Blue Öyster Cult Drummer Talks 1980 Black Sabbath Tour, Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi, Elf, Interview

This excerpt was taken from a full in bloom interview with drummer Albert Bouchard.
Albert talks about the 1980 Blue Öyster Cult / Black Sabbath-Heaven and Hell tour (Black and Blue tour), Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Vinny Appice, Elf, Prophets, The Dictators, Ross the Boss, Joey DeMaio, Manowar, & more.
This is a bonus excerpt and is previously unpublished. Part I of our interview w/ Albert is located here:
• Blue Öyster Cult Drumm...
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[@ghostfacegrillla6272]

It's a shame that people only think of BOC as Reaper and Burning. So many good albums and songs. Buck Dharma is my #1 vote for most underrated guitar player.

[@jamesparker437]

Over Kirk Hammett? ...just kidding

[@deantodd8103]

Don't forget "Godzilla." 😆

[@derhandtrommler]

you're right, brother. BOC was tearing shit up in 1972, but never hit until their fifth album. They blew it with "Mirrors" but came back strong with "Fire Of Unknown Origin" And killed it again with "Cultosaurus Erectus".

[@deluge71]

In a word, unbelievable. Others have already said it, but this is such a fantastic interview. Despite being a fan of B.O.C. and Sabbath for over 35 years (and hearing the Black & Blue show via FM simulcast when I was 9 years old), I had no idea that there was tension brewing behind the scenes. It makes sense given the personalities involved, but I'm really glad that Albert chose to skip the drama. I get the impression that he was the approachable one in a sea of prima-donnas, so good for him. Fans love you even more for it, brother!

[@scottshiflett3599]

Caught this tour July 23rd Ventura County Fairgrounds (Shakin’ Street, BOC, Sabbath) less than a month later Bill Ward would leave Sabbath.. both Sabbath and BOC were touring Martin Birch produced albums.. (Cultosaurus Erectus & Heaven and Hell) great fookin show!!!

[@chickenbeek]

VCFG, hell yeah. My stompin grounds. I'm probably a good few years behind you but had some of the best times there. The most standout live show i can recall was Santana, and i knew of him and all but i was much more into heavy metal but it still blew me away.

[@markd3641]

I was at that concert. Couldn’t remember who was playing drums!! Wasn’t it vinny Appice

[@scottwhite2757]

Great interview Albert is a talented guy well seasoned as a musician East coast Rocker like Buck And Eric..

[@strivingx67]

"I was playing Steely Dan songs he couldn't handle it" LOL Classic stuff! Dude, these old school pics of RJD with a bass, so damn cool!

[@rudolfschenker]

AB has always seemed like a real unique character, I'll bet he's got a lot of great stories, I could listen to him chat all day.

[@fullinbloom]

More AB coming soon.

[@davidmel2158]

Albert is a wealth of rock stories from my era & my favorite bands. As a fellow drummer, he was always my favorite member of 'Cult. 3 of my 1st 4 concerts were BOC headlining (with the legendary laser shows) & I became a fan for life. His songwriting & quirky singing style make for some their best deep cuts.

[@Greggyboyz60]

I was in Aloha Stadium for the black and blue tour. 1980.. I believe the lineup was Molly Hatchet, Blue Oyster Cult , Sabbath and Stevie Ray and double trouble. Great show . Yes all the bands sounded amazing.

[@SteveBurk]

my ears rang for days after seeing this show in Detroit. REmember it like it was yesterday.

[@kennycamaro2361]

It was very loud, I remember it well…

[@pewsterbaby]

Nice off-the-beaten-path rock history interview!

[@image30p]

Excellent inteview!

[@fatalstep1870]

This is great!

[@esmeraldgreen5424]

Interesting interview! Love DIO (R.i.p) RJD🤘

[@ryangettig274]

Great Interview!He's really good on 12 string Fender Villager as well:)

[@morebeer7673]

Albert is a ridiculous multi-instrumentalist. I'd go as far as to say his guitar playing is better than his drumming. When BOC did the 5-guitar army segment of their show and traded licks, Albert always kept right up with Buck.

[@AngusClarkGTR]

those are priceless memories

[@wadeharten6600]

Saw this tour at the War Memorial Stadium in Seattle. Molly Hatchet and Riot were also on the bill. Great show!

[@MikeySea676]

Seems like a good dude. Solid on those tubs, too.

[@stevetobin7495]

Brilliantly talented drummer, especially on the harder earlier albums

[@thelasthandbook6704]

Wasn't there a concert film made of this tour? I swear I vaguely remember hearing about it, though I've never seen it.

[@ThatBrothaBill]

Yes they did.There was a movie out in theatres "Black And Blue" and most of it is on youtube

[@generaljj577]

I need to know!! Was it Hobart or Geneva? This is ear gold for me

[@_stardust62]

I saw BOC in 79 on their Mirrors tour then Black Sabbath on the H&H tour with RJD...good times back then.

[@Kreln1221]

*1:03**... That Dictators locker room album cover from 75' looks almost exactly like the album cover for **_Quiet Riot II_** released in 78', three years later... I wonder if Kevin DeBrow and the boys were "inspired" by The Dictators album when coming up with a cover concept...*

[@billyz5088]

Saw the Black & Blue tour mid-October 1980 near Wash. D.C. - just a few days before the filmed show in NY - the bands alternated closing the shows - as both were billed as "co-headliners" - on my night BÖC opened - they were on fire & plenty loud like usual - but when Sabbath finally came on - they were MUCH louder - like they were trying too hard to prove something - Sabbath's show was also great - but for me BÖC won the night.

[@tomb8430]

BOC clearly wins on the Black and Blue DVD, that's for sure.

[@don.richard8823]

Rip 🙏Ronnie James Dio 🤘

[@markd4518]

I was at the Pocono speedway concert 1980

[@paganjay1085]

I have the entire Nassau show on a bootleg video. Both bands were killer.

[@kevincutway]

Notice ANDY SHERNOFF name spelled wrong on album under photo

[@joeknightus8827]

Cultosauras destroys Denver! Anyone remember those t-shirts?

[@monkabrahms7997]

Saw it in buffalo

[@SteveBurk]

The guy named " Top Ten" is really Andrew Dice Clay LOL

[@violentshemp7776]

sure looks like him

[@randybeans1984]

I still think club ninja is a killer album

[@ickystrashcan....anothersm9749]

It's a groovy thing reducing

[@sashasavisha146]

Haha, great stuff. I remember that tour and the problem over swapping headlines. BOC is a great band. But they should not headline over Sabbath. No wonder they had issues. Dio had a huge ego as well.

[@williambryan1394]

Actually, BOC blew Sabbath off the stage. Chicago , 1980. Most of the crowd started leaving during Sabbath. Sound was terrible . They were very disappointing.

[@HumanBeanbag]

Ross The Boss is the best Manowar guitarist imo

[@gipsyavenger9829]

Damn never knew he was the same size as RJD. Most of the time drummers are the tallest dudes in the band.

[@esmeraldgreen5424]

Lars from Metallica 🤔

[@jamesfetherston1190]

All the guys in BÖC were short except for Allen Lanier. Patti Smith they were what set the trend of platform shoes that bands wore in the 1970s

[@davidcarrizales3189]

Ohhh-Nooo there goes Tokyoo, there goes GODZILLA!! B. O.C. best under rated song!!

[@brianfergus839]

4:30 BOC were short guys. Albert is (maybe) 5’ 6”. Donald is only 5’ 2”. I wonder what the roadie said about Dio LOL

[@jamesfetherston1190]

Except Allen Lanier.

[@brianfergus839]

@@jamesfetherston1190 he looked taller because he was skinny but I’m only 5’10” and Allen Lanier was shorter than me.

[@jamesfetherston1190]

@@brianfergus839 Right, but 5'10 is pretty average. Allen might have been shorter than you, but he was still 2-6 inches taller than the rest of the band.

[@brianfergus839]

@@jamesfetherston1190 you’re right. What’s funny though is that when I was a teenager in the ‘70s I would never have believed I was taller than they were lol.

[@jamesfetherston1190]

@@brianfergus839 Patti Smith claims they were responsible for making platform shoes popular. Most of them wore them on stage, and then soon all the other bands did too.

[@tomb8430]

I think Blue Oyster Cult is way, way better on the Black and Blue DVD concert than Black Sabbath. Great playing, great singing, great everything. I find myself skipping all the Sabbath songs. I find it stupid that on that DVD they arranged the songs where it was one song cult, then sabbath, then cult, then sabbath. Totally wrecked the momentum of the performance. I love Dio on Rainbow Rising, but his performance on Black and Blue is just something I just can't stand listening to. I can listen to Stargazer non stop though.

[@brucegaskins7188]

I saw the black and blue tour in Salt Lake City Utah it was awful the best part of it was the band Shakin Street after they played there was an announcement over the public address system saying for some reason due to the drummer Black Sabbath would not be there but don't worry Blue Oyster Cult is going to play twice as long what the fuck? So they reach the point of the Godzilla drum solo with the strobe lights it starts raining show's over honestly one of the worst things I have ever been to thank God it was the 80s and the ticket was only five or six dollars went on to see both bands do spectacular shows but not on this night

[@rodgerkilpatrick2533]

I was actually outside Bonneville speedway or whatever they called it then when we found out Black Sabbath wasn't going to play decided to just go home probably wasn't a good idea because we took some dude we never even met before and was partying with him out in front of my mom's house when he just passed out and all my neighbors are looking it was pretty funny I'll never forget it

[@joeknightus8827]

You missed it!

[@erictrenbeath9680]

I missed the Black and Blue no show there and then caught Sab a few months later when they came back to make up for it. My first concert ever!

[@chrisflood9205]

Saw both garden and Nassau show cult ruled Nassau and sabbath ruled garden though they play that horrible song heaven and hell

[@mcbeezee2120]

By 1981, BOC had really gone "commercial". Their "Mirrors", "Cultosaraus Erectus", & " Fire of Unknown Origin" releases were good, but pretty light compared to their first 3(1972-1974). The "early", heavier BOC would've been a better road match with Sabbath. Sorry, but songs like Dr. Music and "Mirrors" are laughable next to "Harvester of Eyes" or "7 Screaming Diz-Busters". Just my opinion.

[@stevetobin7495]

Totally agree..the live beast of 74/75 would have been more interesting although i do have a soft spot for cult and fire

[@rudolfschenker]

They did embrace the more radio-friendly production values with their albums, but live they were still always a great show. Buck Dharma always ripped out some show-stopping lead breaks on songs like The Vigil and The Great Sun Jester, or Veteran of the Psychic Wars.

[@rodsmolter5046]

@@rudolfschenker The live version of Veteran of Psychic Wars on Extra Terrestrial Live is fantastic, amazing solo. It's a shame that solo wasn't on the studio version. Still my favorite BOC song and my favorite BOC album. Black Blade is another heavy song that is fantastic on the live album.

[@rudolfschenker]

@@rodsmolter5046 The entire song plus that atomic solo gives me goosebumps every time. An absolute high point of their show in those days.

[@jonathanpapworth7847]

BOC as big as BS? haha never

[@Kinggigantis]

Record sales, yes. But BOC consistently blew them away on that tour.

[@ellamcclanahan9811]

Boc was big man I seen them on the mirrors tour in San Diego sports Arena sold out show I seen Sabbath same year not close to a sold out show go figure

[@rudolfschenker]

During this period, BOC were at their commercial peak, and Sabbath was just beginning to get back on track after a period of decline with Ozzy. Also, don't miss the point about how the Nassau Coliseum show was like BOC's homecoming show, they were Long Island heroes. Of course it would be different with all of the NYC metro area's Sabbath fans showing up at that region's main venue, MSG.

[@thelasthandbook6704]

That scene from Fast Times at Ridgemont High with the ticket scalper complaining about how he lost a lot of money with Blue Oyster Cult tickets comes to mind. Just about this time period, too.

[@williambryan1394]

Just better…..

[@nickkozanas1147]

Not hating but that is terrible name for a band lol dictators ..... I'm here I'm just going as like an adolescent boy the name would not be cool LOL good music s***** name