[Close Encounters of the BÖC Kind] -- The release date for this weekend's Flashback topic varies according to source. Some list it as April 1, 1982, while others have the more vague April 1982. And a few others simply list the year: 1982. But there is at least agreement that Blue Öyster Cult's third live album, Extraterrestrial Live, turns 40 years old this year (maybe even on this very day!). It's a double length LP with a total of 13 tracks, and most of the recordings are from the 1981 tour (supporting Fire of Unknown Origin). Two tracks – possibly "Dominance and Submission" and "Black Blade" – were recorded in 1980. One might have been from BÖC's Mirrors Tour and the other while supporting Black Sabbath's Heaven & Hell Tour (aka The Black and Blue Tour), but I cannot tell which song is from which tour. The front-and-back-cover artwork definitely has that Close Encounters vibe with the front depicting the arrival of a space priest and their alien dobermans, and the back illustration featuring the band as the ship's crew (see below). This imagery also plays up the band's whole mythology of being "a group of aliens who had assembled to secretly guide Earth's history" (The World Was Their Öyster, item #2). Anyway, this is another live album that can serve as both a greatest hits (so far) collection and a concert sampler. Everyone needs live versions of "Burnin' for You," "Godzilla," and "(Don't Fear) The Reaper."
I just wish there was more cowbell.
Flashback: Extraterrestrial Live (April 1982)
The full wraparound cover (click to embiggen):
That's all till next week. Dedicated 80s-philes can find more flashbacks in the Prophet or Madman archives or via Bookended's 80s Flashback tag. As always, your comments are welcome on today's, or any other, flashback post. And if you like what I'm doing here, please share the link with your friends. If, however, you don't like the flashback, feel free to share it with your enemies.
I'll see you in seven!
No comments:
Post a Comment