Yay for Sears!!

I was cleaning out some old email and found this from my buddy Karl, wanted to pass it along....


Let's all show up at Sears


I assume you have all seen the reports about how Sears is treating its reservist employees who are called up? By law, they are required to hold their jobs open and available, but nothing more. Usually, people take a big pay cut and lose benefits as a result of being called up...Sears is voluntarily paying the difference in salaries and maintaining all benefits, including medical insurance and bonus programs, for all called up reservist employees for up to two years. I submit that Sears is an exemplary corporate citizen and should be recognized for its contribution.

Suggest we all shop at Sears, and be sure to find a manager to tell them why we are there so the company gets the positive reinforcement it well deserves.

Pass it on.

So I, decided to check it out before I sent it forward. I sent the following email to the Sears Customer Service Department:

I received this email and I would like to know if it is true. If it is, the Internet may have just become one very good source of advertisement for your store. I know I would go out of my way to buy products from Sears instead of another store for a like item even if it was cheaper at the other store.
Here is their answer to my email.....................



Dear Customer:

Thank you for contacting Sears.

The information is factual. We appreciate your positive feedback. Sears regards service to our country as one of greatest sacrifices our young men and women can make. We are happy to do our part to lessen the burden they bear at this time.

Bill Thorn
Sears Customer Care
webcenter@sears.com
1-800-349-4358

Please pass this on to all your friends, Sears needs to be recognized for this outstanding contribution and we need to show them as Americans, we do appreciate what they are doing for our military!!!!!!!!!!! It's Verified By Snopes.com

The Music Bidness 2007 part 2

Well, it's nice that all of those things are checked...but maybe it's me, but the first thing that should be checked is....is she any good? Can she sing?
I don't think they sold Janis Joplin this way, I might be wrong, though.

Bob Dylan Sings Dr. Suess

This is hysterical.

Skyline Number 12

Sydney Australia.

How Incredibly Sad and Heartbreaking

The family of Boston lead singer Brad Delp issued a brief statement today saying that his death last Friday was a suicide. According to Lieutenant William Baldwin of the Atkinson, New Hampshire police department, Delp took his life through intentional carbon monoxide poisoning. He left two notes, the contents of which were not released. The statement was issued on behalf of Delp's mother, children and his fiancee, the last of whom found his body. It says, "He was a man who gave all he had to give to everyone around him, whether family, friends, fans or strangers. He gave as long as he could, as best he could, and he was very tired. We take comfort in knowing that he is now, at last, at peace."

How sad.

From Tom Scholz:

Rolling Stone writer Andy Greene has asked me for some recollections about my experiences with Brad. An edited version of the reply I sent him appeared on rollingstone.com with questions inserted in the text. Here is the complete unedited note I sent to Andy:

Andy,

Thanks you for allowing me to answer your questions by e-mail. I haven't been in the mood to talk to talk to people much for the last few days as you might imagine, but I appreciate you turning to me for this. Brad and I were friends and collaborators for 35 years. Both of us being vegetarians, non-drug users and more interested in music than money, put us in a very small minority in the music business; our bond ran much deeper than just BOSTON music.

In answer to your questions:

I met Brad, soft spoken and unassuming, when he auditioned in a recording studio outside of Boston one night to sing several songs I had written. Back then in the early seventies recording a song demo meant coming up with a significant amount of money, several weeks of my day job savings, to buy a few hours of 8 track time.

Having endured countless sessions with other singers, most with undeserved egos, I had only the faintest glimmer of hope that he might be good enough to squeak by as a suitable vocalist.

He didn't warm up; he just listened to the prerecorded instrument track once. Then he started to sing. I don't know if it took two seconds or three, but before he finished singing the first line I knew that some guardian angel had just delivered to me one of the best vocalists ever to step up to a microphone! Then he kept going and I realized he wasn't just one of the best, he was amazing! High notes I hadn't heard before followed by harmonies, and overdubbed exact duplicate layered tracks, all with ease, all with emotion, and yet all technically precise.

Before we left that night he had rewritten the lyrics and the melody, sung all the vocal parts, and with the magic of his voice turned my stark guitar riff into a song! From that moment on I only hoped I could write and record music worthy of his attention and interpretation.

There were soulful notes that pulled you into the song, stratospheric screams and angelic high notes, and after hitting these record breaking notes he'd go back and sing a harmony part above it! He didn't rehearse any of these parts, he could jump back and forth between harmony parts, double tracking parts, and then go back and do it again exactly the same with one tiny change, adjusting all the other singing parts to fit with bionic accuracy.

You'd think anyone with this super human talent would be an insufferable egomaniac. But Brad was just the opposite, and amazingly he remained honestly humble in spite of the incredible star pressure that followed BOSTON's success.

Brad and I banged our heads against the wall trying to get a break with record companies for five years. During that time he and I did a lot of basement recording; we received absolutely zero recognition locally and complete rejection submitting our demos to national record labels. I think this experience put our future success in perspective as we both realized that after so many years of insult, we were just very lucky to be able to record and play music above ground! Unlike many other individuals eventually involved with BOSTON, Brad's down to earth personality never wavered; it was his natural demeanor.

When someone asked me what Brad was like, the first words that always came to mind were "nice guy." Oddly, his incredible performing abilities seem barely worth mentioning compared to his attributes as a human being. He was soft spoken yet very quick and funny. Although I rarely remember seeing him in the throws of a good belly laugh, he could keep the people around him in stitches effortlessly, and did so on a daily basis. When he wasn't making someone laugh, or giving his time to a fan, he was a tireless worker, both in the studio and on stage.

He and I had a very strong personal connection because of our moral beliefs, yet we were drastically different kinds of people. While I am rebellious and easily provoked to an unyielding defense, Brad was passive and studiously non confrontational.

Somehow over the years I think we both grew not only to accept this in each other, but to respect it; I think this is part of the reason we were able to work together for so much of our lives. In an odd parallel we were also opposites in the studio. Once Brad would laid down a vocal track he became instantly committed to it and would dig in if challenged, whereas I would want to change everything and never be sure. We were usually at odds on how vocal arrangements should go also, which in early years caused heated debates. Later we both developed such respect for each other's abilities that the collaboration, so important to the eventual outcome of BOSTON's music, became much easier. It was largely my music, but it was Brad who brought it to life, and this struggle we both had to endure was part of what made it so many people's favorite.

I last saw Brad at rehearsal last month where we prepared several old and new songs for our upcoming summer shows. These are my fondest memories, playing music with my friend and the greatest singer in rock and roll.

Andy, Brad and I have been used and abused throughout our adult life by the music business, it continues even in his death. Please do the right thing with this. Sorry I wrote you a tome.

Tom Scholz

A Post of Musical Links

It's getting to be THAT time of year...ten rules for summer concerts


The ten least romantic love songs lyrics.



Here is a list of the twenty worst cover songs in rock history.

Hmmm Rod Stewart is on both lists...

Skyline Number 13

Frankfurt, Germany.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

This is a rant, so get ready. I really like Van Halen, they made some great music in the late 70's and into the 90's. The addition of Sammy Hagar really invigorated this band. Some of their songs are on my list as the best of all time. I am not sure, however, how they got elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I think they are a great band, but I am not familiar with the criteria needed to get elected. Case in point...here are some of my selections that I think should have gotten in before them...



Linda Ronstadt, THE most popular female singer of the 70's. And just because of this album cover... 'nuff said.


Van Halen before Neil...that aint right. One of the most prolific songwriters ever and still going strong today..OK, I will take away points for 'Heartlight', but tell me is there anyone who has the portfolio of songs this guys does...I didn't think so. It's a travesty he's not in.


The Hollies...'Bus Stop','The Air That I Breathe','He Aint Heavy','Carrie Ann' ETC ETC. Perfect harmonies and great songwriting.


YES. Formed in 1968 and still going strong. Just for 'Roundabout', 'Your Move' and 'Owner of A Lonely Heart'. These guys have definately earned their spot.


Three Dog Night. This is a no brainer..21 top ten songs and three number ones. This is a disgrace that they aren't in. I don't know of a better band backing three talented vocalists. A huge part of the soundtrack of my adolescence.


Chicago..another crime. They rank as one of the biggest selling bands ever. I can only think they are snubbed because after 'If You Leave Me Now', they didn't rock anymore. Give me the first five albums anyday.


Doobie Brothers...THIS is the biggest, glaringest snub ever. These guys still do a hundred dates a year and their catalogue is still one of the best selling ever. 'The Best of The Doobies' has sold over 20 million copies...this is just bullshit.


Heart...maybe a stretch but I wouldn't have a problem with them getting in.


The Moody Blues...another monumental snub. Nine excelleent releases and they changed the landscape in the late 60's and early 70's with smart, excellent songs. From 1967-72, these guys were the best ofthe bunch.

That is just the opinion of one music lover, if there are any you care to add, feel free.

Skyline Number 14

Number 14 on a list of someone greatest skylines, here is number 14 Dubai, UAE.

Brush With Greatness March 2007

John Schneider 'Bo Duke' taken last Friday. Dude looks like he hasn't aged a year. He was in town to promote his new film. My first question was about Catherine Bach. He was one of the best interviews ever.
Really nice cat. Why can't I take a decent picture....huh

Tournament Thoughts

I am not sure how I feel about Dick Vitale. I want to hate the guy, but last year when we went to a prep rally at Notre Dame (he has two daughters that go there), we saw him and he was exceptional about talking with people, having his picture taken and my son says his daughters are very nice.
But still, he seems to the a shill for the ACC, if he isn't touting Duke, he is touting Maryland or some other team. Yeah, the ACC is a great conference but enough is enough. He says North Carolina will win it all. Surprize.
I thought Missouri State got screwed again and only two MVC teams got in.
Creighton has a tough match up and so does SIU. Notre Dame got hosed. They got all the way to the semi-finals of their conference tournament losing to eventual champion (and number two seed) Georgetown by two points. For that they get a sixth seed. Duke loses in the first game of their conference tournament by a team that didn't make the NCAA tournament and they got a sixth seed.
You can not be rewarded for past sucesses, that shouldn't count. Too bad for Drexel, Air Force and Syracuse. They got hosed, too.