Aug 24, 2022Liked by Mitch Blum, CJ Kaplan, Ken Warshaw
Ken, Great choice, no question Boston's 1st album belongs in EONS, it's among the greatest debut albums of all time. It's surprising it wasn't enshrined long ago.
CJ, I went to one of those 3rd stage shows at the Centrum. It's the only concert I've ever walked out of. (We had good seats, too!) Dreadful. Unlistenable. 3rd stage album was devoid of a shred of redeemable value. I recall Shultz was in a cast, and the rest of the band sounded like they were already in coffins. I remember looking around at a sea of bored faces. When people ask the worst concert I ever saw, I say Boston at the Centrum in 87 and David Bowie at Sullivan Stadium c 1983. (Love his catalog, but that was a dreadful show, and an atrocious sound system that was inaudible even for football.)
I remember a couple of things about the show. They opened with some big hits from the first album, then inexplicably played all of Third Stage in order from start to finish. Like the album was telling a story or something. Then they finished with a few songs from Don't Look Back. I do recall Scholz's cast and the fact that he was wearing a Roger "Rocketman" Clemens jersey. It wasn't the best show I ever saw, but it wasn't anywhere near the worst
1987 was clemens's breakout year -- he came out of nowhere in 1986 with the strikeout record game in April, and then 1987 proved he was the real deal.
Yup, third stage start to finish was, um, uninspiring -- I think we might have been at the same show...check your ticket stub, I assume it's in the jewel case? ;-)
I was at one of the Centrum shows as well. Not sure which night (one of the “added” shows after they sold out the first 6-7). My musical ear has evolved since then but o thoroughly enjoyed the show.
Third Stage isn’t even close to the 1st or Don’t Look Back, but I hold in significantly higher regard than you do.
Greetings, gents! Enjoyed the article, and your unique style and format! Don't mean to butt in, but I thought you and your readers might enjoy what might be called a companion piece I wrote a few months ago. I was in FM rock radio on August 25, 1976, when the Boston debut was released, and I clearly recall (and wrote about) the 4-artist "lead" promo album Epic Records sent to the station (and the main focus of my article).
A big release week for the label, they were debuting 4 new artists (with 2 cuts from each on this sampler album), three of whom had previous recording track records (but were new to Epic): Jim Peterik, who was a member of the Ides of March in '70 (and wrote and sang their hit, "Vehicle"), and was in Survivor in the early '80s, and was a big part of a little ditty called, "Eye of the Tiger."
Herb Pedersen had been an accomplished folk/bluegrass artist for a few years before his debut Epic album, and Mother's Finest, a multi-racial rock/funk band was also featured.......oh, and a new little band from New England called Boston!
I think you'll enjoy the behind-the-scenes peek I uncovered about how producer John Boylan helped the band pull their "recording studio" ruse over on the Epic suits!
When you look at all the session work done by these artists (and in Peterik's case, being a recording band member for years and Mother's Finest having been on RCA for a 1972 album), I contend that you and your readers have likely heard the other three artists (and their work) far more than Boston's album from that same last week of August exactly 46 years ago! And, THAT's a lot, I know!
Again, please pardon the intrusion, but if you and/or your readers would like to re-visit the week Boston's debut hit the streets (and the other three "forgotten" artists who shared an album release date with Scholz and Company), it can be found here: https://bradkyle.substack.com/p/breaking-boston-behind-the-scenes Thanks, and welcome Front Row & Backstage!
Ken, Great choice, no question Boston's 1st album belongs in EONS, it's among the greatest debut albums of all time. It's surprising it wasn't enshrined long ago.
CJ, I went to one of those 3rd stage shows at the Centrum. It's the only concert I've ever walked out of. (We had good seats, too!) Dreadful. Unlistenable. 3rd stage album was devoid of a shred of redeemable value. I recall Shultz was in a cast, and the rest of the band sounded like they were already in coffins. I remember looking around at a sea of bored faces. When people ask the worst concert I ever saw, I say Boston at the Centrum in 87 and David Bowie at Sullivan Stadium c 1983. (Love his catalog, but that was a dreadful show, and an atrocious sound system that was inaudible even for football.)
I remember a couple of things about the show. They opened with some big hits from the first album, then inexplicably played all of Third Stage in order from start to finish. Like the album was telling a story or something. Then they finished with a few songs from Don't Look Back. I do recall Scholz's cast and the fact that he was wearing a Roger "Rocketman" Clemens jersey. It wasn't the best show I ever saw, but it wasn't anywhere near the worst
1987 was clemens's breakout year -- he came out of nowhere in 1986 with the strikeout record game in April, and then 1987 proved he was the real deal.
Yup, third stage start to finish was, um, uninspiring -- I think we might have been at the same show...check your ticket stub, I assume it's in the jewel case? ;-)
Worst show I ever saw was Guns N' Roses at SPAC on 6/10/91. $17 for Axl to show up hours late and call us m-f'ers at least 100x. Beyond terrible.
I was at one of the Centrum shows as well. Not sure which night (one of the “added” shows after they sold out the first 6-7). My musical ear has evolved since then but o thoroughly enjoyed the show.
Third Stage isn’t even close to the 1st or Don’t Look Back, but I hold in significantly higher regard than you do.
Greetings, gents! Enjoyed the article, and your unique style and format! Don't mean to butt in, but I thought you and your readers might enjoy what might be called a companion piece I wrote a few months ago. I was in FM rock radio on August 25, 1976, when the Boston debut was released, and I clearly recall (and wrote about) the 4-artist "lead" promo album Epic Records sent to the station (and the main focus of my article).
A big release week for the label, they were debuting 4 new artists (with 2 cuts from each on this sampler album), three of whom had previous recording track records (but were new to Epic): Jim Peterik, who was a member of the Ides of March in '70 (and wrote and sang their hit, "Vehicle"), and was in Survivor in the early '80s, and was a big part of a little ditty called, "Eye of the Tiger."
Herb Pedersen had been an accomplished folk/bluegrass artist for a few years before his debut Epic album, and Mother's Finest, a multi-racial rock/funk band was also featured.......oh, and a new little band from New England called Boston!
I think you'll enjoy the behind-the-scenes peek I uncovered about how producer John Boylan helped the band pull their "recording studio" ruse over on the Epic suits!
When you look at all the session work done by these artists (and in Peterik's case, being a recording band member for years and Mother's Finest having been on RCA for a 1972 album), I contend that you and your readers have likely heard the other three artists (and their work) far more than Boston's album from that same last week of August exactly 46 years ago! And, THAT's a lot, I know!
Again, please pardon the intrusion, but if you and/or your readers would like to re-visit the week Boston's debut hit the streets (and the other three "forgotten" artists who shared an album release date with Scholz and Company), it can be found here: https://bradkyle.substack.com/p/breaking-boston-behind-the-scenes Thanks, and welcome Front Row & Backstage!
Wedman!
Jerry Sichting or STFU!
Nicely referenced!
Was M.L. Carr gone by then?
Carr was gone by 86 (arguably the greatest team in NBA history. Not sure if he and Sichting ever shared the court.
The original 3 & D guy
it could have been worse: he could have performed