Imaginos :Black & Silver

[Stephen Swann]

Andy Gilham writes:
>
> On the one hand, of course, I don't give a monkey's who played what on
> _Imaginos_, because it's a great recording; but on the other, when I first
> got it, I took the credits at face value, and thought, "Wow, the real BOC
> have got together, spent a couple of years in the studio, hired top-class
> session artists as and when needed, and come up with their best album since
> _Secret Treaties_ - if not better!"  (Or was it since _Tyranny & Mutation_?
>  Anwyay.)  And I didn't really find out what was up until after I'd seen the
> Bouchard-free BOC touring _Imaginos_ and only playing three songs from it :(

Heh.  When I saw them, on the so-called _Imaginos_ tour, they played
nothing at all from it.  This was especially ditressing, since I had
used the strength of _Imaginos_ to drag along several of my friends
who had long since given up any interest in the current state of BOC.
Hell, the band didn't even play "Astronomy" (you'll have to excuse me
for sounding grouchy about that one - I've seen them 7 or 8 times over
the last dozen years, and never seen my favorite song performed).

But I know what you mean about the feeling of surprise at the
"resurrection" of BOC.  I was completely bowled over by the "update"
of their classic sound.  All the whacked-out imagery, powerhouse
songwriting, and just plain BOC-ishness that had been missing all
through the 80's was back, in spades.

I mistakenly thought (due to the crediting of all original members in
the liner notes) that there had a brief, fiery re-union, in the heat
of which they had forged the definitive album of their careers - but
that they hadn't been able to keep it together, because of the
inevitable clash of personalities.  I also remembered thinking that it
didn't even matter if they didn't put out another album, because they
had already brilliantly culminated the career of the Blue Oyster Cult,
and anything after this was liable to be a letdown.

And then, I started to hear bits and pieces of the real story behind
it.  Sigh.

> > The aftermath of 'Imaginos' greatly shook my
> > admiration for Buck and Eric, two of my all-time heroes.

Well, I learned a long time ago not to confuse respect for a person's
work with personal admiration.  I haven't met Eric or Buck, so I don't
make any judgement about their character.  But I have met Al and Joe,
and I'm glad to say - they're just the kind of people that you hope
all your idols are like.

Steve