AOL Live With Tom Scholz 1994 - Page 2

Question: Were you using your Rockman technology way back in the mid-70's to get that unique, high-tech guitar, Boston sound?

ScholzLive: No. I used the processing technology that I had discovered in creating that guitar sound to model the analog circuitry in the Rockman processors. I first used the actual Rockman circuitry in 1982 and by the time I released Third Stage recorded with Rockman, dozens of other artists had already completed and released albums using the Rockman guitar processor that I had invented.

Question: Tom, I've been a fan for a long time. No pun intended. What ever happened to the original members?

ScholzLive: That's easy. You're talking to most of them on your computer right now! The original Boston album, the demo tapes leading up to the first album, and all the subsequent albums have been done the same way, with me playing all the instrumental tracks! Except for cameo appearances by other musicians and drums at which I was a very slow learner!

Question: How and when did you start the band, Boston?

ScholzLive: I'm stumped! The band Boston existed on my basement tape recorder long before I could get 5 people together to take a picture of for a band photo on the first album.

Question: How do I get my Rockman fixed? No dealer in Detroit will help me.

ScholzLive: Move to a city that stocks Rockman parts! Send it back to the factory. We're the only people that fix them right anyway!

Question: Are you playing in any other bands on the side? Maybe practicing with other bands? I don't even have time to practice with Boston! But if I do practice or play with anybody you can bet it's always gonna be called Boston!

Question: What kind of console does your recording facility have? Outboard gear? Digital editor?

ScholzLive: The console is a very old auditronics 501 analog console. With a matching very old fadex fader automation system. 2 3M M79 24 track analog tape decks and so many boxes with knobs on them that I have no place left to put my guitar down in the studio! The only time I use digital editing is for singles or ad spots where I'm already using a 16 bit master from a CD or DAT tape. All editing on the album itself is done with razor blade and splicing tape and the occasional band-aid!

Question: Do you still have the white jumpsuit and gold-speckled Converse's?

ScholzLive: Yes I do! And.....I'm taking the highest bid!

Question: What do you try to convey in your music?

ScholzLive: I never thought of it that way. Music is an escape for me and if a few million people can escape along with me that's all I could hope to accomplish!

Question: Is Boston planning a USA tour soon?

ScholzLive: We are. Our first date will be in May and we'll start in the Southwest playing outdoors as much as possible. And we intend to play every city in the US that is capable of putting in our production. We're also playing a 250 seat club on Dec. 12 & 13 in Cambridge, namely, the House of Blues. Tickets go on sale Saturday. It would be a good idea to get there early!

Question: Why do you think it's so difficult for acts over 40 years of age to be promoted by their record company? It seems only the older country artists sell well.

ScholzLive: I haven't actually noticed that. I was over 40 with Third Stage and it sold very well. I think it has much more to do with the competency of record company management than with the age of an artist as far as commercial success of a recording. By the way...I'm 47 and can still slam-dunk!

Question: What new song ideas have you been focused on lately?

ScholzLive: I have so many that I have no focus left at all! However, this afternoon I showed the band the world's first heavy metal rock arrangement, for of all things, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen!, that we'll be playing at the House of Blues.

Question: What was and/or is your favorite small club in the Boston area?

ScholzLive: That's a toss up between the House of Blues and Johnny D's in Summerville.

Question: Hi Tom. I'd like to know what prompted the departure of Brad Delp.

ScholzLive: We asked Brad that question live on the air at WNEW in NYC. We called him on the phone so that a fan could ask him in person. The fan asked him what he was doing and Brad told him he was working on some big potatoes for his dinner. So far that's the best answer that anyone's gotten out of Brad! We're just glad he's back singing with us at House of Blues.

Question: BOSTON was proud of not using synthesized music........is this still the goal?

ScholzLive: It wasn't so much that I was proud of this fact, actually it's admission of ignorance. I had a heck of a time programing those suckers! Seriously, until recently with the advent of sample driven synthesizers I didn't like the sound of any synthesizer that I heard. The idea of synthesizing the complexities of sophisticated musical wave forms with a few simple tone generators is absurd. Consequently, I avoided the early synthesizers as though they were toys!

Question: Who IS Boston as of this date?

ScholzLive: Maybe a better question is...What is Boston? Boston is and always will be the individual perception of our listeners and audience.

Question: Any other Rockman-style projects in the works?

ScholzLive: I have numerous ideas of a technical nature that I'm working on, that are not necessarily related to the Rockman guitar processors, but are related to performing and recording music. Incidently, we use the Rockman guitar processing equipment only when we perform on stage. We have for done so for the last 8 years! And most of it is still ticking!