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Released:
1978 Columbia
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| It's not often that I would choose a band's
live album as a favorite but there are a variety of reasons for
this choice. It was the first B.O.C. album I ever heard so it
has a great deal of sentimental value to me. Mainly because it
turned me on to one of my favorite bands. I also chose a live
album because the radio regulars of B.O.C. like "Don't Fear
the Reaper", "Godzilla" and "Burnin' for
You" are usually the sanitized studio versions. B.O.C. had
a tendency on the Secret Treaties (1974), Agents of Fortune
(1976) and
Spectres (1977)
albums to sound very sonically pure and clean. This
CD captures their all too rarely-heard raw side. This album
jams! In fact, they do a ripping cover of the MC5's "Kick
out the Jams." The B.O.C. version of this song far
surpasses any hopes anyone ever had for the original version
(sorry MC5). The album begins with "RU Ready 2 Rock"
which goes off on a wild tangent of a jam. Let me tell you this:
Nobody ever ended a song live like B.O.C. They always had the
best finale type endings. They then go on to an extended version
of E.T.I (Extra Terrestrial Intelligence) originally from Agents
of Fortune, their first hit album. Then they take off with
"Astronomy" (originally from the Secret Treaties
Album) which was later covered by Metallica. After that we have
the live versions of "Don't Fear the Reaper" and
"Godzilla". This is their best live album ever and I
own them all. In fact, I own all of their albums. I would rank
the Tyranny and Mutation (1973) and Secret Treaties albums
next on the list. After that, I would list Fire of
Unknown Origin (1981) and Revolution by Night (1983).
But if you'd prefer a compilation CD, then I'd recommend Essential Blue Oyster Cult
(2003). That CD contains "Burnin' For
You", "Godzilla", "Astronomy",
"Don't Fear the Reaper and "Take Me Away". The great
thing about B.O.C. is that no two albums sound exactly alike.
Not like some groups. With some groups, if you own one album,
you own them all.
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