Bouchard Brothers
Meet the siblings, solo artists and co-founders of Blue Öyster Cult.
Drummer Albert and guitarist and bassist Joe Bouchard were members of Blue Öyster Cult during the New York band’s golden era in the 70s and 80s. This month they’re playing eight unplugged dates across the UK, featuring BÖC and solo material plus some storytelling.
Albert, you were a member of BÖC precursors Soft White Underbelly, and Joe, you joined the band for their debut album in January 1972. You must have some amazing memories of the meteoric rise that followed?
Albert [laughing] It was about as meteoric a turtle. Joe: It took a number of years to become a platinumselling band. We pounded the pavement; there were a lot of tours. Everyone from Spirit to the James Gang to Rod Stewart.
Albert, you left in 1981, and were replaced by the band’s lighting designer for a what was a disastrous display at Monsters Of Rock. There’s a legendary photo of Eric Bloom jumping up and down on his commemorative plaque of the event.
Albert: Now that it’s forty-one years ago, I try to take a long view. I worked hard on the album we did with [producer] Martin Birch [Fire Of Unknown Origin], and the group didn’t understand the sacrifices I was making, so I lashed out. That was the crux of it.
Joe, what caused your departure in 1985?
Joe: For me it was a different situation. I was burned out from being on ‘the endless tour’. I wanted to do some different things, and I certainly did, including playing with Spencer Davis.
You both have current solo albums out: Joe’s American Rocker, and Albert’s Imaginos II: Bombs Over Germany.
Joe: We are putting out one solo record after another. Right now Albert is making his third consecutive double album.
Albert: That [the double album] was the original vision that Sandy Pearlman [manager] and I had for Imaginos [released as a single-set in ’88]. It was going to be like Star Wars. But of course that didn’t happen.
On these upcoming dates you’re playing acoustically, with music and stories. Will the set be a mix of solo material plus BÖC classics? Albert: Yeah. We’ve got forty-five songs, so we vary the set-list from night to night because some fans will attend several shows.
It’s hard to imagine the BÖC standard Godzilla being played ‘unplugged’.
Joe: Kasim Sulton [a touring member of BÖC] devised a really cool acoustic arrangement of that song, so we stole it from him.
Albert, you went back to BÖC several times, and even played a small part on their most recent album, but Joe, after leaving you never returned. Joe: I did a couple of things with them. There was a tribute gig to Allen Lanier [in 2016, in honour of the keyboard player and rhythm guitarist who died three years before], which was amazing.
Albert: I got kicked out of the band, that was the difference. So when they asked me to come back
I was like: [enthusiastically] “Oh yeah.” Whereas when they asked Joe, who had quit, he was more like… [shrugs shoulders].
“We’ve go forty-five songs, vary so w list the se becaus some will fans atten several shows.”
A couple of the dates – London and Newcastle – are with the current incarnation of Angel. You must know Frank, Punky and the current guys very well? (Just as this issue went to press the Angel tour was cancelled – Ed.)
Albert: Yeah, of course. It’s just like the 1970s…
Joe: …Only we’re opening for them this time. But we have no problem with that. It happens all the time in rock’n’roll.
Are there any plans to make an album as the Bouchard Brothers?
Albert: That’s the joy of our situation. We can do whatever we like, so who knows?
The tour commences in Glasgow on August 9.