BOC: Interview

[Rudich, Robert A]

Of interest:  An interview with Eyes, Buck & the boys from the Pacific
Northwest, forwarded from a coffee swilling lurker.  Eyes makes some
interesting points about record deals and albums.   Up until a few days ago,
I thought BOC was a figment of the imagination myself (curse you Torgo)
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April 8, 1996
AN INTERVIEW WITH BLUE OYSTER CULT: February 2, 1996,

Many people know of Blue Oyster Cult's music by their radio hits Don't Fear
The Reaper,
Godzilla, and Burning for you.  Dubbed early on as "intellectual heavy
metal", the band had
been making music and playing it live well before their self titled release
in 1972.  Well
crafted lyrics, guitar heavy sound and searing live performances became
their trademarks.
When Blue Oyster Cult came through Seattle in the beginning of February, I
had the
opportunity to sit down and speak with a relaxed but hungry Eric Bloom.  We
were later
joined by Buck Dharma.  We spoke about the bands current tour, latest
release, on goings
of the Cult and its members.

The core of the band are original members Eric Bloom on vocals and guitar,
Donald
"Buck Dharma" Roeser on lead guitar and vocals and Allen Lanier on keyboards
and backup
vocals.  And it's been that way for some time now. "I met them around
Thanksgiving of 1968
and became the vocalist in April of 1969.  And if you told us in 1969, that
in 1996 we'd
still be doing this stuff, we'd thought you were crazy" says Eric Bloom.
The quintet is
rounded out by new arrivals Danny Maranda, form Long Island N.Y. on bass and
John O'reilly,
formerly of Blackmores Rainbow on drums.

The band was on the first week of a three week northwest tour that included
several
stops in Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Montana.  I asked how the
shows were
going and the types of places they were playing.  Eric Bloom responded that
"most shows
we're selling out.  We are playing medium kinds of venues, 500, 800, 1000
people, small
theaters.  Of course in the summer time we play much larger shows and
festivals."

Their current tour is in support of their most recent release "Workshop of
the
Telescopes".  A double disc retrospective package out on Legacy/Columbia.
It features
some of their best material from 1972 through 1986 including previously
unissued and
promotional only issued songs.  Pleased about the final product and happy
with its release,
the band has been highlighting many of the songs in its live performances.
Along with Workshop of the Telescopes, Blue Oyster Cult has in recent years
released
three other CDs that included material from previous albums.  What are often
called "Greatest
Hits".  They include Career of Evil, On Flame With Rock and Roll and Cult
Classics.  I was
curious as to why another "Greatest Hits" CD.  As it turns out, unlike
Workshop of the
Telescopes, where the band had input on the project and helped craft its
package, Career
of Evil and On Flame With Rock and Roll had none of that.  As Eric Bloom
bluntly stated
"We had nothing to do with them."  "They"(the record company) "owned the
songs and could
do whatever they want."  And what about the Cult Classics CD that contains
re recordings
of previously released material?  It turns out that BOC had been approached
by a fan,
Stephen King, who wanted to use some of their songs for a TV series.  They
realized that
in order to be properly compensated for their music, they would need to
rerecord and release
the songs.  Thus bypassing their old label, Columbia, for a one time deal
with Herald Records.
As a business move it was the right thing to do and the band was happy with
its final outcome.

With new material being played at the live performances, will we be seeing a
new CD any
time soon?  "No" was the short answer.  Eric Bloom went on to explain that
"we've been trying
to get a record deal for the last four years.  Two years ago we signed and
sealed a deal with
Elecktra Records.  But there was some misunderstanding between our
management and Atlantic and they reneged on the contract.  This set us back
on our heals quite a bit because we had passed on other deals to go with
Atlantic.  And it was a major album, major deal and we thought we were back
in business with a real record company.  And when they reneged on us.  For
what ever reason they did, it was very difficult.  I think the word got out
or something.  We have no idea what happened but other major labels lost
interest as well.  We're a little bit dumbfounded we can't get a deal.  It's
frustrating."

So what about the band going independent and starting it's own label?  A
reticent Eric Bloom
replies: "We could do that but that's such a difficult thing to do.  Because
if we did our own
album, which we could do, and put it out on a no name label,we have so many
good songs.  We're afraid that no one will ever hear or buy them.  So we're
of holding out.  Maybe eventually we might have to do something like that
and resort to some sort of secondary way of getting this
product out.  I think we're up against that right now and know it.  We
actually do have an offer
from a European label, but no distribution for it in the U.S."  So it
doesn"t look good for any
new BOC release in the future.  As Eric Bloom puts it, "It's not like we
haven't tried with every
major their is.  The writing on the wall is that unless you're alternative,
rap or pop, there's
really no place for rock and roll to happen anymore.  That's my philosophy
and perspective after
looking at all the trades and slogging through all the major's after the
last couple of years.
Where's the rock?  There just isn't any."

What does Eric Bloom think about the state of rock and roll today?  Is it
dead?  Has it
stopped evolving?  "It's all just a state of terminology.  Is alternative
music rock and roll?
I don't know?  Was Nirvana rock?  Alternative now being a misnomer because
it is mainstream.
It's interesting to trace the roots of it.  It goes back to Aerosmith, KISS,
Blue Oyster Cult,
and Black Sabbath.  Then it evolved through young kids of that era picking
up on that stuff.
You had new wave, punk, and all kinds of things synthesized through it.
Alternative is evolutionary.  I got it from the Rolling Stones, the Doors,
and the Beatles.  How far back do you want to go?  It's probably just a
question of style."

When looking at this part of the country he adds "the Seattle movement
certainly took it
a few giant steps forward.  What grunge was, is now called alternative.  My
favorite is Stone
Temple Pilots of that genre.  It's really all there is as far as rock goes,
aside from an occasional
White Zombie, as not being alternative."

Where does this leave Blue Oyster Cult in todays musical melting pot?   Eric
Bloom speaks
pragmatically, "as far as commercial music, the bottom line is, if you're a
rock musician there's
art and there's making a living.  You try to mix them together and obviously
at this time in our
lives we have to make a living.  Because we can't go back to all living in
one house and eating
Spanish rice."  And when it comes to playing the shows, and they still do
enjoy playing them, they have a set criteria on price, space and
accommodations.

And what about off stage?  What are the members of the Cult up to?  Well for
starts, both
Eric Bloom and Buck Dharma are on America Online.  Buck has a folder under
the Classic Rock site and Eric handles the BOC folder posting tour dates and
chatting with the bands net fans.  He's so happy with the on line fan
support that the band had special t-shirts made up for "the net fans". BOC
On Tour-On Line.  He communicates with fans from all over the globe.  "There
are probably a  couple hundred people I interact with on a regular basis.
They actually help change the set list."  And outside of the BOC site?  "I
got involved in a role playing game on America On Line and am totally
addicted to it."

Along with all being into film they stay educated by reading a lot. More so
on tour than
off and exchanging books when they come upon a hot topic.  Currently Buck
Dharma is into a book on P.G.P., "a free NSA inscription program for the
masses" he tells us, book in hand, as he
stops by the table we are sitting at. "It's about keeping the government
from eavesdropping on
people."  Eric is currently pulling much of his info from America On Line.
And Allen Lanier is
deep into a book on comparative religions and Egyptian history.  "He's a
total fund of interesting
and unusual knowledge," Eric Bloom states.

So what does the future hold for Blue Oyster Cult?   Eric Bloom replies,
"we're doing some
major changes in the show.   Within two or three months we're getting all
new band equipment.
So the whole band look will be quite different."  And as for the continued
touring?   Buck Dharma
says "we're comfortable touring about four months a year and having it
spread out over a full year. We wouldn't do it if it wasn't still rewarding
to do, but it's what we do.  It's how we make a living."