Blue Oyster Cult Album Discussion and Ranking Part 1 - Blue Oyster Cult debut through Spectres

Brian, Josh, and Brent are joined by Bryon Dudley, host of the Hair Metal Memories podcast and member of the band Strong Like Bear for a dive into the first five Blue Oyster Cult albums, from the 1972 debut through Spectres.
0:52 Our Ranking System
2:00 Bryon Dudley's Projects
6:17 Blue Oyster Cult
17:51 Tyranny and Mutation
28:20 Secret Treaties
36:58 Agents of Fortune
47:11 Spectres
1:00:05 Ranking the first five BOC albums
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[@godsofohio6734]

BOC is a biker bar band with the chops to be progressive. I really like Last Days of May on the first album, and I think the best version is "On Your Feet or On Your Knees". The music is one of Buck's beautiful melodies and the lyrics tell an entire story. At the end of the song, the story's narrator becomes one of the murdered college students. It's a ghost story, he is inviting you to join him.

[@underlordsuniverse7823]

That's a great point about "Last Days of May." Often a song benefits from a greater understanding of the lyric. A good song can be elevated by a great lyric.

[@daveycretin664]

Glad l found you groovy cats through the KZbin recommendation algorithm. As a lifelong “Noo Yawk Yewt,” I first came into the band with their Fire of Unknown Origin album in 1981. I already knew the songs “Don’t Fear the Reaper” and “Godzilla,” but had not explored their oeuvre further at the time. After hearing “Burnin’ for You” and especially “Veteran of the Psychic Wars” on NYC FM rock radio, it made me go out and buy the vinyl of FOUO. I worked in record stores for over three decades and BÖC was always one of my go to bands. I even turned other coworkers of mine onto the group. I love the fact that they’re stylistically all over the map: hard rock, prog, psych, pop, rock, etc. To quote the great Grant Arthur, “in my lizard brain,” Blue Öyster Cult was never a heavy metal band. They may have had some HM moments on Imaginos, but that album is somewhat akin to the Yes album “Onion,” 🧅 with too many session cats mixed in. It absolutely dilutes the original essence of both bands. I am currently working on my own album ranking of BÖC, but here’s my order on these five elpees: 5. Tyranny and Mutation 4. Agents of Fortune 3. Blue Öyster Cult 2. Spectres 1. Secret Treaties Two more fun facts that no one mentioned: 1. Tyranny and Mutation is the only BÖC album where the band is listed - on the cover - as THE Blue Öyster Cult. 2. Oddly enough, for such an awesome album, Secret Treaties has NO Buck Dharma lead vocals on the record. Strange. I also think that their eerie vibe comes from Lanier’s keys, Sandy Pearlman’s lyrics and the psychedelic swamp from which the band arose. Cheers from The Big Apple. Rock Out, Prog On and Pogo! Your clone and mine, ~ The Diabolical Doppelgänger of Davey Cretin, from CRETIN CLASSICS. Now, onto part two before I head out for work…

[@underlordsuniverse7823]

Hey thanks for the thoughtful comment! You make a GREAT point about Imaginos being similar to Union in the employment of so many session players. I have to admit, despite that, I actually love Imaginos and I love a lot of the Union album. And yes, even though we all love Buck's voice, he's absent as a lead vocalist on Secret Treaties. Just goes to show how diverse a band they were/are!

[@user-mu9cw8xe4r]

As much as I hate to succumb to such a cliche but, how Cagey of you Mr Cretin. With your music store experience and musicology knowledge, in general, allow me to compliment by calling you The Music Doctor (Dr. Music, apparently already taken by some well schooled/ well named rock band 😉). Cheers from Cleveland (I have nothing to do with the Rock Hall snub)

[@keithleeuwen877]

Secret Treaties !!!!!!!!🎯

[@underlordsuniverse7823]

Absolutely a desert island album - one of my favorites of all time!

[@Heathcoatman]

Love BOC! I've seen them (and Soft White Underbelly) at least a dozen times. So good. They are a difficult band to categorize, but my friends and I used to call them 'Monster Billy'. Their sound and style, particularly the early stuff, has so many elements of rock-a-billy only with a dark twist. My favorite BOC concert was actually a show where they were the opening act. Back in 1986 I was in the Army and stationed in Augusta, Georgia (a place big named bands dont really play). A concert came to town that we couldnt believe was real. It was BOC and Rush (they werent on tour together, it was just a one time meet up on the road). We bought tickets but it was all general admission so we showed up about 3 hours early expecting a long line. There was one guy in line with a set of drumsticks. We ended up with our chest to the stage, I was so close I could have untied Buck's shoes (and Geddy's). Dont worry, I didnt. The venue held about 8000 and it was only half full, such a travesty. After the show we saw two tour buses parked out back and the destination placards had been changed. One said 'why are we here' and the other said 'never again'. Both bands just killed it. The date was April 23rd, 1986. One of the best concerts among 100s i've seen. BOC always looks like they are having fun, like they invited you to watch them jam in their garage.

[@underlordsuniverse7823]

Wow - BOC on the Club Ninja tour and Rush on the Power Windows tour - on the same night! That would have been awesome!

[@Heathcoatman]

@@underlordsuniverse7823 It really was amazing, and front row to boot. It was just a travesty that the place was only half full.

[@martybrilley3406]

If I had to cut a song from each, I’d cut Foot, Wings Wetted Down, Cagey Cretins, Debbie Denise, and Fireworks. My faves of the five is Spectres, Tyranny, Agents, 1st LP, and Secret Treaties

[@underlordsuniverse7823]

That's an interesting question: which track could be cut to make an album more cohesive. I can see why one might pick "Cagey Cretins" but I couldn't!

[@mikemars2112]

Love BOC. Glad I came across the channel

[@underlordsuniverse7823]

Thanks for checking us out! Any preference among the first five albums?

[@artiemax]

🎉Cool discussion. I have liked BOC since 'On Your Feet'. Subhuman specifically. It has everything! Especially Eric's rhythm guitar work. And the Imaginos connections.🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@underlordsuniverse7823]

Personally, I love "Subhuman" but I might love the re-arranged version re-titled "Blue Oyster Cult" on the Imaginos album, as much or even more. You?

[@artiemax]

@@underlordsuniverse7823 couldn't agree more!!!!

[@godsofohio6734]

Subhuman and Last Days of May. Eric is underrated as a rhythm guitar player. It's hard to get rated when you're playing next to Buck Dharma. He plays less these days, which hurts their live sound, particularly on Don't Fear the Reaper. BOC is still great live though. I'm going to see them this Saturday.

[@underlordsuniverse7823]

@@godsofohio6734 one should really never underestimate the Stun Guitar or the man who wields it, despite the fact he does play less these days.

[@godsofohio6734]

@@underlordsuniverse7823 I've seen BOC a couple of times in the Showroom in the Golden Nugget. It has great acoustics. In that room, you can really hear the stun guitar.

[@underlordsuniverse7823]

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[@ericjohnson2137]

I was disappointed that there was no mention of Death Valley Nights, one of my favorites on Spectres

[@underlordsuniverse7823]

Absolutely - good call. Sometimes in these discussions some things slip. Excluding "Death Valley Nights" from the discussion was inexcusable!

[@user-mu9cw8xe4r]

I can't believe I heard "I don't like the Last Days of May." I'm speechless. Wait! No one mentioned Workshop of the Telescopes on the debut BOC album. It's, appropriately, considering the title almost as good as Astronomy (Secret Treaties). Anyways, I think the eponymous album is surprisingly good. Great to hear Before the Kiss, a Redcap praises. When I was 12 I did not like Redeemed so much, but I appreciate variety more now that I'm older. Redeemed has a friendly rocknroll sound coupled with an electric folk rock sound. When I was a young teen I used to gloss over The Morning Final and Tenderloin on Agents of Fortune album. Now It's just Debbie Denise ... and, depending on my mood, True ... True Confessions. But the other 6 songs on Agents are phenomenal. I briefly wondered if ETI was my favorite song not Don't Fear the Reaper. Love the way you guys analyze BOC with mellow vigor and constrained passion, complimenting the band's importance while proving without actually saying what many have said about Blue Oyster Cult: The thinking man's heavy metal band (sort of, I never agreed with the American Black Sabbath comparison/moniker, but, it helped BOC attain notoriety. That said I always felt Cities on Flame became BOC, somewhat, overrated song ... Like Smoke on the Water for Deep Purple ... my other favorite sort of a heavy metal band with early 70's notoriety ... but I digress). Spectres was the second BOC album I heard and it became my #1. Golden Age of Leather became my favorite song on Spectres. THE sleeper song on Spectres is Death Valley Nights atmospheric with great piano by Allan Lanier and it rocks by the end. Agents of Fortune is my #2 album. #3 The debut album which is a quantum leap from their previous Underbelly and Stalk-Forrest incarnations ... they would continue to show they had variety to rocknroll burn BOC had arrived by name and sound #4 Secret Treaties. Only Tyranny&Mutation loses points for shortening the title of I'm on the Lamb to Red and the Black; and the cool jams and the guitar speed is cool, but it makes me feel juvenile while listening, slipping it to #7 or #8 depending on how my mood is for Joan Crawford (Fire of Unknown Orange) and those darn sound car crashing, alarm clock effects...but that is for another day of ranking the Blue Oyster Cult albums with the Underlords Universe. Great food (music) for thought (discussion). I've been gorging on these BOC videos.😎 Watching part 2.

[@underlordsuniverse7823]

Thanks so much for the kind remarks! Yeah, "Death Valley Nights" is a sleeper, and one I didn't appreciate when I was younger. That said I've always liked Albert's vocals, even though he's not technically a great singer. He's got a lot of character, and his voice sounds so much like our drummer's voice, ages ago when we were in school. Anyway, "Golden Age of Leather" is another one that didn't hit me until years later. So much more proggy than I had realized when I was a kid. As for "Last Days of May" - the recent live versions are killer with Richie and Buck trading solos!

[@user-mu9cw8xe4r]

@@underlordsuniverse7823 That's a good point about Albert Bouchard. His singing style fits Cities on Flame ... and I am asking: who is the singer on Death Valley Nights ? Normally, all my favorite songs are sung by Buck or Bloom! Death Valley Nights a wonder/cool exception? I'm wondering, now, after all these years. I'm thinking Eric or Al. thanx for your time and feedback.

[@underlordsuniverse7823]

@@user-mu9cw8xe4r It's Albert singing "Death Valley Nights." He also sings "Fireworks" on that album.

[@user-mu9cw8xe4r]

@@underlordsuniverse7823 thanx for responding. For some reason I knew Al sang Fireworks his 'character" defining singing style strains more noticeably. I like Death Valley better. Al's (troubled?) emotion comes across very well.

[@yvonnepeltier9815]

Tyranny and Mutation is my pick as favorite of the 1st 5 studio albums. Favorite song would be Morning Final, though

[@underlordsuniverse7823]

The live anniversary version of "Morning Final" is great, too, with Richie Castellano handling lead vocals. Just found a bootleg version from 9/11/76 here on the KZbin as well. Too bad they didn't include it on Some Enchanted Evening.

[@Heathcoatman]

A great album. Diz Busters is just a top tier jam. My favorite song is Revenge of Vera Gemini

[@yvonnepeltier9815]

Great, thank you! Will have to check out both of those versions ​@@underlordsuniverse7823

[@yvonnepeltier9815]

​@@HeathcoatmanThat song is amazing too, love Patti Smith's vocals

[@Heathcoatman]

@@yvonnepeltier9815 She so fits that band. Her vocals on that song can only be described as haunting (IMO)

[@tomgorman748]

Love Spectres. But I agree with Brian. Goin’ Through The Motions is a dud.