Join the Blue Oyster Cult!
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Other music related lounges
Forum Name: Proto-Prog and Prog-Related Lounge
Forum Description: Discuss bands and albums classified as Proto-Prog and Prog-Related
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=65231
Printed Date: January 10 2025 at 10:27
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Join the Blue Oyster Cult!
Posted By: Raff
Subject: Join the Blue Oyster Cult!
Date Posted: February 21 2010 at 08:52
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OK, it seems there are appreciation threads for a lot of Proto and Related bands, but none so far dedicated to the mighty BOC - and that in spite of the many fans the band has on the Archives. Therefore, the time has come (pun intended!) for us to encourage as many members as possible to join the Blue Oyster Cult, and discuss everything related to this great band - who, in spite of being out of a record contract, are still alive and kicking on the live circuit. I discovered BOC in the early Eighties, when they had just released the album I have as my avatar, Fire of Unknown Origin, and I've been a fan since then. I saw them live only once (Rome, 1986), and was blown away... After that, I managed to miss them at least three times in the past few years, but hopefully 2010 will be the year for me to see them again. |
Replies:
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: February 21 2010 at 08:59
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hah... I always liked the group.. with Raff in my life. I have come to love the group. enough so... I dedicate this to all the BOC fanatics.. ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: FusionKing
Date Posted: February 21 2010 at 09:00
| GODZILLA!...'ZILLA!...'zilla!...'zilla... Love them. I've got a copy of Agents Of Fortune, Spectres and Blue Oyster Cult (debut). Any others I should get? |
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: February 21 2010 at 09:01
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Secret Treaties... a must.. in fact.. for all prog fans. Not just for BOC fans... a 5 star album.
------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: FusionKing
Date Posted: February 21 2010 at 09:06
| Ah yes. Thanks very much. Apparantly Imaginos is really worth getting also, is that right? |
Posted By: LinusW
Date Posted: February 21 2010 at 09:10
Unfortunately not very familiar with them. I play Godzilla on bass now and then, bit that's about it really  I've never listened to them in a serious way and like everybody else I feel like I've heard Don't Fear The Reaper a million times. Where to start if you want to give them a proper chance? |
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: February 21 2010 at 09:11
definitely..... Raff wrote a cracklin review of it. Check it out 
------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: February 21 2010 at 09:12
trust me.. you'll love it  ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
LinusW wrote:Posted By: Raff
Date Posted: February 21 2010 at 09:14
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My personal recommendations would be their first three albums (BOC, Tyranny and Mutation, Secret Treaties) - also known as the 'black and white trilogy', then Cultosaurus Erectus and Fire of Unknown Origin. Spectres is also quite good, but more 'radio-friendly' than the others mentioned, while I find Agents of Fortune somewhat underwhelming, and Mirrors very weak. |
Posted By: LinusW
Date Posted: February 21 2010 at 09:20
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Well, Secret Treaties is up next on the playlist then (once again - thank the Whatever from high atop the Thing for Spotify
) |
Posted By: Epignosis
Date Posted: February 21 2010 at 09:36
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"Harvest Moon" is one of their best songs. Boo-hiss to you who rate Heaven Forbid so low! I think my favorite songs, beside that one, would be "ETI: Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence" (one of the greatest choruses ever penned), "Then Came the Last Days of May," "Astronomy," and of course, "(Don't Fear) The Reaper." ------------- https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays" rel="nofollow - https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays |
Posted By: Queen By-Tor
Date Posted: February 21 2010 at 10:25
Posted By: The Doctor
Date Posted: February 21 2010 at 10:34
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I think the first half of Heaven Forbid is quite good, and I agree, Robert, Harvest Moon is an excellent song. But the second half of it starts to lose my interest and by the end of the album I realize I haven't really been listening to it since around In the Cold Grey Light of Dawn. My personal recommendations for you Fusion would be Imaginos, Secret Treaties and Fire of Unknown Origin. Those are my three favorites. A lot of other great ones out there too, if you like those. But avoid: Club Ninja, Revolution By Night and Mirrors. All have some good stuff on them, but a lot of bleh as well. ------------- I can understand your anger at me, but what did the horse I rode in on ever do to you? |
Posted By: Raff
Date Posted: February 21 2010 at 10:34
I actually like Heaven Forbid quite a lot, definitely better than Mirrors - and I also agree about "Harvest Moon", which has very intriguing lyrics as well as great music. "Then Came the Last Days of May" is probably the best song on their debut album, and I'd recommend you check the cracking live version included on their A Long Day's Night DVD. Guitar heaven  ! |
Posted By: Zargus
Date Posted: February 21 2010 at 11:28
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One of my favorite rock bands, and i got most of thire albums, my favorite is Agents of fortune. And yes Heaven forbid is a good album. ------------- 
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Posted By: lucas
Date Posted: February 21 2010 at 12:31
OK, will check them out. If you prefer them over their first two, they must be really good.
------------- "Magma was the very first gothic rock band" (Didier Lockwood) |
Posted By: Queen By-Tor
Date Posted: February 21 2010 at 12:58
Cultosaurous Erectus is my all-time favorite. No album with songs like "Black Blade" and "Monsters" should be ignored 
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Posted By: jammun
Date Posted: February 21 2010 at 12:59
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For anyone just wanting a nice intro to BOC, try Workshop of Telescopes, a two CD compilation.
The best known tracks -- Fear the Reaper, Godzilla, Burnin' For You -- tell a lot of the story. But the lesser known stuff, perhaps best represented by Astronomy (covered very well by Metallica on the Garage Inc. album) are marvels to behold.
My friends, you don't have to convert me. This stuff is truly capable of frying the brain, and I mean that in a good way.
Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll!
------------- Can you tell me where we're headin'? Lincoln County Road or Armageddon. |
Posted By: zappaholic
Date Posted: February 21 2010 at 13:15
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BOC are truly teh awesome. I had only been really familiar with their Big Three ("The Reaper", "Godzilla" and "Burnin' For You") until seeing one of the later versions of BOC on tour. (This was before Heaven Forbid was recorded.) I must agree with several other posters in the thread that Secret Treaties is their real showpiece. Gotta love how Bloom often sounds haunted or possessed.
Re Heaven Forbid: I'll never understand why they changed the title and cover art. They were originally going to call it Ezekiel's Wheel and they had some great cover art for it. Heaven Forbid is a rather lame title by comparison, and the cover is one of the worst I've ever seen from a major recording artist.
Oh, and also:
<------ R.I.P. Gene Frenkel
 ------------- "Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard." -- H.L. Mencken |
Posted By: tszirmay
Date Posted: February 21 2010 at 13:17
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I am a big fan of their early years (the three first ones in particular). Secret Treaties remains a desert island favorite , the driving Career of Evil and the manic Dominance & Submission are personal icons.
The Vigil on Mirrors is another whopping track that goes unnoticed , a blistering solo guitar that will tighten your underwear! After Imaginos , I sort of peeled away but remain a huge fan. ------------- I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth. |
Posted By: Raff
Date Posted: February 21 2010 at 13:25
All too true - because of the totally lacklustre nature of the rest of the album. As big a fan of the band as I am, I recently knocked a star off my review of Mirrors, bringing it down to one. Thank heavens Martin Birch came to the rescue in 1979! |
Posted By: Queen By-Tor
Date Posted: February 21 2010 at 13:27
| I actually really love The Great Sun Jester as well, but yes, the rest of Mirror's aint so great. |
Posted By: Zargus
Date Posted: February 21 2010 at 14:16
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I dident use to like mirrors ither but i listened to it yesterday along with some other BÖC albums, and its actualy not that bad most songs have good melody's, sure its sill prorobly thire worst one and more pop then rock, but its not that bad you people make it out to be. I kinda like it... Or as Adrian Belew whuld say "I LIKE IT!" -------------
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Posted By: The Doctor
Date Posted: February 21 2010 at 14:20
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I like Vigil quite a lot as well as The Great Sun Jester. Even I Am The Storm and In Thee provide me with some entertainment. But then there is also Dr. Music and the dreadful You're Not The One (not Albert's best moment). ------------- I can understand your anger at me, but what did the horse I rode in on ever do to you? |
Posted By: SaltyJon
Date Posted: February 21 2010 at 16:02
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I've seen the band live three times in the past three or so years. They're still excellent.
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Salty_Jon" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: CPicard
Date Posted: February 21 2010 at 17:45
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We understand - Blue Ösyter Cult, We understand - Blue Öyser Cult, We understand - Blue Öyster Cult, So do I... I still thank my father for having BÖC's first and my mother for having the 1975 live On Your Feet Or On Your Knees: it makes Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple sound nice and easy, while BÖC's music always appeared to me as tense, harder, more...urban, souding like a true dystopian SF novel turned to music. |
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: February 22 2010 at 19:35
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damn... your parents were cool. My parents just had Barbara Streisand and Willie Nelson albums laying around. I do thank them for that though... probably would have never got into Babs without having her albums drilled in my self-conscious haha. ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: CPicard
Date Posted: February 23 2010 at 13:47
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To tell the truth, I suspect my father of having forgotten he ever had this LP in his collection! Same thing could be said about my mother: she had cassettes copies of live LPs of Rainbow, Thin Lizzy, Mountain (!), Scorpions and BÖC, but all these K7 were in a box with many other, more or less forgotten in a closet. |
Posted By: lucas
Date Posted: February 23 2010 at 15:01
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I am currently listening to Raff's avatar, and so far I like it. ------------- "Magma was the very first gothic rock band" (Didier Lockwood) |
Posted By: The Doctor
Date Posted: February 23 2010 at 15:22
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You can't go wrong with Fire lucas.
By the way, they've put out their first five studio albums + some enchanted evening in remastered/expanded form...any plans to do the others that anybody knows about? Would be particularly interested in Cultosaurus, Fire and Imaginos. Would probably pick up the others just because. ------------- I can understand your anger at me, but what did the horse I rode in on ever do to you? |
Posted By: Takeshi Kovacs
Date Posted: February 23 2010 at 15:23
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Good band. Saw them live in London last year (or was it the year before). I love their live albums, with standout tracks being Astronomy (from Some Enchanted Evening) and Veteran of the Psychic Wars (ETI Live). -------------  Open the gates of the city wide....
Check out my music taste: http://www.last.fm/user/TakeshiKovacs/ |
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: February 23 2010 at 15:42
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BOC did have some killer live albums no doubt...
------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: lucas
Date Posted: February 23 2010 at 15:44
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just finished raff's avatar. And now I can understand the choice of her avatar. ------------- "Magma was the very first gothic rock band" (Didier Lockwood) |
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: February 23 2010 at 15:50
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it's a good album Lucas.. for me personally,.. nothing beats the first 3. That is where BOC is for me.. but they had many good albums.. but those 3 are simply out of this world kind of good.
------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: Raff
Date Posted: February 23 2010 at 15:53
Actually, I chose that album as my avatar because I love the artwork, especially those shades of blue. It doesn't hurt that I love the music too .
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Posted By: micky
Date Posted: February 23 2010 at 15:56
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I always liked the starkness of the black and white albums
------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: The Doctor
Date Posted: February 23 2010 at 16:35
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Fire was one of the first two BOC albums I heard, along with Spectres...both loaned to me back in the mid-80's by a friend. I still think both are pretty awesome, but Fire is one of those albums I can still play 25 years later and after perhaps hundreds of listens and not be bored. ------------- I can understand your anger at me, but what did the horse I rode in on ever do to you? |
Posted By: thellama73
Date Posted: March 05 2010 at 21:27
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BOC were my favorite band when I was a teenager. I am now rather embarrassed of that fact, but I listened to Agents of Fortune and their debut a couple of days ago and they are better than I remember them being. Maybe it comes in cycles...
------------- 
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Posted By: aapatsos
Date Posted: March 06 2010 at 05:30
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Raff, my two BOC cents (I always like to comment on BOC threads, you know that ) Personally, I would recommend Secret Treaties from their "first era" and "Fire of Unknown Origin" and "Revolution by Night" from their "second era". Yes I know the latter might not appeal to most people because of the many AOr elements but it has some killer riffs and the musicianship is excellent. The only album I would like to get and do not have is Imaginos as I guess is one of their best? And another vote for Heaven Forbid - a great comeback, ok a few weak tracks, but very good overall And yes, the artwork on FOUO is the best seen on a BOC album |
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: March 06 2010 at 07:39
two things in life that escape my comprehension.... pfff... does God exist? Yeah.. got that one.. heaven..hell? yeah.. got that one. The meaning of life?... *yawn* 1) why in God's green Earth anyone who makes less than 6 figures a year would vote Republican.. and 2) what the hell is wrong with AoR... what the hell do people listen to music for if not for killer riffs and good/excellent musicianship. AoR is chock full of it.. yet to some... it is something to embarassed about. go figure? ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: Raff
Date Posted: March 06 2010 at 07:43
So, I suppose I should be embarrassed that, at the age of 49, BOC are still one of my all-time favourite bands - as if we were talking about the Jonas Brothers ?
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Posted By: lucas
Date Posted: March 06 2010 at 09:50
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^
What about the metalheads who will still listen to Marduk and Cannibal Corpse in their fifties ? ------------- "Magma was the very first gothic rock band" (Didier Lockwood) |
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: March 06 2010 at 09:58
what about metalheads in their 40's who love Barbara Streisand. Should they be embarrassed... or just enjoy what they enjoy and don't give a piss if others think they should be embarrassed haha? ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: The Doctor
Date Posted: March 06 2010 at 10:19
No. No. They should be embarrassed.
  I've never felt embarrassed because I love BOC. I can think of many more embarrassing bands to like. ------------- I can understand your anger at me, but what did the horse I rode in on ever do to you? |
Posted By: lucas
Date Posted: March 06 2010 at 10:21
We have to go beyond clichés and not associate age with a certain kind of music : for example extreme metal/punk/hardcore : 15-25 y.o., classical music and jazz : 50 y.o. onwards, rap : 5-10 y.o. (
)...and beyond cultural influences : for example, you live in Nashville so you can't play anything different from country, you live in Salzburg, so you have to be a fantic of Mozart, you live in Lagos so you can't listen to anything else than afrobeat...religious beliefs : you're a die-hard christian so you can't listen to black-metal or any extreme metal praising Satan...or worse : you're into prog so you can't listen to anything that's not complex or simply not prog...
------------- "Magma was the very first gothic rock band" (Didier Lockwood) |
Posted By: aapatsos
Date Posted: March 07 2010 at 17:13
no idea about your first point for your second point, I am certainly not embarassed for liking some elements of AOR - I just think that some prog fans avoid it like the plague... |
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: March 07 2010 at 17:32
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that is what I have never understood about prog 'fans' for fans of 'open-minded' music.. it's fans can sometimes be the most closed minded. That.. is what I've never understood. AoR was best described by Macan as the style purveyed by ...Kansas, Boston, Styx, Rush, Toto and a host of other bands and combined the musical forms of progressive rock, heavy rock/metal and enjoyed enormous popularity as it commercialized the two genres and initiated a fragmentation of the progressive rock style which continues to this day since so much of what is considered prog today bears little resemblence to 'classic' prog. Which is a good thing... since the heart of what prog is ...is progression.. mutation. AoR is not some anti-prog... as some like to call punk. Yet the two.. punk and AoR ARE seen as some plague.
------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: FusionKing
Date Posted: March 09 2010 at 15:00
I'm just a rock fan. Prog, psychedelia, blues rock, thrash, grunge, glam, AOR... love 'em all, there's nothing wrong with any of them as long as it has a bit of soul. 
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Posted By: CPicard
Date Posted: March 09 2010 at 15:09
| Back to the topic: are the nowadays shows of the BÖC good? Since the musicians are now in their 60's, I wonder if they still can rock good and hard as in the 70's. |
Posted By: aapatsos
Date Posted: March 11 2010 at 13:17
| I saw them summer 2008 in Athens and they were pretty good - not perfect but still rocking. They concentrated more on the very early stuff and generally their 70's records. It was a shame they did not play Astronomy as the whole audience was waiting for it |
Posted By: jammun
Date Posted: April 02 2010 at 22:09
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I don't know but I been told, Romeo and Juliet are together in eternity. Good enough for me. ------------- Can you tell me where we're headin'? Lincoln County Road or Armageddon. |
Posted By: Green Shield Stamp
Date Posted: April 13 2010 at 15:12
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Great thread.
It has inspired me to order the following CDs from Amazon (just 10 minutes ago!)
1. Secret Treaties
2. Fire of Unknown Origin
3. Imaginos
I used to have 'Tyranny and Mutation' and 'Agents of Fortune' years ago on Vinyl, but for some reason I never explored beyond these. ------------- Haiku Writing a poem With seventeen syllables Is very diffic.... |