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Brad Delp

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Brad Delp
Background information
Born(1951-06-12)June 12, 1951
Peabody, Massachusetts, United States
DiedMarch 9, 2007(2007-03-09) (aged 55)
Atkinson, New Hampshire, United States
GenresRock
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar, harmonica, keyboards
Years active1969–2007
LabelsEpic, MCA, Artemis

Bradley Edward Delp (June 12, 1951 – March 9, 2007) was an American musician, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Boston. Delp was known for his high tenor vocal range.[1]

Early life

Delp was born in Peabody, Massachusetts on June 12, 1951 to French-Canadian immigrants.[2] While his father played the fiddle at home, Delp was inspired after seeing the Beatles perform on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964. He began learning to play the guitar and claimed to have locked himself in his bedroom for several days in order to learn all the guitar and vocal parts. He saw the Beatles perform live at Suffolk Downs in East Boston on August 18, 1966. In 1968, Delp also discovered the music of a local group from Worcester called Orpheus and became a lifelong fan, calling them his "favorite band – second only to The Beatles".[3] In 1970, Brad Delp was making heating elements for Mr. Coffee machines at Danvers company HotWatt when he met Boston founder Tom Scholz, Barry Goudreau and Jim Masdea while playing in a cover band. Delp auditioned as lead vocalist for Boston, and got the job immediately.

Musical career

Delp while playing for his band Beatlejuice

In 1969, guitarist Barry Goudreau introduced Delp to Tom Scholz, who was looking for a singer to complete some demo recordings. Eventually Scholz formed the short-lived band Mother's Milk (1973–74), including Delp and Goudreau. After producing a demo, Epic Records eventually signed the act. Mother's Milk was renamed Boston, and the eponymous debut album (recorded in 1975, although many tracks had been written years before) was released in August 1976. Delp performed all of the lead and backing vocals, including all layered vocal overdubs.

Boston has sold more than 20 million copies, and produced rock standards such as "More Than a Feeling", "Foreplay/Long Time" and "Peace of Mind". Delp co-wrote "Smokin'" along with Scholz, and wrote the album's closing track, "Let Me Take You Home Tonight".

Their next album, Don't Look Back, was released two years later in August 1978. Its release spawned new hits such as the title track, "Party" (a sequel of sorts to "Smokin'"), and the poignant ballad "A Man I'll Never Be". As they did with "Smokin'", Delp and Scholz again collaborated on "Party", and Delp penned "Used To Bad News".

After the two Boston albums, Delp sang vocals on Barry Goudreau's self-titled solo album, released in 1980. Scholz's legendary perfectionism and a legal battle with their record company stalled any further Boston albums until 1986, when the band released the appropriately titled Third Stage.

Another hiatus between albums forced Delp to part ways with Scholz in 1991 to form a new band with Goudreau called RTZ. After Boston released the album "Walk On" in 1994 with Fran Cosmo on vocals, Delp and Boston eventually reunited later that year for another major tour and Delp continued to record vocals on several albums and projects, including new tracks for Boston's 1997 Greatest Hits compilation and their 2002 release Corporate America.

Though well known for his "golden" voice with soaring vocals and range,[4] Delp was also a multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, harmonica and keyboards. He wrote or co-wrote songs for Boston and many other artists.

From the mid-1990s until his death in 2007, Delp also played in a side project when he had time off from Boston – a Beatles tribute band called Beatlejuice. The Beatles had always been a personal favorite of Delp, and he revered them for their songwriting. During this time Delp also co-wrote with Boston bandmate Barry Goudreau for the 2003 release Delp and Goudreau.

Personal life

Delp was twice married and divorced, and had two children by his second wife. He was a vegetarian for over 30 years, and contributed to a number of charitable causes.[5] He was set to marry Pamela Sullivan, his girlfriend of seven years, at the time of his death.

Death

Delp committed suicide on March 9, 2007, aged 55. He was found dead in his home on Academy Avenue in Atkinson, New Hampshire, from the smoke of two charcoal grills he lit inside his sealed master bathroom.[6] Delp was found by police and Delp's fiancee together, lying on a pillow on his bathroom floor. Delp left 4 private notes to his family members in an office plus a public suicide note paper-clipped to the neck of his t-shirt which read: "Mr. Brad Delp. "J'ai une ame solitaire". I am a lonely soul." [7][8][9][10]

The official cause of death was listed as carbon monoxide poisoning.[11] Delp was known for his considerate nature and gentle spirit. He had left a note on the front door and master bedroom door of his house warning that there would be carbon monoxide present and mentioned that someone please see that "Floppy", their cat, was unaffected by the carbon monoxide. That day, the official website for the band was taken down and replaced with the statement: "We've just lost the nicest guy in rock and roll."

"Brad Delp installed a hidden camera in his fiancee’s sister’s bedroom – and killed himself nine days after he was caught.

Evidence given in the court case between Boston mainman Tom Scholz and a newspaper revealed how Delp, who committed suicide in 2007, was ashamed and apologetic after his spy device was found.

Events came to light as part of Scholz’s claim that the Boston Herald defamed him by suggesting he was to blame for his bandmate’s death.

Delp was engaged to Pamela Sullivan while her sister Meg Sullivan lived in the singer’s house. His relationship with Meg was described as “platonic”.[12]

On March 19, 2007, Barry Goudreau released one final song with Delp on vocals titled "Rockin' Away." Recorded in the summer of 2006 and co-written with Barry Goudreau, it is an autobiography of Delp's music career. The song was a minor hit in early 2008, charting up to No. 18 on the America's Music ranking of rock radio airplay.[13]

A tribute concert, featuring his former bandmates from RTZ, Beatlejuice, Orion The Hunter, Delp and Goudreau, and Boston was conceived by his adult children and intended to fund the newly formed Brad Delp Foundation. The show took place on August 19, 2007. The Brad Delp Foundation was formed to raise awareness and garner continued support for various charitable entities to which Brad had contributed during his life.

One posthumous CD release on which Delp sang was Mark "Guitar" Miller's Whatcha Gonna Do (2008). Miller said, "Brad was kind enough to drive from New Hampshire to Maine twice to sing on this CD with me." Delp sang lead vocals on the track "Nothin' But the Blues." The songs Delp sings harmony on are "My Mojo Ain't Workin'," "Whatcha Gonna Do," "Goin' Down by the River," "Keep Your Little Red Dress On," and "Guitar Man."

Another posthumous release on which Delp sang was Bruce Arnold's Orpheus Again (2010). Arnold said, "He added immeasurably to my music." The songs Delp sings harmony on are "The Love Bite" and a contemporary remake of "Can't Find the Time." [citation needed]

On what would have been Delp's 61st birthday, June 12, 2012, Jenna Delp, President of the Brad Delp Foundation, released an MP3 on the foundation website of a "never before released" song, written and recorded by Delp in 1973 with a statement of the Foundation's intention to release a complete CD of Brad's solo work in the near future, encompassing a span of over 30 years of previously unreleased material, written and recorded by Delp and his closest friends.

Discography

References

  1. ^ "Brad Delp". Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  2. ^ Pareles, Jon (March 10, 2007). Brad Delp, 55, Lead Singer for Boston, Dies. The New York Times
  3. ^ Moskowitz, Eric (August 18, 2007). "Delp's bandmates, friends unite in tribute and in sadness". The Boston Globe.
  4. ^ "RIP Brad Delp (1951-2007)". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. March 12, 2007. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  5. ^ Wright, Jeb (July 2003). Interview with Brad Delp. Classic Rock Revisited
  6. ^ "Brad Delp: Details Emerge About His Tragic Suicide". Guitar World. April 27, 2007. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
  7. ^ McDonald, Ray (March 16, 2007). "Rock Musician Delp Described Self as 'Lonely Soul' in Suicide Note". VOA News. Voice of America. Retrieved January 1, 2009. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  8. ^ "'I am a lonely soul,' Delp suicide note says". MSNBC. March 15, 2007. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
  9. ^ "Brad Delp's fiancee releases statement on his death". therockradio.com. March 28, 2007.[dead link]
  10. ^ "Police Report On Delp's Death Reveals His Final Message". WMUR. March 16, 2007. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
  11. ^ "Family: Rocker Brad Delp's death was suicide". Boston.com. Associated Press. March 14, 2007. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
  12. ^ "Bedroom spy camera find led up to Brad Delp's suicide". classicrocmagazine.com. May 30, 2012. Retrieved October 22, 2013.
  13. ^ "'Rockin Away' on Radio Charts". thirdstage.ca. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
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