Third Stage

Untitled

Third Stage is the third album by hard rock band Boston released September 23, 1986 on MCA Records. The album was recorded at Tom Scholz' Hideaway Studio over a three-year period "between floods and power failures".

After winning a legal battle with Epic Records, Scholz switched their recording label to MCA. The first track on this album, "Amanda", actually written in 1980, became the band's only #1 single. The track reached and stayed at #1 for two weeks in November 1986.

The Third Stage album went to #1 on The Billboard 200 where it stayed for four weeks.

The album was a first, in many respects: the first Boston LP to feature electronic drum samples, the first to feature songs not written by either Scholz or Delp and the first Boston LP without Barry Goudreau, Sib Hashian and Fran Sheehan. However, original drummer Jim Masdea (who played on the demos that made a bulk of the first Boston album) plays drums on most of the album. This LP was also the first Boston recording to use the Scholz-invented Rockman guitar processor.

Track listing

All songs written by Tom Scholz, except where noted.

1. "Amanda" – 4:16
2. "We're Ready" – 3:58
3. "The Launch" – 2:55
4. "Cool the Engines" (Scholz, F. Sheehan, Delp) – 4:24
5. "My Destination" – 2:19
6. "A New World" (Masdea) – 0:37
7. "To be a Man" – 3:30
8. "I Think I Like It" (Scholz, J. English) – 4:07
9. "Can'tcha Say (You Believe in Me)" (G. Green, Scholz, Delp) – 5:13
10. "Hollyann" – 5:09

Personnel

• Brad Delp - vocals, harmony vocals
• Tom Scholz - guitars, organs, drums
• Jim Masdea - drums, percussion
• Gary Pihl - guitar

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Year	Chart	Position
1986	The Billboard 200	1

Singles - Billboard (North America)

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1986	"Amanda"	Billboard Hot 100 Singles	1
1986	"We're Ready"	Billboard Hot 100 Singles	9
1987	"Can'tcha Say"	Billboard Hot 100 Singles	20

No orchestral sounds or synthesizers were used in the album.