A drummer friend got pancreatic cancer. At a local bar, folks held a fundraiser / jam and he only played one song due to being very tired. It was Don’t fear the reaper. He passed a few months later.
Got to hang out with Albert in Detroit. Cold nasty blizzard and nobody showed up but us really. Iroc lounge. They got done playing and came and partied with us. Cool folks for sure.
In 1976, My ex wife and I were in the car returning from planning her father's funeral. On the radio, came "Don't Fear The Reaper" and I was hooked. Under the circumstances, My ex wasn't so enamored. Our divergent music tastes became a major issue. Besides, her father hated me.
Most "everyday listeners" never understood Albert's brilliance at arrangement (& the perfection of his drum parts - whether complex or simple!)!! Albert's contributions (both musical and otherwise), really, "made" B.Ö.C., in a major way! He is brilliant (and the band has NEVER equalled their work WITH him, without him! 🤘🤘] ...and Allen Lanier, also, gets overlooked (quite-a-bit!)! Severely brilliant (and missed!😭😭). [plus: Bringing Patti Smith into the fold! 💜]
The band wives made made it clear that Albert's girlfriend" was unwelcome. Albert, fatefully, rented a car and the two travelled separately. When Albert arrived late for several gigs the die was cast for conflict. I was mixing under a plastic tarp at that Jones Beach show.
Thank you, history is hard for some….. I mean anyone now. I love the BOC with them all. It was epic, but let’s try have some grace.. and truth. Rock and roll . Their catalog is fine as all hell,
I first saw BOC at the Warehouse in New Orleans on their Agents of Fortune tour and Rush was their opening act. They had the light show and all that night. Later, I saw them on other tours, with opening acts like Head East, Foghat and a few others. Great band to see live and they always played for a long time.
I have seen them soo many times. My group had a rule that you had to see them three times to be an official cult member. Lol. Remember the big Godzilla head with the light up eyes and the fire and smoke breath! One night in Carbondale Ill. Albert tried to bounce his sticks off the snare and stick it in the Godzilla head and he missed every one. They stopped the song and we all counted up to like 20 until he finally hit one and then the whole place went nuts! Man, to be stoned and 16 again!
i was lucky enough to see them play a free show at south park amphitheater in 2008, i believe. they were the only band and they played for a couple hours. it was awesome! rudy sarzo was playing bass for them.
Love Cultosaurus Erectus and that is a very cool tune! Deadline is my fav off that album, also with edgy lyrics..."How long do you think that I can sharpen my knife." Was relieved when I found out the song was about someone missing a planned meeting with Phil Specter!
Nice interview - good to get some direct information. I had heard some of this over the years through various sources but always better to hear it directly.
B.O.C! I've seen them countless times live since the Fire Of Unknown Origin tour. I loved it when they wrote with the author and Hawkwind member Michael Moorcock.
Their collab songs were often great! Black Blade with Moorcock, then Golden Age of Leather (Bruce Abbott), the Meltzer songs, Patti Smith, and many of the John Shirley songs are excellent.
I have wondered for years why the Bouchard brothers left BOC and now I know. Albert and Joe formed an incredible rhythm section and Albert was huge in his songwriting abilities. For that matter, Joe also wrote his share of songs. And I love the fact they collaborated on "Astronomy," a BOC staple and Rock Classic. Great interview.
There are a million players that everyone calls the most under rated. I am better than quite a few of them. Buck IS under rated and a serious MONSTER player!
Thank you! I always wanted to know! I read that Sandy is a Sci-Fi writer who wrote a series of stories about aliens living among us and causing much of the war and chaos which many of the early songs are about like Subhuman 12:25 . Later around Agents they tried to distance themselves from that. Albert began a solo album trilogy of the Imaginos stories that Eric and Buck joined in because they felt they owed it to Sandy. But in Eric’s words they ran out of money and the final album became very different than what was planned.
Gotta mention. BOC was my first concert. I seen them like 5 or 6 times in the 70s and early 80s. Seen the full Lazer light show to. I lived in upstate NY in a small town. Some real big bands didn't play our arena cause it only had 5000 seats, 7000 capacity. Tickets was always like $5 or $6. They never disappointed. Thanks for stopping in our tiny town and rocking us out. Very much appreciated. Never will forget it.
You know, I really, you know, learned a lot, you know, about Blue, you know , oyster cult. Who you know, would have, you know, figured the band was, you know, so complex.
yeah, YA KNOW... lol It was like a step back in time. I remember in the 70s when my grandpa would pick on interviewees and their you know, you know... yeah wow.
Saw the classic lineup in Nashville in August 1973. The 4 song live EP known as "Live In New York" (released to radio stations only) is a sought after collectable. It trounces any of the commercial live albums.
This is a case where I never thought of Blue Oyster Cult crossing genres. Just as I never thought of Eminence Front as soulful funk. But as soon as I heard you say these things Professor it was like ding ding ding! That’s true! All the years I have been a music fanatic and listened to these legends and I still discover and realize new things! That’s why music is so amazing!
I saw BÖC in Stockholm -78?. They had this discoball above the band and 80 yards out in the crowd someone was shooting laserbeams at the ball. Flickering light a few yards over the audience. After that no bands could use lasers since it was not that safe:). Seven years later Purple had lasers with extreme control.
Fantastic band! A band which i only started getting into a few years ago unfortunately, but really loving their music and aquiring all their stuff on cd. The Bouchard brothers and Alan Lanier were also key ingredients of the classic line up for sure!
I 1st saw Buck, Allen and Albert in July 1968 as Soft White Underbelly. I have seen the band about 40 times since. I do have Buck's solo LP "Flat Out." I also have the Bouchard brothers solo albums.
I saw bouchard boys ,touring smaller venues as the cult brothers.on my birthday and the boys signed a metal cassette recorded off a spotless album.still have it.
The casual fan of BOC would never know how many of the band members actually sang in the group. They would hear the radio staples with maybe Buck singing or Donald singing and that must be the lead vocalists if they could distinguish between the two. But, BOC was so much more. The group always provided an eclectic variety of songs to each album.
I had assumptions (for decades) Al Bouchard had become unhappy with singing less and basically quit Blue Oyster Cult. Turns out younger brother Joe left because he wasn't playing guitar enough. Good to get that straightened out. Al seemed to hint the divorce really messed him up. Did it sound like the Record producer was trying to keep Albert's 'mind right' by having him help produce Fire Of Unknown Origin? hmm. It did not help in the big picture. But, I never got tired of BOC (unlike KISS for example). Spectres is the first album I ever owned, period. I still have the vinyl to this day. Spectres is my favorite BOC studio album. On Your Feet or on Your Knees is arguably my favorite/the best live album. Halloween Reapers is surprisingly good though. Live tracks from 1979, 1982 (right after Al Bouchard fired -- and roadie Rick Downey took over as drummer ... almost sounds like a Mark Wahlberg movie 😁), and 1986 when they were promoting Club Ninja album. I had heard BOC had lost 'their timeless sound' on the Club Ninja record, but the 4 songs played on Halloween Reapers were pretty cool and rocked with that BOC mystery and style.
In the very early 80s I saw these guys play in front of thousands. Just two years later they pulled in less than 500 people at the old Pine Knob Music Theater west of Detroit.
Don't Fear the Reaper has been in circulation on classic rock radio stations since the 1980's. At least in Ohio. It got to the point that too many people thought BOC just a one hit wonder ... even after a second hit Burnin for You found its way to consistent radio play and MTV in 1982. But, movies like Scream, Stephen King's The Stand, The Frighteners (1997) and Donnie Darko (made about the same time as skit , 2000) had also played noticeable versions of The Reaper by the time of We Need More Cowbell . I obviously agree it's a great song. I'm just pointing out Don't Fear didn't just suddenly reappear from the annals of obscurity because of an arguably overrated SNL skit. I'd say the song and the skit were helpful to the reputations of both Saturday Night Live and Blue Oyster Cult. Christopher Walken, too?. (By the way, I do wonder why people think Will Ferrell is SO funny. Until I remember thinking Bill Murray was hilarious ... at least in a few movies ... in the 80's and What About Bob? and, sometimes, opinions change). Anyways, cheers to all those who appreciate good music and knowing an original rocknroll metal boogie band when they hear it.
dam i was at the show on Jones beach while it was pouring raining. great concert and the lasers were like crystals falling Albert wore the Godzilla mask as well.
I remember playing a show with a band around 2006 or 7 at a club in nyc andJoe Bouchard was on the bill doing an acoustic set of BOC songs, we went on a few acts after him and I felt I was having a good show playing my bass and he walked up to the stage and gave me a thumbs up, after our set I introduced myself to him and mentioned to him about a show I saw them at at Nassau coliseum in 1977 it was my brother and I we really went to Rush they were the opening act I never followed boc at the new some of their songs great stuff but went to see rush, anyway we drive out there in an ice storm, crazy high school kids and Joe and I Had a conversation about the storm he remembered the gig which was cool, I also played at a baseball stadium in nj around a year or 2 later were our band opened for blue oyster cult and foreigner
AWRSOME video!!! Thank you!! If you could, ask Joe if he remembers the horror convention in Ohio when he, Neal Smith, Dennis Dunaway (original Alice Cooper drummer and bassist respectively) took to the stage for the 1st time as B.D.S. (they were to have gone under the name "Eye Scream" but it was learned at the last minute that the name had already been taken). * Michael Bruce (original Alice Cooper guitarist / lyricist) was at same convention but did NOT play onstage. Thus was cIrca 1999ish. Anyone can confirm date? - "Alice's Bloody Rag" zine Ken Mik publisher.
Yeah, it's a racket . . . and you get to be listed with Bobby Darin, Cunt Stevens, Kraftwerk, Jackson 5, Seymour Stein (the guy who signed Madonna), and Cher. That's Rock & Roll?
They tried to blind me with their industrial grade green laser beam and disco ball . So glad they didn’t succeed. Freaking FDA ! What a cool show. Las Vegas Convention Center 1977
Personally (as a bassist), I think Joe should have stuck with and improved as a better bassist. I started also dabbling in guitar and realized my root (and primary love) is bass, so went back. Joe's "solo" and playing in Godzilla alone was influential for many of us.
ME 262 prince of turbo jets Junkers jommo 004 blasts from R4M quarters in my snout...Just wow Sandy Pearlman did write and help write some great lyrics.
I first became aware of Cult during the Secret Treaties era when I was still pretty much just a kid. Loved it. Seemed like they played every other week at the War Memorial in Johnstown, PA, near my home, and we were always bumming rides with older kids to the shows, especially after the release of OYFOOYK. "I know Lucifer so well I can call him by his first name...Hey Lu, uhh Loverboy." Hah! I wouldn't say they were one-dimensional in those days, but it really wasn't until Spectres and beyond that they began to demonstrate their incredible range. Godzilla; Fireworks; Death Valley Nights...that's range, and it's for that reason that they are the most underrated band in History. Music reached its creative peak with those progressive rock bands of the 70's, and has plumetted ever since. Everyone thinks the sountrack of their youth was the greatest ever, but ours REALLY was.
Back in August 22nd 1981 here in the UK BOC played the Monsters of Rock festival,i believe that they got screwed by the sound mixer and Eric Bloom destroyed his commemorative trophy in retaliation.Rumours were circulating that Albert had been fired due to him bringing his girlfriend-"My Yoko" he called her-on tour while he was still married,that was the main reason for him getting the boot...They had to use lighting director Rick Downey as the drummer,who thankfully only lasted one album with them.
First concert I ever went to Blue oyster cult Fleetwood Mac and Alice cooper at the commack arena on Long Island great show probably saw them close to six times a with sabbath kiss and iggy and the stooges New Year’s Eve at the academy of music great times 👍🤪👍👏‼️
So is Meltzer still with us? The last I heard, he was living in Portland, OR. I haven't seen a book from him in a lot of years. Dragnet used the Deteriorata test too. Jack Webb would make the actors run through their lines faster and faster, until the scene broke down. Then he would use the previous take.
Sometimes Blue Oyster Cult would play the Bayou in Washington, DC and say they were Soft White Underbelly, so the place would still be able to have capacity up to fire code. This was in the 80's. They also played as Blue Oyster Cult at the Bayou as well. And they also played at Exhale in Frederick Maryland too.
One of the most enigmatic bands in history. They are one of the few bands who sound like themselves and no one else.
They are so good live also.
@@fivestring65ify absolutely
I've been teaching guitar for 35 years and people DO notice how f'n great Buck is. I love his playing!
Glad to hear it. Thanks for sharing!
Albert Bouchard is an underrated drummer, his live drums solo on the middle of Gozzila was awesome.
I remember seeing him doing that in 1979 (I think!) with a giant Godzilla head on! Not sure if he could see out of it or not.
Definitely one of the most unique bands in history. We grew up with these guys, thinking there was no one else like them.
Joe's bass lines on Cultasaurus Erectus are on par with Chris Squire and Geddy Lee......AMAZING!!!!!!
Origin as well
Seriously! I love Deadline! Also, his basslines on Fire of Unknown Origin and specifically at the end of Don't Fear (The Reaper) are killer.
In 1985 Yngwie Malmsteen was asked in a short interview: "What Guitarist impresses you the most ?" He said: "Buck Dharma"
Wow really? this is news to me. Yngwie.
May I ask which interview this is? Is it on youtube?
Blackmore?
BOC are the GOAT!!! Not the same without the brothers Bouchard👍❤ RIP Allen and Sandy❤
BOC had the best lazer lightshows in the 70s. Secret Treaties is my favorite BOC album.
Greatest band with the greatest guitarist known to man.
Just saw Albert Bouchard playing drums for the Dictators. Dude is 77 years old and he was as powerful and precise as ever.
A drummer friend got pancreatic cancer. At a local bar, folks held a fundraiser / jam and he only played one song due to being very tired. It was Don’t fear the reaper. He passed a few months later.
Got to hang out with Albert in Detroit. Cold nasty blizzard and nobody showed up but us really. Iroc lounge. They got done playing and came and partied with us. Cool folks for sure.
In 1976, My ex wife and I were in the car returning from planning her father's funeral. On the radio, came "Don't Fear The Reaper" and I was hooked. Under the circumstances, My ex wasn't so enamored. Our divergent music tastes became a major issue. Besides, her father hated me.
Most "everyday listeners" never understood Albert's brilliance at arrangement
(& the perfection of his drum parts - whether complex or simple!)!!
Albert's contributions (both musical and otherwise), really, "made" B.Ö.C., in a major way!
He is brilliant (and the band has NEVER equalled their work WITH him, without him! 🤘🤘]
...and Allen Lanier, also, gets overlooked (quite-a-bit!)!
Severely brilliant (and missed!😭😭).
[plus: Bringing Patti Smith into the fold! 💜]
I love the album, Fire of Unnown Origin . It is such an enjoyable listen , one of my all time fave rock albums.
Buck Dharma is a way better guitar player than most guitar players that are considered the best.
lol
Amen, Brother.
Fluent and well melodic for a guitar player, certainly. The best? That title is in the eyes of the beholder.
He's different. On of the first guitar players to use Gothic Licks in his solos.
@@arthurmurfitt7698 Since when is the truth that funny?
Saw them open up for Sabbath in 1980, they were great! Albert sang Dr. Music....they were REALLY good, I was blown away!
Ahhh yes, the Black and Blue tour.
I remember the Purple Microdot.🤘😵💫
If I remember correctly they were both switching who opened from show to show.
The band wives made made it clear that Albert's girlfriend" was unwelcome. Albert, fatefully, rented a car and the two
travelled separately. When Albert arrived late for several gigs the die was cast for conflict. I was mixing under a plastic
tarp at that Jones Beach show.
Thank you, history is hard for some….. I mean anyone now. I love the BOC with them all. It was epic, but let’s try have some grace.. and truth. Rock and roll . Their catalog is fine as all hell,
@@georgegeranios2918 I had no tarp at that show. Never left my seat.
@@jamesmichael3607 We've all made mistakes.
I first saw BOC at the Warehouse in New Orleans on their Agents of Fortune tour and Rush was their opening act. They had the light show and all that night. Later, I saw them on other tours, with opening acts like Head East, Foghat and a few others. Great band to see live and they always played for a long time.
I saw BOC, Jan 2, 1976, and Rush opened for them. This was at the Aragon Ballroom, Chicago. Great concert.
Always a long set, but the second half was jams and covers. You wish for more songs hearing a BOC boot.
I have seen them soo many times. My group had a rule that you had to see them three times to be an official cult member. Lol. Remember the big Godzilla head with the light up eyes and the fire and smoke breath! One night in Carbondale Ill. Albert tried to bounce his sticks off the snare and stick it in the Godzilla head and he missed every one. They stopped the song and we all counted up to like 20 until he finally hit one and then the whole place went nuts! Man, to be stoned and 16 again!
I saw BOC on the 1986 Club Ninja tour in Philly when they opened for Rush. Crazy how the roles flipped.
i was lucky enough to see them play a free show at south park amphitheater in 2008, i believe. they were the only band and they played for a couple hours. it was awesome! rudy sarzo was playing bass for them.
Rock n Roll Hall of Fame wake up!!!!
Great to hear from Al and Joe! Thank you!
"You're on a boat. In the ocean. You know? It's not even on land." Boats just work better in the ocean. Who knew?😉🙂😁😂🤣
You know you know you know you know you know you know you know….how many times did they say that ? You know……
I don’t know , yknow ?
Great interviews! My favourite BOC song is "Black Blade", with lyrics by Science Fiction/Fantasy writer Michael Moorcock..
Love Cultosaurus Erectus and that is a very cool tune! Deadline is my fav off that album, also with edgy lyrics..."How long do you think that I can sharpen my knife." Was relieved when I found out the song was about someone missing a planned meeting with Phil Specter!
Nice interview - good to get some direct information. I had heard some of this over the years through various sources but always better to hear it directly.
B.O.C! I've seen them countless times live since the Fire Of Unknown Origin tour. I loved it when they wrote with the author and Hawkwind member Michael Moorcock.
Their collab songs were often great! Black Blade with Moorcock, then Golden Age of Leather (Bruce Abbott), the Meltzer songs, Patti Smith, and many of the John Shirley songs are excellent.
My all time favorite rock band
I have wondered for years why the Bouchard brothers left BOC and now I know. Albert and Joe formed an incredible rhythm section and Albert was huge in his songwriting abilities. For that matter, Joe also wrote his share of songs. And I love the fact they collaborated on "Astronomy," a BOC staple and Rock Classic. Great interview.
Check out ‘The Brain Surgeons’ and ‘Blue Coupe’ both interesting bands.
Albert's drumming on the song 'I love the Night', still gets me everytime. On some of the greatest songs, the drummer can be the star of the show.
There are a million players that everyone calls the most under rated. I am better than quite a few of them. Buck IS under rated and a serious MONSTER player!
I love his laugh, the drummer. I can definitely see the Mick in him :-)
I must’ve heard the words “ you know “ 4000 times in this clip . Some peeps just don’t give good interviews, you know
They sound fried! Coming up in the 70’s it’s a very good possibility.
Thank you! I always wanted to know! I read that Sandy is a Sci-Fi writer who wrote a series of stories about aliens living among us and causing much of the war and chaos which many of the early songs are about like Subhuman 12:25 . Later around Agents they tried to distance themselves from that. Albert began a solo album trilogy of the Imaginos stories that Eric and Buck joined in because they felt they owed it to Sandy. But in Eric’s words they ran out of money and the final album became very different than what was planned.
"yinnow" - that's my takeaway, too.
You know, I think you're um, you now, what we would call, you know, correct.
You know?
I know, ya know. Like saying “literally “ wears me down too
The “You Know” brothers 😆
This is , ya know, an interesting,ya know ya know, interview. I feel like these guys are honest and just lay it out there.
Love this series. When do we get the Eric Bloom interview?
Soft White Underbelly, saw them @ my father's place in Syosset, NY around 1978 🇺🇲
How was their sound different than BOC?
BÖC is the greatest band ever!
"Aaaahhhhh you know" lol....love these guys!
For my money, “Black Blade” is their signature piece, yet it’s a deep track. Killer tune.
Gotta mention. BOC was my first concert. I seen them like 5 or 6 times in the 70s and early 80s. Seen the full Lazer light show to. I lived in upstate NY in a small town. Some real big bands didn't play our arena cause it only had 5000 seats, 7000 capacity. Tickets was always like $5 or $6. They never disappointed. Thanks for stopping in our tiny town and rocking us out. Very much appreciated. Never will forget it.
I saw them in 79 on the Mirrors tour always loved Albert Bouchard's drumming very tasteful very rock and roll great band
You know, I really, you know, learned a lot, you know, about Blue, you know , oyster cult. Who you know, would have, you know, figured the band was, you know, so complex.
Pure gold here John -thanks brother!
Had to shut it off…. YA KNOW, YA KNOW, YA KNOW! I can’t take it any more!
yeah, YA KNOW... lol It was like a step back in time. I remember in the 70s when my grandpa would pick on interviewees and their you know, you know... yeah wow.
You know, I always liked Blue Oyster Cult, you know. 🤟😃🤟
Tyranny and Mutation - fn brilliant in every way. No fluff.
The Bouchards started in my area (Upstate NY).
Love the Band Listened during the 70s while in HS. KEEP ON TRUCKIN
Saw the classic lineup in Nashville in August 1973. The 4 song live EP known as "Live In New York" (released to radio stations only) is a sought after collectable. It trounces any of the commercial live albums.
Saw you twice @ Alexandria Virginia and Maryland Hall of the creative arts
This is a case where I never thought of Blue Oyster Cult crossing genres. Just as I never thought of Eminence Front as soulful funk. But as soon as I heard you say these things Professor it was like ding ding ding! That’s true! All the years I have been a music fanatic and listened to these legends and I still discover and realize new things! That’s why music is so amazing!
This was interesting as hell and involved some of the most talented musicians at the time. Me likey.
Some serious 'you knowing' going on here.
The Bouchard brothers are so cool.
I saw BÖC in Stockholm -78?. They had this discoball above the band and 80 yards out in the crowd someone was shooting laserbeams at the ball. Flickering light a few yards over the audience. After that no bands could use lasers since it was not that safe:). Seven years later Purple had lasers with extreme control.
Fantastic band! A band which i only started getting into a few years ago unfortunately, but really loving their music and aquiring all their stuff on cd. The Bouchard brothers and Alan Lanier were also key ingredients of the classic line up for sure!
The Bouchards plays with ex Alice Cooper bassist Dennis Dunaway in Blue Coupe.
When the Bouchard brothers left the band, BOC really never recovered.
When they came out they were viewed as Heavy Metal, and the lyrics were frequently hilarious. Always thanks to Patti Smith.
One of the greatest live bands of all time.
Cape cod coliseum 1974 met the whole band and patti smith by accident outside a locker room i was 14 so underrated a great band!
Appreciate ya. Thanks for sharing.
Fire of Unknown Origin was a great album. A lot of my friends and i loved that album.
I love the band,respect the Bouchards, but if i hear "you know" another time,i kill myself
You know I know
What is the song at the beginning of this video?
Love it but never knew this song...
Please, sumone help me out...thx in advance 👍🏻
Here they are! The amazing Blue.Oyster.Cult!!!!!
They were the second concert I had ever seen. Mahogany Rush and Starz opened the show.
I 1st saw Buck, Allen and Albert in July 1968 as Soft White Underbelly.
I have seen the band about 40 times since.
I do have Buck's solo LP "Flat Out."
I also have the Bouchard brothers solo albums.
Saw them in the superdome 1981 the third day of rock n roll they came on last about midnight .
Burning for you always brings a tear to my eye.
I literally thought I was going to lose my mind if I heard the term “you know” one more freaking time during those interviews 🤪
I saw bouchard boys ,touring smaller venues as the cult brothers.on my birthday and the boys signed a metal cassette recorded off a spotless album.still have it.
Who remembers the BOC tour with sabbath and uncle ted.?
The casual fan of BOC would never know how many of the band members actually sang in the group. They would hear the radio staples with maybe Buck singing or Donald singing and that must be the lead vocalists if they could distinguish between the two. But, BOC was so much more. The group always provided an eclectic variety of songs to each album.
I had assumptions (for decades) Al Bouchard had become unhappy with singing less and basically quit Blue Oyster Cult. Turns out younger brother Joe left because he wasn't playing guitar enough. Good to get that straightened out. Al seemed to hint the divorce really messed him up. Did it sound like the Record producer was trying to keep Albert's 'mind right' by having him help produce Fire Of Unknown Origin? hmm. It did not help in the big picture.
But,
I never got tired of BOC (unlike KISS for example). Spectres is the first album I ever owned, period. I still have the vinyl to this day. Spectres is my favorite BOC studio album. On Your Feet or on Your Knees is arguably my favorite/the best live album. Halloween Reapers is surprisingly good though. Live tracks from 1979, 1982 (right after Al Bouchard fired -- and roadie Rick Downey took over as drummer ... almost sounds like a Mark Wahlberg movie 😁), and 1986 when they were promoting Club Ninja album. I had heard BOC had lost 'their timeless sound' on the Club Ninja record, but the 4 songs played on Halloween Reapers were pretty cool and rocked with that BOC mystery and style.
In the very early 80s I saw these guys play in front of thousands. Just two years later they pulled in less than 500 people at the old Pine Knob Music Theater west of Detroit.
Its such a shame that such a cool song like dont fear the reaper is only remembered for being in a stupid saturday night live sketch pathetic
Don't Fear the Reaper has been in circulation on classic rock radio stations since the 1980's. At least in Ohio. It got to the point that too many people thought BOC just a one hit wonder ... even after a second hit Burnin for You found its way to consistent radio play and MTV in 1982.
But, movies like Scream, Stephen King's The Stand, The Frighteners (1997) and Donnie Darko (made about the same time as skit , 2000) had also played noticeable versions of The Reaper by the time of We Need More Cowbell .
I obviously agree it's a great song. I'm just pointing out Don't Fear didn't just suddenly reappear from the annals of obscurity because of an arguably overrated SNL skit. I'd say the song and the skit were helpful to the reputations of both Saturday Night Live and Blue Oyster Cult. Christopher Walken, too?.
(By the way, I do wonder why people think Will Ferrell is SO funny. Until I remember thinking Bill Murray was hilarious ... at least in a few movies ... in the 80's and What About Bob? and, sometimes, opinions change).
Anyways, cheers to all those who appreciate good music and knowing an original rocknroll metal boogie band when they hear it.
Most overrated skit in the history of that show!
" on your feet or on your knees "......
Flaming cities of rock and of the best concerts I've ever seen and rush.And Reo speedwagon opened up great light show
dam i was at the show on Jones beach while it was pouring raining. great concert and the lasers were like crystals falling Albert wore the Godzilla mask as well.
I remember playing a show with a band around 2006 or 7 at a club in nyc andJoe Bouchard was on the bill doing an acoustic set of BOC songs, we went on a few acts after him and I felt I was having a good show playing my bass and he walked up to the stage and gave me a thumbs up, after our set I introduced myself to him and mentioned to him about a show I saw them at at Nassau coliseum in 1977 it was my brother and I we really went to Rush they were the opening act I never followed boc at the new some of their songs great stuff but went to see rush, anyway we drive out there in an ice storm, crazy high school kids and Joe and I Had a conversation about the storm he remembered the gig which was cool, I also played at a baseball stadium in nj around a year or 2 later were our band opened for blue oyster cult and foreigner
AWRSOME video!!! Thank you!! If you could, ask Joe if he remembers the horror convention in Ohio when he, Neal Smith, Dennis Dunaway (original Alice Cooper drummer and bassist respectively) took to the stage for the 1st time as B.D.S. (they were to have gone under the name "Eye Scream" but it was learned at the last minute that the name had already been taken). * Michael Bruce (original Alice Cooper guitarist / lyricist) was at same convention but did NOT play onstage. Thus was cIrca 1999ish. Anyone can confirm date? - "Alice's Bloody Rag" zine Ken Mik publisher.
Last I heard. It costs a shit ton money to be inducted. Didn't steve Miller bring that up before.
Yeah, it's a racket . . . and you get to be listed with Bobby Darin, Cunt Stevens, Kraftwerk, Jackson 5, Seymour Stein (the guy who signed Madonna), and Cher. That's Rock & Roll?
Yes, I know! You know!
BOC was one of the first bands to hook me on hard rock.
Seen them with The Dicators and the laser light show, never disappointed.
They tried to blind me with their industrial grade green laser beam and disco ball . So glad they didn’t succeed. Freaking FDA ! What a cool show. Las Vegas Convention Center 1977
Same at the Cap Center in Largo MD.
"You know" is a nasty habit
Personally (as a bassist), I think Joe should have stuck with and improved as a better bassist. I started also dabbling in guitar and realized my root (and primary love) is bass, so went back. Joe's "solo" and playing in Godzilla alone was influential for many of us.
I have 173 BOC ticket stubs and I know that I lost some, but I stopped going after 2013 because the MAN left us!
They wrote the only song about a german war-plane, the me-262
ME 262 prince of turbo jets Junkers jommo 004 blasts from R4M quarters in my snout...Just wow
Sandy Pearlman did write and help write some great lyrics.
Yes I know, ya know?
I know, you know?
I first became aware of Cult during the Secret Treaties era when I was still pretty much just a kid. Loved it. Seemed like they played every other week at the War Memorial in Johnstown, PA, near my home, and we were always bumming rides with older kids to the shows, especially after the release of OYFOOYK. "I know Lucifer so well I can call him by his first name...Hey Lu, uhh Loverboy." Hah! I wouldn't say they were one-dimensional in those days, but it really wasn't until Spectres and beyond that they began to demonstrate their incredible range. Godzilla; Fireworks; Death Valley Nights...that's range, and it's for that reason that they are the most underrated band in History. Music reached its creative peak with those progressive rock bands of the 70's, and has plumetted ever since. Everyone thinks the sountrack of their youth was the greatest ever, but ours REALLY was.
Back in August 22nd 1981 here in the UK BOC played the Monsters of Rock festival,i believe that they got screwed by the sound mixer and Eric Bloom destroyed his commemorative trophy in retaliation.Rumours were circulating that Albert had been fired due to him bringing his girlfriend-"My Yoko" he called her-on tour while he was still married,that was the main reason for him getting the boot...They had to use lighting director Rick Downey as the drummer,who thankfully only lasted one album with them.
Funny that both brothers used "you know" so habitually you know? LOL
First concert I ever went to Blue oyster cult Fleetwood Mac and Alice cooper at the commack arena on Long Island great show probably saw them close to six times a with sabbath kiss and iggy and the stooges New Year’s Eve at the academy of music great times 👍🤪👍👏‼️
great group saw them in the 70s buck darma !!!!!!
So is Meltzer still with us? The last I heard, he was living in Portland, OR. I haven't seen a book from him in a lot of years.
Dragnet used the Deteriorata test too. Jack Webb would make the actors run through their lines faster and faster, until the scene broke down. Then he would use the previous take.
Sometimes Blue Oyster Cult would play the Bayou in Washington, DC and say they were Soft White Underbelly, so the place would still be able to have capacity up to fire code. This was in the 80's. They also played as Blue Oyster Cult at the Bayou as well. And they also played at Exhale in Frederick Maryland too.
Best band of my life
They were the first band ever to play the Denver Convention Center.