Tom | March 10, 2007 12:54 AM

Shockingly, they where still good in concert just a couple of years ago -

shane | March 10, 2007 02:15 AM

Actually, it's not. Brad's moment (and life) may be over, but the band's music has been getting consistent airplay for three decades. Granted, I'm a little biased since I'm from New England...

...but I have to disagree with you. Great band.

Firebyrd | March 10, 2007 02:37 AM

I like Boston. Or at least I did. I'm not quite so sure anymore after seeing those outfits and mustaches. Highly disturbing.

Too bad about Brad Delp.

PixelFish | March 10, 2007 05:15 AM

Somewhere my roommate from college is bowing her head for a moment of silence....

(Man, I think I head More than a Feeling like six zillion times because of Jess.)

I had no particularly strong feelings for Boston, but it makes me sad to see creative folk go....particularly when destructive assholes seem to keep on ticking indefinitely.

Chang, delicate wino | March 10, 2007 07:28 AM

Oh, this makes me sad. I think "More Than A Feeling" is one of the best rock songs ever written. Way back in the day my friends and I, a motley assortment of punks, losers and assorted misfits, would gather around a local teen disco and do a free improvisational dance to the song. Through those many listenings I really got to appreciate it for what it is. I think I'll get it from iTunes and have myself a nostalgic moment in the truck where no one can slag my choice of music.

Randy Johnson | March 10, 2007 08:22 AM

Sad. I saw them way back on their first album tour in Greensboro. It was their last concert on the tour because it was postponed from an earlier date because of an illness in the band. They were good in their day.

clvrmnky | March 10, 2007 09:35 AM

I distinctly remember hearing Boston for the first time, my friend Doug behind the wheel of his /dad's/ Camaro, me in the backseat.

I recall wondering who the hell it was, and upon learning it was Boston I couldn't help but like it, even though I /knew/ I hated Boston. You see, they were a grand symbol of a specific kind of American radio-friendly stadium rock that, and I had already switch my allegiances to bands like The Clash.

But, it was early summer in the Canadian midwest, the sun was shining, my long, long hair was blowing in the warm breeze and we were ditching school to cruise.

Though I wore my adolescent band crushes on my t-shirts, like badges of courage (advertising how much I hated /your/ music, you see), that moment is forever frozen in time for me.

Raise a glass to the kind of culture we grow, man, and raise a glass to the Boston Power Soak. Bedroom rockers everywhere turn their Rockman compressors up to 11 to emulate that not-quite-tube distortion made famous by Boston.

Dan Bailey | March 10, 2007 10:00 AM

Time to fire up Guitar Hero and bust out "More Than a Feeling" for ol' Brad.

John H | March 10, 2007 10:08 AM

shane: I was actually surprised to see that they released a new album as recently as 2002. I can't recall hearing anything they've done since Third Stage, which was 20 years ago.

Their old music certainly continues to get airplay on classic rock stations. And they definitely had a distinctive sound. But I don't know if I'd go so far as to call them a great band...

Christian | March 10, 2007 10:28 AM

Oh man, I suddenly felt old watching that. I grew up on a steady diet of that music.

I think some of the older rockers have more staying power. I stumbled across this a few weeks ago, and was amazed at how well Frampton still sings and plays the guitar (I think he's 57 now)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=tteYBtVJAqQ

Wiki says he lives in Indian Hills OH. Isn't that your neck of the woods John?

John Scalzi | March 10, 2007 10:31 AM

Yes, he's somewhere around here. Closer to Cincinnati, though.

jw johnson | March 10, 2007 10:43 AM

They were a GREAT band when they first came out. A totally distinctive sound and the first couple of albums were nothing but class all the way through. Personally I think it's sad that the best rock coming out nowadays is the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Kero aka Kevin | March 10, 2007 11:00 AM

Wow, how many characters from Spinal Tap came out of that video?

What's the definition of a great band? Wasn't their first album the best selling debut album for 15 years or so? As with all subjective evaluations of something artsy, where you stand depends on where you sit.

Hibryd | March 10, 2007 01:17 PM

Boston was a decade before my time, but I still think "More Than a Feeling" is my favorite song of all time, or at least it ties with "Smells Like Teen Spirit". And give them credit for the (still, I think) best-selling debut band album of all time.

/80's music sucks!

clark middlton | March 10, 2007 01:53 PM

hey, is it my creaky imagination, or is the logo of Boston's a graphic representaion of a spindizzy?

Craig M | March 10, 2007 03:15 PM

Boston. The music of all my friends' older brothers. The artwork from the records (Albums)kinda science fictional. They graced every floor to ceiling window of the local record store chains in the mall. Every record store manager looked like the guys in Boston sans the glittery jumpsuits, but in particular the 'staches were a uniform requirement. The days when being a Xerox copier repairman was the very image of a hi-tech job. Good times.

Chuck | March 10, 2007 03:46 PM

"Moment's over?" Harsh! Also, not by a long shot.

Craig M's right that it was always the music of older brothers, but when I first heard their debut record over a decade later, it blew me away.

And I'm with Dan Bailey -- playing "More than a Feeling" in Guitar Hero is the closest most of us will ever come to feeling like a True Rock God.

Cathy | March 10, 2007 08:11 PM

Oh my, More Than a Feeling was popular when I went to Boston to attend grad school. It was one of the first albums I bought with my new found money from the job I had at Northeastern. Till I see Maryanne walk away...

Mark DF | March 10, 2007 10:52 PM

Sigh. They were the band of the Bicentennial of this great nation.

I still sing every time they come on the radio.

They had a CAVEMAN for a drummer.

More Than A Feeling.

Daniel Sroka | March 11, 2007 07:41 AM

Define great however you like. But there are countless bands that are lauded as "great", yet who's music leaves me cold. Boston, on the other hand, is a part of the soundtrack of my life.

RIP Brad. You did good.

fibian | March 11, 2007 02:54 PM

Boston? Not a great band? It's only because I owe you one for turning me onto Neil Finn that I don't come over there and wag my finger at you severely.

Nicole J. LeBoeuf-Little | March 11, 2007 05:33 PM

Sad. Sad sad sad sad.

When we were in high school, my friend and I would talk about the Best Band Ever, which is to say the rock 'n roll version of Fantasy Football. We came up with Neil Peart on drums, Steve Perry on lead vocals, and the entire line-up of Boston for background vocals. (I forget what we agreed on for the rest of our dream band, but I'd be very disappointed in our 14-year-old selves if we didn't at least consider Geddy Lee for bass.)

Karl Cook | March 11, 2007 09:13 PM

I saw the news blurb (really early) this morning. It provided me with another one of those "Awww Damn!" moments.

I really liked that band. While I was in college in the mid 70s, I had a parttime job with a firm that did crowd control at a number concert venues here in the Wash/Balt Metro area and I vividly recall working the Boston- Foghat (remember them? 'Fool for the City'?) concert at the Baltimore Civic Center (now Arena). Talk about a ROCKIN' Concert! Boston sounded better live than they did on their debut album- I was blown away by their energy on stage, Tom Sholtz's guitar work, and the way Brad Delp's voice filled the house. That was probably the best concert I worked that year -and I averaged over 100 shows a year over the 3 years I worked that job.

@craig- Their logo reminded me of Blish's Cities in Flight and the 'spindizzy' when I first saw it too.

I totally agree with Mark DF that they were indeed the band of the Bicentennial.

John | March 12, 2007 07:31 AM

Dude, don't be bustin' on Boston! Now I have to go crank up some "Third Stage".

John Scalzi | March 12, 2007 07:35 AM

I think people are misinterpreting the "Moment's over" statement as dismissive. It's not; it's just noting that with Brad Delp's passing, things have changed.

I don't think Boston is a great band, but they're sure as hell a good band; I unabashedly enjoy their first and third albums myself.

Bill Blum | March 13, 2007 02:14 PM

There are few things more embarassing than humming Peter Frampton tunes to oneself in the store, coming around the corner of the aisle, and having Mr Frampton look at you all cross and everything.

I speak from experience.