History & Biography Blue Öyster Cult was formed in Long Island, NY and was immediately releasing hard and heavy rock classics. While most people know the band for its more accessible AOR moments (i.e. Godzilla and [Don't Fear] The Reaper), BOC had many heavier moments. Albert and Joe are brothers with the latter replacing early bassist Andrew Winters.
The band shared management and competed with Black Sabbath in the early days. In fact the ‘Black N Blue’ concert series with Black Sabbath was rife with tension and rivalry. The band's trademark Cronus symbol (symbol of chaos) was also well known and the band pursued a science fiction theme in those early days. As a matter-of-fact the band collaborated with authors Michael Moorcock and Stephen King with the help of manager Sandy Pearlman. The band toured Europe with openers Magnum in 1979.
Bloom replaced original singer Les Braunstein. Bloom was one of the band’s sound engineers. Rick Downey was initially the band's roadie. Imaginos was a Bouchard solo concept that is comprised of classical compositions and sees the light of day under the band's monicker. Joe Bouchard had left Blue Öyster Cult in 1986.
The band splits up here for years before returning for the Heaven Forbid record. A Long Day's Night is a live album and DVD issued in late 2002.
Danny Miranda joined Faith And Fire in late 2002, a band featuring current and former members of Rainbow and Riot. Rondinelli also played in The Lizards, for which he left BÖC in the summer of 2004. In December 2008 the band announced that Roeser had fallen down a set of stairs at his Florida home and injured his shoulder. Tour dates in December 2008 and January 2009 were canceled or postponed. The band returned to touring in the autumn of 2009. Rudy Sarzo left the band in 2012. He made more money with Animetal USA and Rock And Roll Fantasy Camp. He was also in the Dio cover band Dio Disciples. Former Utopia bassist Kasim Sulton was in.
Legacy Recordings/Sony Music would commemorate the 40th anniversary of Blue Öyster Cult’s 1972 debut self-titled album with the release of Blue Öyster Cult - The Columbia Albums Collection, a set of 16 CDs (the full official discography plus two discs of rarities, as well as the Some Other Enchanted Evening DVD). The set was available Tuesday, October 30th, 2012. Original Blue Öyster Cult members Eric Bloom (vocals and rhythm guitar), Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser (guitar), Allen Lanier (guitar and keyboards), Albert Bouchard (drums), Joe Bouchard (bass) were to reunite for a show on November 5th, 2012 at the Best Buy Theater in New York City. The show was organized to coincide with the reissue of the band’s back catalogue. Founding guitarist and keyboardist Allen Lanier died on August 14th, 2013 of chronic lung disease (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). He was 66 years old. Founding bassist and multi-instrumentalist Joe Bouchard issued a solo album called The Power Of Music in 2016. Psycho Las Vegas was a festival taking place at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA on August 26th-28th. 2016. Organized by the organizers of Psycho California, the three-day and three-stage event would play host to nearly one-hundred acts from around the world with a focus on riffs, doom and psychedelia. Bands included Death, Blue Öyster Cult, Converge, Down, Drive Like Jehu, High On Fire, Sleep, Pentagram, Yob and exclusive 2016 US performances from both Electric Wizard and Candlemass. Former BlueOyster Cult and Black Sabbath manager Sandy Pearlman died in the summer of 2016 at the age of 72. To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Agents Of Fortune album, the group performed the album in its entirety for the Audience Music Network in 2016. The CD and DVD was being released as 40th Anniversary - Agents Of Fortune - Live 2016 by Frontiers. The band would play at Psycho Las Vegas in August 2020. Blue Öyster Cult would release the iHeart Radio Theater N.Y.C. 2012 CD and DVD through Frontiers in May. Blue Öyster Cult returned with a studio album, called The Symbol Remains, in October. Albert and Joe Bouchard of Blue Oyster Cult have launched an imprint called Rockheart Records for their music. It was being distributed by Deko Music. Joe Bouchard would release his new solo album, entitled Strange Legends, on July 31. The group released a music video for the song That Was Me, which featured a cameo appearance by former member Albert Bouchard. The group was issuing Live At Rock Of Ages Festival 2016 on CD/DVD, LP and Blu-ray through Frontiers in late 2020. Frontiers Music acquired the rights to the concerts the band gave at Sony Hall in New York City in celebration of the band's 50th anniversary in September 2022. The act gave three shows with each performing the entirety of one of the act’s first three albums, Blue Öyster Cult (1971), Tyranny And Mutation (1973) and Secret Treaties (1974) and other tracks. Founding member Albert Bouchard was a guest. The group had a live video for Screams, which was taken from the 50th Anniversary Live - First Night album. It was out through Frontiers Music on December 8th 2023. In what the band was promising to be its final chapter, Blue Öyster Cult was releasing the Ghost Stories album through Frontiers and also touring. The album included self-cover versions, rarities and songs completed for this release.
Reviews BLUE ÖYSTER CULT - CURSE OF THE HIDDEN MIRROR - SANCTUARY/EMI
The follow up album to 1998's Heaven Forbid, the first BÖC album this side of 2000 is a good album sure to please fans of the band and those who crave classic rock and AOR. More than 30 years after the band first burst upon the scene, BÖC sounds as closely integrated and together as ever. The album begins with a riff sounding like The (other) Cult, but overall is a very cohesive, laid back AOR album which at times might sound autobiographical. When Eric Bloom sings of age and old times on Showtime one might be forgiven for thinking the musing is all introspective. Then the catchy The Old Gods Return and its, 'now is the time for the old gods to return' line comes along and adds further fuel to the theory. The label claims the album is the band's most daring yet and you know what, for once, the label is unwittingly right. Fans should watch for an upcoming live video. In these tough times, BÖC do the difficult thing and stick to their roots and sound despite their surroundings. Let's give them a hand with that, shall we? - Ali "The Metallian"
Interviews
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