BOSTON — A new report out of the New England Conservatory of Music suggests that classic rock band Boston’s hit song “More Than A Feeling” may have just kept playing on into infinity, and that the fade out ending was not really an ending at all.
“What we are saying,” said Dr. Kyle Danvers, Ph.D. and professor of Paramusicology at NECM, “is there is no concrete evidence that ‘More Than A Feeling’ ever ended. Sure, there are a lot of theories, but for all we know, Tom Scholz, Brad Delp, and Sib Hashian might still be in the studio to this very day.”
The study examines what has been dubbed “The Fade Out Continuum,” affecting some of the most popular bands of the 20th century. Dr. Danvers hypothesizes in his study that the continuum contributed to the Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson insanity, as he was forced to play the final bars of “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” for eternity.
Following the release of the study, however, many musicologists criticized Dr. Danvers’ work.
“It is preposterous to think that a song would never end, and just sort of keep playing until the end of time,” said Dr. Todd Dougherty, a Ph.D. at the Curtis Institute of Music. “It should be grouped into such pseudo-art ideas like the Flat Note Theory, and Guns N’ Roses supposed The General album. It’s all humbug!”
Despite the backlash, Dr. Danvers strongly supports his findings.
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“It seems far more likely that these songs kept on going forever than that a producer was so lazy and uninspired, he would just turn the volume down to end the song,” said Dr. Danvers. “Let me ask you something: Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Beatles, the Kinks… are these bands still around? Still making music? Still touring? No! And why is that? Because they never stopped playing those songs, man.”
When reached for comment, representatives for all artists cited in the study claimed each musician was “too busy to comment on such an idiotic idea.”
Danvers is currently seeking funding for his follow-up study to determine the whereabouts of Wham!’s Andrew Ridgeley.
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Article by Dan Kozuh @k0zuh. Photo by Tim Boyle and Shelby Kettrick @ShelbyShootsStuff.