Blue Öyster Cult (album)
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''Blue Öyster Cult'' is the debut studio album by the American
rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
band
Blue Öyster Cult Blue Öyster Cult ( ; sometimes abbreviated BÖC or BOC) is an American rock band formed on Long Island in Stony Brook, New York, in 1967, and best known for the singles "(Don't Fear) The Reaper", "Burnin' for You", and "Godzilla". The band h ...
, released on January 16, 1972 by Columbia Records. The album featured songs such as "
Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll "Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll" is the debut single by American hard rock band Blue Öyster Cult from their eponymous debut album ''Blue Öyster Cult''. Despite not charting, it has become a staple at concerts, and is regarded as one of thei ...
", "Stairway to the Stars", and "Then Came the Last Days of May", all of which the band still plays regularly during its concerts. Despite positive reviews, the album failed to chart for some time before finally cracking the ''Billboard'' 200 chart on May 20, 1972, peaking at No. 172. Blue Öyster Cult toured with artists such as
The Byrds The Byrds () were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1964. The band underwent multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (known as Jim McGuinn until mid-1967) remaining the sole cons ...
,
Alice Cooper Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer whose career spans over five decades. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions, including pyrotechnics, guillot ...
and the
Mahavishnu Orchestra The Mahavishnu Orchestra were a jazz fusion band formed in New York City in 1971, led by English guitarist John McLaughlin. The group underwent several line-up changes throughout its history across its two periods of activity, from 1971 to 1976 ...
to support the album.


Recording

Joe Bouchard discussed the album's creation in 2022. "I couldn’t believe how much fun I was having. Every day I’d get up and we’d be going to the studio, and I’d be like, ‘I can’t believe we’re going to a studio to make an album…a real album, on Columbia Records!’ So, I was excited every day. And I was learning how records are made – this was at David Lucas’ jingle studio in New York. On eight tracks. That's all you had – you had to do the whole album on eight tracks. But he would show us little magical ways of doubling things and doing live bounces. They’d be flipping the tape over backwards and he'd be making flanging using duplication of the part. So, he was all into what was happening with the Beatles and that production. And of course, Sandy Pearlman and Murray Krugman produced that record – so they kept us conceptually...instead of going way off track, they wanted to establish what was going to become Blue Öyster Cult. It had to have that vibe. When it came out, I was a little disappointed – I didn't like the vinyl pressing. But then maybe about 15 years later, they put it out on CD, and then all of a sudden, it brought me back to the studio. It was cleaner, and it was like sitting in the control room, listening to the playback of the mixes. I think we were all tremendously excited to be working on that record. And it sounds like it."


Track information


Transmaniacon MC

"Transmaniacon MC" is about the
Altamont Free Concert The Altamont Speedway Free Festival was a counterculture rock concert in the United States, held on Saturday, December 6, 1969, at the Altamont Speedway outside of Livermore, California. Approximately 300,000 attended the concert, and some a ...
. The "MC" in the title stands for "
motorcycle club A motorcycle club is a group of individuals whose primary interest and activities involve motorcycles. A motorcycle group can range as clubbed groups of different bikes or bikers who own same model of vehicle like the Harley Owners Group. Ther ...
".


I'm on the Lamb but I Ain't No Sheep

"I'm on the Lamb but I Ain't No Sheep" is about a fugitive pursued by the
Royal Canadian Mounted Police The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP; french: Gendarmerie royale du Canada; french: GRC, label=none), commonly known in English as the Mounties (and colloquially in French as ) is the federal police, federal and national police service of ...
and was originally recorded in 1970 (when the band was known as ''Oaxaca''). Another version from 1970 was intended to be included on the band's unreleased first album for Elektra Records (when the band was known as "Stalk-Forrest Group"). Both of these 1970 versions were eventually included on '' St. Cecilia: The Elektra Recordings''. In 1971, the song was recorded again and finally released on the first Columbia album, and then recorded again at a much faster tempo and with much heavier guitars as "The Red and the Black" and included on the band's second Columbia album, ''
Tyranny and Mutation ''Tyranny and Mutation'' (stylized on the cover as ''THE BLVE ÖYSTER CVLT: TYRANNY AND MVTATION'') is the second studio album by American hard rock band Blue Öyster Cult, released on February 11, 1973 by Columbia Records. It was produced by ...
''. The main riff in this song was heavily inspired by "Frying Pan", a Captain Beefheart b-side from 1966. Some versions of the song make this influence more apparent than others.


Then Came the Last Days of May

"Then Came the Last Days of May" is based on a reportedly-true story, when two friends of Dharma's were killed in a drug deal gone bad in the West:
It was still in the Soft White Underbelly days when we were playing dances at Stony Brook University n Long Islandfor our sustenance money. Three Stony Brook students went to Tuscson, Arizona, to buy some bulk marijuana for resale. I don’t know how they got whatever contact they had, but it was two brothers – scions from one of the better-to-do families in Tucson. They never intended to sell them any pot. They just wanted to rip 'em off and shoot 'em, which they did. They took them out to the desert and shot them. It was three guys, and one managed to survive and get back to the highway ... I wrote the story from basically the newspaper accounts of the Long Island newspaper, ''Newsday ...'' There’s a personal connection, too. I knew one of the guys casually from Stony Brook University when we were hanging out there.
This song is frequently played live as a showcase for Buck Dharma's guitar soloing skills.


Before the Kiss, a Redcap

Originally titled "Conry's Bar", "Before the Kiss, a Redcap" describes scenes from that real location. Guitarist
Buck Dharma Donald Roeser (born November 12, 1947), known by his stage name Buck Dharma, is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is the sole constant member of hard rock band Blue Öyster Cult since the group's formation in 1967. He wrote and ...
explains the title as originating in an event witnessed by lyricist/manager
Sandy Pearlman Samuel Clarke "Sandy" Pearlman (August 5, 1943 – July 26, 2016) was an American music producer, artist manager, music journalist and critic, professor, poet, songwriter, and record company executive. He was best known for founding, writing for, ...
in which the titular drug was passed between partners during a kiss. The term "redcap" was supposedly slang for a type of barbiturate; however, "redcap" usually referred to the drug
Dalmane Flurazepam (marketed under the brand names Dalmane and Dalmadorm) is a drug which is a benzodiazepine derivative. It possesses anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, hypnotic, sedative and skeletal muscle relaxant properties. It produces a metabolite with a ...
.


Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll

"Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll" was written by Sandy Pearlman, Donald Roeser and Albert Bouchard, and released as a single. Bouchard performed lead vocals, also singing from his drum kit in concerts. The riff was inspired by
Black Sabbath Black Sabbath were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy met ...
's song "The Wizard," featured on their own self-titled debut album. It remains a staple of Blue Öyster Cult's live shows. On live albums, the name of the song is shortened to "Cities on Flame."


Redeemed

The lyrics were written by singer-songwriter Harry Farcas, and sold to the band. "Sir Rastus Bear" was Farcas' pet Saint Bernard.


Reception

The album received a positive reaction from critics.
Lester Bangs Leslie Conway "Lester" Bangs (December 14, 1948 – April 30, 1982) was an American music journalist, critic, author, and musician. He wrote for '' Creem'' and ''Rolling Stone'' magazines, and was known for his leading influence in rock music ...
gave the album a generally positive review in ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' stating, "with the Blue Öyster Cult, New York has produced its first authentic
boogie Boogie is a repetitive, swung note or shuffle rhythm,Burrows, Terry (1995). ''Play Country Guitar'', p.42. Dorling Kindersley Limited, London. . "groove" or pattern used in blues which was originally played on the piano in boogie-woogie mus ...
beast, and with any luck this one should be around for awhile" telling readers that "I don't think you should miss this album." ''
Circus A circus is a company of performers who put on diverse entertainment shows that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, dancers, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists, and unicyclis ...
'' wrote that "it could well be the album of the Seventies", while Robert Christgau in ''
The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, th ...
'' called it "the tightest and most musical hard rock record since – dare I say it? – ''
Who's Next ''Who's Next'' is the fifth studio album by English rock band the Who. It developed from the aborted '' Lifehouse'' project, a multi-media rock opera conceived by the group's guitarist Pete Townshend as a follow-up to the band's 1969 album '' ...
''". The record was named an honorable mention on
IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
's list of "Top 25 Metal Albums" and has been called "heavy metal for people who hate heavy metal." Canadian critic
Martin Popoff Martin Popoff (born April 28, 1963) is a Canadian music journalist, critic and author. He is mainly known for writing about the genre of heavy metal music. The senior editor and co-founder of ''Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles'', he has additionall ...
criticized the "limp and lifeless" guitar sound and the unimpressive percussive display, which did not make a good service to the "tragic and beautiful BÖC compositions" on the album, leaving the listener "in muted bewilderment".


Covers and appearances

"Transmaniacon MC" is featured in the video game '' Rock Band'' as
downloadable content Downloadable content (DLC) is additional content created for an already released video game, distributed through the Internet by the game's publisher. It can either be added for no extra cost or it can be a form of video game monetization, enabli ...
that may be purchased off of the system or downloaded from the '' Rock Band Metal Track Pack'' using a one-time use code. A cover version of "Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll" was featured as a track in the music video game '' Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock''. Additionally, the song has been covered by
Church of Misery is a Japanese doom metal band from Tokyo, formed in 1995. Church of Misery's musical style melds early Black Sabbath-style doom with psychedelic rock; most of the band's songs are about serial killers and mass murderers. Bassist Tatsu Mikami ...
(on ''
Master of Brutality ''Master of Brutality'' is the debut studio album by the Japanese doom metal band Church of Misery, released in 2001 by Southern Lord Records. Five of the six tracks were based on and titled after infamous serial killers Edmund Kemper, Peter S ...
''),
Iced Earth Iced Earth is an American heavy metal band formed in Tampa, Florida and currently based in Columbus, Indiana. They were formed in 1984 under the name the Rose, then Purgatory, by guitarist and main songwriter Jon Schaffer and original drummer ...
(on ''
Tribute to the Gods ''Tribute to the Gods'' is a covers album by heavy metal band Iced Earth. It is notable as the last Iced Earth album featuring Larry Tarnowski on lead guitar, and the last featuring singer Matt Barlow on vocals until his 2007 return. It was al ...
'') and
3 Inches of Blood 3 Inches of Blood was a Canadian heavy metal band formed in 1999 in Victoria, British Columbia, last consisting of Cam Pipes, Justin Hagberg, Shane Clark, and Ash Pearson, none of whom were original members of the band. Their music was strong ...
(as a bonus track on '' Here Waits Thy Doom'') Additionally, the song appears in the American television period sitcom ''
That '70s Show ''That '70s Show'' is an American television period teen sitcom that aired on Fox from August 23, 1998, to May 18, 2006. The series focuses on the lives of a group of six teenage friends living in the fictional town of Point Place, Wisconsin, ...
'', as well as its soundtrack. Guitarist William Tyler performs a 2015 solo acoustic instrumental version of "She's as Beautiful as a Foot" on Aquarium Drunkard's "Lagniappe Sessions" page.


Track listing


Personnel

;Blue Öyster Cult *
Eric Bloom Eric Jay Bloom (born December 1, 1944) is an American musician, singer and songwriter. He is best known as the co-lead vocalist, guitar and keyboard/synthesizer player for the long-running band Blue Öyster Cult, with work on more than 20 albu ...
– vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards * Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser – lead guitar, vocals *
Joe Bouchard Joseph J. Bouchard (; born November 9, 1948) is an American musician. He was the bassist and one of the lead singers of the hard rock band Blue Öyster Cult during their most successful period. He is the younger brother of original Blue Öyster ...
– bass, vocals *
Albert Bouchard Albert Thomas Bouchard (; born May 24, 1947) is an American musician. He is a founding member and the original drummer of the hard rock band Blue Öyster Cult and current drummer of The Dictators. He is the brother of former Blue Öyster Cult ...
– drums, vocals *
Allen Lanier Allen Glover Lanier (; June 25, 1946 – August 14, 2013) was an American musician who played keyboards and rhythm guitar. He was an original member of Blue Öyster Cult. Lanier wrote several songs for Blue Öyster Cult albums, including "T ...
– rhythm guitar, keyboards ;2001 bonus tracks as 'Soft White Underbelly' *Eric Bloom - vocals, rhythm guitar *Albert Bouchard - drums, vocals *Allen Lanier - keyboards, rhythm guitar *Donald Roeser - lead guitar, vocals *Andy Winters - bass ;Production * David Lucas – producer, engineer *
Murray Krugman Murray may refer to: Businesses * Murray (bicycle company), an American manufacturer of low-cost bicycles * Murrays, an Australian bus company * Murray International Trust, a Scottish investment trust * D. & W. Murray Limited, an Australian who ...
,
Sandy Pearlman Samuel Clarke "Sandy" Pearlman (August 5, 1943 – July 26, 2016) was an American music producer, artist manager, music journalist and critic, professor, poet, songwriter, and record company executive. He was best known for founding, writing for, ...
– associate producers *Bill Robertson - engineer *Bruce Dickinson – reissue compilation *Vic Anesini – reissue mastering


Charts


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Blue Oyster Cult (Album) 1972 debut albums Albums produced by Murray Krugman Albums produced by Sandy Pearlman Blue Öyster Cult albums Columbia Records albums