BLUE OYSTER CULT- “CULTIVATING BALLAD”
BLUE OYSTER CULT performing Live at the Oakland Coliseum on 6-6-76. PHOTO by BEN UPHAM
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OAKLAND, CA. 6-6-76
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B.O.C. ARTWORK by BEN UPHAM III
ROCK TALK
“Blue Oyster Cult Cultivating Ballad”
Independent Press Telegram
Long Beach, Ca. July 4, 1976
By LISA ROBINSON
–Because Blue Oyster Cult has been considered America’s premiere heavy-metal band for the past five years, their incredible (and musically varied) new album “Agents of Fortune” comes as a bit of a surprise.
The heavy guitar riffs are still there, but there’s more. There’s even a ballad!
“All our previous albums have been monolithic and appealed to a particular taste” said Blue Oyster Cult keyboard player Alan Lanier. “This time we forgot about titles and concepts, we wanted it to be more musical, this album is breaking out in a way that others haven’t”.
There’s a new audience aware of us now. They may be surprised when they come see our show.”
As for the road, “I hate it,” admitted Lanier, who has toured with the Cult constantly for over five years. “It’s turning me into an alcoholic. You invest 24 hours a day to do two hours of work”.
“We don’t take limousines. Sometimes the kids are disappointed when they see us drive up backstage in a station wagon. I feel sorry for them. That’s worshiping the worst kind of American idea of success”.
“I had heroes, too, but if I loved Elvis it was because he was saying “— you”.
It was an emotional, political thing — like the heart of the country was dying, and here was someone who was alive.”
BOC’s audience has a violent reputation, but Lanier doesn’t find that unusual: “I haven’t seen a rock-‘n’-roll audience yet that didn’t have that element to it.
People go to baseball games and throw beer at each other. “To me, our fans are part of that disenfranchised element, like I was. I think the best people in rock and roll were always a part of that. Being able to give a voice to that is the heart of rock and roll.”
BLUE OYSTER CULT DISCOGRAPHY:
1972 Blue Öyster Cult
1973 Tyranny and Mutation
1974 Secret Treaties
1975 On Your Feet or On Your Knees
1976 Agents of Fortune
1977 Spectres
1978 Some Enchanted Evening
1979 Mirrors
1980 Cultösaurus Erectus
1981 Fire of Unknown Origin
1982 Extraterrestrial Live
1983 The Revölution by Night
1986 Club Ninja
1988 Imaginos
1994 Cult Classic
1994 Live 1976
1998 Heaven Forbid
2001 Curse of the Hidden Mirror
2001 St. Cecilia: The Elektra Recordings
2002 A Long Day’s Night
CLICK ON LINKS BELOW TO SEE BLUE OYSTER CULT PHOTOS & ARTWORK:
OAKLAND, CA. 6-6-76
and
B.O.C. ARTWORK by BEN UPHAM III