Cowbell!
By GERRY GALIPAULT
(July 7, 2001)
Blue Öyster Cult lead singer Eric Bloom knows exactly where he was the night of April 9, 2000: Like many Americans, he was in front of the television, watching another episode of "Saturday Night Live."
Only, imagine his surprise when an announcer, in a mocking "Behind the Music" voice, says: "After a series of staggering defeats, Blue Öyster Cult assembled in the recording studio in late 1976 for a session with famed producer Bruce Dickinson. And, luckily for us, the cameras were rolling."
Guest host Christopher Walken, portraying Dickinson, says he's ready to lay down the first track.
"Alright, here we go. 'Don't Fear (The Reaper),' take one," he says as he exits for the control booth.
The group breaks into the familiar opening refrains of the song, but Bloom (played by Chris Parnell) is quickly distracted by band member Gene Frenkle (Will Ferrell) banging on the cowbell. He stops the music and asks for Dickinson.
"That was gonna be a great track," Dickinson says. "Guys, what's the deal?"
"Are you sure that was sounding okay?" Bloom asks.
"I'll be honest ... fellas, it was sounding great," Dickinson replies. "But ... I could've used a little more cowbell. So ... let's take it again. And, Gene ... really explore the studio space this time. I mean, really ... explore the space. I like what I'm hearing."
The group gives it another try, but Bloom again is distracted by the cowbell. Guitarist Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser (Horatio Sanz) agrees. They give it one more shot, but Frenkle bangs the cowbell next to Bloom's ear. From there, it goes back and forth, until Dickinson proclaims, "Guess what? I got a fever! And the only prescription ... is MORE COWBELL!"
The band, trusting Dickinson's instincts, eventually reconciles with Frenkle and proceeds. "Babies, before we're done here, y'all are gonna be wearing gold-plated diapers," Dickinson declares.
The group starts up again, with the camera freezing on Frenkle. A graphic reads, "Gene Frenkle: 1950-2000."
Bloom still laughs today about that skit and how it came totally out of left field.
"I even have it on tape," he said recently, "and it still pretty much blows me away. Buck has it on MP3 and we listened to it in his car one day. It's almost as funny to listen to it as watching it."
What draws the biggest laughs for Bloom is how "SNL" writers used poetic license to relive the recording session for Blue Öyster Cult's signature hit.
"It was completely fiction," Bloom said, laughing, "but that's what kind of made it bizarre. They made it all up. Funny thing is, the actor who plays the cowbell guy - Will Ferrell - he's got a name at the end and it says he died. I've had people come up to me and ask, 'What happened to that guy who died?' I'm like, 'Uh, there was no guy that died. It was all fiction from beginning to end.' And Bruce Dickinson is a real guy, but he has nothing to do with 'Don't Fear (The Reaper).' He works for Sony and he's in charge of the production and remastering of all our old albums. He had nothing to do with the original 1976 'Don't Fear (The Reaper).'
"Of course now, every time somebody talks to Bruce on the phone, they say, 'Is this superstar record producer Bruce Dickinson?' "
If there never was a Gene Frenkle, then who did play the cowbell?!
"I did," Bloom said, with a chuckle.
"SNL" writers may have made light of Blue Öyster Cult, but they probably did so out of love, respect and red-blooded American nostalgia. For nearly 30 years, they have been the thinking man's hard-rock band.
By GERRY GALIPAULT
(July 7, 2001)
Blue Öyster Cult lead singer Eric Bloom knows exactly where he was the night of April 9, 2000: Like many Americans, he was in front of the television, watching another episode of "Saturday Night Live."
Only, imagine his surprise when an announcer, in a mocking "Behind the Music" voice, says: "After a series of staggering defeats, Blue Öyster Cult assembled in the recording studio in late 1976 for a session with famed producer Bruce Dickinson. And, luckily for us, the cameras were rolling."
Guest host Christopher Walken, portraying Dickinson, says he's ready to lay down the first track.
"Alright, here we go. 'Don't Fear (The Reaper),' take one," he says as he exits for the control booth.
The group breaks into the familiar opening refrains of the song, but Bloom (played by Chris Parnell) is quickly distracted by band member Gene Frenkle (Will Ferrell) banging on the cowbell. He stops the music and asks for Dickinson.
"That was gonna be a great track," Dickinson says. "Guys, what's the deal?"
"Are you sure that was sounding okay?" Bloom asks.
"I'll be honest ... fellas, it was sounding great," Dickinson replies. "But ... I could've used a little more cowbell. So ... let's take it again. And, Gene ... really explore the studio space this time. I mean, really ... explore the space. I like what I'm hearing."
The group gives it another try, but Bloom again is distracted by the cowbell. Guitarist Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser (Horatio Sanz) agrees. They give it one more shot, but Frenkle bangs the cowbell next to Bloom's ear. From there, it goes back and forth, until Dickinson proclaims, "Guess what? I got a fever! And the only prescription ... is MORE COWBELL!"
The band, trusting Dickinson's instincts, eventually reconciles with Frenkle and proceeds. "Babies, before we're done here, y'all are gonna be wearing gold-plated diapers," Dickinson declares.
The group starts up again, with the camera freezing on Frenkle. A graphic reads, "Gene Frenkle: 1950-2000."
Bloom still laughs today about that skit and how it came totally out of left field.
"I even have it on tape," he said recently, "and it still pretty much blows me away. Buck has it on MP3 and we listened to it in his car one day. It's almost as funny to listen to it as watching it."
What draws the biggest laughs for Bloom is how "SNL" writers used poetic license to relive the recording session for Blue Öyster Cult's signature hit.
"It was completely fiction," Bloom said, laughing, "but that's what kind of made it bizarre. They made it all up. Funny thing is, the actor who plays the cowbell guy - Will Ferrell - he's got a name at the end and it says he died. I've had people come up to me and ask, 'What happened to that guy who died?' I'm like, 'Uh, there was no guy that died. It was all fiction from beginning to end.' And Bruce Dickinson is a real guy, but he has nothing to do with 'Don't Fear (The Reaper).' He works for Sony and he's in charge of the production and remastering of all our old albums. He had nothing to do with the original 1976 'Don't Fear (The Reaper).'
"Of course now, every time somebody talks to Bruce on the phone, they say, 'Is this superstar record producer Bruce Dickinson?' "
If there never was a Gene Frenkle, then who did play the cowbell?!
"I did," Bloom said, with a chuckle.
"SNL" writers may have made light of Blue Öyster Cult, but they probably did so out of love, respect and red-blooded American nostalgia. For nearly 30 years, they have been the thinking man's hard-rock band.
Love the Cowbell 
...Also in the 70's BOC stayed at our hotel on Long Island...they were playing thelLarge bar scene. And played at OBI East(currently CPI in Hampton Bays) I spoke with their road manager...I was young-in HS- and he asked if I would like to go see them...but I was not that old(to get into a bar).
