Blue Oyster Cult
Where does one begin in describing the sound and style of
Blue Oyster Cult, one of the most unique hard rock bands ever?
Formed in the late 60's in New York (first as Soft White
Underbelly, then as Stalk Forrest Group, both of which have since
been used by the band when performing "secret" gigs), the band's
quirky, offbeat songwriting style has won over many a fan and
critic over their career, a career that is still going strong
after more than thirty years.
They are best known for their massive hit
"(Don't Fear) The Reaper", as well as "Godzilla" and
"Burning For You", but their best work, as least from a metal
perspective, is the earlier material, in particular the
first three albums.
By the mid-eighties they had softened their sound and lost some
of their edge, as well as popularity, and were more or less
disbanded after 1986's
Club Ninja .
With the exception of 1988's
Imaginos (originally intended as
an Albert Bouchard solo album), the band was not heard from for
several years, but then re-emerged in the late nineties with
two new albums and their fifth (!) live album.
Bouchard left the band some time ago to form Brain Surgeons,
a band that also is still active today.
Current Members
Eric Bloom
vocals/guitars
Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser
vocals/guitars
Richie Castellano
guitars/keyboards
Danny Miranda
bass (ex-Faith And Fire )
Jules Radino
drums
Former Members/Guests
Allen Lanier
keyboards RIP: August 14, 2013, lung disease, age 66
Tommy Zvoncheck
keyboards
Joe Bouchard
bass
Jon Rogers
bass
Rudy Sarzo
bass (ex-Dio , ex-M.A.R.S. , ex-Operation: Mindcrime , ex-Ozzy Osbourne , ex-Quiet Riot , ex-Whitesnake )
Kasim Sulton
bass
Albert Bouchard
drums (Brain Surgeons )
Rick Downey
drums
Tommy Price
drums
Chuck Burgi
drums (ex-Rainbow )
Bobby Rondinelli
drums (ex-Black Sabbath , ex-Doro , Axel Rudi Pell , ex-Rainbow , ex-Riot V )
Discography
Studio
Live
Compilation
Blue Oyster Cult
1972
CBS
Transmaniacon MC
I'm on the Lamb but I Ain't No Sheep
Then Came the Last Days of May
Stairway to the Stars
Before the Kiss, A Redcap
Screams
She's As beautiful as a Foot
Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll
Workshop of the Telescopes
Redeemed
Eric Bloom
Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser
Allen Lanier
Joe Bouchard
Albert Bouchard
Tyranny And Mutation
1973
CBS
The Red & the Black
O.D.'d on Life Itself
Hot Rails To Hell
7 Screaming Diz-Busters
Baby Ice Dog
Wings Wetted Down
Teen Archer
Mistress of the Salmon Salt (Quicklime Girl)
Eric Bloom
Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser
Allen Lanier
Joe Bouchard
Albert Bouchard
Secret Treaties
1974
CBS
Career of Evil
Subhuman
Dominance and Submission
ME 262
Cagey Cretins
Harvester of Eyes
Flaming Telepaths
Astronomy
Eric Bloom
Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser
Allen Lanier
Joe Bouchard
Albert Bouchard
On Your Feet Or On Your Knees
LIVE
1974
CBS
Subhuman
Harvester of Eyes
Hot Rails to Hell
ME 262
The Red and The Black
7 Screaming Diz-Busters
Buck's Boogie
Then Came the Last Days of May
Cities on Flame
ME 262
Before the Kiss (A Redcap)
I Ain't Got You
Born to be Wild
Eric Bloom
Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser
Allen Lanier
Joe Bouchard
Albert Bouchard
Agents Of Fortune
1976
CBS
This Ain't the Summer of Love
True Confessions
(Don't Fear) The Reaper
E. T. I. (Extra Terrestrial Intelligence)
The Revenge of Vera Gemini
Sinful Love
Tattoo Vampire
Morning Final
Tenderloin
Debbie Denise
Eric Bloom
Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser
Allen Lanier
Joe Bouchard
Albert Bouchard
Spectres
1977
CBS
Godzilla
Golden Age of Leather
Death Valley Nights
Searchin' for Celine
Fireworks
R. U. Ready 2 Rock
Celestial the Queen
Goin' Through the Motions
I Love the Night
Nosferatu
Eric Bloom
Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser
Allen Lanier
Joe Bouchard
Albert Bouchard
Some Enchanted Evening
LIVE
1978
CBS
R. U. Ready 2 Rock
E. T. I. (Extra Terrestrial Intelligence)
Astronomy
Kick Out The Jams
Godzilla
(Don't Fear) The Reaper
We Gotta Get Out Of This Place
Eric Bloom
Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser
Allen Lanier
Joe Bouchard
Albert Bouchard
Mirrors
1979
CBS
Eric Bloom
Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser
Allen Lanier
Joe Bouchard
Albert Bouchard
Cultosaurus Erectus
1980
CBS
Black Blade
Monsters
Divine Wind
Deadline
The Marshall Plan
Hungry Boys
Fallen Angel
Lips In The Hills
Unknown Tongue
Eric Bloom
Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser
Allen Lanier
Joe Bouchard
Albert Bouchard
Fire Of Unknown Origin
1981
CBS
Fire of Unknown Origin
Burnin' For You
Veteran of the Psychic Wars
Sole Survivor
Heavy Metal: The Black and Silver
Vengeance (The Pact)
After Dark
Joan Crawford
Don't Turn Your Back
Eric Bloom
Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser
Allen Lanier
Joe Bouchard
Albert Bouchard
Extraterrestrial Live
LIVE
1982
CBS
Cities On Flame
Hot Rails to Hell
The Red and The Black
Dominance and Submission
(Don't Fear) The Reaper
E.T.I. (Extra Terrestrial Intelligence)
Godzilla
Dr. Music
Black Blade
Joan Crawford
Burnin' For You
Veteran of the Psychic Wars
Roadhouse Blues
Eric Bloom
Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser
Allen Lanier
Joe Bouchard
Rick Downey
The Revolution By Night
1983
CBS
Take Me Away
Eyes On Fire
Shooting Shark
Veins
Shadow of California
Feel the Thunder
Let Go
Dragon Lady
Light Years of Love
Eric Bloom
Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser
Allen Lanier
Joe Bouchard
Rick Downey
Club Ninja
1986
CBS
White Flags
Dancin' In The Ruins
Make Rock Not War
Perfect Water
Spy in the House of the Night
Beat 'Em Up
When the War Comes
Shadow Warrior
Madness to the Method
Eric Bloom
Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser
Tommy Zvoncheck
Joe Bouchard
Tommy Price
Imaginos
1988
CBS
I Am The One You Warned Me Of
Les Invisibles
In the Presence of Another World
Del Rio's Song
The Siege and Investiture of Baron Von Frankenstein's Castle at Weisseria
Astronomy
Magna of Illusion
Blue Öyster Cult
Imaginos
Eric Bloom
Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser
Allen Lanier
Joe Bouchard
Albert Bouchard
Career Of Evil
COMPILATION
1989
Columbia
Cities On Flame
The Red And The Black
Hot Rails To Hell
Dominance And Submission
7 Screaming Diz-Busters
Me 262
E.T.I. (Extra Terrestrial Intelligence)
Beat 'Em Up
Black Blade
Harvester Of Eyes
Flaming Telepaths
Godzilla
(Don't Fear) The Reaper
Cult Classic
1994
Caroline
See You In Black
Harvest Moon
Power Underneath Despair
X-Ray Eyes
Hammer Back
Damaged
Cold Grey Light Of Dawn
Real World
Live For Me
Still Burnin'
In Thee
Eric Bloom
Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser
Allen Lanier
Jon Rogers
Chuck Burgi
1994 Readers' Album
#48
Workshop Of The Telescopes
COMPILATION
1995
Sony
Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll
Transmaniacon MC
Before the Kiss, A Redcap
Stairway to the Stars
Buck's Boogie
Workshop of the Telescopes
The Red and The Black
7 Screaming Diz-Busters
Career of Evil
Flaming Telepaths
Astronomy
Subhuman
Harvester of Eyes
ME-262
Born to be Wild (Studio Version)
(Don't Fear) The Reaper
This Ain't the Summer of Love
E.T.I. (Extra Terrestrial Intelligence)
Godzilla
Goin' Through the Motions
Golden Age of Leather
Kick Out the Jams
We Gotta Get Out of this Place
In Thee
The Marshall Plan
Veteran of the Psychic Wars
Burnin' For You
Dominance and Submission
Take Me Away
Shooting Shark
Dancin' in the Ruins
Perfect Water
Heaven Forbid
1998
Atlantic
Dance on Stilts
Showtime
The Old Gods Return
Pocket
One Step Ahead of the Devil
I Just Like to be Bad
Here Comes That Feeling
Out of the Darkness
Stone of Love
Eye of the Hurricane
Good to Feel Hungry
Eric Bloom
Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser
Allen Lanier
Rudy Sarzo
Danny Miranda
Chuck Burgi
Curse Of The Hidden Mirror
2001
Sanctuary
Stairway to the Stars
Burnin' for You
Od'd on Lifestyle
Dance on Stilts
Buck's Boogie
Quicklime Girl
Harvest Moon
Last Days of May
Cities on Flame With Rock & Roll
Perfect Water
Lips in the Hills
Godzilla
(Don't Fear) The Reaper
Eric Bloom
Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser
Allen Lanier
Danny Miranda
Bobby Rondinelli
A Long Day's Night
LIVE
2002
Sanctuary
Eric Bloom
Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser
Allen Lanier
Danny Miranda
Bobby Rondinelli
The Symbol Remains
2020
Frontiers
Eric Bloom
Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser
Richie Castellano
Danny Miranda
Jules Radino
Ghost Stories
2024
Late Night Street Fight
Cherry
So Supernatural
We Gotta Get Out of This Place
Soul Jive
Gun
Shot in the Dark
The Only Thing
Kick Out the Jams
Money Machine
Don't Come Running to Me
If I Fell