Boston - 10 Fun Facts

The band began in a basement studio – Guitarist Tom Scholz recorded the bulk of the first album in his Watertown, MA basement, using equipment he built himself while working at Polaroid.
Their debut album is one of the best-selling of all time – Boston (1976) has sold over 25 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling debut album in rock history.
Brad Delp was recruited through a mutual friend – Delp’s high-pitched, clean tenor vocals became essential to Boston’s sound, but he was an unknown local singer when Scholz found him.
The label didn’t know the album was recorded at home – Epic Records thought they were getting a studio album. Scholz secretly sent in his basement tapes while a “dummy session” was recorded in LA.
Boston was an instant phenomenon – Their first album reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200, stayed on the chart for 132 weeks, and made them arena headliners within a year.
“More Than a Feeling” took 5 years to finish – Scholz obsessively reworked the song, perfecting every guitar tone and vocal blend.
They built their own studio for Third Stage – Scholz built Hideaway Studio in a barn, which he then rewired himself. The album still hit No. 1 with Amanda as a comeback hit.
Scholz invented the Rockman amplifier – This portable guitar effects unit became hugely popular in the 1980s, used by artists like Prince, ZZ Top, and Def Leppard.
Scholz donates much of his profits to charity – He founded the DTS Charitable Foundation and supports animal rights, hunger relief, and anti-poverty initiatives.
Boston rarely toured after the '70s – Due to perfectionism, legal battles, and lineup changes, the band toured less than most major rock acts, making each performance more anticipated.