College students don’t often have the privilege to be taught by a professor who produced over 50 albums, with over 40 million records sold.
Recording Arts professor John Boylan, has been teaching songwriting, critical listening for sound engineers and careers for sound engineers in the music industry courses at Citrus for over 10 years.
Before teaching, Boylan worked in the music industry for over 40 years. Under experience, his resume could list working with Linda Ronstadt, Rick Nelson, the Little River Band, Carly Simon, Boston and forming the Eagles.
Early in his career Boylan produced a notable album alongside Bostons founder Tom Scholz. The 1976 self titled album “Boston” was the band’s first.
The record went multi-platinum. At the time, it was the highest selling debut album by any artist, selling over 17 million copies in the U.S.
“Biggest record I ever had,” Boylan said.
Even with the album’s success, it almost never reached the ears of the public.
“That was a little weird,” Boylan said. “Their manager before they were even a band, I knew this guy, Paul Ahern. He had been the head of promotion on Asylum records which is Linda (Ronstadt)’s label. I was working with Linda.”
Boylan said after hearing demo, he thought the music was special.
But Ahern could not sell the album.
“He was shopping it all over the place and couldn’t get it sold,” Boylan said. “Finally, he did sell it to Epic Records.”
Boylan was an independent producer when his opportunity with Boston came. Ahern told Epic, Scholz wanted to record the album himself, but Epic records said to bring in a producer.
Ahern had Boylan co-produce the album with Scholz, but the two worked on opposite coasts.
“We kind of did the record together, but apart,” Boylan said. “He would not quit his day job”
Scholz stayed in Massachusetts working a nine to five at Polaroid. He spent all night recording his parts in his basement. While Boylan was in L.A. recording with the band Boston. Scholz recorded keyboards, bass and most of the guitar parts.
When Scholz finished his tracks, he transferred them to L.A. with a hitch.
Scholz was recording on a 12-track, but to add the vocals and percussion Boylan recorded, they needed more space, since Scholz filled the tracks with his recordings.
“I hired a remote recording truck from Providence, Rhode Island, drove up to his house and ran a snake through the basement window and transferred the 12 track onto 12 tracks of a 24 track,” Boylan said. “So, now it has 12 open tracks and he brings the tracks with him to LA.”
The final parts of the album were transferred at Capital Records in L.A. Then album was mixed at Westlake recording studios.
After the release of Boston’s self titled album, Epic records hired Boylan on the label. He quickly became Epic’s vice president of artists and repertoire.
Born and raised in New York, Boylan graduated from Bard College with an acting degree. He said he tired of trying to become an actor, and said he always had career in music on his mind.
“The truth was I was playing in a band with my brother as a day job,” Boylan said. “Then my brother said ‘lets go talk to some music publishers.’
“He opened the door for me. I just followed along and we both got hired for $50 a week as staff songwriters in Tin Pan Alley.”
While working as a songwriter, one of Boylan’s songs caught the ear of musician Rick Nelson, and “That was my first big break,” Boylan said.
Boylan went to work for Nelson. He said he had the idea of recording a song by Bob Dylan “She Belongs To Me” with a country rock arrangement, but needed to form a band for the project.
He formed Nelson’s Stone Canyon Band, which included member Randy Meisner.
Boylan moved to California in 1969 to work with Nelson and the Stone Canyon Band.
While living in California, Boylan was hanging out at the famous music venue the Troubadour in Hollywood, when musician Linda Ronstadt introduced herself to Boylan. She said she liked what he put together with Nelson, and wanted him to help her form a backup band.
Boylan said Ronstadt was ready for a new manager at the time.
“I became Linda’s manager by default,” Boylan said.
The duo started forming a group. Boylan already knew musician Don Henley who had sent Boylan a recording for Ronstadt. He also spotted him at the Troubadour.
“I said yeah, I listened to that, but there was no return address,” Boylan said. “I liked the song, but it’s not for Linda.”
Boylan decided to hire Henley on to go on the road with Ronstadt. Henley also knew musician Glenn Frey, but had never worked together yet. They took them both on the road.
“We couldn’t afford for everyone to have their own hotel rooms, so Don and Glenn roomed together and they became fast buddies and started to write songs together,” Boylan said.
Soon after Frey and Henley wanted to form their own band.
“We said great,” Boylan said. “Linda suggested Bernie Leadon to be their guitar player… and I suggested Randy Meisner that I had hired to be in the Stone Canyon Band.”
The group they formed was the Eagles — among the most successful bands in history.
While Boylan continued producing albums with huge stars, he worked with small bands, including the Unforgiven.
One of the prominent members was drummer Alan Waddington. Waddington is a music instructor at Citrus College.
The Unforgiven signed to Elektra, which was their first big label. When tasked to find a producer, the band chose Boylan.
While recording the album, Waddington spent weeks next to Boylan getting to know him on a more personal level.
Waddington said he was broke at the time unsure of his future. He said Boylan would calm him down by saying he is a smart and resourceful.
“The way he said ‘you’ll be OK’ helped calm me,” Waddington said. “And I have that same moment with students in the classroom.”
After the Unforgiven released their record in 1984, Waddington worked with many other producers who he said he would not see again.
“But with John you knew you would,” Waddington said. “I think without it being spoken you kind of knew you were going to know this guy.”
After all the successful albums Boylan produced, he found an unplanned career as a teacher, when he was mixing a record for Charlie Daniels in L.A.
“It was a fluke,” Boylan said. “Somebody from the studio next door said ‘I teach at UCLA will you come and be a guest at my class?’’
Boylan accepted and gave a guest lecture. The head of the UCLA extension entertainment program happend to be observing the class when he gave his guest lecture.
The next day she called and said one of the audio engineer teachers quit, and asked if he would like a job teaching at UCLA.
Boylan accepted and taught at UCLA for 11 years before moving back to New York.
When he moved back to California, he answered a call from Waddington asking him to guest lecture at Citrus College.
For the second time Boylan parlayed the lecture into a teaching position. He has been at Citrus for over 10 years.
“I think, and I don’t mean to blow the Citrus horn, but in my professional opinion, 50 years in this business, the two studios we have here are as good as anything anywhere,” Boylan said. “The price you pay for the recording arts program here is the greatest bargain in audio, the same course at, and exactly the same quality at USC would run you $60,000.”
A university may have more resources than a community college, but Citrus has built a uniquely advanced recording program under the recording staff and Boylan’s guidance.
With all his success he continues to teach at Citrus at age 77.
“The only reason I’m staying around here, besides Alan, is this program is so great for students and I encourage anyone who is interested in audio recording to come and talk to Gordon McMillian about signing up,” Boylan said.
