Good Times

I realize that this will forever bar me from being one of the 'cool kids', but I *liked* the band Boston.  I liked them a lot (still do).  So I felt the sadness when I learned of Brad Delp's death.  It brought home a bunch of memories, most of them good.

The first rock concert I ever went to in high school was a Boston concert at the field house in Missoula.  The air was so damned smoky you couldn't hardly see.  I grew up in small town, anywhere, MT, USA.  I had no idea what to expect.  The guy sitting next to me, looked over at me, gave a shit-eating grin behind eyes that were glowing pomegranate red, and proudly announced himself to be the Hash-King of Missoula, Montana.  I found out later that he was the uncle of my best friend's girlfriend, and later still, that he was a complete asshole of a human.  But that night, it didn't matter.   It was Boston, man.

At the time, I was in serious unrequited love with a girl named Marianne.  If you have no idea what that has to with anything, then I guess it sucks to be you.  She wore the most awesome perfume (yes I do know what it was, but that doesn't mean I'm tell you ... :-).  And I caught that scent during the entire show.  All I could think about was her, and I fell seriously in love with that band.  She later became the first love of my life, and broke my heart.  That's okay though, because she later found out what I *really* was like, and advised a good friend not to come near me with an 11 foot pole.  Heh.  Yeah, we were only together for a year, and I still don't know who was more clueless; me about others, or her about me.  I loved her a lot; I just didn't really know what love was.  Being young is kinda like that, and Boston drove the feelings.

The inter-tube intelligentsia are welcome to dis Boston.  After all, it's not like that band had the best selling debut album of all time or anything ... oh wait!  To be honest, I guess you kinda had to be there. The thing is, the music stuck with you.  I remember (far too clearly) sitting parked out at dead man's curve on the east side, and singing along with a car full of beer swilling folk.  I was tasked with singing the tenor, which, for a natural baritone, is no mean feat.  I accomplished it with relish.  And that was Boston.  You could sing it, you could feel it, you could want it.

But, Delp is gone, and the past is the past.  I leave you a few words of wisdom:

You know it's now or never.  Take a chance on Rock and Roll.

Comments

[JP]

Marianne... perfect.

I didn't listen to AOR growing up, and was introduced to Boston by snagging a copy of Third Stage when it came out (on cassette, no less) and was hooked from there. When I saw the headline on Delp's passing, I flipped on the eponymous disc and tracked it.

Good stuff, man. Good memories.

[V]

KEEP FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT, FELLOW WARRIOR, AND KNOW THAT JUSTICE WILL BE SERVED!!!!

[Britt]

Amen, Wulf. Boston was the shit when I was a kid, and it will always remain so. Lots of good memories (and some bad) to go with those songs.

Luv ya....

[david]

I love Boston, too, and was bummed to hear of Delp's death.

Never apologize for loving good stuff!

[Big Swede]

I liked some of their songs until they came out with the "PETA" album. I couldn't return it so I put it on the free table at our garage sale.

[Naomi]

More than a feeeeeling!!!
Hey, I may be only 25 years old, but I think Boston rocked! It's saddening to hear of Delp's death, but the music lives on.

[troutburst]

good post. I've never been a particular fan of Boston. Sometimes I dig it, sometimes I don't. But I do have amazing respect for the process that lead up to the release of that first album. Doin it the old fashioned way, so to speak. Gotta love that. Rock N Roll definitely lost a bit with Delp's passing.

[Nancy]

I totally agree! What a sad event. Boston rocked!

[Naomi]

Don't despair Wulfgar.....I hear Abba is coming out with a new album. >;}

[Montana1]

I'm with you on Boston. I grew up in Boston and always thought Boston (the band) kicked ass. Tom Sholtz was kind of a Pink Floyd cutting edge producer of technically superior rock and roll. Brad Delp could sing.

When did Boston come to Missoula? I've been in the Garden City since '78, but don't remember Boston being here. Did I miss the show?

I also had a first love named Maryann. Those lyrics rang true for me as well, "I see my Maryann walkin' away." Man, I miss her...

Thanks for the memory. Sorry to see Brad Delp go.

[Jon]

Hipsters who claim to not like Boston immediately out themselves as not cool.

[Wulfgar]

Montana1, the infamous concert in question was in the late spring of '79. 'Don't Look Back' tour. Sorry you missed it, man.

[Mike]

Dude... Was it really in 79? I thought it was later than that...

[Wulfgar]

Yep, Mike. '79 it was. I went with Vugteveen, McLean and the crowd. And all I thought about was Neuvonen.

[Montana1]

'79? Don't know how I missed it. I was going to school at the U. Man, I thought my drinking days were over by then, but I guess not.

I remember Van Halen, and of course the infamous last few Aber Day Keggers, but Boston went right on by. Actually, I only remember the first and last bands at the Aber Day Kegger. 10,000 kegs of beer... Holy smokes.

[Montana1]

By the way, I read today that Delp was a suicide victim.

[Mike]

Ok, I don't believe I went to the 79 tour. (I kept thinking... "I don't remember Wulfgar being there") I know I saw them at the field house and I thought it was in the early 80's. Either that or I went with another group of people in 79 (my memory is turning to toast).

I did see the Van Halen tour about that time though (was that a GREAT concert or what?)

[Gee Guy]

I always appreciated certain bands for their ability to take metal to a more...melodious place. Boston was one of them. (Think Led Zepplin, Triumph, etc...)

And, Wulfgar, thanks for reminding me what an incredible part music plays in the various 'stages' of our life. I think that is in part why I still like 'old' music: I was having so damn much fun when I listened to it the first time.

[Lisa]

What I loved about Boston was you could put their tape (Yes, TAPE!!) on, crank it up, lay on the floor and feel the music in your chest.

[Leon T.]

“I am a lonely soul." Heh heh. I can see why you identify with Delp, Wulfie. But hey you got a blog to talk to and all these pretend friends, right? All you need now are TWO charcoal grills!

[Wulfgar]

Kitten, your comment makes no sense. It's bad, even for snark. Two charcoal grills? WTF? Please. If your gonna attempt the smack down, at least try to be coherent. 'Cause that comment ... ehh, not so much, little camper.

(Here's a hint, brave little soldier. Click on most of the names following comments in this thread, and you'll find real people, with real websites, who probably have a real distaste for your brand of ass-holishness now that you've pretended that they aren't real. Well done, dipshit.)

[Leon]

Heh. Some Delp worshiper you are. Never said I was, kitten. He killed himself with the carbon monoxide gas from TWO charcoal grills. The specifics of how someone kills themselves doesn't interest me in the least. Your glee over it speaks volumes. Not sure if that was mesquite flavor or not . Gas doesn't have a flavor, moron. And I think I'll just draw the line at comments that celebrate the death of others, thank you. - W

[Naomi]

What's your excuse Leon?

[Rick]

I was a huge Boston fan growing up--had every record on tape or cd. A couple of weeks ago I heard the song Don't Look Back over the sound system at some place in town and thought "I need to break out those records again." So a couple of days later I dug them out of storage and listened to my favorites for the first time in 10-15 years. It really took me back and rekindled some great memories. Later that night I read that Brad Delp had died that same day. It was a very strange and sad feeling. Dude could sing like nobody's business. That was a nice tribute, Wulfgar.