Blue Oyster Cult !

[Trane]

Not a prog band, despite their presence on ProgArchives (in prog-related if memory serves) >> they were lobbied in by an utmost fangirl, but I guess they've got their place in that category

Never a huge BOC fan, and they never made an above Gnosis 10/15 studio album, IMHO but I must say that a few tracks are indispensible . IMHO, their better albums are Secret Treaties and Cultosairus Erectus (Fire of Unknown Origin is also fairly even) .. Avoid Mirrors at all costs, though

You'd better try the live albums first... Many will find On Your Knees absolutely essential, but I'd wait for that one, because it might just scare you away because of its hardness and samey sound throughout all the tracks. It concentrates (logically) on the first three albums, which are called the Black & White Trilogy, despite the presence of red on two of the three artworks...

Try instead the expanded CD version of Some Enchanted Evening: it's got a much wider spectrum due to some hits (Reaper, Godzilla, and a few covers) ... Some unconditional fans will shoot the album down and prefer On Your Kness, though.

[JIF]

Not a prog band, despite their presence on ProgArchives (in prog-related if memory serves) >> they were lobbied in by an utmost fangirl, but I guess they've got their place in that category

Never a huge BOC fan, and they never made an above Gnosis 10/15 studio album, IMHO but I must say that a few tracks are indispensible . IMHO, their better albums are Secret Treaties and Cultosairus Erectus (Fire of Unknown Origin is also fairly even) .. Avoid Mirrors at all costs, though

You'd better try the live albums first... Many will find On Your Knees absolutely essential, but I'd wait for that one, because it might just scare you away because of its hardness and samey sound throughout all the tracks. It concentrates (logically) on the first three albums, which are called the Black & White Trilogy, despite the presence of red on two of the three artworks...

Try instead the expanded CD version of Some Enchanted Evening: it's got a much wider spectrum due to some hits (Reaper, Godzilla, and a few covers) ... Some unconditional fans will shoot the album down and prefer On Your Kness, though.

The site Vintageprog seems to prefer On Your Feet, On Your Knees to Some Enchanted Evening. Btw, why did Sony/Legacy never remaster BOC's first live album?

[trurl]

The site Vintageprog seems to prefer On Your Feet, On Your Knees to Some Enchanted Evening.

Yeah, I think among BOC fans that's generally accepted. I do too, really, but there's a few really good songs on Evening that make it worth having, like E.T.I. The song selection overall is better on On Your Feet... though, and the performance is more intense. I agree with Trane that for a newb Evening is probably a safer choice.

[nosebone]

Not a prog band, despite their presence on ProgArchives (in prog-related if memory serves) >> they were lobbied in by an utmost fangirl, but I guess they've got their place in that category

Never a huge BOC fan, and they never made an above Gnosis 10/15 studio album, IMHO but I must say that a few tracks are indispensible . IMHO, their better albums are Secret Treaties and Cultosairus Erectus (Fire of Unknown Origin is also fairly even) .. Avoid Mirrors at all costs, though

You'd better try the live albums first... Many will find On Your Knees absolutely essential, but I'd wait for that one, because it might just scare you away because of its hardness and samey sound throughout all the tracks. It concentrates (logically) on the first three albums, which are called the Black & White Trilogy, despite the presence of red on two of the three artworks...

Try instead the expanded CD version of Some Enchanted Evening: it's got a much wider spectrum due to some hits (Reaper, Godzilla, and a few covers) ... Some unconditional fans will shoot the album down and prefer On Your Kness, though.

You didn't like Tyranny & Mutation?

Try it again.

There isn't another record in the world that sounds like that thing.

[SteveSly]

Not a prog band, despite their presence on ProgArchives (in prog-related if memory serves) >> .. Avoid Mirrors at all costs, though

You'd better try the live albums first...
Try instead the expanded CD version of Some Enchanted Evening: it's got a much wider spectrum due to some hits (Reaper, Godzilla, and a few covers) ... Some unconditional fans will shoot the album down and prefer On Your Kness, though.

Although "Mirrors" is one of their weaker albums I think about half of it is really good. "The Great Sun Jester" and "The Vigil" are both great songs. The title track and "In Thee" are great little pop tunes. The album was certainly more pop oriented than most of the band's catalouge, but I still think it is worth owning.

As for the live albums. Of the 4 that the band has made I rate "Some Enchanted Evening" as the weakest. Different strokes I guess...

Steve Sly

[SteveSly]

The site Vintageprog seems to prefer On Your Feet, On Your Knees to Some Enchanted Evening. Btw, why did Sony/Legacy never remaster BOC's first live album?

I believe it was finally remastered for the box set that was released last year, but it has never been released as an individual remastered album.

Steve Sly

[Jerjo]

Are there any extra tracks on the remastered On Your Feet? That would merit it being released on its own once the new box has ran its course.

[Big Ears]

I have never tired of hearing Agents of Fortune, since it was released, and it does not contain a single weak track. For me, it is up there with Boston's first album.

[GuitarGeek]

Oh, and if you can find it, there's a great concert video, recording in Washington DC (well, technically, Largo, Maryland), from the Agents Of Fortune tour. I think it's just called Live 1976, and was most like released without the band's involvement or authorization. The sound quality is really weird, sounds like they had a soundboard tape (and I mean literally a soundboard tape, not a multi-track tape) with a lot of gaps in it, which they had to patch using an audience tape, while the visual side appears to be another one of those video screen feed deals. But it's kinda nice to have.

The editing is much better than any of today's concert videos (ie none of that "new shot every two seconds" business), and it's a bit of a textbook of all the visual stuff you can't do in concert anymore, eg flashpots at the front of the stage, lasers pointing into the audience, etc. And there's a great version of "The Five Guitars", the bit in the show where Albert Bouchard would come out from behind the drums and everyone would play guitar (well, except his brother Joe who would still play bass).

[Jerjo]

I checked Dime and Trader's Den, neither had the video for that show. I'll keep looking when I have more time.

"Stairway to the Stars" is definitely one of the songs that should have been on On Your Feet. "Dominance" should have been as well.

[GuitarGeek]

I checked Dime and Trader's Den, neither had the video for that show. I'll keep looking when I have more time.

.

That might be because it's probably regarded as an "official release", even though the band probably had no say so or anything with it. I know Dimeadozen won't allow such things, and I'm pretty sure The Trader's Den won't either. And from what I can see on E-bay, it goes for big bucks these days too. It is up on The Pirate Bay, do a search for "Blue Oyster Cult Largo" (it's Largo Maryland, not Landover, as I said in my other post, where the Capital Center used to be). I would normally say watch it on Youtube, but only a few of the songs seem to be up on there.

[Banquo]

That might be because it's probably regarded as an "official release", even though the band probably had no say so or anything with it. I know Dimeadozen won't allow such things, and I'm pretty sure The Trader's Den won't either. And from what I can see on E-bay, it goes for big bucks these days too. It is up on The Pirate Bay, do a search for "Blue Oyster Cult Largo" (it's Largo Maryland, not Landover, as I said in my other post, where the Capital Center used to be). I would normally say watch it on Youtube, but only a few of the songs seem to be up on there.

I have an official VHS version of Live 1976 on Castle. The crappy video that came with the deluxe version of Some Enchanted Evening was also filmed in Largo MD.

[GuitarGeek]

I have an official VHS version of Live 1976 on Castle. The crappy video that came with the deluxe version of Some Enchanted Evening was also filmed in Largo MD.

At the risk of sounding pedantic, it's videotape, not film. There's a difference in picture quality between the two mediums. Haven't seen the one one on Some Enchanted Evening, but most likely it's just the feed for the in house video screen system, so it's mostly going to be closeups of the musicians, with not as much as emphasis on the stage show or whatever.

[Banquo]

At the risk of sounding pedantic, it's videotape, not film.

Thanks. I'll try to get it right next time.
You are probably right about the '78 "feed", even though it looks like someone's pointing a camera at the monitor.

[trurl]

That might be because it's probably regarded as an "official release", even though the band probably had no say so or anything with it.

It was on the Image label, which is pretty legit, though I'm sure it was released over the bands strenuous objection (not that they were consulted at all I'm sure). The sound is beyond horrific. Think Yes: QPR. Board tape, and a bad one. But it worth seeing if you're a fan.

[Jay G]

Too much to really comment on here. All I will say is I just saw BOC last Saturday in Atlantic City and they were still quite good as this was my first time seeing them since the Club Ninja tour when they opened for RUSH. I had seen them 2 other times the first being on the Black and Blue Tour way back when.

There were some surprises in the set list that really made the evening for my boy and I. Only negative, Resorts International Casino is just garbage in every way. BOC deserves so much better than playing such a dump.

[3LockBox]

Club Ninja was a rather bad album, though it does contain one of my fave BOC tunes, Perfect Water, which would have been right at home on one of their mid-'70s albums.

[Jay G]

Club Ninja was a rather bad album, though it does contain one of my fave BOC tunes, Perfect Water, which would have been right at home on one of their mid-'70s albums.

Perfect Water was one of the surprises of the evening. They actually made a mid set on the fly change and decided to play this since they were so close to the ocean.

[Paul]

I've recently come to like them a lot. They seem to be more influenced by rock 'n roll rather than the blues that influnced most of the hard rock bands of the time, which adds to their unique sound.

[SteveSly]

I have never tired of hearing Agents of Fortune, since it was released, and it does not contain a single weak track. For me, it is up there with Boston's first album.

Interesting………for me “Agents” has always been a bit of a conundrum. It was one of the band’s most successful albums and is highly regarded by fans. It also contains “Don’t Fear The Reaper” which is arguably one of the classic rock tracks of all time by anybody. But…….as a whole I have never really warmed up to the album that much and think it is one of the band’s weaker efforts. I just pulled it out and listened to it again recently and I still like many of the band’s other albums a lot better.

Steve Sly

[SteveSly]

Club Ninja was a rather bad album, though it does contain one of my fave BOC tunes, Perfect Water, which would have been right at home on one of their mid-'70s albums.

Agreed, "Perfect Water" makes "Club Ninja" worth owning. As the other poster mentioned they still pull this one out live from time to time. I also loved the single from the album "Dancing In The Ruins" which is catchy as hell.

Steve Sly

[Jay G]

Agreed, "Perfect Water" makes "Club Ninja" worth owning. As the other poster mentioned they still pull this one out live from time to time. I also loved the single from the album "Dancing In The Ruins" which is catchy as hell.

Steve Sly

IIRC Dancing in the Ruins was the hit from the album. I recall it getting much airplay in the Philly area though I do not believe they did it on the tour I saw. Haven't heard it in many years.

Does anyone have the big 17 CD box set they released? Is it worth it?

[Joe F.]

I like the re-done versions of “Astronomy” and “Blue Oyster Cult” (“The Subhuman) better than the originals. Steve Sly

Oh good god no!

The originals are so much better, and the the live version of Astronomy on Some Enchanted Evening trumps them all! All of course, imvho.

[nosebone]

I have never tired of hearing Agents of Fortune, since it was released, and it does not contain a single weak track.

Debbie Denise and True Confessions ruin it for me.

[JIF]

I believe it was finally remastered for the box set that was released last year, but it has never been released as an individual remastered album.

Steve Sly

I know that, but if everything from the first album to Some Enchanted Evening was reissued separately, why not that one?