Cult Classics/CE/ Guitar World Mag./Remastering

[John A Swartz]

> ...rushing out to the bookstore at lunch . . .

Came back without it - Adrian mentioned all that was noteworthy in
the article.  There is a picture of BOC - about the size of a postage
stamp, though.

>Anybody else notice that the BD band show in GA was such a success?

Yes - but again don't read too much into this.  Is Buck as viable or
more viable without BOC?  Debatable - certainly BOC is probably safer.
As for name recognition, if so many folks are going "Blue Oyster WHO?",
guess how many are gonna say, "Buck WHO?" (to which we can respond,
"Buck YOU!" - sorry, couldn't resist).

>It sounds like heresy, but EB just
isn't bringing that much to the show anymore.  Before you flame, I'm
telling you that the guy is one of my gods, but the facts don't lie.
I can't say he's kicking ass likt the old days when he isn't!

Nope, but hardly grounds for having him leave if the band would rather
keep him.  Besides, things could change - his voice may improve.  And
if everyone's o.k. with Bloom playing some keys and stun guitar,
then no reason for him to leave.  Granted, it ain't the same - but the
band hasn't been "the same" since 1981...

>And if
BD went solo, what of Allen?  if he tags along, is it still BOC?  I
always figured that to be BOC, it had to be EB and BD.

Well, EB and BD have been in BOC since it was BOC and neither have ever
really left (except when the band sort of went on hiatus in '87) -
but if BD and Allen wanted to continue the circuit doing BOC tunes,
then it's as much BOC as it has been since Al and Joe left.

>Maybe time to cut is losses and go
for it alone.

I believe Albert (hope I'm not putting words in his mouth) said something
to this effect a year or so ago (might've been somewhere other than
BOC-L) - that Buck should find himself a few hot new musicians and dump
the BOC thing.  Was the Georgia benefit his way of "testing the water"?
I don't know - of course most of the attendees were BOC fans (but you
gotta start somewhere).  I wonder if "The Red and The Black" (the band,
not the song) was a similar attempt that may have (at least for awhile)
put any further Buck solo aspirations on hold.  Then again, the Grateful
Dead's members all use to do solo tours and the like without the band
itself breaking up.

It may be inevitable to draw some comparisons from the discussion of
whether Buck is or should contemplate such matters with Albert's
forming the Brain Surgeons - but remember (as Albert pointed out):
Albert has been out of BOC since 1981 (Imaginos and his 2-week hired
hand stint in 1985 not withstanding), so he is MUCH more detached from
the world of BOC (many fans who show up at tBS gigs don't know of
Albert's storied past, and many of these are folks who ask, "Blue
Oyster WHO?"), so it would be a different situation for Buck should
he decide to do this.

DISCLAIMER:  I am only trying to add my thoughts to some of Theo's
speculations.  I am not suggesting that BOC should breakup, that EB
should bow out, that Buck should go solo, or that the original lineup
should reform.  Times change, people move on, and we fans can accept
or deny what happens, and choose to listen to what we want.  Whether
my next BOC-related CD purchase is "Ezekiel's Wheel", "Flat Out II",
"Manny's Discount Stun-Guitars", or "The Brain Surgeons: From the
Operating Room to the Stage - Live", or "The Cult Brothers Anthology",
(hmm...need a title for Allen -- how 'bout "These Things Cause CANCER?!?"),
I will enjoy the music they contain for what it is - good music made
by some of my favorite musicians.

John