Triple Platinum | December 1 1978 |
| BPI – UK | Gold | March 20 1979 |
| CRIA – Canada | 4X Platinum | July 1 1979 |
| CRIA – Canada | 5X Platinum | July 1 1979 |
| RIAA – U.S. | 9X Platinum | October 30 1986 |
| RIAA – U.S. | 10X Platinum | January 29 1990 |
| RIAA – U.S. | 11X Platinum | December 10 1992 |
| RIAA – U.S. | 15X Platinum | November 9 1994 |
| RIAA – U.S. | 16X Platinum | January 10 1997 |
| CRIA – Canada | 6X Platinum | May 13 1997 |
| CRIA – Canada | 7X Platinum | May 13 1997 |
| CRIA – Canada | 8X Platinum | May 13 1997 |
| CRIA – Canada | 9X Platinum | May 13 1997 |
| CRIA – Canada | Diamond | May 13 1997 |
| RIAA – U.S. | 17X Platinum | November 20 2003 |
| Boston |
| Brad Delp | Tom Scholz Barry Goudreau | Musicians |
| Discography |
|---|
| Albums: Boston | Don't Look Back | Third Stage | Walk On | Corporate America |
| Compilations: Greatest Hits |
