A couple comments on the BOC reviews

[John A Swartz]

Just wanted to add a few comments to the recent BOC reviews.

1.  Buck's "headless" guitar - that's a Steinberger, and Buck's been
playing it now for at least the last 5 years.  Looks kinda weird, but
the guy can do some amazing things with it.

2.  Buck in concert -- Buck has never been what one might call "animated"
during a show - that's Buck.  He pretty much just stands and plays.  He
does have a habit of bobbing his head around a bit, which apparently some
think looks like a duck (note:  I doubt that a comment in jest on AOL is
gonna make Buck change something he's been doing for over 20 years).  As
far as needing a psychiatrist, well I doubt it.  The quiet ones though,
yeah they are always the ones you gotta watch out for . . .

3.  There ain't no "new" songs on WotT - but obviously the band is trying
to promote it.

4.  BOC playing at small venues -- As much as we'd all like it, BOC can't
play the large venues anymore because their fan base is too small.  Which
would you find more depressing - BOC packing a 500 seat club, or BOC
playing to 1000 in a stadium that seats 20,000?

5.  BOC becoming "popular" again -- would be nice, but I'm not holding my
breath.  Even if they come out with a new album (which I do think will
happen), and even if the music on it is great (my guess is that is will
be better than *Club Ninja*, but not better than *Secret Treaties*),
none of that guarantees success.  There are probably thousands of absolutely
fantastic albums out there that failed miserably - some by bands we know,
and some by bands we've never heard of.  There's the issue of the
record company promoting the band and the album.  And, I believe that
what is going on in the music world (i.e. what's hot and what's not) has
alot to do with it - sometimes timing and dumb luck plays a hand in these
things.  It might happen again for BOC (and none would be more happier
than I), but there's certainly no guarantee.  My guess is that BOC knows
this because if they really thought that a new album would set their
careers on the road toward stardom again, they'd released the thing about
2 years ago.  So, as I say in the FAQ, "we wait . . . and hope . . . and
pray"  In the meantime, go out and enjoy 'em for all you can get (and
don't forget to check out The Brain Surgeons - now THERE'S a band that
would be on top of the music world if all it took was a great band with
a great album).

6.  Comments on the sound quality -- funny, I noticed this when I saw
them in New Hampshire this summer.  It was definitely a problem with
the sound MIX, and not the band's playing ability.  Have they recently
got new people to do their mixing, or have the old guys gone deaf?  :-)

7.  What the title of the new album should be -- "Still Burnin'" would
be good, I suppose.  But, plenty of others probably would be as well.
Sometimes, I don't know what inspires a band to come up with a particular
album title.  Obviously the title of a particular song can often be
used, but certainly that's not always the case.  Take "Cultosaurus
Erectus" - where the HELL did someone come up with that?  It's not that
I dislike it, it's just that it certainly doesn't really tie in with
anything on the album.  IMHO, the title of the new album won't make
a real difference, sales-wise -- well, maybe something like "Old Farts
on Tour" would be detrimental.  :-)

John