"The Government Followed Us Around!" Touring with Blue Öyster Cult

Рет қаралды 10,565

Күн бұрын

Blue Öyster Cult's lead guitarist Buck Dharma talks about the electrifying spectacle of their pioneering laser light shows and unforgettable encounters with renowned bands like Black Sabbath as he talks about being on the road with the band. Buck reveals that British bands were 'too competitive' and why the US government followed them around on tour. He also discusses the famous Black and Blue tour with Black Sabbath and the reason for his love of the headless guitar.
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Пікірлер: 77

@brianseneca3546 5 ай бұрын

I opened for BOC four times in the 90's. So much so that when they came to PA their crew would say "you guys again!" Buck was a guitar hero for me and I met him in at soundchecks in Hershey and York Pa. Buck you were AWESOME and took time to talk to me. And I really appreciate that

@abrax_7 5 ай бұрын

An incredible live act, an innovative studio band with some of the classic albums of the 70s and still out there, The Amazing Blue Oyster Cult !

@LuxVivens9 5 ай бұрын

Saw them 4 times in the 70s including the laser light show! They had a Magnificent live show!!!

@brucesmith9144 5 ай бұрын

Epic!

@PeterTripp01 4 ай бұрын

Saw BOC maybe half dozen times in the 1970’s. They did something that I have NEVER seen another band do now or then. They finish their show,…leave the stage,…crowd is chanting for a encore. Band comes back on stage,…all members strap on electric guitars,…walk to front of stage for a five-man-guitar-jam. Amazing!!

@gordonbaker410 3 ай бұрын

I had the good fortune to see the laser show in '78.....mind blowing !

@Olliemets 4 ай бұрын

I caught this version of the live show when BOC cruised through Potsdam, NY in 1977. They played Clarskson U ( Where Don/Buck and Albert first met in 1965). Anyone lucky enough to have witnessed these shows was treated to something very special. I saw all the big show late 70s (Yes, Genesis, Floyd) and while impressive...were tame by comparison. Picture a sea of fog and smoke, Eric with the Laser "Gun", spining laser boxes and colored beams bouncing over and through the crowd, coupled with the Cult's great music. Never to be repeated. Anyone who witnessed knows of what I speak. Contemporaries of mine might brag about laser shows for those other bands.....but they never saw this. Been a fan ever since. Great band.

@shawngolden7722 4 ай бұрын

Good job of making Buck spill the beans about that guitar!

@BeandipCartography-i3z 5 ай бұрын

I saw the mighty BOC in 1978, with the full laser show. To this day, the best concert I've ever seen.

@gordonbaker410 3 ай бұрын

Me too

@douglasrock9414 6 күн бұрын

Had to be Cities on Flame I’m Guessing 👍🏻

@scottmcnaughton4143 5 ай бұрын

Bloom got me in the eyes with that radiation beam when I saw BOC in Seattle, so I owe him. Visions fine but I felt the heat. Loved the show.

@stevosguitars 5 ай бұрын

Very underrated band!

@chocloditelensman 5 ай бұрын

Not even close to underrated. If they were underrated we wouldn’t be here watching this. 😂 but I get what you are sayin’

@stevosguitars 5 ай бұрын

@chocloditelensman You just never see them mentioned with the "greats" they always seem to be forgotten, like the Rock Hall for instance. Great band

@robertsuitsjr6117 5 ай бұрын

What I remember about the laser light shows is that the reflected dots from the mirror ball had the BOC question mark symbol in them.

@ctrockstar7168 5 ай бұрын

I remember that laser show. Had never seen anything like it!!

@stephenmccagg 5 ай бұрын

Im ashamed to say i started my concert going days in the early 1980's and didnt see BOC until 2018, Halloween show in Connecticut... was a fantastic show, just wish they still played Veteran of the Psychic Wars, beyond that pure perfection!

@georgebirch5635 4 ай бұрын

Saw BOC 15 times since 1973, saw them with the lasers in 76' with openers Rush and Angel, yeah , THAT was a great night!!

@MarcusRefusius 5 ай бұрын

I’ve seen them 48 times since Tyranny and Mutation came out. Saw the Laser Show in Fresno and Jimmy Carter’s OSHA was ambling among the crowd with Light Meters and Clipboards wearing Lab Coats. It was Clear they had no idea what they were doing. And here we are tripping balls just AWESTRUCK by this amazing band AND the Lasers were EPIC. Great fun. Cheers

@stepanbandera5206 4 ай бұрын

I remember we did Purple microdot when we went to see the Black & Blue tour. Great memories. Everything was Purple, Black & Blue that nite. Magical times.

@17nussbaumroad 4 ай бұрын

Both bands were at each others throats ! It was great for the fans but the bands were going to kill one another . those were the days !

@brickmason7301 4 ай бұрын

My first concert was BOC and Rush opened for them. It was general admission and you could walk up the stage. I couldn't hear for days.

@billyz5088 5 ай бұрын

Grew up in the D.C. area - saw BÖC a few times at the now demolished "Capital Centre" - I still remember seeing a piece in the Washington Post titled .. "Blue Öyster Cult's laser light show may be hazardous to your health" - everyone I knew bought extra tickets to see them after that story ..

@removetherinosaurs 5 ай бұрын

I saw them at the Pasadena Rose Bowl in 1982. BOC and Loverboy were the best bands that day.

@batphink2655 5 ай бұрын

I heard Buck was a very temperamental Rocker with a huge attitude BUT on here he seems very humble and friendly.

@MarcusRefusius 5 ай бұрын

He’s been very kind and friendly the few times I met him. Allen was SUPER Enthusiastic to talk with. I’d say if anyone is standoffish it’s been Eric in my experience. Not knocking him, just sayin’.

@tonychavez1733 4 ай бұрын

We're all people... when your basically working 18 hours a day...

@mcasteel2112 4 ай бұрын

I can't pretend this stranger is a long awaited friend. Neil P

@HåkanVirtala 3 ай бұрын

Jag såg lazershowen jag tror det var maj 1978 jag var bara 16 år vilken show och vilken konsert wow säger jag och vilken gitarrist BUCK Dharma är wow säger och han har ett jättebra sätt han är jättetrevlig ochså Håkan from Jonsered in.Sweden

@stlrockn 5 ай бұрын

"Buck's Boogie" from the bootleg EP "Live In New York" still stands out as one of the great live guitar blowouts. I saw BOC in Nashville /August 1973 with Stories, Freddie King and Focus.

@bartonpercival3216 4 ай бұрын

Wow you saw Focus in their prime. My brother loved that band, I use to laugh at all the whistling and youdling that organist did!!!!!!

@bartonpercival3216 4 ай бұрын

Saw them headline in 1979 outdoors at Spartan Stadium in San Jose, Ca. Great concert. Local SJ band Shakin Street opened the show followed by The Pat Travers Band, then Cheap Trick who played a loud blistering set over 75 minutes, then Blue Oyster Cult headlined the show. For a summer outside show it was very inexpensive, i think it was like $12.00 bucks for all that great music!!!! 👍🎸

@gregggoss2210 3 ай бұрын

Saw BOC with Rainbow opening in 1979, my first concert. It was the Mirrors tour. I think it was 1980 I saw Shakin Street open for Sabbath and Sammy Hagar. Man I miss those days.

@jamesbond4633 5 ай бұрын

My older brother went to go see Blue Oyster Cult in London Ontario I think and I remember him talking about the laser show. So this is what he was talking about!!!! Amazing!!!

@brucesmith9144 5 ай бұрын

I remember the BÖC light show well! And almost 50 years later, I am not blind by it either.

@djc7039 2 ай бұрын

I saw BOC in Billings MT mid to later 70's. The Lazer was stopped at Customs coming into the US. BOC apologized for the false add and promised an extra long show. It was great.

@Joe-mk2pj 5 ай бұрын

I saw the laser show in the Civic center St. Paul Minnesota it was a trip!

@fredsimonson2738 19 күн бұрын

Same!

@NitroModelsAndComics 4 ай бұрын

They did it on the Black and Blue tour with Sabbath. It was nuts.

@megatedassaultituary6783 2 ай бұрын

The lasers were only about 1% of their true mystique. Just how finely engineered they were as a band just blows my mind, layers upon layers of greatness, theres no beginning no end to it.

@RichardWiazardry 2 күн бұрын

Glad I got to see the laser show. Saw boc around 6x

@WhocaresWhy44 5 ай бұрын

Matchless. Unsurpassed. Saw them in Caesar's Lake Tahoe.

@richarddevine205 4 ай бұрын

My personal favorite concert I saw boc at was in 1983 I think it was, in the Nuremberg area of Germany. It was a 2 day music festival. When I saw boc in the early 70's it was at Golden Hall in San Diego. One of my top 3 live albums is 'on your knees or on your feet". Needless to say this has been one of my favorite bands for over 50 years.

@AldousHuxleysCat 5 ай бұрын

Saw the laser show at least twice - didn't drink or do drug - blew my mind - wish I could see it again

@stepanbandera5206 4 ай бұрын

You must be a Bay City Rollers fan.🧚

@SPSteve 5 ай бұрын

I was there, I saw it in person. I saw BOC 4 times in the mid 70's.

@CoreaKixx420 4 ай бұрын

1978. The fabulous "Spectres" tour at the London Gardens in London, Ontario. It was a pretty wicked show, and no doubt the ticket price was around 6 or 7 bucks!! Priceless. Take care!!

@gypsydavy708 Ай бұрын

I saw the laser show. It was incredible.

@LibertyWarrior1776 4 ай бұрын

It was actually Vivian Campbell who went to RJD with the idea for Hearin' Aid.

@scooter6582 4 ай бұрын

I saw them back in the seventies in Denver they had strobe lights and some kind of replay on the drums the drummer would do a solo stop hold up his hands then it would replay it got faster and faster totally awesome. At the end of the show they all came out and played guitars.

@Kohntarkosz 5 ай бұрын

Actually, what the government objected to was that they were doing things like bouncing the lasers off the mirror ball, as Buck mentions, and also pointing the lasers into the audience, whiich a lot of bands did. The mirror ball thing you can't do anymore because it's impossible to control where the reflecting beams go, but everyuthing else you can still do, so long as you don't point them into the audience.

@OxymoronInchief-pj1jr 3 күн бұрын

I was not much of a BOC when I saw them in the Black and Blue tour, I am guessing that was 1980. I was more or less neutral toward them - they had a couple songs I liked. I went away happy as it was the funnest concert I ever attended. The band was very hot and I loves the prankster antic of riding a motorcycle onto stage with a pretty good looking woman on the back as I recall. Fun.

@chrispile3878 5 ай бұрын

I've seen BOC more than any touring band.

@jamesalfano5740 16 күн бұрын

I saw the Spectre's tour with full laser show. 18,000 fans at Philly Spectrum. Most incredible experience of any concert ever! Wondered where the lasers went next tour for Mirrors. Now I know OHSHA shut them down. Boo !

@genesutton6383 5 ай бұрын

They were awesome, whew, tripping balls.😂

@therealandrecorbin4050 5 ай бұрын

Now the government follows us all around. BOC was great, saw them around 79- 80, mirrors tour i think, with 38special, and head east.

@VictorRochaGaming 4 ай бұрын

Ha!! I saw it. A druid marched out mid-stage, raised his arm, and pointed the laser at the mirror ball on the ceiling. One laser became a thousand lasers. Eye balls were sizzlin'. Very Spinal Tap.

@cavemanfr 4 ай бұрын

Saw them for free during Biketober Fest 2005.

@bobhunt5820 5 ай бұрын

I can think of a list of bands using Lazers in their light show. The first of which was Saga. A drunk girl on crutches knocked one over at my high school dance and the crew freaked out on her. Good times.

@Kohntarkosz 5 ай бұрын

Yeah, there were quite a few, but Blue Oyster Cult was one of the first. I saw Pink Floyd in 1994, and at the time, they were using gold vapor lasers, which were reputedly developed originally as part of Ronald Reagan's "Star Wars" defense program. This was the first time they had been used for entertainment purposes, and they had to get FAA clearance for each night of the US tour, because of how powerful the lasers were.