Öyster Böys: The Symbol Remains (2020)

It's been quite a journey but our time with the Blue Öyster Cult is almost at an end. For the first time in the podcast's history we are dedicating a full episode to our final thoughts about the band and our (eligible) studio album ranking. We hope you enjoy (and forgive the weird format Nate decided to introduce for reasons unknown to him now). See you next season! Facebook/Instagram: @satanandrainbows Email: [email protected] Financial Support: https://ko-fi.com/thenatezone Special thanks to our announcer Sasha Aleksandra! She is an associate producer and voice actor of the Night Shift Podcast, a queer-led urban fantasy docudrama. Check it out: www.NightShiftPod.com

After waiting almost two decades for the world to get hip, the Blue Öyster Cult were ready to sign with a new label and put out an album of new material. Is the current lineup able to live up to the expectations? Was it worth the wait? Are smartphones kind of bad for our attention spans (if you really think about it)? Was it that much of a fight? Join us on our penultimate episode and find out! Facebook/Instagram: @satanandrainbows Email: [email protected] Financial Support: https://ko-fi.com/thenatezone Special thanks to our announcer Sasha Aleksandra! She is an associate producer and voice actor of the Night Shift Podcast, a queer-led urban fantasy docudrama. Check it out: www.NightShiftPod.com

The first Blue Öyster Cult album of the 21st century is a less moody and more eclectic one than its predecessor, with a refreshing sense of continuity. Is it too long? Yes? Are there some bad songs on it? Yes. Does Nate end up liking the dumb recycled '80s ballad that doesn't really belong? Y--I mean...you'll have to listen to find out! Join us as we break down Curse of the Hidden Mirror (2001). Facebook/Instagram: @satanandrainbows Email: [email protected] Financial Support: https://ko-fi.com/thenatezone Special thanks to our announcer Sasha Aleksandra! She is an associate producer and voice actor of the Night Shift Podcast, a queer-led urban fantasy docudrama. Check it out: www.NightShiftPod.com    

After a ten year recording hiatus (sort of), an older and wiser (sort of) Blue Öyster Cult link up with the incredibly normal cyberpunk author John Shirley as their new primary lyricist and the incredibly stable CMC Records as their new label. The result is a very interesting album...that was out of print for decades and even now can't be easily heard due to weird streaming rights, so it's probably not surprising that Heaven Forbid is often overlooked in the BÖC catalog. Thankfully we're here to break it all down! Facebook/Instagram: @satanandrainbows Email: [email protected] Financial Support: https://ko-fi.com/thenatezone Special thanks to our announcer Sasha Aleksandra! She is an associate producer and voice actor of the Night Shift Podcast, a queer-led urban fantasy docudrama. Check it out: www.NightShiftPod.com

This week we are tracing the convoluted history behind the infamous Blue Öyster Cult concept album Imaginos. And then, unfortunately, we're also going to listen to it together. ...Yeah, if you are one of those BÖC fans who thinks Imaginos is an underrated hidden gem we love and respect you BUT you may want to skip this episode... Facebook/Instagram: @satanandrainbows Email: [email protected] Financial Support: https://ko-fi.com/thenatezone Special thanks to our announcer Sasha Aleksandra! She is an associate producer and voice actor of the Night Shift Podcast, a queer-led urban fantasy docudrama. Check it out: www.NightShiftPod.com

A synth-drenched fantasia, a poppy sellout, a....good album?? With some of the best songs the Blue Öyster Cult ever recorded?! And also two of the worst? What a time. Check your shuriken at the door because we're lifting the velvet rope, stamping your hand with an inscrutable symbol, and beckoning you into Club Ninja. Facebook/Instagram: @satanandrainbows Email: [email protected] Financial Support: https://ko-fi.com/thenatezone Special thanks to our announcer Sasha Aleksandra! She is an associate producer and voice actor of the Night Shift Podcast, a queer-led urban fantasy docudrama. Check it out: www.NightShiftPod.com

Minus one Bouchard and plus electronic drums galore, the 9th BÖC album begins a period of declining fortunes for the band. But is it that bad? Is it actually bad at all? We certainly don't think so. Listen to The Revölution by Night (1983) with us and we'll tell you why. Facebook/Instagram: @satanandrainbows Email: [email protected] Financial Support: https://ko-fi.com/thenatezone Special thanks to our announcer Sasha Aleksandra! She is an associate producer and voice actor of the Night Shift Podcast, a queer-led urban fantasy docudrama. Check it out: www.NightShiftPod.com

MTV! Rejected songs from a cartoon movie for perverts! Joan Crawford! All this and even more if you can believe it. Join us as we discuss the mega-successful Fire of Unknown Origin (1981). Facebook/Instagram: @satanandrainbows Email: [email protected] Financial Support: https://ko-fi.com/thenatezone Special thanks to our announcer Sasha Aleksandra! She is an associate producer and voice actor of the Night Shift Podcast, a queer-led urban fantasy docudrama. Check it out: www.NightShiftPod.com

A new decade, a new producer, and a new direction (sort of). Join us as we examine the start of a very dramatic decade for the Blue Öyster Cult and their dark, hard-rocking seventh album. Facebook/Instagram: @satanandrainbows Email: [email protected] Financial Support: https://ko-fi.com/thenatezone Special thanks to our announcer Sasha Aleksandra! She is an associate producer and voice actor of the Night Shift Podcast, a queer-led urban fantasy docudrama. Check it out: www.NightShiftPod.com  

Last album of the '70s. First album with a new producer. Last chance to capitalize on the momentum from their hit single before it disappeared completely? Well, it's a little more complicated than that, but perhaps the band thought so at the time. It would certainly explain a lot about Mirrors. Also we talk about the band's second live album and their Marvel comics cameo! Join us! Facebook/Instagram: @satanandrainbows Email: [email protected] Financial Support: https://ko-fi.com/thenatezone Special thanks to our announcer Sasha Aleksandra! She is an associate producer and voice actor of the Night Shift Podcast, a queer-led urban fantasy docudrama. Check it out: www.NightShiftPod.com