The Band Boston Fan Site - Tom Scholz Remembers Brad Delp

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Tom Scholz Remembers Brad Delp

Rolling Stone writer Andy Greene has asked me for some recollections about my experiences with Brad. An edited version of the reply I sent him appeared on rollingstone.com with questions inserted in the text. Here is the complete unedited note I sent to Andy:

Andy,

Thanks you for allowing me to answer your questions by e-mail. I haven't been in the mood to talk to talk to people much for the last few days as you might imagine, but I appreciate you turning to me for this. Brad and I were friends and collaborators for 35 years. Both of us being vegetarians, non-drug users and more interested in music than money, put us in a very small minority in the music business; our bond ran much deeper than just BOSTON music.

Boston October 2006 - Photograph by Kim Scholz

In answer to your questions:

I met Brad, soft spoken and unassuming, when he auditioned in a recording studio outside of Boston one night to sing several songs I had written. Back then in the early seventies recording a song demo meant coming up with a significant amount of money, several weeks of my day job savings, to buy a few hours of 8 track time.

Having endured countless sessions with other singers, most with undeserved egos, I had only the faintest glimmer of hope that he might be good enough to squeak by as a suitable vocalist.

He didn't warm up; he just listened to the prerecorded instrument track once. Then he started to sing. I don't know if it took two seconds or three, but before he finished singing the first line I knew that some guardian angel had just delivered to me one of the best vocalists ever to step up to a microphone! Then he kept going and I realized he wasn't just one of the best, he was amazing! High notes I hadn't heard before followed by harmonies, and overdubbed exact duplicate layered tracks, all with ease, all with emotion, and yet all technically precise.

Before we left that night he had rewritten the lyrics and the melody, sung all the vocal parts, and with the magic of his voice turned my stark guitar riff into a song! From that moment on I only hoped I could write and record music worthy of his attention and interpretation.

There were soulful notes that pulled you into the song, stratospheric screams and angelic high notes, and after hitting these record breaking notes he'd go back and sing a harmony part above it! He didn't rehearse any of these parts, he could jump back and forth between harmony parts, double tracking parts, and then go back and do it again exactly the same with one tiny change, adjusting all the other singing parts to fit with bionic accuracy.

You'd think anyone with this super human talent would be an insufferable egomaniac. But Brad was just the opposite, and amazingly he remained honestly humble in spite of the incredible star pressure that followed BOSTON's success.

Brad and I banged our heads against the wall trying to get a break with record companies for five years. During that time he and I did a lot of basement recording; we received absolutely zero recognition locally and complete rejection submitting our demos to national record labels. I think this experience put our future success in perspective as we both realized that after so many years of insult, we were just very lucky to be able to record and play music above ground! Unlike many other individuals eventually involved with BOSTON, Brad's down to earth personality never wavered; it was his natural demeanor.

When someone asked me what Brad was like, the first words that always came to mind were "nice guy." Oddly, his incredible performing abilities seem barely worth mentioning compared to his attributes as a human being. He was soft spoken yet very quick and funny. Although I rarely remember seeing him in the throws of a good belly laugh, he could keep the people around him in stitches effortlessly, and did so on a daily basis. When he wasn't making someone laugh, or giving his time to a fan, he was a tireless worker, both in the studio and on stage.

He and I had a very strong personal connection because of our moral beliefs, yet we were drastically different kinds of people. While I am rebellious and easily provoked to an unyielding defense, Brad was passive and studiously non confrontational.

Somehow over the years I think we both grew not only to accept this in each other, but to respect it; I think this is part of the reason we were able to work together for so much of our lives. In an odd parallel we were also opposites in the studio. Once Brad would laid down a vocal track he became instantly committed to it and would dig in if challenged, whereas I would want to change everything and never be sure. We were usually at odds on how vocal arrangements should go also, which in early years caused heated debates. Later we both developed such respect for each other's abilities that the collaboration, so important to the eventual outcome of BOSTON's music, became much easier. It was largely my music, but it was Brad who brought it to life, and this struggle we both had to endure was part of what made it so many people's favorite.

I last saw Brad at rehearsal last month where we prepared several old and new songs for our upcoming summer shows. These are my fondest memories, playing music with my friend and the greatest singer in rock and roll.

Andy, Brad and I have been used and abused throughout our adult life by the music business, it continues even in his death. Please do the right thing with this. Sorry I wrote you a tome.

Tom Scholz

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Joan said:

	Tom, I had the privilege of meeting you at the NAMM Show in Anaheim, California several years ago. It was my birthday, January 20th, and you were kind enough to allow my husband to take a picture of us. It was the highlight of my birthday. I still have that picture. Thanks so much.
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May 06, 2008
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Mitchell Zell said:

Dear Mr. Scholz,
I am a 14 year old high school student. For many years I have enjoyed listening to the wonderful music that was provided by Boston. I have never heard better music than yours. After listening to the songs, and to the spectacular guitar solos, the first thing I have asked for for Christmas is an electric guitar. I can only hope that some day I will be playing along to the songs of Boston as well as you did. Thank you very much for inspiring me to play great music.

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December 14, 2007
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Cyrus said:

	As I reflect back on my years growning up I realize Tom that Boston Came along at the right time with the right sound, and turned music upside down and gave it a big spin. If Tom if you and Boston could've put more albums then you did you all would've became the greatest rock band in the world. Your Friend Cyrus
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December 04, 2007
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Leigh said:

	I grew up in the 80's listening to you guys and Brad's amazing voice. I am sad to hear this news. All I can say is thank-you for the music. It is part of me.
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November 18, 2007
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bobby bowman said:

tom, as a young man trying to figure out that fret board on my guitar [1975] gibson sg special [2 p-90's]. heard that first song , more than a feeling , i wss hooked on that guitar like glue. thankfully after many years of non-stop practice , i've finaly got it down, and proud of it. i you get the time to read this e-mail... thanks bro...i feel the loss of brad when i first heard it... he will not be forgotin'. i just wanted to let you know i found one of your sustainers about 10 yrs back , and been using it ever since. peace bro, hang in there... i would surely love to see thew band , i never got the chance. spent 12 years of my youger days 12yr viet-nam vetern [navy]

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October 29, 2007
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bill pillsbury...atlanta ga said:

	TOM S; THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR "REMEBERANCES" WITH US. WHAT AN INSPIRATION. THIS WHOLE THING STINKS, BUT LIFE WILL GO ON...WE JUST HAVE TO ADJUST A LITTLE HERE AND THERE. I FIND IT UNIQUE THAT I HAD JUST DOWNWLOADED AMANDA AND MAN I'LL NEVER BE ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO! I MUST HAVE HAD MORE THAN A FEELING. PEACE BE WITH YOU BROTHR.
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May 06, 2007
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tim said:

Tom, yours and Brads music has influenced so many peoples lives. I don't know if you (being the creators of the music) can understand what impact you had. Hearing "More than a Feeling" takes me back to a very specfic time in my youth and actually for a moment makes me that age again. It is hard to accept the death of such an important part of our lives, but at the very least we can say we got to know Brad well enough to change our lives. Just think if you and he had never gotten together, man we would have really missed some awesome rock!
Keep your chin up and remember the good times and the absolute impact you had on the history of rock and roll.

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April 28, 2007
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