Blue Öyster Cult: On Your Feet or On Your Knees (1975)
A double-album of live material that’ll have you on your feet and on your knees begging for more.
Kronomyth 4.0: The B’s knees.
Blue Öyster Cult had built up a loyal cult following in their brief career of evil (“all good,” you say, “la la, the voles run free today…”) and the cult clearly showed up for these charged performances spread across several cities. Given that the band wasn’t exactly a household name (their last album was the first to crack the US Top 100), the decision to lavish a double-album on their live tour from 1974 was a bit risky for Columbia Records. The risk paid off, and On Your Feet or On Your Knees eventually went gold while nearly reaching the Top 20. More importantly, the album helped establish the band’s legend (and, for BOC, legend is everything). The sound quality is exactly where you’d want it to be: fuzzy enough to shroud the source of their magic in mystery, sharp enough that you feel every inch of their blade. Donald Roeser’s guitar and Eric Bloom’s vocals stand out in the mix while the band of five play with the power of ten. As any fan will tell you, these songs represent a sizable chunk of the band’s best work. I would’ve replaced Then Came the Last Days of May and Before the Kiss (A Redcap) with “Career of Evil” and “Transmaniacon MC,” but otherwise this is all the BOC you’ll ever knee’d. I’d give this the nod over their first three studio albums for the lively interplay between the band members. Honestly, the band’s cryptic epics always seemed stifled in the studio; on stage, they breathe with newfound life. For me, the album builds momentum from the very beginning and peaks with the inspired performances of 7 Screaming Diz Busters and Buck’s Boogie. The second half of the set sags a little and closes with a pair of covers: I Ain’t Got You (which got a better reading by Aerosmith) and a version of Steppenwolf’s Born to Be Wild that features a truly transportive guitar solo. Given the uneven nature of BOC’s studio albums, On Your Feet or On Your Knees may be their most impressive feat on plastic, although Extraterrestrial Live was no slouch either if I recall.
Original 2LP version
A1. Subhuman (Eric Bloom/Sandy Pearlman) (7:30)
A2. Harvester of Eyes (Donald Roeser/Eric Bloom/Richard Meltzer) (4:55)
A3. Hot Rails to Hell (Joe Bouchard) (5:55)
B1. The Red & The Black (Albert Bouchard/Eric Bloom/Sandy Pearlman) (4:33)
B2. 7 Screaming Diz Busters (Albert Bouchard/Joe Bouchard/Sandy Pearlman/Donald Roeser) (8:27)
B3. Buck’s Boogie (Buck Dharma) (7:40)
C1. Then Came the Last Days of May (Donald Roeser) (4:35)
C2. Cities on Flame (Sandy Pearlman/Donald Roeser/Albert Bouchard) (4:08)
C3. ME 262 (Eric Bloom/Donald Roeser/Sandy Pearlman) (8:47)
D1. Before the Kiss (A Redcap) (Sandy Pearlman/Murray Krugman/Allan Lanier/Donald Roeser) (5:05)
D2. Maserati GT (I Ain’t Got You) (Calvin Carter) (8:59)
D3. Born to Be Wild (Mars Bonfire) (6:36)
The Players
Eric Bloom (vocals, stun-guitar, synthesizer), Albert Bouchard (drums, guitar, vocal on C2), Joe Borchard (bass, vocal on A3), Allan Lanier (rhythm guitar & all keyboards), Donald (Buck Dharma) Roeser (lead guitar, vocal on C1/D1). Produced by Murray Krugman & Sandy Pearlman; recording engineered by Tom Scott, Kurt Kuntzel, Aaron Baron, Tim Geelan, Pete Weiss, Jerry Smith, Jack Douglas; mix engineered by Jack Douglas.
The Pictures
Cover photo by John Berg. Design by John Berg & Gerard Huerta. Back cover photo by Don Hunstein.
The Plastic
Released on 2LP and 8-track in February 1975 in the US (Columbia, KG/PGA 33371), the UK (CBS, 88116), Australia (CBS, 220165) and Japan (CBS/Sony, 40AP-1270/1) with gatefold cover. Reached #22 on the US charts (RIAA-certified gold record).
- Re-issued on 2LP in Japan (CBS, SPOW-17/8) with gatefold cover.
- Re-issued on compact disc and cassette in the US (Columbia, CGK/CGT 33371).
- Re-issued on 180g vinyl 2LP in the US (Music on Vinyl, MOVLP1423).
