Craig Allen’s Fun Facts: “More Than A Feeling”

The band Boston formed...where else, but in...Boston.

The band was/is spearheaded by guitarist and keyboard player Tom Scholz. Brad Delp handled lead vocals.

Originally a quintet, the group also included Barry Goudreau on guitar, Fran Sheehan on bass, and Sib Hashian on drums.

"More Than A Feeling" was written by Tom Scholz.

A graduate of MIT, Scholz was working at Polaroid..

...up til the time he became a rock 'n' roll star! (enjoy the pictures, and read my "History of Polaroid" blog here).

According to Rolling Stone magazine, Tom Scholz was inspired by the "heart tugging mood"...

...of "Walk Away Renee" by the Left Banke (#5/1966).

"More Than A Feeling" took more than 4 years to come to life...it took 5 years for Scholz to write and produce...before it (finally) ended up on the first album!

"More Than A Feeling" was Boston's first hit single, landing at #5 on the Hot 100 in the fall of 1976.

And...it was a surprise hit for the guys! More on that in a moment...

Most of the first Boston album was recorded in Scholz's basement, which was crammed with equipment that he had financed/picked up, while working at Polaroid! Over the years, he kept cranking out songs and demo tapes...finding rejection at the record labels.

When Boston finally secured an album deal with CBS Records, this little recording fact would cause a BIG problem!

I stated that MOST of the album was recorded in Scholz's basement studio...but not all of it! To abide by union rules, at contract signing time, the remainder of the album had to be completed in a proper studio.

Tom Scholz found this to be a "hindrance." Stories vary as to where/when/how the album came together to meet union rules...

Boston's management spent a lot of time pitching the song to radio stations...then it suddenly took off...

...making this unknown band from Boston a major player on the rock scene.

The single version of "More Than a Feeling" is edited down from the album version.

On Rolling Stone magazine's "500 Greatest Songs Of All Time" list, "More Than A Feeling" is song #500.

Released on August 25, 1976, the album "Boston" is one of the best selling albums of all time...its sales were strong through the 1980's and 1990's, thanks in part to "catalog sales."

Remember Columbia House (etc), where you could buy several albums, 8-tracks or cassettes...and later CDs...for a penny. IF you agreed to buy more albums at regular prices in the future.

I have friends that "scammed" Columbia House over and over...is there a statute of limitations?

In fact, for years, "Boston" was the best selling "debut" album, racking up sales of 17 million units!

UNTIL September 23, 2008, when the Recording Industry Association Of America certified Guns N' Roses debut album "Appetite For Destruction" at 18 million in sales.

Such is the (ever-changing/fickle)  world of Rock N Roll!

Enjoy "More Than A Feeling," one of "Jersey's Favorite Hits" on New Jersey 101.5...and here at nj1015.com!