Morning Final No. 13 BUCK DHARMA AND ERIC BLOOM made a trek out to Los Angeles so fortunate. Interstate 5 had closed going South, so there was in January to visit the National Association of Music Merchandisers no way to get to Springfield by ground. After several conference (NAMM) convention. This is “the big one,” as far as music calls, we went North and flew out of Sea-Tac airport in Seattle conventions go, and the show attracts not only buyers from the and landed in Eugene just in time to play. Weird being in the major musical equipment middle of a National disaster...” Buck commented, “From supply stores, but also a Portland to Ellensburg, we waited 21/2 hours to pass a mudslide plethora of big-name on I-5 in southern Washington. Saw luxury condos with the first musicians — it is one of the floor underwater in downtown Portland, a whole village hip deep places to “see and be seen.” along I-5 and many acres of farms and yards awash along the Besides displays of all the Mackenzie River.” latest products, famous and well-respected bands and BÖC GEEK NEWS: Attention all PC Gamers! A recent issue of the musicians perform at the magazine CD Rom Today comes with a demo of a new booths of companies whose interactive game called “Ripper.” It features the talents of many products they support. stars such as Christopher Walken, Karen Allen, Burgess The boys came out to Meredith, John Rhys Davies, Jimmy (J.J.) Walker, Ossie Davis check out all the new and Tahnee Welch (Raquel’s daughter, from Cocoon). It also goodies, but they also had states that it features the music of Blue Öyster Cult. The demo other reasons to be at the starts out with an opening screen shot to “(Don’t Fear) the convention — Eric was doing Reaper.” The game is supposed to feature an entire soundtrack heroic work on behalf of by BÖC when it comes out later this month. The scenario: It is BÖC’s endorsements, while the year 2040, and you are on the case of the Jack the Ripper in Buck was demonstrating a Manhattan. It supposedly has a few different outcomes with new product, the Bird of Paradise Capo by digital revolution. four different killers. It’s nice to know that the boys are still Buck’s job was to be at the booth a few times each day to popular in the year 2040!…And while we’re talking PC games, demonstrate the product for equipment buyers. a fan has created a BÖC DOOM II WAD file, and it’s available to The capo is the same one he uses every time he plays “The download from the WWW or by FTP at these addresses: Reaper” on stage. The Bird of Paradise Capo looks like a funky http://www.europa.com/~doomer OR bird, and clips quickly on to the guitar’s neck without the ftp://ftp.europa.com/outgoing/doomer/bocdoom2.zip (It fumbling that the use of traditional capos involve. takes about 10 mins to download at 28.8, 30 mins at 14.4 — And, interestingly enough (what a small world) the proprietor The rest of your life at lower transfer rates). and inventor of the Bird of Paradise Capo is none other than For those of you on AOL, or who are thinking of joining, the John Wiesenthal, a long-ago member of…Soft White BÖC chats are now held monthly, every second Tuesday of each Underbelly! month, in “The Nightclub,” keyword: Music Chat, click on Nightclub. February’s chat was dubbed “The ’Zilla of Chats” WINGS WETTED DOWN: BÖC just finished a three-week tour of with all five band members in attendance. The fans that came the West Coast, which placed them smack dab in the middle of a by totaled up to be the second largest AOL “Nightclub” music “Terrible Natural Disaster.” No, not the big green guy, but the chat in the history of the “Nightclub!” Eric hosts the chats floods in Oregon and Washington. This made travel very, very unless he’s on the road. Log on and drop on by for a visit! difficult, but didn’t affect the attendance or cancel any of the KenVT’s Flaming Telepaths home page has a new address. shows. We talked to Buck and Eric, to make sure they had made it You can visit his web page now at: through OK. Eric said “The small roads and the Interstates were http://www/chelmsford.com/home/kenvt/boc.html closed because of flooding and landslides, [so we] had to go a The BÖC Three-Pack (“Three Classic Albums for One Great Price”) squirrly route, with lots of extra miles to get there. Getting from was released in November ’95 by Columbia Records (Cat. No. Olympia, WA to Springfield, OR was quite a problem. The crew 64806). This package contains the band’s first three albums, left two hours before us and just barely made it. We were not Blue Öyster Cult, Tyranny and Mutation, and Secret Treaties. New BÖC powerhouse bass player: Photos by Ché DANNY “THE LAW” MIRANDA .. BOC was in a pinch when Greg Smith, the Kiss Alive, that was over, and I switched to guitar. summer’s interim bass player, suddenly was And I’ve been playing guitar and bass ever since. unavailable for a performance. This potential disaster was averted when Long Island’s So you’re proficient on guitar too? Danny Miranda walked into the room... Who is Yeah…I get by, I use it mostly for writing. I this new face? Bolle sat him down after a don’t gig much on guitar, but I write a lot show at the Ventura Theatre, and asked... with it.

Your playing technique is one of my favorites. I call it the Mick Ronson technique. Your arms are stretched all the way down so you can be comfortable as you pick. Yeah, it’s easier on my shoulder to play lower. With the Spectre bass the way the neck lays [the higher it is] the more you have to do this… (demonstrates a large stretch of the left arm).

You’re self-taught I gather? I’ve studied with a couple of people. When I was 16 studied with a guy for about a year. And I studied theory in school. My older brother Richie is an organist and a school teacher, and I picked up a lot of music theory from him, but I studied theory in high school and college, and arranging and that kind of stuff. Took a couple lessons from some local players in the city and took a couple Did you audition for the band, or did you know lessons from Jeff Andrews who plays with somebody? Mike Stern now. A great, great player. But I knew Eric, John Miceli and Greg Smith…but I did other than that, I’m self taught. audition. What’s your musical history? So you came by recommendation? I’ve ghosted on a bunch of records, I Yeah. Mostly by that. I did a club gig with Eric played on a TNT record called Realized about two years ago in New York with John Miceli and Fantasies. That was their only record for a couple other guys. It was a jam called “Meatballs Atlantic in ’91 or ’92. Then after the band and Clams” that was starting in Greenwich Village but broke up, Tony Harnell and I put a band together called never worked out, but that was my first time meeting Morning Wood, with Al Pitrelli, who played guitar with Alice Cooper, Eric. and Chuck Bonfante (of Saraya) who was a drummer. We did a record called Morning Wood for Polygram out in Japan. We did some covers, and When were you born? some originals. March 21. [Grew up] in Long Island and New York I also played on a record called The Mojo Brothers, which was Al Pitrelli and Joe Franco (Good City. Rats). They did an instrumental record for Japan, and I played on nine tracks. It just came out in Japan about a month ago [ed. note: this interview was conducted Sep 3, 1995]. T. M. Stevens is When did you start playing? on it, Joe Lynn Turner is on it, and Derrick Sheranian (Dream Theatre). Al, Chuck and I did a I started playing saxophone at 13, but after I bought record called A Place Called Rage for the same label in Japan. I played on a couple records for Relativity, a guitarist named Ralph I take it you are an original Kiss fan, like myself, so did you listen to BÖC? Valducci, put out a record called Balance. Joe Satriani-type I definitely did listen to them, but Kiss was so, so far to the left of anything at that point, the instrumentals. That should be out now. heaviest thing I was listening to was Elton John or Peter Frampton. Nothing looked or sounded What kind of basses do you play? like Kiss at that time, so that’s when I knew I should definitely be playing guitar and not saxophone. My main bass is an old Spectre NS-2 that’s pre-Kramer that I got around ’83, and I have a ’78 Fender Jazz Bass on the road, a ’63 Jazz at Do you still play home, which I don’t take out on the road, a Steinberger XL-2, and I sax? have an 8-string and a Yamaha 5-string. Mostly I take the Fender and I have a saxophone… the Spectre on the road. They seem to be the most road-worthy basses. I haven’t touched it in Any special string brand? years. I touch it about as much as I touch I prefer LaBella strings. [I use] 45-105, standard gauge. They’re my Chapman Stick. I very consistent, and they’re a great company to work with, too. have a Chapman You have a bunch of pedals, I see. Stick at home because I’m a big Not much — I have a Boss octave pedal, and I have an Arion Tony Levin fan, but I stage tuner, and a Morley A-B switch so I can tune while I’m playing, haven’t touched my and that’s really all I use right now. I've got a lot of effects — digital saxophone. I delays, distortion units, but for this gig I try to keep it as simple as attempted to years possible. Pretty much straight cord to the amp. ago, but they told me What is the amp setup you have? to put it away, so... I have a Sans Amp Bass Preamp, going to a Demeter and from I know what you that to a Urie LA-4 compressor, going in to an Ampeg SVT-2, just mean, I’ve tried some using the power amp section of that. I have an SVT-3 in the rack as a other instruments, spare, which is solid state, into two cabinets — an old early but... seventies SVT 8/10 and SWR 8x8. Yeah, I played piano, How did you prepare to get into Blue Öyster Cult, because there was keyboards, but really no time. saxophone is so foreign to everything There were 2 days... A lot of it was walkman listening on the else that I’m doing plane to St. Louis...(laughs). Just eating, sleeping with the music. I right now, I’m playing mean literally going to sleep with the walkman. all chordal instruments… Do you read? Yes, I do read music I’m looking forward to hearing you Did you get the songs on charts? melding in with this I just wrote cheat sheets—I didn’t want to be a slave to the band...I’m so glad charts, but mostly for arrangement purposes. I never wrote any of that you knew Blue the riffs out, I wanted to get them in my head. They’re played so Öyster Cult, as differently all the time. Buck will approach things differently all the opposed to Jon time so for me to write it down verbatim from a gig wouldn’t [work Rogers, who only out]. It’s a good thing they keep primarily the same set. There was a knew “(Don’t Fear) lot of page turning in the beginning, which was tough. The first gig The Reaper”… was in St. Louis for twenty thousand people and I’m praying that a I was familiar with them, but a lot of it I’d forgotten. I saw the Black & Blue tour with them strong wind didn’t come and blow the charts away. I had basically and Black Sabbath, but I was 16 and did not have a very good memory to say the least. two days to prepare. Even though I’m familiar with a lot of the studio versions, they’ve Danny’s stage presence and aggressive approach to the bass are just what gone so far since then, so it didn’t really tell me a whole lot to get Dr. Music ordered for the front line of attack. He is an excellent player, and has the studio versions down. already painted his mark into the songs — which you will see next time the boys call for Monster Bass — Danny Delivers! Happy New Year! Ringing in 1996 with Blue Öyster Cult By Bolle 1995 was the year with the most line-up changes ever in Blue Öyster Cult. After 10 years, Jon incredibly impressive. He hardly moves a limb, and yet your ears hear all these grooves, intricate Rogers quit in May and was replaced temporarily by Greg Smith. Greg’s previous commitment to triplets and interesting rudiments. Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow only allowed him time to play with BÖC through the summer. The band As the sound starts coming on, I ventured over to George Geranios to greet him, and he was in then auditioned a few players, but it was when Greg had to cancel at the last minute, with only two traditional form — swearing and cussing: “This piece of garbage crap isn’t working!” The in-house day’s notice that they found the man to take the real place — Danny “The Law” sound person immediately copped an attitude towards the guesting crew and did little to Miranda. aid in solving the irksome hum coming out of the PA. (George often gets Four-year veteran Chuck Bürgi remained with the rhythm second-rate or worn-out equipment to work with). section until September It took about 2 hours to get the sound set up, and for 7th, when he performed George’s brother Tony Geranios, (a/k/a Jack his last show in Fresno, Secret), to program the various rental California. Chuck then instruments. He finally got the left to tour alongside keyboard patches to play, although Greg Smith with sounding somewhat different Rainbow in Europe. than usual. Chris Fenn, (Greg and Chuck had Buck’s guitar tech, played together seemed to be the previously for the happiest guy of the Red Dawn album day with only project (see MF minor things to #12) which took deal with. Every Chuck away time rental gear from the band is being used, in May and anything out of June of 1992). the ordinary During that can — and will absence, John — happen, so Miceli took over double- the throne. checking is a (Miceli was the necessity for drummer who’d each rented piece taken Chuck’s place of gear. in Meatloaf’s band). The band came down When Chuck took leave at 5 p.m. to re-acquaint of BÖC this fall to tour with themselves with their Rainbow, he was replaced by drummer-du-jour, as well as John O’Reilly, who, incidentally, to check out what kind of gear was the drummer on the latest they’ll be playing through. At about Rainbow record. John O’Reilly filled in until that same time arrived the most loyal the end of 1995, but drumming in the New Year followers and supporters of the band, and the with BÖC, was once again, for a repeat performance, main force of the America Online people. John Miceli. [Shortly after this gig, John O’Reilly came back, and With the Reverend Ché hosting them all at the side of the he’s the drummer currently touring with the band. —ed] stage, they all enjoyed a rare moment as the band practiced a few Arriving early at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, California, for sound check, steps in their sound check. “See You In Black,” “Harvest Moon,” “Lips In The Rick Downey greeted us like we were the relief of the day. He was not too happy dealing with the Hills,” and “ME-262” were being tested in front of the dozen-or-so fans who then understood why problems of smaller venues and attitudes from the in-house personnel. The light guy had problems they came here early. Eager cheers of “Encore” were heard as the band finished up, but to no avail. with his console, and there were power fluctuations and computer problems, leaving Rick unable to This would prove to be the day for no encores. (more of this later). do his light focus properly or program his scenes. Doors at The Coach House were to open at 7 p.m. for seating and food reservations. The show was to I was then introduced to John Miceli while he was setting up his rental kit for the day — An old- begin at 8:30 with an added opening act for the night. Originally BÖC were supposed to play 2 shows fashioned set with only one rack mounted tom, a floor tom, a kick drum, snare and hi hat. Half a without any support act. That was changed to one long set with an intermission and no opening act. dozen cymbals completed the kit, but as he started to play and warm up, you could easily be fooled Finally around 2 p.m. that day the final decision was made: An opening act would play from 9 to 10, into thinking you were hearing a huge kit with tom-toms galore...John’s confidence in playing is and BÖC would play from 10:45 into the New Year. (Rick loves accurate pre-production). The band and crew had been up since 4:30 a.m. New York time, and on a plane for 5 hours, so By the look of the lights, you can hardly tell they were all in need of food and a rest before the show. Gary Folgner, owner of The Coach House there were that many problems during the (and both The Galaxy Concert Theatre in Santa Ana and The Ventura Theatre in Ventura), afternoon with the console, it looks as great as recommended The Villa Mexican Restaurant. I was invited to go along, and we had a very always. Rick rules the lights despite whatever enjoyable dinner before retiring to the hotel for a nap before the show. the conditions are. “Joan Crawford” is up next. After a great meal and a rest, we all ventured back to The Coach House around 10 p.m, the This is another song John’s never played before opening band having just finished their set. The place was decorated festively, with helium-filled but he performs this just about flawlessly, with balloons tied on the back of each chair and party favours for all the patrons. An estimated 350 coaching from Danny and Allen. The end piano people had come to this somewhat poorly promoted show. It had been booked at the spur of the touch goes down great and John throws in the moment the first week of December when The Coach House found itself without entertainment for drum rolls after a second’s pause and thus New Year’s Eve. Only small local ads were printed. The Orange County version of The Los Angeles introduces “Flaming Telepaths” to an all-smiles Times printed a timely article about BÖC in their Saturday rock section of “What Goes On.” public. The keyboard patches sound close Considering all the New Year’s Eve competition, the turnout was very good. The Coach House is enough, but I could tell the difference during always a nice place to come to, and this night the party spirit was definitely in the air. the solo. Before the band went on stage there were lots of autographs to sign and photos to take for all The lone stroboscope seems adequate in those special moments people will remember the rest of their lives. Ten minutes before the show, front of Eric as it blinks away into the darkness the band requested everyone leave the dressing room so they could have some pre-show privacy, and creates the outer world vision as the make last minute plans for the show and give Miceli some added tips on cues etc. I went to set up prophecy is called out “The Jokes On You!” my video camera and prepare to document this very special event. “Cities On Flame With Rock & Roll” is still a As always, The lights dim and the crowd goes nuts as “End Titles” of Blade Runner pulsate big favorite with the audience, but it has never through the PA. Chris Fenn’s introduction began with a great sinister laugh as he asked: “Is it time been the same without Albert on the wacky yet? I said is it time yet? Father Time welcomes all the way from New York City, the Amazing BLUE drum fills and the special vocals only he could ÖYSTER CULT!!!” The bright spotlight illuminates Buck for his opening riff to “Stairway,” revealing provide. John Miceli follows along Chuck’s path an added attraction — an in-house video projected on two screens placed on either side of the for this song which is impressive. I am amazed stage to give the folks at the back a chance to see the artists up close. This type of wall projection is still at Eric’s capturing of the rock & roll becoming more and more essential with each year and it’s great to see this feature in more venues audience participation. It works extremely well. as we go along now into the end of this millennium. The band shows off real excitement from the George, of course, enhances the trickery by very first second. Allen is grinning as he’s watching Danny and John play together for the first time adding great echo effects to both Eric’s voice ever, and both Eric and Buck feel very comfortable as they rely on this very frail yet great rhythm and Buck’s guitar break. The end boogie is fast section of the band this night. “Dr. Music” rolls on as Eric proclaims “T’nite we’re gonna party like and furious and gains an immediate rave it’s 1996!!” review from the audience. Eric looks at his “O.D.’d on Life Itself” holds the first ooops from John Miceli as he has never played this song watch and whispers to Buck: It’s close to before, but he still captures the feel of it like he’s known the tune forever. Allen and Danny support midnight. The last song for 1995 comes on in John whole-heartedly and coach him through all the unknown or hesitant areas of the set list. It the shape of “The Came The Last Days Of works like clockwork and you can tell all throughout the night how thrilled Eric and Buck are to May.” What a great mesmerizing way to end play with this guy again. There really is a party on stage this evening as “ETI,” perhaps the 1995. Eric takes the mic after the song and strongest set-piece musically is performed. I watch George struggling with the sound balance proclaims that there’s only a minute left of the executing it flawlessly but looking like it’s the worst sound in eons. A sigh of disgust accompanied year. as he then whole-heartedly gives out by a happy smile makes me think he is enjoying this night a lot more than he’s letting on. Mr. special thanks to The BÖC Fan Club, friends Dharma ends the song with his gesticulations of outer limits up there somewhere in space. from AOL, and their crew…and then proclaims Surprise set list change brings “Harvest Moon” as the next song, giving Buck the spotlight for the “HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!” next two songs. I noticed an added lead over the intro-riff which creates a further dimension to this Champagne is opened and things go nuts. great song. The middle-eight part with the borrowed fast “Transmaniacon M.C.” / “Career of Evil” Everybody is toasting in the New Year with riffing sets up the solo part for a great guitar duel between Buck and Allen, in his best Keith kisses and hugs as Buck begins to play “Auld Richards mode. Lang Syne” and leads the Coach House Choir On the next tune, “Before The Kiss A Redcap,” Buck sings the song alone. Jon Rogers used to sing into song for the lone verse. Then, John and the main vocal with Buck on the harmony line, so it sounds quite a bit different than years past. Danny take off into a punk/speed metal version One fun aspect of the show is the pace at which the songs are being played — they feel a bit for the second time through. I think John faster than usual — but I think that comes from John Miceli’s drumming. His playing style creates a played a bit too fast for that great groove of the faster feel to the songs. Allen looks at him here and there, smiles and then again gets his attention punk era, so it took Buck a few seconds to find to perhaps hang slower a bit. A great rock & roll tension is built here between John, Danny and himself and then show off what a great Allen trying to keep things under control each in his own way. It sounds really spunky. musician he really is. After that little romp, Eric “I’d Like To See You In Black” is really fast this eve. In my mind I chuckle away as I recall John’s turns on his Monty Python and goes: helium voice taking the mickey out of this tune during dinner. He’s a crazy guy and what a drummer! It’s all fun with a guy like John and he’s loving every moment too. John Miceli toasts the New Year “And now…for something completely BEFORE MY BIG CONVERSION WHEN different!” In terms of being completely different, I think it was never the less very THE RIDGE WAS CLOSED... appropriate to do this sentimental bit in After My Visit to the conjunction of old friends…Allen Lanier’s lament to his old flame Patti Smith Workshop of Telescopes By Bolle creates a great start for the New Year. “In Thee” comes on and sounds really good After all these years of waiting for a boxed set of this evening even though the party hats rare and collectable Blue Öyster Cult material, we’ve make them look too festive to sing such a song. After the song, Eric almost repeats been given the next best thing — a special greatest himself as he tells us, that the next hits compilation from SONY subsidiary Legacy song is a little different from that one. Records (who last year also released a terrific Mott This time I totally agree… Eric sings The Hoople double CD collection). “Lips In The Hills” as his first song in I held high hopes that they would issue 1996, and I personally couldn’t ask something extra terrestrial for us fans, but SONY for a cooler choice. opted for reusing the same analogue-to-digital “Lips” was always one of my transfers that were used for the original CD re-issues Workshop of the Telescopes is the new favorite tunes and having it back in 2-CD collection from Columbia/Legacy. their set list is an excellent treat any in the late ’80s. time. But I recall back in 1980 Allen played the lead BÖC was never known for their single releases but guitar and Eric did the rhythms, as Buck played the Columbia Records did release singles from every album. This collection presents the main lick in the intros. I miss Allen’s lead playing. majority of the single releases from each album with the curious exception of Imaginos. “ME-262” brings the full party spirit back up top with A e While the contents of this package contain a lot of the Blue Öyster Cult aura, there are a bit of strobe lights again. The almost furious pace of the u n ld y some serious musical milestones mysteriously absent. songs after midnight seems to indicate they’re ready to take L g S Starting off on disc one, we’re greeted by BÖC’s first single, “Cities On Flame With Rock on anything. We’re almost fooled into believing the band was an & Roll” from the first album, which sets the pace for the package. It is followed by going to support the new Double CD by playing “Workshop Of The Telescopes,” as it was mentioned before the beginning of the Big “Transmaniacon M.C.” and the B-side of “Cities,” “Before the Kiss, A Redcap,” that Three — “Burnin’ For You,” “Godzilla” with its double solo spots from both Danny and John, and astounding tale of the days back at Conry’s bar on Long Island, where the Stalk-Forrest “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper.” Great solos from Danny and John, and ravenously cheered by the ripe Group used to play. “Stairway to the Stars” ends the selections from the first album. But and ready audience. Danny’s “monster bass” is indeed a monster. That guy can play! while still in that era, for the first time on CD, comes three tracks from the elusive BÖC As the band leaves the stage, some power problems occur as we lose complete power in the venue Bootleg EP. Recorded at Nugget’s Pizza Parlour in Rochester, New York, by local radio twice, but only for a short second each time. We think nothing of it and the wait for the encore. It station WCMF-FM on April 3rd of 1972, that EP has been called “The Maltese Falcon of gets pretty wild from this united audience, unanimously trying to bring the band back out for more. Heavy Metal Collectibles,” Well, The Blue Öyster Cult does not disappoint its fans. They return to the stage and proceed with 3 a little “Dominance and Submission,” and that goes down quite well — until the guitar solo right Workshop features /4 of the EP in remastered versions — “Buck’s Boogie,” which also before the bridge. Buck gets about two bars into it when all of a sudden there’s a complete power appeared on the album The Guitars That Destroyed The World in the ’70s, “Workshop of the failure black-out. Massive confusion emanates from the audience, who are thinking all kinds of Telescopes,” and the re-working of “I’m on The Lamb (But I Ain’t No Sheep),” now called things, like the venue shut the band down for playing too long or these guys are so hot the killed the “The Red & The Black.” Why they left off the last song of the Bootleg EP, an excellent power… Well, numerous theories were devised, but in reality, some poor schmuck crashed into an version of “Cities On Flame,” is a mystery. electric pole in the vicinity of The Coach House and thus killed the power supply for the entire Tyranny & Mutation is represented by only one selection, “7 Screaming Diz-Busters,” neighbourhood. The power was out for some 40 minutes, which left the band having to say goodbye which, by the way, was the B-side to “Hot Rails To Hell,” which for some unknown reason to its fans in the darkness with the occasional bic lighter or flashlight illuminating the club. So, that is missing on this set. was the end of the show and the beginning of the New Year. My thoughts were those of the same philosophy of Garp: How great this is...Darkness like this can Cuts from Secret Treaties include the song chosen for the single, “Career Of Evil,” but only mean a much brighter future for the rest of this year! It wasn’t long before my words started to instead of the actual single version, we have the normal album version. The real single take that effect. All of the AOL fans and some of the band gathered at the local Denny’s for an early release had the altered lyric. Instead of singing “I’d like to do it to your daughter on a dirt breakfast. We had a great night, ending it in a hotel room with warm champagne and tales to tell. I road,” the line was sung “I’d like to do it like you oughta.” (The single version was retired finally at 5 a.m. only to get up 3 hours later to have breakfast with Buck and John Miceli released on the On Flame With Rock & Roll compilation). before driving back to Los Angeles and home in West Hollywood. In all honesty I can think of no “Flaming Telepaths” comes in midway through the German Glockenspiel Harmonium singular New Year’s Eve that brought me more pleasure than this one, so in memory of it all, and in which sounds bad if you are familiar with the album. Either give it the full thing or none of true cultsmanship, I raise my can of beer on high and seal this memory forever with this statement: it it at all! Happy New Year Folks! 25 years an going strong! “Astronomy” follows, of course. But I’m not sure it’s as impressive here as it is on Secret Treaties. Perhaps “Astronomy” should have been culled from Imaginos in this package. My all time favorite track “Subhuman” from On Your Feet, follows — and it sounds It really escapes me how the band’s final two singles were left off the CD. It is understandable why these were not included, as they are not technically Blue Öyster Cult songs, but both “Astronomy” and “In The Presence... The Final Chapter” were issued as promo-only CD singles. I am sure a lot of knowledgeable fans who picked up this collection are scratching their heads wondering where the Imaginos songs are. The packaging itself could have been a lot better. The concept is a good one, but its execution lacks visual appeal. The biggest flaw in the package is the lack of a new front cover, although the dog which was used came from the inner sleeve of Revölution By Night, and is a great illustration. Something brand new, though, with some eye-catching color would have been more desirable. The infamous BÖC billboard, at the gateway to Long Island in 1977 is the coolest photo in The Museum Of Cult supplied most of the featured collectible paraphernalia that was the 16-page booklet. What do you suppose the commuters thought as they drove by this? used for the booklet, down to the dice and the necklace used on the disc imprints. My first reaction to opening up the package was the discs themselves. Why are the discs yellow great. On the tail of that is “Harvester of Eyes,” my very second favorite, also from On Your and blue, when everyone knows that “Red and Black – It’s their color scheme”? The Feet. That album’s contributions end with “ME-262” which contains the original necklace on the yellow disc is easy to tell what it is, but the dice on the blue disc are tough incarnation of “The 5 Guitars.” to figure out what they really are. The disc set’s accompanying 16-page booklet is nice but The first CD ends with the very rare studio version of “Born To Be Wild,” often referred poorly designed. It has some quick notes about each song in the track index, printed on to by the band as the “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” version. This version came out top of a collage of photographs of old posters and promo pictures. Some misinformation is as an obscure A-side of a single that featured the On Your Feet version very same song on obvious though — “Dominance” was recorded 2/80 not 12/80, and they neglected to the B-side. This song was an experiment during rehearsals at S.I.R. in the spring in 1975 indicate that the Bootleg EP songs were recorded live, as well as the OYFOOYK and SEE while the band was in Los Angeles and had some days off to just fool around. tracks, however they did mention that “Dominance” was live. The second CD begins with three songs from the Agents of Fortune album. “(Don’t Fear) The liner notes are filled with erroneous information, rehashed press kits and excerpts The Reaper,” “This Ain’t The Summer of Love” and “E.T.I.” All three tunes were issued as from past tour books. Errors and all, it is still an interesting story to read. The page singles, which further establishes the Workshop set as more a “Greatest Hits” than a “Best indications are done in the shapes of their of” BÖC. guitar picks, and that’s pretty clever. Two singles from the Spectres album appear in “Godzilla” and “Goin’ Through The The back cover is probably the worst thing Motions” plus the most serious selection from that album, “Golden Age Of Leather.” about the cover. Ten old backstage passes, Some Enchanted Evening’s choices were two cover versions — the MC-5’s “Kick Out The lined up poorly, and looking shabby — and Jams” and the Animals’ “We Gotta Get Out Of This Place.” “We Gotta” is the cut from the then they had to put the UPC symbol on top of original vinyl release, which was replaced on the CD release by a different take. Making its two of the cooler looking passes. The idea of CD debut is the correct version from Newcastle as opposed to the London version that the passes is great but the art direction is very wound up in the CD re-issue of Some Enchanted. Not that it differs much, the drum break is poor. slightly different and some utterings from Eric make the difference audible, but apart from This collection disappoints with its lack of this, both versions have the same feel. rare bits and and unreleased goodies. The “In Thee” follows as the lone cut from Mirrors, but not present is “You’re Not The One,” oversight of Imaginos is bothersome, as is the which was the second single released in the U.S. lack of concert favorite, “Hot Rails to Hell.” I “The Marshall Plan” is the only song from Cultösaurus Erectus. This song was the single, really hope SONY will come through one day although on the 7" it was called “Here’s Johnny” and was an edited cut. Here on WOTT is by putting out a serious CD boxed set with The back cover design looks sloppy. the full album version. It is strange that none of these singles were actually reproduced in lots of rarities from the vaults. And, ask me to their 7" versions with all edits, but of course for listening pleasure we’re happy they used do the liner notes instead of someone who doesn’t care for the band or their music. the album versions. In all, this is a package that is aimed at the novice fan, and not the hard core believers. “Veteran of The Psychic Wars” and “Burnin’ For You” follow from the album that I do think the title “Greatest Hits” is appropriate, but it is not even close to being The Best regained mass popularity for our Cult, Fire of Unknown Origin. This was the first album to of BÖC. However, for the new-to-BÖC, this collection offers a wide variety of the band’s regain Top 100 status and the first single to get the band back on the serious charts. work, and should be able to greatly broaden the scope of anyone who believes that BÖC is “Burnin’ For You” is still a staple AOR play list ingredient today on most U.S. rock stations. only “Reaper,” “Burnin’” and “Godzilla.” This 2-disc set is a must to buy for your “Dominance & Submission” was the cut they chose from ETL, their third live album and uninitiated friends, family and co-workers. Great for birthdays, weddings and holiday Albert’s last stand with the band on vinyl. Although “Roadhouse Blues” became the single giving. Be the coolest gift-giver on the block, or buy it as a gift to yourself. You deserve that everyone would associate with BÖC from this album, they did not include it on this some BÖC today! set. Another odd choice from those SONY people. “Take Me Away” and “Shooting Shark” were the singles from Revölution By Night as were Workshop of the Telescopes Legacy/Columbia C2K 64163 Club Ninja’s songs “Dancin’ In The Ruins” and “Perfect Water” which end the second CD. Soft White Underbelly Les Braunstein speaks (part 2)

THE ELECTRIC CIRCUS Above the Dom, and coming down on both First rumblings New York City is everything you’ve ever heard sides of it like Jabba the Hutt, was the about it and a lot more. Dirty, dangerous, Balloon Farm. A big space, for big exciting, powerful, beyond control. Some cities shows, no real decor, but plenty of of the Soft White may be bigger, but when you’re in New York room. you know there’s something different here. It’s And then it was gone, and in its like space aliens have taken over the place, or place was the Electric Circus. When Underbelly maybe it’s actually the ultimate expression of you walked in the music was pumping Earth Culture — Earthlings gone mad. New louder than you had ever heard music. York will make extraterrestrials think we are the Rock and roll as a visceral experience is With Les Braunstein at always great in a cavernous space. The the front of the Soft dangerous aliens. Down on the Lower East Side is St. Marks lights swung and blinked and burst against White Underbelly, the Place. One live honky tonk block packed with mirrored balls. band took that giant clubs, record shops, clothes shops, hair salons The best was the strobes. Most of you leap to from playing and ACTION all over. Bleecker street is good, have probably seen strobes, but you parties and bars to but maybe a little too conscious of itself. St. have not ‘experienced’ strobes until being signed and Marks was just cookin’. you have seen strobes with ALL the making records. In ’69, down the middle of the block, were a other lights out. That’s when strobe couple of clubs called the Balloon Farm and the magic happens. Most people have Compiled from a phone never actually seen that. I see interview and some of Dom. The Dom was down one level from the street. Dark. Nico played there. Nico was a clubs all the time where they Les’ postings on Warhol model. White. Like marble. Incredibly flash a little strobe into the America Online, beautiful. Incandescent. Pouty. One time I mix. Pretty, but when the strobes come on in complete blackness, enlighten yourself to found myself in a limo with her and a couple of something’s there...and then it’s not... this documentation friends. This guy she was crashing with, a nice They make all movement seem like ballet. Everything is from early Blue Öyster gay Jewish boy, was complaining about her graceful and beautiful under strobes. Every dancer is great. Cult research and housekeeping. “I opened the kitchen drawer Suddenly the lights would go out at the Electric Circus, and a strobe spotlight would pick out a juggling unicyclist in white face appearing and disappearing in development. and there was BACON FAT! A PAN FULL OF BACON FAT! IN THE DRAWER!!!” “Well,” she stuttering bursts as he swept around the floor...or a LIVE TIGER would be led by Les Braunstein pouted, “I was saving flowing across the room...or the strobes would illuminate something high up by it…” the 40 foot ceiling and a trapeze acrobat would risk fate by twirling like a sparkler in light that came and went. I loved the Electric Circus because it understood the power of spectacle. How a multiplicity of stimulae can take you out of yourself...so that you can not be a voyeur. You are the show. I remember at a Group Image show we played, they were tossing some of those giant blow-up balls from the balcony to the crowd below under strobelights. Nobody seemed able to catch them. I thought, “I can do this,” so I stood under the balcony and watched a guy drop a ball directly down towards me. “I’ve got this,” I thought. I could see the ball about three feet there early in the afternoon to set up, and Chuck comes in for a quick practice above me. Piece of cake. And then nothing was anywhere and the ball was hitting session and to check out the band. He plugs in his guitar and says “Johnnie me in the face. Strobes. B.Good in D” and immediately launches into the tune. As I have said he played The Soft White Underbelly played there — they loved us there — the people with a lot of lame bands but he knew from the first few bars that this week that who ran the club, and the people who came to it, and they were our favorite club. would not be the case. The boys all knew his tunes backwards and forwards and had a lot of respect for him, too, so they were doing the best job they could THE FIRST CHUCK & BUCK (which was very likely as good as any back-up Chuck had ever had). We used to play 2 or 3 times a month. Some of those were gigs that went on for He ran through a few more tunes, and satisfied that this one was in the bag, a couple days. Some of the best gigs were at the Electric Circus, the Cafe Au Go split. Go and Steve Paul’s Scene and any of the gigs set up by the Group Image. We That night was a pretty hairy one for us since we weren’t exactly the same kind also played a society party for Marrietta Tree who was I think the Ambassador to of band as either of these guys, but we pulled it off nicely (another story) and I the UN at the time. We played at Hunter College and at various places on Long left the stage and then Chuck came up. Island. Of course we also played at Stony Brook. We opened there for The Band I was sitting in the front for the set, and as expected it went great. You could at their very first gig. And we played a club called Generation between Chuck see that Chuck was very happy with the performance. About two thirds of the Berry and BB King, (that’s where Jimi Hendrix, Al Cooper, Mike Bloomfield and way through, Chuck, uncharacteristically, turns to Donald and says “Take a Elvin Bishop jammed after our show). lead.” This was very unusual because the Chuck Berry show is about Chuck

Generation was only open for one season but was booked chock full of the Berry and his music — and that’s usually it. Obviously he saw something special absolute best rock bands ever. The first two weeks they had Janis Joplin and then in the band and in Donald. The Youngbloods. The third week they had Chuck Berry and BB King. Donald took a lead that was, of course, very solid, but I could tell he was Now Chuck, in order to maximize his profit potential, usually traveled alone holding back out of respect for Chuck and out of the private knowledge that and required the clubs at which he played to supply his back-up band. In theory Chuck was rightfully a legend but nowhere near as accomplished a guitarist as this was semi-reasonable because every guitarist played some Chuck Berry tunes Donald. Chuck must have noticed that Donald was holding back also, because he at some point and they are a simple (although admirable) form of Rock and Roll. kind of smirked at the audience and said to Donald “Take another lead.” At which In reality, though, he played with a lot of very crummy bands. point Donald stepped out and took a MONSTER LEAD that we knew he was Not this time, however, because someone had come up with the idea of capable of, totally blowing away Chuck Berry. The entire audience screamed, and sandwiching the Soft White Underbelly between Berry and BB and then I would insured that Donald was never offered another lead for the rest of the week. get off the stage and Soft White Underbelly would back up Chuck. We were a band on the rise. Wherever we played it caused a stir. People were The day of the first performance (we were supposed to play for a week) we got into us. I caught their attention, and the boys knocked them out. It was exciting, and we knew we were headed to some sort of flashpoint. During all this, Sandy set. Usually starting with a power song to establish our command of the room, was moving as quickly as he could to get us a record deal. Sandy decided that a and then after a bit of that dropping down to something strange and sweet, and concept should be sold, that a general charade should be created for the band. I then into something interesting and oblique (like a Meltzer tune) and then wasn’t so sure at the time that I was against it. I didn’t feel it was a problem, suddenly back into power and then the powerfully hypnotic. because we played so many different kinds of tunes. But this time we knew Jac Holtzman would be there for just one set. So this set was eleven tunes long and built into the crescendo three times, each one higher JAC HOLZMAN SIGNS THE UNDERBELLY than the last and finishing with “All Night Gas Station.” The purpose of the song Sandy Pearlman had been setting up demo sessions for the band at various was that we all got to take it away on the last tune of the night. It had a long companies. I remember one demo session, I think it was for Columbia, where Al jamming part where the boys could each play whatever they wanted and the Cooper engineered the session because he was taking a look at us. We kind of audience was able to hear them culminate their night as individuals and as a liked Al Cooper — the early Blood Sweat and Tears was a very different group kick-ass band. They jammed on almost everything, but this was the one at the than what they became. (A little less Vegas.) He played that great keyboard part end of the night where everyone really took their best kick. And then they would on “Like a Rolling Stone.” Nothing came of this particular demo session, but we turn it over to me, and I would sing a song about meeting a blonde-haired got along fine. woman-child, who didn’t speak. And I’d tell what happened to her, every night a Pearlman always arranged for us to play a showcase for Elektra. Not just for different story about the same girl in a different place with different characters some under-assistant West Coast promo man, but for El Presidente himself—Jac and always the same end. Holtzman, owner and founder of the company, and the man who discovered the This particular night I was talking about how I went outside just before our set Doors. and I was standing around the outside of the building I was thinking about what I Holtzman had earned his position, money, power and fame (and he was a was going to sing during this song, which was the song that I just sing off the top uniquely famous exec) because he had proven he could do the one thing that has of my head. I start singing that to the people. And I said I went out eluded music business people throughout music business history… he could there, and there was this really nice looking girl standing out there, actually spot a good band. And he had the clout to get behind them and make it long straight blonde hair, wearing a kind of apron-y thing and happen. really pretty. I said hello to her, she smiled, but she didn’t say We were a little like the Doors, but it was more true that we occupied the same anything. And then this guy comes over, and he was really kind of space on the East Coast that they did on the West. Both were bands that annoying kind of guy, and he sees her there, and he could rock out sometimes but who could also trip off on a tune and take you with says hey how ya doin, and she just smiles at him. them, with the singer making stuff up from the depths of his skull and the band And he says hey how’s it goin, and she doesn’t all around taking you there too. say anything, and it starts to piss him off, that she So Sandy sets up a gig for us in the Ballroom of the Diplomat Hotel off Times won’t talk to him, and next thing you know this guy is Square, and it’s a Group Image gig. We always get along great with their crowd. A yelling at her, standing there yelling in her face, she’s tribe of together hippies and a couple hundred general partyers. Sounded good to getting really red in the face, and she reaches into her us. pocket and pulls out these two long silver pins. (This The Ballroom at the Diplomat was a perfect mix of Victorian grandeur and happens every time I sing this song), and she holds Times Square sleaze. It was gorgeous in its way, its proportions, the detail fading these pins right in front of him and he freaks out. slowly to ruin. It was the kind of place you might expect Victorian zombies to She’s threatening him with these pins, and he really hang out. One can only assume that it must have had a great day, and been a starts to scream and he looks like he’s gonna great dance hall at one time when the city had a different kind of greatness, but smack her and she plunges the pins in her now the HIPPIES had it…for one night a week. Talk about your worm turning. In eyes…and the boys are suddenly going Wham! fact it was the best night of the week for the grand Ballroom, Times Square being Wham! [accenting the plunges with heavy hits] what it was. then dead silence... then boom, everybody is Part of my job was to determine the sets. Normally I would plan at least 2 sets, screaming and yelling and running all over seven or eight songs each. That would be about 35 to 45 minutes a set. Some of the room and going nuts, and Jac our songs, like “John L Sullivan” were fast and went by quick, but some of our Holzman comes flying down out of songs took off and didn’t touch down till quite a while later. I would usually see these bleachers that were the sets as ascending energy levels building up into a crescendo once or twice a there and he runs up on stage, and he throws his arms around me and he says, “You’re in the yelling upstairs “Lunch is ready!” and Meltzer yelled downstairs “What is for family, boy, you’re in the family.” lunch?” and I told him it was chicken necks, and so there it is in the song — “Chicken necks, what the heck why should I get out of bed for that?” So that was UP AND ON THE WAY… life in the band house. Signing was a very There was a certain amount of tension that was beginning to grow. And that interesting moment. Sandy had to do with the dichotomy of singers and the band. For instance, sometimes came to us, and said Elektra people would use me as the focus of a magazine article or something. There was has written up a contract. this one woman, Gloria Stavers, who founded 16 magazine, the grande dame of Sandy had negotiated with fan mags, and she discovered me, and would put me into her magazine. I them, and brought it back remember one picture of me and the drummer with the NAZZ, Tom Mooney. to us, and I said, “Well, There was a picture of the two of us there, and it said “Tom Mooney and the I’m going to have to get my attorney friend to take a look at lovely Leslie.” Naturally that was quite a popular item around the band house. It this, and tell me what’s in it.” Sandy said “If you gotta do it, you gotta do didn’t fit right with the guys. They were making a big fuss about “the singer.” it, but don’t screw this up.” So I bring it to Kenny Berkman, (he was a friend of my father). He read through the contract and then called me a few days later and THE ALBUM said “In the end you should do what you want to do, but I wouldn’t sign these We were doing their songs and my songs, and their songs were Meltzer and contracts. I can tell you a dozen different things right now that are very important Pearlman lyrics, and my songs were either ones that were totally mine or and are definitely not in your favor and definitely should be changed. And sometimes were my lyrics and their music, like “Rational Passional.” In their frankly, even though I am your attorney, I think the rest of the boys should hear game plan, Pearlman and Meltzer didn’t have room for this extraneous stuff that this too.” I was writing. They were putting out a poetic whole so when it came time to So, I told the boys, and we went down there and Kenny told us. They [Elektra] record, even though we had a great time playing these songs, and some of them, were trying, of course, to take the best possible advantage of the band contract, like “Rational Passional” was one of our most popular songs, Sandy didn’t want and Kenny said that if it were him, he would suggest that all of these things be them on the record. changed. I told the boys “I think I want to do what Kenny is saying, and they When we got into the studio, for the first time, I heard my vocals. I had never looked up and said, “Absolutely! Go back and negotiate this thing for us!” Sandy heard them when we were practicing because I was singing through a guitar said, “Oh my god! what are you doing? You’re going to screw this deal up!” amp. But when we went in to record a song, (we recorded in a way that I Kenny went in there, and when he came out, he not only had every single thing consider to be the best way to record, that is everyone simultaneously playing at that he had told us about, but he wound up doing business for Elektra in the once. Everyone isolated, and I would be in the vocal booth, doing a scratch future. They were impressed by him. vocal). We’d do the tune, and then we’d come out... I would get into the control So we got this good contract, and we got $20,000, so we rented this house in room and for the first time I would hear it and I would think WOW! You know Great Neck, and bought all new equipment, which meant a nice big guitar amp what I could do there? I like to experiment, and I got a million ideas of things that for me to sing through. We insulated the basement, and that’s where we went to I wanted to do on the songs. It was the era of the Beatles putting wonderful work practicing. Things got pretty good and tight in there. things into their music, I certainly believed in it, I thought it was great. I would say “I want to do a second vocal,” they would say “What’s the matter SOME LYRIC SECRETS REVEALED: with that one? It was great,” and I would say “Wait, I have some ideas, let me do We were into Traffic, Mr. Fantasy, and we would make believe we were Archie another vocal.” They would of course save the first vocal, cause we had plenty of Bell and the Drells. (Meltzer’s “Arthur Comics” reference — The reference is, that tracks, so I would do a second vocal where for example I’d sing like the carnival on the beginning of “Tighten Up” Archie says “Hi! I’m Archie Bell and these are barker, and I would say to myself, great, I see that this can work, I just have to do Archie Bell and the Drells...” The way he’s saying it made it sound like there were it one more time. They would say, “What’s the matter with you? The vocals are two Archie Bells. “So which one would be the real one?” was Meltzer’s question good.” They were complaining that I was doing so many takes. They thought that in the song) I was overthinking it, overworking it. There might be something to that. I listen to The reference to chicken necks in “Bonomo’s Turkish Taffy” — that comes the tapes and they sound experimental. I don’t know if that is because I should because I did a lot of the cooking, and it was real cheap to buy chicken necks, have worked them further, or I worked them too far. So in the end what they had which I like all slathered in barbeque sauce. When you had nothing to eat, that to do to please me, because I wouldn’t give up on the idea, was take the tape was great. For 40 cents you could buy this great mass of chicken necks and put back to Elektra’s personal studios, which they had in their building, and with another 20 cents worth of barbeque sauce on it, and you were cookin! I’d be Peter Segal, I overdubbed vocals. We wound up recording three of my tunes. “Jay Jay,” “Home from the Hills,” we were going to get to it. But I believe Sandy had already had a discussion with and “Rational Passional.” When I wrote “Jay Jay” I had written it keeping in mind the band and convinced them that it was in everybody’s interest that we don’t a lot of the classical themes I’d played in concert band in high school, where I record it. We got down to the point where we only had time to record one more played French Horn. When we recorded “Jay Jay” I was nicely indulged because song. And we were supposed to record “Rational Passional” and some other tune. Peter Segal got me together with this arranger David Horowitz. He was a great That was the moment of truth, where they would have to say we weren’t going piano player/arranger. I told him what I want is these classical themes to play to record “Rational Passional.” I could see that that was what they were planning along with the music and then come out at you, meaning not blend with the on doing, and they certainly could outvote me, but nobody had the guts to say it. music, but suddenly be juxtaposed on the music. So he would say “Like this?” So I said, “Let’s flip a coin to see which song we’re going to record.” They jumped “No I want it to come out more.” “Like this?” and he was understanding just what on that, because that wasn’t confrontational, and up came “Rational Passional.” I was looking for, and he created this wonderful classical piece that went with it So, everybody looks at each other, and they go OK, you want to do “Rational where 6 different classical themes rose up and out of the music and then came to Passional”? Let’s do “Rational Passional” heh-heh-heh. That’s the way Sandy a final tumultuous, but together, finish. It was phenomenal. He and Peter Segal Pearlman was saying it. hired 8 or 9 classical musicians — strings, trumpets. This is early on in the We all started walking out into the studio. And along with me, Donald, Albert, period of rock bands using classical instruments. The Beatles had just done Allen and Andy, out comes Sandy with a harmonica in his hand, and Eric Bloom, Sergeant Pepper a little while before. They would occasionally get a rock gig, and who was our equipment man, with a tambourine... They all go out to do “a job” they had no respect for it whatsoever. So he hands [the scores] over to these on “Rational Passional.” What happened was, as always, we got into the sucker! musicians who are like “oh we’re playing on this trashy little rock and roll We did up “Rational Passional,” we had a good time, and that was the best thing session but these bastards seem to have money, so we’ll do it...” And here’s this of mine that was going to be on the album. young guy who’s going to conduct. After examining the scores, the guy who’s in charge said to David on behalf of the musicians, “There’s a problem in the scores INWHICH THE FAT LADY SERENADES… that you have written out. I have an E right next to his Eb...” He pointed to There was always an essential basic tension in the band because the band, another instrument. And David says, “No that’s correct.” And so once they saw before they got a lead singer, was a great band — they didn’t have vocals (by the he was serious, they all lean over their music and start taking it seriously. David way they all turned out to be very fine vocalists). They could have done vocals, led them through it a couple times, and they were really cooking in an but they weren’t at the time and they knew that they deserved going somewhere. exhilarated way by the time they were done. They laid down those tracks, but This business about lead singers was kind of rankling because why couldn’t they they’re not on the tape I’ve heard. just be appreciated for what they were? They had to have some kind of lead We were coming down to the end of our session time for laying down the basic singer up front? tracks, and still hadn’t recorded “Rational Passional.” We started getting into a We were halfway through the album and we were having these troubles. Mostly bind. Sandy didn’t want it on the album. I don’t know if that was because it was me — I was separating further and further from the band, from something that I a little too goofy, but when I look back on the words, if you weren’t in the mood felt was coming from Sandy’s desire to tone down my end of it, and everyone of the psychedelic sixties [you might not] appreciate it. But it was a tune that else’s desire to have a little more of the front light. It was getting tiring. everybody really got off on, and of all the tunes I had written, it was the one I started doing vocal overdubs. We moved out of the big studio and over to being most successful with the SWU. So if I was going to Elektra’s small studios. I recorded every day with Peter Segal, for about a week to have any song on the album, I wanted it to be that one. I 10 days. I feel that at the end of that, only some of it was my best work. Some of was getting three on the album, if we did “Rational it had lost its spontaneity. I was getting too close to it. I was stressed out about Passional.” So we came down to the last day doing tracks. the distance that was opening up between me and the guys who I loved playing Everybody was afraid to confront with. me. As far as No matter what was happening, the sad thought was just beginning to settle in anybody on me that this wonderful future with the guys that we’d always dreamed about knew wasn’t going to happen, because it was getting to be a little wrong. It had nothing to do with the music. I felt that maybe in the end I was going to leave the band. But I wasn’t going to leave before we recorded our album! That just seemed wrong. I figured “Let’s get the album out, let’s take a shot and let everybody see what we are because we all believed passionately that once people saw what we are we’d be made at that point. So I said, not now. Maybe someday, but not now. nobody called me. They knew where I was, and about three days later, after I had Around this time, while I was recording the vocal been totally dosed by this new world, I felt I should do what seemed really right overdubs, we had booked a gig up in the Finger rather that just what seemed to work. Lakes at Wells College in Aurora, NY. Beautiful I went back down, and continued recording. I was standing one day in the Elektra territory, overlooking the lake, and it was my offices, talking to someone in the art department who I considered my friend, and I stomping ground in college. I went to Hobart, was saying what a great experience I’d had up there, and that I’d really come to on the next lake over, but I hung out in Aurora at think of the band as being something I was going to do that would be good for all the beautiful girls’ college of Wells, which had of us and then I was going to move on, like some kind of stepping stone. nothing but beautiful, classy women. Maybe three minutes later Pearlman comes dashing into the room and says “Did Somehow we had booked a gig there, and we you tell people you were quitting the band?” and I said “Uhhhh...no...” but I told were going up to play, but the night before I him what I said, but that suddenly brought it to a head, because Elektra was was scheduled to do more vocal overdubs, so always a label that seemed to buy a band based on its lead singer. They definitely the band went up with the van, and I drove considered the lead singer to be crucial. The news that the lead singer might be up to Aurora after I was done recording. It quitting was a real problem for them. was a seven hour trip, so I drove all through That night I went back to the band house, and with my knowledge, I went the night, and I was pretty spaced out. I upstairs while they had a band meeting downstairs. hadn’t been back to the Finger Lakes since I Then they came and got me, I came downstairs, and what they said to me was “If graduated college in ’67, and this was ’69. you want to leave, we won’t stop you.” It was a no-advantage-over-the-other I was a pretty out front guy in school. I had a parting of the ways. We both at that moment came to the conclusion that maybe humor magazine, I had a jug band, I hung there was too much strife together. And so, I said I would leave. I packed up and out… didn’t really do much of what is took off. I headed back to the Finger Lakes, and then headed across the country, considered school work. I had a lot of spent a year doing that, and then I left the country. presence up there, and right before I left I got I think that Jac Holzman made the decision to drop the band when the band and I the song on the Peter Paul and Mary album, split up, and they had to present an album without a lead singer. and then I disappeared. And now they heard I was playing with a rock and roll band. I didn’t know AFTERMATH what kind of reception I would get. After I left the band I did some traveling — first across the country, and then I got there at 7 in the morning, in a total stupor, and around the world. I wound up in Ceylon, (now Sri Lanka), bobbing in the water in as my truck pulls up, a bunch of wonderful front of my beach house, watching the sun set in the West. It had taken me two people come to the truck, people I knew, really years to get that far and I knew that, by any logic, it was probably going to take me very together freaks! another two to continue around in the direction I was going. I felt, as I bobbed A freak couldn’t find a better society to live in there in that water, warm as tea, that I couldn’t afford the luxury of that time, than the Finger Lakes. It is gorgeous. Living was easy, because I owed it to my music to not lose touch with the music world I had left. and wonderful. Suddenly I was surrounded by people who seemed genuinely Except for the estrangement with the band, I had left on good terms with the New pleased to see me, and they were looking forward to the gig, and so a few hours York music world. People had appreciated my work. But at the time I wanted to go later, I found myself outside in the sun, (it was an outside gig), with all these and eat the world — I couldn’t wait. The world had just at that moment — this people I knew. And when we started to play they totally got into it. It was a totally was 1969-72 — gone through a change of state. There was exciting turmoil wonderful gig, and they really liked our stuff and the band had a great time. After everywhere and we were on the loose. Before that, all you could hope for was the gig, the band packed their things in the van headed back to the city. Which I elementary school, high school, then (for a girl) maybe a little college and then obviously wasn’t going to do, because I hadn’t slept yet. married. For guys, the same thing only with the Army in the middle. No choice, I was taken in hand by these lovely folks back to Geneva, and the next day I was Bozo Boy, les joux sont faits. So I chose to take off. But the point is, that after three supposed to get up and drive to the city. But I got up the next day, and around me years off the stages, I wanted to go back. were these wonderful people that were living these very truthful, good lives and When I got back I didn’t really expect to hear from the boys in the band, but doing what they believed in. And I was not feeling like that was what I was doing. I Donald invited me to his wedding. I was happy and honored. felt like I was acting like a trained monkey on a stick at that point. I didn’t go back At the wedding, which was very nice, I got into a little mess when Meltzer asked that day. In fact I didn’t go back for a couple more days. I didn’t call anybody, and me to get him a drink. His girlfriend Ronnie had told me not to get him anything to drink, but in those days we never thought in terms of alcoholics. Meltzer was a all felt in our guts was the big one. big boy, and I had real respect for him and did not think that there was a moment Recording, nowadays, is usually a process of layering. A good drum track, where he should not be master of his own fate. (I realize differently now). human or machine, a bass part on top of that from either a bass, keyboard or Anyway, I got him a drink and within seconds Ronnie and Patti Smith had rushed computer, then guitars, keyboards and whatever, over and over till you like how it over and were screaming in my face. I stood there looking at them and I could see sounds. And the sound is usually good. Very clean. Sometimes well thought out. that I had made a mistake, that it was very important to them and I was Minimized mistakes. Perfect time. It’s good to be able to record like that. It gives immediately sorry. So the wedding was about all the contact I had with the Blue every musician the ability to get something together even if he has no help from Öyster Cult for a few years. his friends. But Donald and Albert were a kind of ideal for me. Remember they were my first But for me it’s passion. I’d put plenty of thought into writing the tune. (unless rock band. I didn’t have to work my way up through the garage. My first band was we were making it up on the spot.) But I have to feel the energy that happens one of the best bands on earth. That’s what I thought then and I definitely know when Jon starts pumping his bass ideas onto my song, and Albert gets it cooking it now. And specifically playing with Donald and Albert I felt a synchronicity that like it never was before, and Donald lays his perfect power madness into the I knew as cosmic. People can claim that for a lot of things. But when you are groove. Then, believe me, I’m singing it like I never did before. riding the power train of one of the greatest hard rock units alive and you are So, we ran it down once (with the tape rolling, of course) and then did a take. howling electronically and speaking in tongues to an audience of your fellow One. Jon is very solid, dark. Albert’s drums are controlled and chaotic. Everyone beasts who are also howling and riding the train into the sky — you know this is understands that a drummer keeps the beat, but with a drummer like Albert cosmic and anyone who says it isn’t must not have been there. there’s always so much more. Albert has ideas, and his ideas express themselves I wanted to make an ideal tape so I asked Donald and Albert, who until our in the texture of his drumming. His drums create a world, and his drums are parting had been my friends, to play with me. I didn’t know if they could, everywhere in that world. Inescapable. My guitar is crude. Together with contract wise, much less if they would — but they did. Donald’s growling rhythm guitar the track crashes forward like a giant beast in Donald and Albert came down to the Basement Studio on Greene Street in Soho. an apocalyptic landscape and then, Donald takes a lead. Very special place. (Aren’t all studios when you think about it?). It was built like a You all have your favorite Buck Dharma leads. This is mine. Even if you didn’t little space yacht, designed, they said, for Philip Glass, the modern classical know that this was the first take, the first time he had ever played the music, you composer. Basically it had very nice sound and equipment. The engineer, by luck, would be amazed at how his lead pours out of him, how it never stops for breath was great, a Polish guy named Vishik Wodsic or something like that. and then rises to a crescendo where I sing “Gangs at night eat up the lights / And In addition to the boys, I had asked Jon Trivers to play bass with us. I hear that pillage shipwrecked cars.” these days he’s perhaps the most major jinglemeister in LA. He had played a lot That’s the recording that became the 45 that I put out a few years later. You with me on tapes since college (where he played with Bloom). He has a lot of know, if I never did anything else, I’d have to say that I’m proud of the work I’ve energy and humor, and both can be big pluses in a bass player. I played rhythm done, just because of that tape. guitar. Some years later I added violinist (performance I recorded and played like that a lot. Pull together the best musicians around artist, painter) Walter Stedding. Donald’s howling- and play my tunes, sometimes with one or two rehearsals, sometimes without beast-on-the-moor guitar part gets echoed by any. It works if the musicians are really good, confident, and especially if they Walter’s mad fiddle. know the songs or if some of the songs are simple progressions. Very often all or After we recorded “Dark Angel,” the rest was most of the musicians know the tune, but have never played it with each other. I gravy. We recorded “Whippoorwill,” song of the still often play this way. existential party boy, and then we recorded That day, all the tunes were simple progressions. None of the musicians had “Ticket to Negumbo,” which is kind of a boogie ever played them. “Whippoorwill,” which has four chords repeating, “Ticket to rocker that eventually got girl-group back-up and Negumbo,” which had three chords (Donald added a fourth), and “Dark Angel,” a great boogie piano. which had two. In the end we had them all. All three tunes. I ran down the three tunes for them. We told ourselves that we would be happy Donald never had time to do more than that one if we got one good one, but really, I was looking at these guys thinking, “how can lead, but you know, maybe he can do some more I not like whatever they’re gonna play?” leads for me some day. Life is like that. And so is So, Albert sat down at his drums, Donald and Jon plugged into their amps and I multi-track recording. went into the vocal isolation room, and we went right for Dark Angel, which we