[On August 25th, 1976, the rock band Boston released their self-titled debut album. It would go on to become one of the best-selling albums of all time, so for its 50th anniversary this week I wanted to pay rocking tribute by AmericanStudying what a handful of iconic 70s bands can tell us about the nation. Leading up to this crowd-sourced weekend post featuring the hard-rocking responses and ideas of fellow RockBandStudiers!]
In response to Monday’s Eagles post, Jason Daniel Harrison shares, “I did an open-mic rendition of ‘Hotel California’ with a decent professional guitarist. I could only sing the lyrics in a very camp, ironic way. I am too far removed from the milieu from which the song emerged to be able to do a straight rendition. I had fun.”
In response to Tuesday’s Boston post, Bluesky user vladtheimpala writes, “Scholz’ invention of the Rockman went on to provide the guitar sounds of most of ’80s rock music. Def Leppard, ZZTop, and many more were made possible by that little headphone amp!” While Billy Byrnes adds, “he was the guy who invented fuzz tone pedals, and generally the pedal box for multiple devices. Changed music forever.”
More folks chimed in on Scholz on Bluesky as well: Historical Marker Ahead writes, “Being a standard-bearer of ‘corporate rock’ is pretty ironic for Boston’s Tom Scholz. He had to employ subterfuge to not let his record label, which demanded he use a big-name studio, know he gave them what he produced in his home studio. Also, Scholz had long legal battles with his label”; while Christian Sporleder highlights, “Tom Scholtz’s innovation, on power soak, his take on the Walkman called the Rockman. I can’t explain just how hard this hit high school nerds when it dropped. Stadium Marshalls, stereo chorus reverb in a Walkman box and headphones box. Cargo cult stuff. Now a plug-in.”
In response to Wednesday’s Lynyrd Skynyrd post, Andy Rose argues, “Chernow does some work in Grant to show how southerners attending West Point with Ulysses avoided political discussions (about enslavement) by taking about “race horses and Kentucky bourbon.” I imagine Grant’s working class disgust with these inherited wealth slave holding fail sons he would eventually meet 1861-1865. “Southern man don’t need him around anyhow” is as old as “don’t care what you think about slavery.” It’s a practiced stance.”
In response to Friday’s Ramones post, bcartwright quotes The Hold Steady’s “Ask Her for Adderall“: “If she asks just tell her that we opened for the Stones/It’s her favorite band, except for The Ramones.”
Stefanie notes an omission that I’ll have to remedy down the road: “Shocked that you haven’t written about the quintessential American band whose leader should be America’s Poet Laureate: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.”
And on a fun final note, here’s my FSU colleague and friend, and longtime AmericanStudier reader, Irene Martyniuk: “Something funny for your 70s music week. My brother-in-law is just enough older than my sister (his wife) to divide their music. He loves the Doobie Brothers; she’s with me, stuck in the 80s. To annoy him, I pester him with possible reunion tours that have to deal with the band members’ deaths. For instance, a tour featuring “The Eagle,” “The Doobie Brother,” “Earth,” and “Oyster Cult”—with special appearance by Stick…Sometimes he laughs.”
Fall semester previews start Monday,
Ben
PS. What do you think? Other additions to the conversation?
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