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CLASSIC RIFFS

From page 8 of Classic Rock Magazine October 2001

Cover of October 2001 issue.

'Cities On Flame. With Roc_k'N'Roll' — Blue Oyster Cult

T UCKED AWAY ON SIDE TWO OF BLUE OYSTER CULT'S self-titled debut album from 1972, 'Cities On Flame With Rock'N'Roll' was nevertheless destined to become one of the band's most enduring and influential tunes. Guitarist Donald 'Buck Dharma' came up with its colossally heavy riff, but the song was pieced together with the help of drummer Albert Bouchard and producer Sandy Pearlman.

"Albert had the Sandy Pearlman lyric, to which he'd written a verse and a motif with a similar, feel to Black Sabbath's 'The Wizard'," Buck recalls. "I contributed the convoluted guitar riff that starts the tune and the chorus chords. We all came up with musical interlude and jam in the body of the tune."

Although 'Cities...' was one of the first songs that BOC wrote themselves, they knew immediately that they'd come up with something exceptional. "When we rehearsed it," says Dharma, "it quickly got up a good head of steam and the band was rocking right away. It was always fun to play. In fact, we still play it at almost every show."

Indeed, it was during BOC's live performances that 'Cities On Flame...' really came into its own. Each show would conclude with all five members strapping on an axe, taking up their place at the front of the stage, striking a chord and crossing instruments, emitting a wall of screeching feedback that eventually became a band trademark.

As well as putting out a new studio album, 'Curse Of The Hidden Mirror', BOC have also recently had their first four albums remastered and reissued. The band will also be hitting the road again shortly.

"Lots of touring is in store for us," Dharma smiles, "and hopefully we'll be back in the UK before the end of the year".