The second biggest debut album of all time, and one of the most beloved, was created by a super-genius in his basement. In Toledo, Ohio. Mainly by himself. This mastermind is Tom Scholz.
Scholz is the creator of and the brain behind the Rock supergroup Boston. Which he created, again, in his basement. In that same basement, he also created an American pop standard, the immortal jam More Than a Feeling.
Scholz was a prodigy as a kid; he was great at making music at an early age, and he was a builder/tinkerer throughout his childhood. He’d go on to earn his master’s degree from MIT and soon become a senior engineer at Polaroid . While working at Polaroid, Scholz would work on music in his spare time in his basement studio. After a few years of having his demos being rejected by music labels, he signed a deal with Epic Records. Scholz formed the core of his band during the making of its first album. Most groups are fully formed by the time recording starts. This band would be named… Boston.
On August 25th, 1976, Boston’s self-titled debut album was released. It became a sensation, selling 17 million copies. For years it was the biggest selling debut album ever, until Guns N’ Roses’ Appetite For Destruction broke the record (no pun intended). The album’s lead single was More Than a Feeling. The song reached the number 5 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, but its impact has gone way past its chart listing. More Than a Feeling is an eternal classic that people have never gotten tired of. It’s one of those tunes that you are guaranteed to hear at least three times a year…someway, somehow. Actually, the song is an anthem.
A revolutionary album that spawned a supernatural hit was created by an extraordinary guy…who hails from an awesome state.
Ohio rocks.
Miami Valley Music Focus explores the places and people behind the music of Southwest, Ohio. This series is made possible by support from Ohio Arts Council.
