The Boston tour Tom Scholz called “horrible”
The story of Boston might be one of the most intricate and interesting in rock history. Granted, when it comes to legacy, only a few of their songs withstand the test of time; however, they are one of the bands that pioneered the huge stadium-like live sound that surrounds American rock and are still a reference point when it comes to ultimate live sound for arenas.
When you consider just how much of an impact they had on stadium music, it’s particularly shocking when you find out that Tom Scholz, the brains behind the operation, recorded their debut album alone in his basement. A technical wizz, he spent weeks making machines that could emulate a live sound and then put his guitar through them when recording. It took a lot of time for him to get the sound right, but it was well worth it.
“I would literally imagine I was in front of thousands of people,” said Scholz, discussing how he managed to make such an exciting live sound in an enclosed space. “Playing this rock ‘n’ roll music, and it worked.”
Scholz wouldn’t have to imagine playing in front of thousands of people for much longer. Once the band had released their debut album, people from all over the world wanted to see the songs live. Subsequently, the band started rehearsing, and it wasn’t long before it was time to take to the road.
As any band will tell you, going on tour isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. Sure, there is the glamorous side of things, as you perform in front of adoring fans, go to parties, and revel in the success of being a rockstar, but there is more to it than that. There is a tension that builds as a result of a group of people being together in an enclosed environment, and equally, there are frequent clashes of ego. There is a reason why many bands break up when they go on tour, and it’s because it’s a difficult life.
Scholz felt the strain once he took to the road. It wasn’t long before he realised just how hard it was going on tour, but the band’s initial success was enough to keep him going. When the second album came around, things started to grate on him. Scholz had gone from being a happy musician and inventor in his basement to a rockstar, with deadlines to meet and label executives breathing down his neck.
He was never quite satisfied with how Boston’s second album, Don’t Look Back, sounded. He felt that it was rushed as he wasn’t given the same time he had for the first album. This negative outlook stayed with him on tour, as the time on the road nearly spelt out the end for Scholz’s music career as a whole.
“We had gone on a horrible tour in 1978 / 1979,” he said, “We played Boston songs, and I loved playing them on stage, but it was horrible. It was long, and when I got off the road, I wasn’t sure that I ever wanted to go on tour again.”
Scholz learnt that there is a huge difference between making music as a hobby and making it as a profession. A profession comes with added pressure that can ruin the experience, and it nearly caused Boston to end before they had even gotten started.
