ImageIn the modern age where CDs are being replaced by digital downloads like MP3 and AAC, you would think that vinyl is all but dead, but they just won't die! An example is the 1976 self-titled Boston album. It seems that it is being rereleased again -- in vinyl.

According to Acoustic Sounds (thanks to boston.org lister Drumdoc for the post), Legacy is rereleasing Boston in 180 gram vinyl on September 16, 2008. 180 gram vinyl records are considered to be of higher quality than standard vinyl records pressed.

The listing on Acoustic Sounds lists the record for $18.98. The site doesn't indicate whether or not the album is based on the remastered tracks Tom worked on for the 2006 CD remaster rerelease or if it's from the standard pressings.

The story of how Boston singer Tommy DeCarlo was discovered has been catching the attention of various media outlets. The latest story to feature Tommy was on Inside Edition, which aired July 16, 2008. If you missed it, you can see it here.

A while back, Michael Sweet's band Stryper recorded a cover of Boston's Peace of Mind -- in which Tom Scholz recorded with them. The song is now available for purchase at iTunes.  The song is currently being sold as a single.

And good news -- the song is being sold with NO DRM and with a bitrate of 256Kbps!

Jacket for Brad Delp FoundationDaddy's Junky Music has put up an autographed jacket on eBay to support the Brad Delp Foundation.

The jacket was signed by 35 artists, including Brad's son John, after the Come Together show on August 19, 2007. The auction runs until Jul-03-08 12:37:43 PDT. The jacket will also come with a CD filled with photos of many of the artists who signed the jacket.  The jacket is Lee Brand, men's small. All proceeds from the auction will benefit the Brad Delp Foundation.

You can check out the auction and place a bid (unfortunately the auction is open to US residents only).

The Brad Delp Foundation, a non-profit, 501(c)3 charitable entity, was created by his children Jenna and John Michael, family and friends for the purpose of carrying on Bradley's legacy of compassion, generosity, and kindness. Brad had an uncommon ability and desire to listen, understand, and care about people. The foundation seeks to honor Brad's memory by awarding music related grants, scholarships and funding for school music programs.
Tom Scholz will be appearing on Off the Record with Joe Benson this weekend. For more information on stations and times, go to unclejoe.com.

Boston GroupWell the day has finally come -- June 06, and that means the start of the summer tour.

Boston will be starting the tour today in Thunder Bay, Ontario, and will be performing at over 50 venues this summer. Whether you've seen Boston on every tour, or this is your first time, don't miss out on the chance to see Boston. You can check the tour dates listing to see where Boston will be performing.

Good luck to everyone in Boston with the tour, can't wait to see you guys out there!

If anybody wants to share photos taken during the tour, please feel free to send them so they can be posted in the Image Gallery, just go to the Contact Us link and send an email.

Boston will be on ABC's Good Morning America on Sunday, June 01 in a prerecoreded interview with a look at rehearsal for the 2008 tour. Check local listings for time and channel.

June 01 Update: If you slept in, you can catch the segment in the Interviews/News Footage page.
Tom Scholz and Tommy DeCarlo will be on The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch on CNBC Tuesday May 20 at 10pm and again at 1am EDT. Check your cable or satellite provider for channel info.
The Brad Delp Foundation is awarding two significant grants this week, according to foundation director and spokesman Bill Faulkner.  The presentations are to The Nashua Community Music School of Nashua, NH and Plugged In of Needham, MA.

"With these donations, we at the Brad Delp Foundation are pleased to further our mission to continue on Brad's spirit of generosity and giving”, said Jennifer Delp, foundation President. “We are particularly pleased to be making donations to organizations in Brad's home region of New England, as he always took pride in his ability to help out in the community where he always felt happiest, and most at home."

By Gary Graff, Detroit (billboard.com)

2008 groupBoston leader Tom Scholz tells Billboard.com he hopes to finish recording the band's next studio album after its summer tour and have it out "just after the first of the year."

Scholz says the album -- Boston's first since 2002's "Corporate America" -- is a mix of "really straightforward rock 'n' roll songs and some things that are pretty esoteric.

"When I first started," he continues, "I was doing music that had pretty simple themes. Then as I got into 'Third Stage' and 'Walk On' I got a little more technical and a little more involved, more complicated. In this one I'm trying to do both."

The new album will also include several songs from "Corporate America" that Scholz is remixing, rearranging and, in some cases, completely re-recording -- including the title track, "You Gave Up on Love" and "Someone."

"'Corporate America' was a really poor seller," Scholz acknowledges. "Very few people have heard it. I'd like to give some of these songs another chance to be heard."

By Marco R. della Cava, USA TODAY

Tommy DeCarloSee how this rock 'n' roll fantasy sounds: One day you're trying to get Home Depot shoppers to apply for in-store credit. The next you're rehearsing with Boston and getting ready for a national summer tour.

"I never could have dreamed this," says Tommy DeCarlo, 43, Boston's new Brad Delp-channeling frontman, who is taking leave from his credit manager job at a Charlotte Home Depot to perform with the band. "That first gig is going to be something."

Bands ranging from AC/DC to Lynyrd Skynyrd have found new singers in the wake of tragedy (Delp committed suicide last year), inevitably choosing road-tested replacements. DeCarlo's rocking Cinderella tale includes the fact that he never has even been in a band.

"I did sing After the Lovin' at my grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary," says the affable DeCarlo, who is married and has two teenagers. "I think they enjoyed it."

Boston's Tom Scholz will appear on the Alice Cooper show Nights with Alice Cooper on Wednesday. April 16. Check your local stations to see if any of them broadcast the show and at what time they do. You can find more info on the show at the Nights with Alice Cooper website.

April 17 Update: The interview broadcast was part one of two, with part two airing at a later date, keep an eye out on the Nights with Alice Cooper site. You can hear part one of the interview on the Interviews page.

April 19 Update: Part two of the Tom Scholz interview is scheduled to be broadcast on Wednesday. April 23.

Both parts of the interview are available on the Interviews page.
Boston's Tom Scholz and Gary Pihl will be on Rockline on Wednesday, May 14. For information on where you can find the show and at what time, you can go to the official Rockline site.

May 15: You can listen to the interview in the  Interviews/Radio Shows page.

May 14: Tune into Rockline tonight at 8:30 PM PDT (11:30 PM EDT). If you don't have a local station that carries the show, you can tune into one of the following stations:

San Francisco - 107.7 KSAN | Portland - 92.3 KGON | Nacogdoches - 107.7 KTBQ | Joplin - 97.9 KXDG | Portland - 102.9 WBLM | Augusta - 105.7 WEKL | W. Palm Beach - 98.7 WKGR | Bangor - 100.3 WKIT | Grand Rapids - 96.9 WLAV | Greenville - 101.1 WROQ | Dayton - 104.7 WTUE | Birmingham - 99.5 WZRR | Colorado Springs - 103.9 KYZX


May 09 Update: Some more information posted on the Rockline site:
"...ROCKLINE has learned that the venerable Mr. Scholz might be inclined to bring some demos from the new album the band is working on. That same scenario occurred several years ago when Tom brought in some unreleased songs that did indeed surface on the “Corporate America” album, which wasn’t released until almost two years after that show."
If you're a fan of the game Rock Band, you'll probably love this -- you can get 6 Boston songs for the game! DLC has released six Boston songs; the songs available are:

"More Than a Feeling" (Master)
"Peace of Mind" (Master)
"Smokin'" (Master)
"Rock & Roll Band" (Master)
"Something About You" (Master)
"Hitch a Ride" (Master)

The songs are available for $1.99 each or $9.99 for the pack and can be purchased through Xbox Live! Marketplace (160 Microsoft Points for each song or 800 points for the pack) and Sony's Playstation Store.

More information on the release: www.rockband.com/blog/entry/264578
Boston is gearing up to hit the road this summer for a US/Canada tour. The official website has been updated with information, including a look at the tour dates/venues.

Michael Sweet of the band Stryper, will be joining the band performing vocals/guitar. Joining Michael on vocals will be Tommy DeCarlo, the Boston fan who got to join the band on stage last August for the Come Together show and got to show off his awesome vocal talents.

The tour will kick off June 06, 2008 in Thunder Bay, Ontario. There are a number of dates listed. Keep an eye on the 2008 Tour Listings page for dates and venues. The venues listings are being updated to include address information, including a link to Google Maps, so you can plan your trip to see Boston live!

Including the tour, Boston is also releasing a fully remastered Greatest Hits CD. Boston has already released remasters of the first two albums, which were remastered by Tom Scholz in 2006. The remaster will be released sometime this summer.
If you're interested in Boston memorabilia, there are a couple of auctions that you may want to watch out for.
 

Boston fans (especially Canadians) may want to plan a road trip to Thunder Bay, Ontario in June.

Thunder Bay will be one of the stops for stage 1 of the Great Race 2008, which is an event that spans North America, China and Europe. During day 8, which is June 06. The Thunder Bay Community Auditorium will be presenting a live outdoor event which will be headlined by Boston and will feature performances by Kim Mitchell and Eddie Money. The performance will be held at Marina Park.

According to the  Rock 94 FM website, this will be the kickoff for Boston's world tour.

Gates open at 4:30pm and tickets are $75, with proceeds going to benefit the George Jeffrey Children's Foundation Capital Fundraising Campaign.

For more info on The Great Race: www.greatrace.com
Republican candidate Mike Huckabee is using More Than a Feeling during his campaign, and Tom Scholz isn't very happy about it --  in fact he sent a letter to Huckabee asking him to stop.
 

Gary Pihl's other group Alliance is set to release an all-new album this spring.
 

If you recall from last Summer's Come Together tribute show, Michael Sweet shared the stage with Boston. Now according to a recent interview on Metal Rules, it looks like Michael will be much more involved with the band.
 

dg rockin away 400The Delp and Goudreau song Rockin Away is currently #20 on the rock charts according to America's Music Charts from January 15/08, up from 23 in the previous week with 99 spins. If you would like to help the song climb the charts, you can call your local rock radio station and request the song.

Rockin' Away is still holding at #20 with 105 radio spins

Update Jan 29/08:Rockin' Away has inched up to #19 with 111 radio spins

Update Feb 05/08:Rockin' Away is now at #18 with 101 radio spins

The Brad Delp Foundation, created in honor of the lead singer for the bands Boston and Beatle Juice, is awarding its initial grant this week, according to foundation director and spokesman Bill Faulkner.  The presentation to the non-profit John Lennon Educational Tour Bus will be made at the NAMM winter conference this week in Anaheim, CA by Delp's daughter Jenna.
 

In case you haven't seen the document from the lawsuit of Tom Scholz/DTS Foundation vs Micki Delp, Connie Goudreau and Jane Doe, it is available in the articles section. The original Microsoft Word document as well as an Adobe PDF are available at the top of that article for download. The document has been made available as well through Gonna Hitch a Ride and the Boston_rocks group.
From the Boston Globe:
Brad Delp's ex-wife sent us a statement yesterday claiming that she has never received a copy of a lawsuit filed against her by her ex-husband's onetime Boston bandmate Tom Scholz.
 

From the Boston Globe:
Brad Delp's death hasn't exactly healed old wounds. Far from it. Since the Boston singer committed suicide last March, relations among members of the multiplatinum act have become poisonous, as evidenced by a lawsuit filed by the band's mastermind, Tom Scholz, against Delp's ex-wife Micki and Connie Goudreau, wife of Boston guitarist Barry Goudreau.
 

I'm sure I'm not the only person who has air guitared to Boston, now you can take it further, thanks to Air Guitar Rocker.
 

Fran Cosmo is now a member of the popular online community Facebook.

On a recent bulletin from Fran's Myspace page, it was announced that Fran now has a Facebook profile, which will allow fans to interact with him and keep updated on what's new with Fran. If you have a Facebook account, you can just add him by clicking this link and add him as a friend. If you don't have a Facebook profile yet, you can sign up at Facebook and create a profile.
If you attempted to access the site between Dec 31-Jan 02, you may have been surprised to be greeted by an error message instead.
 

This past year has been full of ups and downs in both the Boston community and this site, I thought I would take a few moments to reflect on the highs and lows of the year - both with Boston and thirdstage.ca.
 

Happy holidays from thirdstage.ca. Hope you all have a safe and happy holiday season.

bandboston.com has posted a holiday greeting on their front page, along with some info:

  • Jeff Neal and his wife Ann Marie welcomed a beautiful baby girl, Lauren on October 31.
  • The tribute for Brad in August raised $11,325 for the DTS Charitable Foundation, which was donated in Brad’s memory to The Humane Farming Association. Tom also made a matching contribution from the foundation to Earth Save.
  • Tom recently took some time out from recording some new BOSTON songs to lay the lead guitar tracks for Stryper’s “Peace of Mind” cover that will appear on their next CD. Both Gary and Tom are planning to make a guest appearance with Stryper at a benefit concert on 25 February 2008 in Providence, RI. Proceeds from this show will be going to the Station Family Fund, which provides survivor relief from the horrific February 2003 nightclub fire in Rhode Island.
  • Rolling Stone asked Tom to share some memories of Brad for their December issue. Only a portion of what Tom wrote appeared in the magazine, you can see the full response on the website.