Blue Oyster Cult: Classic or Dud?

Yeah, in 1980, the two main contenders were the Prophet-5 and the Oberheim OB-X. Moog were still pushing the Polymoog, but it's fairly weak-sounding - not the sort of thing BOC would have been using. In the interests of completeness, I would also note that by 1980 Roland had released the Jupiter-4 and there were a couple of other Japanese and German polyphonic oddities available, such as the Korg PS-3300 and the PPG 340. But big bands like BOC were using Sequential Circuits and/or Oberheim.

Both of which are mentioned in that 1980 roadie diary. Sounds like the minimoog was still on tour with them that year too.

Obv Lanier has a shitload of synths around him in that youtube m@tt posted

Prophet 5 and Oberheim OBX-A were I think what Japan pretty much used exclusively on Tin Drum, so they were in good company.

Arc of a Diver by Stevie Winwood is almost entirely Prophet 5 I think, except for the drums -- lol not that that necessarily constitutes good company but I do love it.

I'd figure those glassy pads on the song 'Fire of Unknown Origin' to be from an Oberheim. They have a similar sound to Van Halens synths and he used Oberheims.

the 1980 tour thread is awesome, love the contrast between the inside dope & backstage geekery of the roadie diary VS the civilians memories "it was my first concert i was 14 and on acid..."

This clip is pretty awesome. Bet you never figured to see Charles Grodin interviewing Blue Oyster Cult either.

This quote on the Youtube page is pretty funny too.

Gerber Bernstein3 months ago
"Edgar Allen Poe is wearing Ace Frehley's pajamas, and rockin' !"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0X5YpOkSz4

Paris 1975 this is fucking godlike

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGI99kQ13hA

Their current drummer, Jules Radino, is also a realtor on the side in case anyone is ever looking to purchase some property on Long Island.

http://ricerealty1.com/real-estate-agents/

Don't Fear The Realtor

Real Estate Agents of Fortune

Secret Closings?

i wonder if he knows don deitrich of borbatmagus, maybe they talk shop

The real Sharona from 'My Sharona' is a big time realtor.

http://www.mysharona.com/about/about-sharona/

So are Neil Smith, the "platinum god" drummer of the original Alice Cooper group, and Bill Janovitz (Buffalo Tom.)

Gretchen from Mary's Danish is also a real estate agent. I think someone from Social Distortion is too.

There was a funny SNL skit some years back, Rob Schneider (if memory serves) played a former hair metal singer turned real estate agent. Hilarity ensued.

Joking aside it makes a lot of sense there aren't a lot of careers where you can make a lot of money (potentially) that you can enter later in life and without a degree, so for ppl that spent a lot of their working years chasing music I could see the appeal. Also it's a flexible hours thing if you want to keep playing

They’re OK, the last days of May
But I’ll be breathin’ dry air
I'm leaving soon
The others are already there (all there...)
Wouldn’t be interested in coming along
Instead of staying here?
It's said the West is nice this time of year
That's what they say

when i last saw them play, Buck did a KILLLLERRR solo on that tune

by sheer coincidence, I'm bumping BOC today for the first time in awhile. Cultosaurus Erectus. So fucking good. Them and martin birch were a match made in heaven.

tyranny and mutation is so fucking fast

eric was interviewed on his home turf.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAEdzkpN6oo

ooh thanks!

"What is your favorite word: ROCKIN"

like they even had to ask.

"I Love the Night" is so gorgeous

yes!!! my favorite böc song

I can't decide which is the superior of the two vampire jams on Spectres, this or Nosferatu.

BOC is never really recognized for their harmony singing, but they are so amazing at it, like the "I....I.....I....love the night" stacked harmonies or the beginning of Golden Age of Leather, Beach Boys level

in the mainstream BOC isn't taken seriously or recognized for anything beyond the hits, a couple of which are maybe regarded as borderline novelty songs. But I mean they're no more of a joke band than The Beatles, or any number of other all-time bands, many of which they're considerably better than.

tyranny and mutation should be the gold standard of how to play rock music

yeah I listen to these records and I always notice something new they are extraordinary well crafted rock records

also Buck is consistently left off greatest guitarist rock lists and seeing him live he is godlike

also they are so strange.... like not in an avant garde way but so quirky and distinctive they go from off the shelf boogie to occult weirdness on a dime

like RU Ready to Rock that odd, mournful round of "I only live to be born again" that comes from nowhere in an arena rocker

I mean they're no more of a joke band than The Beatles

I enjoy me some BOC, but any band that records "Godzilla" is at least one of the greatest joke bands of all time, even if the fans are (?) often in on it.

The band is definitely weird, jumping from boogie butt rock to psychedelic neo-prog to an extent that I've never been able to really wrap my head (as a modest fan) around the love many have for them, save for the fact that there's not much to hate. Which is enough! Like, Lynyrd Skynyrd is an incredible band with incredible songs, objectively better than BOC (imo), but I can see why the band could turn some people off. Same with, I dunno, Rush. But BOC is just so goofy and under the radar, *despite* at least a couple of ubiquitous hits. They're like the best known best kept secret.

Hmm, speaking of Skynyrd, has "more cowbell?" supplanted "Freebird" as the thing dummies yell out?

Agents and Spectres are so wonderfully all over the place..."True Confessions" and "Debby Denise" are basically doo wop, "Celestial the Queen" and "E.T.I." power pop, and "Goin' Through The Motions" is Mott The Hoople circa "Roll Away The Stone" (appropriately co-penned by Ian Hunter)..."Tenderloin" could easily fit in on a Fleetwood Mac album of that era...

They're one of those bands where their signature song is pretty much atypical of their ouevre in general, Focus is another I guess. For some reason I still can't remember a note of Cultosaurus Erectus despite having played it a bunch of times over the last few decades, maybe it's just not for me.

Mirrors was spotty, but Erectus started a run of really bad albums, as far as I'm concerned. It's a long way from "Morning Final" to "The Marshall Plan"!

They’re so thrilling at their best. on your feet or on your knees is mad good hard rock

but Erectus started a run of really bad albums, as far as I'm concerned

henry fire of unknown origin is an amazing album

Yeah, "Veteran" is among my favourite BOC songs.

This thread revival has made me put on "The Red and the Black" and I thank you for that.

I think I was first introduced to that song via fIREHOSE.

I'm listening to Secret Treaties right now and goddamn how did they do this?

perfection

also "Deadline" is a great sleeper off Cultoraurus Erectus

Oh man Deadline is my favorite track on that album, brilliant song

I came across a copy of The Fireclown at a book fair today and bought it for the insane cover illustration. Consequently had “The Great Sun Jester” stuck in my head the rest of the day.

Which is funny cause I had “pret-ty girls can’t look aWAY” stuck in my head this morning after I was thinking about the subject of body dysmorphia. Mirrors is the least of the original 8 record hot streak to me but I guess today was a Mirrors kind of day.

BOC are a kind of touchstone for me, such a perfect blend of lame-cool dumb-deep. When I had to fly to MN a few weeks ago to take my mom to the hospital and I thought she might die I put on my lil BOC symbol pendant before going to the airport.

They’re so thrilling at their best. on your feet or on your knees is mad good hard rock

i like the live Days of May way better than the studio version - my fave track on the album. Buck's solo is inspired! And his solo at the end of Subhuman burns my ears (in the best way). Some Enchanted Evening is better though in some ways (except for the lousy We Gotta Get Out of This Place) - the live Astronomy is awesome, and their Kick Out the Jams is KILL!

When I saw them live (the anniversary show promoting the box set) last days of may was a big highlight. Buck’s solo was *mwah*

yeah Last Days of May is the signature guitar showcase in the set

All the foregoing comments OTM. I was just thinking about *Some Enchanted Evening* the other day. Not their best live album for sure, but super interesting that the two covers are both obviously and deliberately chosen Vietnam songs -- one the most popular for the soldiers in Vietnam (We gotta get out of this place) and the other the signature song of the Chicago 68 protests (Kick Out the Jams)

"lame-cool dumb-deep" as mentioned above is like the best thing classic rock can do, looking forward to diving in beyond the hits