How Boston fooled the world with 'More Than a Feeling'

Boston performing in 1977 / Pictorial Press / Alamy Stock Photo

More Than a Feeling. What an amazing feel good hit. But this one is more than just a feeling - there’s a great back story to it.

For a start, the track took the band over 5 years to complete, and almost never saw the airwaves at all. Also, you might be surprised who the true inspiration was, as well as the fact that Boston fooled the whole world into thinking that they were a ‘band’. Let’s take a look at how this epic track was born.

So, we all know this one. It’s an absolute classic and go-to for countless cover bands and rock bars all over the world. If you don’t sing along to this one, there’s something wrong with you. But like so many great tracks, it was almost lost altogether. So what’s the story? Well, it all started in the late 60’s and early 70’s, with a very clever young man named Tom Scholz.

A classically trained pianist, Scholz gained a masters degree in mechanical engineering from the prestigious MIT, where he also morphed himself into a multi-instrumentalist whilst playing with college bands. It was during this time that he met drummer, Jim Masdea, and they started recording demos together. Singer Brad Delp would also join in 1970, but they still weren't technically a band... More on that later on.

It was also around this time that Scholz started utilizing his mechanical knowledge to make homemade effects pedals and even recording and producing gear. Some of this would be used on the future hit. Scholz's high qualifications had earned him a decent job with Polaroid, and so he had a bit of money to spend on his musical projects, but wasn’t exactly flush. 

Despite having good resources in the audiovisual engineering world, paying for studio time quickly started to mount up, so he did what any self respecting amateur musician would do... He built his own studio. Squirreled away in the privacy of his bodge job studio, Scholz worked relentlessly to try and get his musical visions off the ground. 

Unsatisfied with the musicianship of those he tried to bring in, Scholz would play every instrument other than drums - normally played by Masdea.

He was a perfectionist, and spent years refining and re - recording demo tapes, to be mailed out to music labels and producers.

But no luck. None of the labels were interested, and Scholz even once got a letter of rejection from future label Epic, which he recalled in an interview with Maximum Guitar in 1997:

“Epic flat-out rejected it and sent me an insulting letter! I have that letter framed now, but it said that there was nothing new about this music and they were in no way interested. Then later, someone went through the proper political channels with Epic and all of a sudden, they were interested. Still, we didn’t get signed until they heard More Than A Feeling.”

Tom Scholz performing / Michael Dwyer / Alamy Stock Photo

However, it wasn’t wasted time. Scholz had taught himself about every facet of music production and recording, as well as honing his song writing skills on multiple instruments. He had effectively turned himself and Masdea into a two man band, at least on tape.

When he sent out tapes to record companies, his plan was to basically fool them into thinking this was a full band being recorded and produced in a studio, but it wasn’t. It was him, all his instruments, and Masdea in a basement. 

Even Brad Delp was fooled when he was sent demo tapes to sing over, thinking it was a complete band at times. Understandably, after 5 years of perseverance and rejection, Scholz was starting to lose motivation, and money. And so, without much hope, he prepared and sent out one last demo tape. Scholz spoke to Gibson.com about it in 2008:

“I had enough money for one last demo and sent it off to 24 companies, then figured I’d sit back and wait for the rejection letters. Lo and behold, three major labels were interested. I couldn’t believe it!”

This last hail mary included More Than a Feeling, and finally grabbed the attention of the record labels, with Epic eventually signing them. So finally, Boston had a label and caught a break.

Except, ‘Boston’ was still basically just Scholz creating the whole project, with Brad Delp contributing vocals… which was a slight problem. See, part of the contract negotiations included that Boston go back and record all those demo’s that had got them a spot in the first place. Even though those demo’s rejected for years. As far as Epic were concerned, Boston happily agreed to do so in a fancy professional studio, with a producer of the labels choosing - namely John Boylan.  

Somewhat cheekily, Sholz had other ideas. He convinced the producer that the only way he was going to do this was if he could return to his basement and re-record it the only way he knew how. 

Boylan agreed, on the condition that they would then mix the song together in a studio in LA.

In interview with CRR, Scholz recalled:

“Epic thought it was being re-recorded by a real producer in a studio somewhere. The only difference is that Sib Hashian played the drum tracks on those versions. I did the exact same thing. I went back to work and I played all of the parts myself. When you hear More Than A Feeling, that’s a couple of weeks of me relaying the guitar tracks down just the way I did on the demos. Brad did the same thing with the vocals. It was done entirely just like the original but the record company didn’t know it."

He went on to explain that the poor producer probably only agreed because he was worried about losing the gig. And that they supposedly split the producers royalty check… cheeky.

Deceptive or not, it was the right way to go. The song was an instant smash hit, and it’s easy to see why.

It’s got those catchy riffs, a singalong anthem feel, an iconic solo and just a unique sound.

All those years perfecting his own sound, and crafting his own equipment, paid off. In years to come, Scholz would be praised for his signature guitar tone that others could never quite reproduce.

This was largely down to having his own one-off bits of kit, but was also down to his meticulous approach to recording - the song is covered in layers upon layers of sound with multi tracked instruments, adding texture and depth.

This was nothing new, but here it was simply just done beautifully. Just listen to the layers building up in the intro.

Amazingly, the 12 string acoustic guitar you can hear at the beginning, only cost $100. Just goes to show what can be done when it’s in the right hands. 

Boston’s sound was a unique thing that couldn’t easily be emulated, and that’s a trait of any great song or band. But funnily enough, despite its upbeat singalong nature, the lyrics and inspiration are actually of a sad origin - it begins with a classic tale of heartache. 

I looked out this morning and the sun was gone

Turned on some music to start my day

I lost myself in a familiar song

I closed my eyes and I slipped away

It's more than a feeling

When I hear that old song they used to play

I begin dreaming

'Til I see Marianne walk away

I see my Marianne walkin' away

Scholz told Maximum Guitar that the song was inspired by a failed first love while he was at school, and is about the experience of heartbreak eventually turning into a pleasant nostalgia.

“It started with a love affair I had when I was in school, so the song is written about something I went through myself. There was another song [Walk Away Renée by The Left Banke] out then that, whenever I heard it, caused me to pine miserably for this particular girl and so I decided to write my own song about those feelings.”

Tom Scholz in the recording studio / Associated Press / Alamy Stock Photo

However, he’s also said in other interviews that it was a fictional event created for the song, that anyone could relate to. But Marianne, it turns out, was a real person...  Scholz’s first cousin. What? 

Yup. Would it really be a classic hit if there wasn’t at least one weird detail in there?

He told Entertainment Weekly:

 “There actually was a real Marianne. She was my older first cousin, who I had a crush on when I was 10. I ran into her many many years later and she was very annoyed at me for mentioning that she was my older cousin.”

Okay then. 

All in all, the song was eventually released in September 1976, as the lead single and opener of debut album, Boston. It was a hit, entering at 18 and reaching No.5, finally introducing the band to the world and paving the way for their career.

To date, it’s sold over 20 million copies, but it’s its enduring legacy that really shows its quality.

It’s been used on countless TV shows and movies, and referenced by several other bands, whether intentional or not. Many people have noticed that Nirvana’s smash hit Smells like Teen Spirit’s main riff is almost identical to More Than a Feeling... And they have a point. In true Nirvana style, the band's response to these claims was to simply play it on stage at Reading festival in 1992, before launching into their own song.

I love Kurt's smirk when the others start singing terribly. He knows exactly what they’re doing.

But, more importantly, More Than a Feeling is just a great time, and I'm glad it made it out of the basement and into the world.