Greeley Stampede Bands, Where Are They Now?- Blue Oyster Cult [VIDEO]

Back in 1967 a group of four musicians in Long Island, New York joined together to form a band called Soft White Underbelly. In 1971 the band changed it's name to Blue Oyster Cult, and so the legend begins. The original line-up consisted of  Eric Bloom doing vocals, guitar, and keyboards,  Buck Dharma (Donald Roeser) on lead guitar and vocals,  Allen Lanier playing rhythm guitar and keyboards, Joe Bouchard on bass, and Al Bouchard playing the drums. When the government shut down BOC's innovative laser light show and the band got greedy with ticket prices even causing riots, the band was forced to go on hiatus. The break only lasted about a year, but the members were never the same. Today only two of the original members remain with the band in Bloom and Roeser.

Eric Bloom

Bloom has always acted as sort of the leader of the band, the decision maker if you will. Bloom has always been an avid reader of science fiction books and that shows through in many of the scifi like songs that he has written for BOC. He is also a big gamer who is a supporter of having classic rock on games like Guitar Hero, saying it has helped the band regain popularity. He also is a big fan of the the Saturday Night Live skit that poked fun of the band's biggest hit "Don't Fear the Reaper." Between Guitar Hero and the SNL skit, Bloom says the band has begun to flourish again, and plays upwards of 150 shows a year.

Buck Dharma

The sound you hear when you hear BOC is because of Buck Dharma. He is the heart and soul of BOC. Lead guitar and vocalist on most of BOC's biggest hits, Dharma is Blue Oyster Cult. He also put out a solo album in 1982 during his time with BOC. Many people look at Dharma as one of the best guitar players of the 1970's and 80's and is known for his use of Steinberger guitars. Dharma continues to write music today, and also continues to innovate his guitar playing craft.

Blue Oyster Cult has sold over 24 million albums and survived parts of five decades, and because of the two men that have stayed together through thick and thin BOC is one of the most recognizable names in rock history.

Your chance to see Eric and Buck doing their thing as Blue Oyster Cult is July 2nd at the Taste of Country Concerts at the Greeley Stampede. Tickets are just $24-$29, and available here.