Blue Cheer

The older readers out there certainly know about Blue Cheer. Among the several late-60's groups that are sometimes labelled the first heavy metal band, Blue Cheer may have the best credentials, as their 1968 landmark album Vincebus Eruptum, featuring the massive hit "Summertime Blues", was quite groundbreaking at the time, even if it's probably more accurate to label it as loud psychedelic acid rock rather than real metal. Regardless, they are rightfully hailed as one of the pioneers of the genre, even if they never quite matched that early success. They first broke up in the early 70's after a string of a few albums, and in the intervening years founder Dickie Peterson and various lineups would emerge for a time, sporadically recording, culminating in 2007's What Doesn't Kill You. Given that the band hadn't recorded in sixteen years and their biggest hit was forty years old by this time, What Doesn't Kill You is arguably heavier and better than anyone might expect, retaining their bluesy edge with a bit of grunge and an almost Southern influence at times.

Peterson passed away from cancer in 2009, and the band was officially laid to rest at that time.

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Discography

Studio Live

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