I hope you realize that you wrote one of the most classic songs Ever written. You left your mark on the world that I believe will never be forgotten. Congratulations my friend.
The ancient Smarmatharmans, in 17,001 B.C.E, said the epoch hit "Primordial Soup," would be sung until the sun no longer shined. In time, all is forgotten.
@@jacksquat4140 ~~ Reaper will NOT be forgotten - there are too many copies of it out there - I still have it on vinyl - on cassette - on 8-track - and a few different versions on CD - and it's been beamed out into space on radio waves - aliens are grooving to it right now in some star system a dozen light years away ..
@@billyz5088: My bad - I totally forgot about space aliens having access to the song via radio waves. I've never been happier to be wrong. Of course, the downside is all the teenaged space aliens will off themselves after listening to this tune. Buck Dharma may have had an intergalactic hit, but he's also responsible for killing off most of the intelligent life in the Milky Way.
BOC was my first concert back in 1979 at 13. After the concert I got beat up by a guy that looked like he was around 25-30. I was just a little kid and he started punching me out of nowhere. My sisters boyfriend jumped in and knocked him out with one punch. Needless to say I was in awe that he did that. But that was a killer concert especially for a kid who loved Rock music!
@ ~~ I grew up in the D.C. area in the 70's - the big venue was the "Capital Centre" - 18K + seats - saw many shows there and saw younger kids getting mugged by older ones in the parking lots - beat-up - tickets, money & weed stolen from them - behavior inside the arena was as bad or worse at times - M-80 explosives being tossed around the stage - saw Aerosmith walk off stage once because of fireworks getting tossed on stage - at a Robin Trower general admission show - an empty glass bottle got thrown from the nosebleed section and finally hit somebody on the head in a crowd near the stage - most people were not that way - but there were enough that it was dangerous for all in a big crowd situation - I now understand why my parents did not want me to go to rock concerts there before I was about 15 yrs old ..
I grew up in a children's home in Alabama and luckily for me one of the boys in my House was a rock and roll fan and had all the great albums including Blue oyster cult and I used to borrow his records and listen to them everyday. I really loved Kansas, heart, bad company, Foreigner, Boston. The list could go on and on.
I'm 65 years old and I still get goose bumps from my head all the way down to my feet when I hear that song! I saw them in the mid to late 70's in Atlanta. The 70's were great!
"Georgia Jam 1973". The Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Marshall Tucker Band, and Blue Oyster Cult (who were from New York), at the Atlanta/Fulton County Stadium! I was too young to go, but my older brothers went, and saved the promo poster.
The song is a masterpiece. A culturally significant work of art. No other song is like it. When my time comes I will be slightly less upset about it. How many other works of art provide such a gift?
Thank you dear man, a million times for that most amazing & hypnotic song that was a huge part of the soundtrack to my teenage years..I’m now 61 & I fear the reaper less & less every day & I do genuinely hope when the reaper comes for me I too will be able to fly..genius
What a great guy. So humble. Really encouraging to hear about the song writing process. There's the inspiration and then there's the hours of work completing it to perfection. THANK YOU!!! 🖤
First heard this song on "Supernatural" and was hooked and looked up the band and performances and love the song totally. Like Knofler, this guy is lead singer, guitarist and i assume too, song writer too but shared with rest of band? All the notes and solo are all perfectly chosen for that eerie melody... just brilliant. Top interview, very modest and nice guy.
One of my all time favorite songs. Belongs on the list of songs you absolutely have to turn up. Also was lucky enough to see the Soft White Underbelly in San Francisco circa 1980s
In the last verse when it says "he appeared" I imagine most people think it's The Reaper. But I think it's Buck, as his dead self (which occurred in the middle part) coming back to take the girl to fly away with him into eternity.
One of the top 5 ballads of all time. If one if the great operatic maestros could arrange 50 piece orchestra, it could be a 20 minute masterpiece placed in Italy with Romeo & Giulietta on a balcony... Other greats: Queen: Bohemian Rhapsody, Zeppelin: Stairway to Heaven, Floyd: The Wall Bonamassa: Ballad of John Henry, Springsteen: The Ghost if Tom Joad. Styx: Lady / Lorelei BonGiovi: Wanted Dead or Alive.. etc
Before 'Reaper' was released in spring of 1976 on the "Agents of Fortune" record - BÖC had three studio albums - and one double-live record to their credit - but they had gotten very little FM radio airplay of their great material from those earlier records - but that ALL changed after Reaper came out - it was ALL over the radio - and BÖC was suddenly headlining the same large arenas where they had been a support act to more established bands just a year before - I still think it's a shame the original line-up did not come back together in the 80's - they could have had a strong comeback the same way some of their peers like Aerosmith & KISS had - especially when you consider some of the great material Albert Bouchard released with 'The Brain Surgeons' in the 90's - some BÖC fans may forget that original drummer Albert Bouchard wrote - or co-wrote more than half of BÖC's catalog in their first decade.
The sister of Albert and Joe Bouchard is the collector for my real estate taxes. One time when paying them, I asked if she'd seen the SNL sketch. She said she loved it! Very nice lady.
Is her name Mary? I met Al in college (1965) and formed a band with Buck and a few others. A few years ago, one of my best friend’s daughter married Al’s nephew she had met at Trumansburg High. I couldn’t believe how that could happen. Al and Joe were at the reception and played a BOC set!
@bruceabbott4435 Same first letter. Her name is Michelle. That reminds me, I gotta go to the municipal building and pay the water bill on Monday. I'll pop in on her and relate your story to her.
Too much talk. Cut to the chase, PLEASE!!! I tried sticking around, but I have to bail. Way, way too much bullshi* talk. If I want to listen to bullshi*, I’ll listen to my ex-husband. GEEEEEZE!!!
I hope you realize that you wrote one of the most classic songs Ever written. You left your mark on the world that I believe will never be forgotten. Congratulations my friend.
The ancient Smarmatharmans, in 17,001 B.C.E, said the epoch hit "Primordial Soup," would be sung until the sun no longer shined. In time, all is forgotten.
@@jacksquat4140 ~~ Reaper will NOT be forgotten - there are too many copies of it out there - I still have it on vinyl - on cassette - on 8-track - and a few different versions on CD - and it's been beamed out into space on radio waves - aliens are grooving to it right now in some star system a dozen light years away ..
@@billyz5088: My bad - I totally forgot about space aliens having access to the song via radio waves. I've never been happier to be wrong. Of course, the downside is all the teenaged space aliens will off themselves after listening to this tune. Buck Dharma may have had an intergalactic hit, but he's also responsible for killing off most of the intelligent life in the Milky Way.
BOC was my first concert back in 1979 at 13. After the concert I got beat up by a guy that looked like he was around 25-30. I was just a little kid and he started punching me out of nowhere. My sisters boyfriend jumped in and knocked him out with one punch. Needless to say I was in awe that he did that. But that was a killer concert especially for a kid who loved Rock music!
@ ~~ I grew up in the D.C. area in the 70's - the big venue was the "Capital Centre" - 18K + seats - saw many shows there and saw younger kids getting mugged by older ones in the parking lots - beat-up - tickets, money & weed stolen from them - behavior inside the arena was as bad or worse at times - M-80 explosives being tossed around the stage - saw Aerosmith walk off stage once because of fireworks getting tossed on stage - at a Robin Trower general admission show - an empty glass bottle got thrown from the nosebleed section and finally hit somebody on the head in a crowd near the stage - most people were not that way - but there were enough that it was dangerous for all in a big crowd situation - I now understand why my parents did not want me to go to rock concerts there before I was about 15 yrs old ..
One of my favourite guitar riffs that made me want to play guitar. Absolute classic.
This is the song that made me want to start playing music and writing songs. Came out the year of my birth too. Was in the cards.
What songs have you written? Just asking, not messing with you.
I have been listening to Buck for 50 years now -- the dude is one of the best musicians in Rock n Roll history.
I grew up in a children's home in Alabama and luckily for me one of the boys in my House was a rock and roll fan and had all the great albums including Blue oyster cult and I used to borrow his records and listen to them everyday. I really loved Kansas, heart, bad company, Foreigner, Boston. The list could go on and on.
Great interview! Such a classy musician and person. Thank you.
I'm 65 years old and I still get goose bumps from my head all the way down to my feet when I hear that song! I saw them in the mid to late 70's in Atlanta. The 70's were great!
"Georgia Jam 1973". The Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Marshall Tucker
Band, and Blue Oyster Cult (who were from New York), at the Atlanta/Fulton County Stadium! I was too young to go, but my older brothers went, and saved the promo poster.
The song is a masterpiece. A culturally significant work of art. No other song is like it. When my time comes I will be slightly less upset about it. How many other works of art provide such a gift?
Thank you dear man, a million times for that most amazing & hypnotic song that was a huge part of the soundtrack to my teenage years..I’m now 61 & I fear the reaper less & less every day & I do genuinely hope when the reaper comes for me I too will be able to fly..genius
It’s a great song, love it so much and I think it demonstrates such a strong imagination and creativity.
Blue oyster cult is one of the greatest bands of all time and the song Don't fear the reaper is the greatest song of all time from the best album ever
I love this song, it was very popular in 1977 when I was a Senior in high school. Great memories and love the message.
What a great guy. So humble. Really encouraging to hear about the song writing process. There's the inspiration and then there's the hours of work completing it to perfection. THANK YOU!!! 🖤
I love that he seems to like the sketch as much as I do and can laugh at it.
First heard this song on "Supernatural" and was hooked and looked up the band and performances and love the song totally. Like Knofler, this guy is lead singer, guitarist and i assume too, song writer too but shared with rest of band? All the notes and solo are all perfectly chosen for that eerie melody... just brilliant. Top interview, very modest and nice guy.
I am a mortician. I had this beautiful song on repeat all through mort school. It kinda kept things in perspective.
One of my all time favorite songs. Belongs on the list of songs you absolutely have to turn up. Also was lucky enough to see the Soft White Underbelly in San Francisco circa 1980s
Fire of unknown origin and cultasauras erectus are in my top 10 all time favorite albums. Thank you
He was talking about the Teac/Tascam144/244 Portastudio, Buck Dharma what an underated genius and guitar player!
In the last verse when it says "he appeared" I imagine most people think it's The Reaper. But I think it's Buck, as his dead self (which occurred in the middle part) coming back to take the girl to fly away with him into eternity.
It’s so spooky and cool! Who doesn’t love don’t fear the reaper. My very first concert!
One of my favorite songs.
Just love you Donald , Buck , your the best....hands down..
That was amazing. Great to hear.
I got a fever….. a fever that can only be fixed by more cowbell!!!
Awesome.
Been Haunting me since the first time I listed to it!
Thanks for the song. It is very poinant. Death is something that we can't get away from.
NASA should have included (Don’t Fear) the Reaper on Voyager’s Golden Record.
One of the top 5 ballads of all time.
If one if the great operatic maestros could arrange 50 piece orchestra, it could be a 20 minute masterpiece placed in Italy with Romeo & Giulietta on a balcony...
Other greats:
Queen: Bohemian Rhapsody,
Zeppelin: Stairway to Heaven,
Floyd: The Wall
Bonamassa: Ballad of John Henry,
Springsteen: The Ghost if Tom Joad.
Styx: Lady / Lorelei
BonGiovi: Wanted Dead or Alive.. etc
Before 'Reaper' was released in spring of 1976 on the "Agents of Fortune" record - BÖC had three studio albums - and one double-live record to their credit - but they had gotten very little FM radio airplay of their great material from those earlier records - but that ALL changed after Reaper came out - it was ALL over the radio - and BÖC was suddenly headlining the same large arenas where they had been a support act to more established bands just a year before - I still think it's a shame the original line-up did not come back together in the 80's - they could have had a strong comeback the same way some of their peers like Aerosmith & KISS had - especially when you consider some of the great material Albert Bouchard released with 'The Brain Surgeons' in the 90's - some BÖC fans may forget that original drummer Albert Bouchard wrote - or co-wrote more than half of BÖC's catalog in their first decade.
Buck dharma är en väldigt trevlig och en grymt bra gitarrist och vad länge böc har hållit på Håkan from sweden
The sister of Albert and Joe Bouchard is the collector for my real estate taxes. One time when paying them, I asked if she'd seen the SNL sketch. She said she loved it! Very nice lady.
Is her name Mary? I met Al in college (1965) and formed a band with Buck and a few others. A few years ago, one of my best friend’s daughter married Al’s nephew she had met at Trumansburg High. I couldn’t believe how that could happen. Al and Joe were at the reception and played a BOC set!
@bruceabbott4435 Same first letter. Her name is Michelle. That reminds me, I gotta go to the municipal building and pay the water bill on Monday. I'll pop in on her and relate your story to her.
It was about 40,000 at that time. It's about 100,000 today that move on.
Google say 150,000 a day.
Imagine, 142,317 men and women everyday…
Lol
And you can fly
I got have more cowbell
Finally i understood what Don't Fear the Reaper by BOC meant its not about suicide just because Romeo and Juliet was mentioned.
I read THE STAND and could NEVER read KING again
Too much talk. Cut to the chase, PLEASE!!!
I tried sticking around, but I have to bail.
Way, way too much bullshi* talk. If I want to listen to bullshi*, I’ll listen to my ex-husband.
GEEEEEZE!!!