The suicide last March of singer Brad Delp has become the latest battleground for the warring factions of the ’70s supergroup Boston, with the founder of the band accusing Delp’s ex-wife and her sister of defaming him.

Micki Delp and her sister Connie Goudreau, the wife of ex-Boston guitarist Barry Goudreau, rejected band mastermind Tom Scholz”s offer to settle a defamation suit he filed against them after Delp’s death. Scholz contends the women blamed him for the singer’s suicide in articles in the Inside Track and in online chat rooms.

“This (the settlement proposal) is a pipe dream,” said Daniel Tarlow, who is representing Connie Goudreau in the suit. “They won’t pay him a dime because they haven’t done anything. Connie Goudreau has done nothing actionable.”

BTW, Micki Delp was found in default for failing to respond to the suit and unless she files a motion to remove the default, a judgment could be issued against her.

Scholz sued Goudreau and Delp - Brad Delp’s ex-wife and Connie’s sister - saying the women defamed him in interviews with the Herald last March. He also accuses the two of interfering with the work of his charity, the DTS Foundation.

Scholz, Tarlow said, offered to drop the suit if the women would issue a public apology, pay him $75,000 and stop representing themselves as Delp’s “family.”

Tarlow, who was also the recording engineer on Brad Delp and Barry Goudreau’s 2003 “Delp-Goudreau” album, said he recalled that Delp used to refer to himself as “Uncle Brad” with the Goudreaus’ children.

According to Tarlow, the settlement proposal also would prevent Barry Goudreau from promoting his new single, “Rockin’ Away” - or any other project - as having any connection to the band Boston and would require Barry not to describe himself as an “original” member of the band.

Tarlow said he believes the terms concerning Barry Goudreau - who isn’t even named in the lawsuit - reveal Scholz’s “true intentions.”

“Barry Goudreau isn’t even a party to the suit,” he fumed. “But this is the only way (Scholz) can get what he truly wants.”

Scholz’ suit also names a third party - a so-called Jane Doe - who posted comments on fan sites under the name Getchasumm. Among the more inflammatory remarks identified in the suit were these gems: “Tom Scholz hopefully burns in hell for killing dear Bradley Delp” and “Brad was murdered by Tom Scholz.”

Scholz’s suit contends that Micki Delp “is responsible” for Getchasumm’s statements.

Scholz also accused the women of interfering with the work of his ebony porn charitable foundation by acquiring the domain name dtsfoundation.com to divert traffic from the foundation’s real site, dtscf.org.

Brad Delp, you may recall, sealed himself inside his New Hampshire bathroom and lit two charcoal grills, committing suicide via asphyxiation in March 2007.

Following his death, Micki Delp - the mother of his two children - told the Herald that Delp was driven to despair by the ongoing battles stemming from the breakup of the band in the early ’80s.

Delp worked on projects with Scholz up until he died but he also remained close to Barry Goudreau, Fran Sheehan and Sib Hashian, former members of the band Boston who had an ugly break with Scholz early ’80s.

Scholz’s attorney, Susan Stenger, declined to comment on the suit or the settlement proposal, which, she said, is “confidential.” Meanwhile, the case is continuing in Middlesex Superior Court.

File Under: (No) Peace of Mind.

Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/track/inside_track/view.bg?articleid=1067297
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