RTZ (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | early 1990s |
| Founder | Brad Delp, Barry Goudreau |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Rock music albums and singles |
RTZ was a rock band from the United States, established in the early 1990s and composed of Boston band members Brad Delp and Barry Goudreau.
History
The origins of RTZ trace back to a partnership formed by Boston's Brad Delp and Barry Goudreau around 1989. Following Goudreau's departure from Boston, he maintained a professional relationship with Delp, who contributed to Goudreau’s solo efforts as well as the Orion the Hunter project.
During a break from Boston in 1989, Delp aimed to rejuvenate his songwriting and reached out to Goudreau. This collaboration led to the creation of RTZ. They expanded the lineup by adding keyboardist Brian Maes, drummer Dave Stefanelli, and bassist Tim Archibald—all seasoned musicians with experience working alongside producer Nick Lowe and Epic Records.
RTZ secured a contract with Giant Records and launched their first album, Return to Zero, in July 1991. The single "Face the Music" was accompanied by a music video, and the group supported the release with an extensive tour featuring backing vocalists Patty Barkus and Lisa Guyer. The track "Until Your Love Comes Back Around," penned by Maes, achieved notable success, reaching number one in various markets and peaking at #26 on U.S. charts. Additionally, songs such as "There's Another Side" and "All You've Got" received radio play.
Due to dissatisfaction with the limited promotion from their label, RTZ sought to terminate their contract with Giant Records. While searching for a new label, Delp rejoined Boston for the Walk On album and accompanying tour. The remaining RTZ members disbanded, considering Delp irreplaceable. The Return to Zero album eventually went out of print until its reissue in 2013; however, unreleased material continued to exist.
Barry Goudreau later signed with MTM Records and issued these unreleased tracks as Lost in 1998. Further releases included 2004's Lost and Found, which contained additional unreleased songs, followed by two albums in 2005—Lost in America and Found in America—released through Brian Maes' Briola Records. These collections combined earlier works with bonus tracks such as “Dangerous” and live recordings.
In 2004, an independent project titled "Delp and Goudreau" was issued as a bonus CD within Lost and Found, presenting a musical direction distinct from RTZ’s style.
The band reunited briefly in 2007 with former Boston drummer Sib Hashian to release "Rockin' Away," celebrating Boston's 30th anniversary while reflecting on Brad Delp’s musical legacy. Following Delp’s passing that year, RTZ released the tribute single "Set The Songbird Free," featuring Brian Maes on vocals, and performed at the 2008 tribute concert honoring Delp.
This ensemble—including Hashian but without Delp—also formed the core of Ernie and the Automatics, which was established in 2006.
Studio albums
- Return to Zero (1991)
- Lost (1998)
Compilation albums
- Lost and Found (2004)
Singles
| Title | Release | Peak chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Pop | US Rock | |||
| "Face the Music" | 1991 | 49 | 5 | Return to Zero |
| "There's Another Side" | ― | 19 | ||
| "Until Your Love Comes Back Around" | 1992 | 26 | 38 | |
| "All You've Got" | 56 | ― | ||
| "Rockin' Away" | 2007 | ― | ― | non-album single |
| "Set the Songbird Free" | ― | ― | ||