BOC: Imaginos: Black & Silver...

[Douglas A. Mitchell]

Carl:

>>As far as the AOL boards and such, yes, there is alot of *love* for the
>>band there.  Is this such a bad thing?  I still like the music, after many
>>years away from it, and despite over-analysis, still can't find it in
myself
>>to dislike ANY of it.  I do believe it is possible to just plain enjoy
certain
>>band's styles.  This is the source of my *love* for their music...
>>I guess I'm just one of those lemmings... =)

>>Granted, Al was a dominant & driving creative force within the band
>>during their incredible run.  And as I haven't the slightest what the
>>underlying causes of their eventual separation might actually be,
>>keeping the whole "Imaginos money issue" aside, I choose not to
>>take up arms against either camp.  I now find myself enjoying BOC
>>in it's present form, as well as Al's latest efforts with Deb on the
>>Brain Surgeons albums.  I am allowed to appreciate all of it, aren't I?
>>No matter how you paint it, bashing is bashing is bashing...
>>Is this the BOC-AL?

>>So, I will weigh in favoring both Al & BOC,
>>and suffer the consequences... =)

>Oh, I can't really disagree on most of these points.  Like the HW
>fans would say when Nikwind happened, "You can never have too
>many Hawkwind's!".  So I'll take tBS and 3OC both, thanks!
>Yeah, we look at the statistics and we see that Al was a vital force
>in old BOC.  But I pretty much like the new BOC material, and think
>it's better than anything on _RbN_ or _CN_ except perhaps "Take Me
>Away" which I think is really a good song.

Looks like we see pretty "eye to eye" here...

>What _frustrates_ me about the current incarnation of BOC is that
>they've still got a lot of potential and they're just frittering it all away
>on the endless rehash tour.  Hey, the shows are great, they play
>really well.  But for one thing they've got a back catalog of incredible
>songs which they're only scratching the surface of--I mean, let's hear
>them open up with "Transmaniacon MC" or something :)

This is the one area that a few of us on AOL, that I would describe
as the 'core group' of knowledgeable fans, work on constantly.  You
might call it a "love-in", but I would be more inclined to call it "moral
support."  We all want the very same thing you mention here.  I'm
guessing that they will add in 'The Vigil' before it's all said and done,
as the latest line-up (new drummer John) get a better handle on more
and more of the material.  As evidence, I present a piece of an article
I posted to the Buck Dharma folder on AOL:

-On the subject of soundchecks, I've been procrastinating about sitting
-down and recounting this...
-
-I headed down to the Ballard Firehouse for the 2/1 show pretty early,
-arriving about 6:00 p.m., and setting up shop right next to the sound-
-board.  As I sat on my keister, watching Chris & company setting up
-shop, I noticed a distinguished looking fellow wander into the building,
-pickup a certain black guitar, and begin noodling around...
-
-For the next hour, I was treated to Buck messing around with his set-
-up, ripping off little riffs, picking around a scale or two, and one blazing
-section of about ten minutes where no one else in the building did any-
-thing but listen.  Listening intently, I picked up small but recognizable
-pieces of specific songs.  I distinctly heard:  Reaper, Take Me Away,
-Sweet Home Alabama (does Buck like Skynyrd?), and most definitely
-what we on the alt.m.boc refer to as "Rosie's Guitar Thing", or the guitar
-bridge in the middle of the Vigil.  I just soaked it all in, realizing that
I
-was getting my $20 bucks (no pun intended) worth right there,
-regardless of how the show went...
-
-As Chris & Woody attempted to isolate an enormous hum in the
-house wiring, and Chris made cracks about how cold it was outside,
-Buck finished his 'warm-up' with the first few measures from 'Hawaii
-Five-O'.  No kidding!  Chris said "It's too cold for that,' and laughed...
-
-Just a little tidbit from your Seattle road reporter... =)

At least Buck is ready to play it... =)

>Plus they just haven't come up with an albums worth of material,
>a fact I simply don't understand.  I mean, the guys in there still have
>a lot of talent--that much is obvious.  They still have the resources to
>do something interesting and cool, to go where BOC has never gone
>before.  But they _don't_!  I mean, what I wouldn't give to have the
>opportunities they have!  Please, BOC, snap out of it.  It'd be a
>shame to see them end with a whimper.

I'm willing to bet that they've got enough material floating around to
pull together an album.  As mere observers of the obvious, our speculation
is based only upon what we've seen & heard at the most recent shows.
There's more than likely a tune or two bouncing around in Buck's head.
I'm also willing to bet that what they do produce will be "interesting and
cool", at least to some of us... =)

But yes, I must admit that I too have entertained thoughts of the band's
fading into the sunset.  I would like to think, based upon the energy that
I've seen them give, night in and night out, to both the old & new material,
that they've got it in them.  it would be a damn shame to see them flame
out like an English plane going boom...

Here's to the new album, and the patience to wait for it...

The Snowman.                                         _?_
<dmitchissy at aol.com>                              I

      "If it isn't skiing or Blue Oyster Cult, I'm not interested..."
The First Annual BOC BBQ - Santa Rosa, California - Spring 1996!

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