Astronomy - Blue Öyster Cult (Imaginos version video)

[RossElvin]

@RossElvin And I always laugh when I see that someone thinks a song is "better" when they really mean is that they like a version better. What is your criteria for "better"?

[IndigoNeutrino]

I first got into Blue Oyster Cult when I was ten. That was eight years ago. I was desperate to listen to the Imaginos album but had to wait five years for the rerelease, and it was completely worth it! One of the best albums I've ever heard.

[amibidhrohi2006]

The Metallica version is the best.

[Durandal1717]

@amibidhrohi2006 hahahahah

[Romes944]

@amibidhrohi2006 Metallica plays "Astronomy" not Imaginos.....

[Qazc5]

@amibidhrohi2006 Please, Don't Make Me Laugh kid.

[TreblaYevrah]

You must have one hell of a collection of rare material, man. Keep going with the uploads!

[stratwz]

Caught BOC at the Paramount when they returned to playing stuff off Imaginos some years ago. Holy Sht.

[IFraser67]

still can't beat the SEE version... my favourite song ever. They're the only band where you haven't a clue what they're on about until you get the lyrics, and then you're even more confused.

[ter50]

Good, but the original is the best

[elektra1984]

stupid video

[cbsavage099]

so what listen to the song

[ellinlvx]

Didn't the liner notes mention John Dee?

[Durandal1717]

Along with his scrying mirror; important parts of the story. I always liked how he also weaved historical parallels into the themes, just like the astute Lovecraft disciple should.

[ellynlvx]

I have spent the last week just taking in your comment and expanding upon the theories put forth. You are very intelligent and well spoken, not unlike Mr. Pearlman Himself! I Thank You for bringing to light a point I should have known, having read H.P. Lovecraft quite a lot in my youth. Memory, memory.

Themes, yes, Themes. Eternal Themes are what makes an Artist's Work Timeless. You can read a paper one day, and the next it is dated, but certain things last forever. Like Sandy's Work, eh?

[smithsj1]

Well this was my first BOC album and I saw them on this tour in the UK. Great show and I was genuinely surprised at the time of how many other songs I knew. I was moved to write a review of the show from Nottingham for Teletext at the time but unfortunately it was never published. Great band and I now love all their albums which is not a bad complement from a classic rock loving Brit!!

[ellenlvx]

Talk about recovering lost treasure from the jungle...

STELLAR!!! (FIXED AND CONSEQUENT!!!)

[CayanMagusson]

Thanks, I've looking for this for a long time. This was awesome!

[jas22]

thanks for posting this! i wish they had made a video for the wonderful song 'Blue Oyster Cult', also from the "imaginos" album.

[ellinlvx]

This kind of is

[jas22]

no, i mean for the actual song titled "blue oyster cult".

[ellinlvx]

I know what you meant, but if you check the lyrics and watch this video you may see many correlations.

[eebeelive]

Interesting, it's always interesting to hear the original play and then see how BD has improvised over the years. video uh ?

thnks for posting

[Sunrie]

I don't like their version of this song. Still, I can't believe the video is actually up on here.

There's still a LOT of speculation as to what the song is about to this day. I just like the fantasy fiction imagery it conjures up.

[GoGoGadgetBeer]

Imaginos= one of the best albums. Ever.

[jas22]

gogogadgetbeer- ive been to a BOC show and talked to fans there, and "imaginos" is unbelieveably their least known work! how is that possible? (i guess they show up just knowing "reaper" and "burning for you").

[GoGoGadgetBeer]

hmmmm...Well I do know finding Imaginos on CD was near impossible until they re-released it back in the summer. To me, it is the definitive BOC album. Agents of Fortune and Fire of Unknown Origin are good, but Imaginos is, in my opinion, leaps and bounds over those two. Maybe you just talked to casual fans?

[jas22]

yea, i think they werent die-hards. not that i am. the last time i saw them i was blown away by richie castellano on bass (i think he's since moved to guitar). and yea, "imaginos" is my favorite. its compelling when you listen to the lyrics- like its some warped sci-fi that spans the first millenium to victorian england. i like "seizure and investiture..." (long title).

[GoGoGadgetBeer]

...of baron von frankenstein's castle at weisseria. That's probably my favorite on the album along with Magna of Illusion and Blue Oyster Cult (might take a couple listens to appreciate this one, but it is a standout track). I'm not a diehard myself, BOC is just one of my many favorite groups. The storyline of the album is cryptic (and I'm not even sure the songs are in order) but I appreciate it too.

[pwshields]

Dead-nuts on!! Pearlman's writings were like Lovecraft on acid, without the mommy hang-ups.

"Frost warnings from the women's farm" indeed.

[Flyinshu]

Sorry noahvstheundead...you are dead wrong about the Imaginos/Crowley connection. Give Bolle G. a call someday and he will explain it too you. Doubt you will get in touch with Sandy!

[noahvstheundead]

This video and the Imaginos concept are based on Aleister Crowley's life and work.

Please read a book(or two) and enjoy this album even more.

[ellenlvx]

Hey, I hadn't thought of that! But he did die to himself when he was young, didn't he? (Crowley, that is)

[gbruceisgod]

Brilliant version. Love the way Roeser takes over the lead vocals on this version. Real smooth. As for the lead guitar?....... Its off the chart. Forget the dime a dozen shredders, this is feel and technique. Give sweep picking a miss and try the lead work in this for a challange.....

[gbruceisgod]

Brilliant version. Love the way Roeser takes over the lead vocals on this version. Real smooth. As for the lead guitar?....... Its off the chart. Forget the dime a dozen shredders, this is feel and technique. Give sweep picking a miss and try the lead work in this for a challange.....

[Etyrnal2K]

I've got two copies of the vinyl. One of them is factory sealed :D

Hard to find.

[Etyrnal2K]

I've got two copies of the vinyl. One of them is factory sealed :D

Hard to find.

[blugnu]

This is a pretty good version but I still prefer the Some Enchanted Evening version - colder and more wintry indeed - very atmospheric. I saw them play this at the Glasgow Apollo 1978 and it was defintely cold and wintry outside but what a gig! Reminds me of an old girlfriend at that time as well...

Now I'm working in the jungle in f***ing Borneo (check the map)-it's OK here but it would be good to turn the clock back to those days..see that gig again!

[EvilPotatoKing]

The album is no longer out of print!!! =D

[jennic1978]

F-n COOOL!, this is my absolute fav, by BOC! I had no idea that it was conceptualized by Stephen King

[Durandal1717]

It was actually conceptualized by Sandy Pearlman, as early back as '67, I think. Apparently Stephen King just liked it so much, that he suggested that he record a spoken intro to it.

[richintalent]

do you have that version ?

[Durandal1717]

Yeah. I also have the ultra-limited limited UK dance mix (which isn't as bad as one would think), and a plethora of live versions. It is my favorite song of all time, you know! The only release I don't have it one is the Strictly Limited Collector's Blue Vinyl edition (though hardly anything is worth its usual asking price). I can upload the Steven King spoken intro version for you if you like.

[cbsavage099]

@Durandal1717 would you please, its here somwhere but i think it was deleted

[Csim1985]

@Durandal1717

"(...)I can upload the Steven King spoken intro version for you if you like"

Please do ^^

Thanks

[2468bloob]

@Durandal1717

can you post the dance version, wanna hear it...

[richintalent]

I remember hearing this once or twice on the radio and there wqas a voice clip of Stephen King reading something- I don't know if he wrote it, but it began with: "Imaginos: a fairy tale for the children of the damned..."

[ellinlvx]

Bedtime Story

[CRAZYCRADER]

Kick Ass song!Kick ASS c/d!Good luck getting your hands on the c/d!Its out of print!

[SAXONBRAVE]

KICK ASS!

[keepthetempo]

i think joe satriani did some guitar work for this song.

[Durandal1717]

Actually, I think he did the main lead on The Siege And Investiture Of Baron Von Frankenstein's Castle At Weisseria. Great song that; it even features a jingle singer on lead vox, yet he manages to almost sound like Dio!

[Turk2112]

I used to travel to the Royal Hotel in Anstruther (Fife, Scotland) just to watch this on their video jukebox. A gem.

I also really liked Imaginos and caught BOC at the Edinburgh Playhouse on that tour. Pure dead brilliant by the way.

[rickyon]

I much prefer the original version!

[vRaZ1el]

This is definatly my favorite version of ASTRONOMY.

Imaginos is where BOC reached their peak. Although i have favorite songs from previouse albums, this is when they were at their best.

Thanks for uploading

[docwebstr]

Oh, lookie. A troll.

[devoxtc]

as an 80s convert to the cult i prefer this "dance" version, & IMAGINOS is great depite the recriminations much underrated

[miamigroove]

i like the treaties version, but I prefer this version over it...

[Mischa77]

Alan Bouchard wrote the Imainos album from Sandys lyrics and then Sandy stole the tapes and sold them to BOC for a re-union. All credit for writing on the Imaginos album goes to Alan... tho he only gets a drum mention on the album cover... which is the REAL laugh because it wasn't even him playing on it...

[vymkodex]

Think you'll find its Albert Bouchard....

[lordadric]

We will find What is albert bouchard?

[lordadric]

Imaginos was Sandys idea, and thru the years he and Albert had worked on the the songs for the album (some were incorerated into the BOC albums) They eventually recorded the bulk of the songs and presented them to the Record company. The record refused to back it unless it was under the BOC name. This caused a big rift between the Bouchard brothers and the rest of the band.

[AlbertMondback]

...

[marcmielke]

They didn't use the Stephen King intro for the video? I thought that was where it came from! Imaginos is my favorite BOC album by far.

[c8udyp]

There's a still, wintery quality to the original which gets buried under the plucked guitar and urgent drumming in this remake. I'll stick with Secret Treaties too.

[contra234]

"Hey, hey hey, hey, hey hey" naaa ill stick to secret treaties imaginos is kinda... naaaa

[sverker]

B.Ö.C... Still as good as Ever (I know... This is a old video)

[spiritualgunfighter]

I dont know the band you are talking about but in the 70s Pearlman wanted the VA band Pentagram to be his next BOC. But their singer kicked him out of their first recording session with them.

[Desdinova1428]

I gotta watch this one again...

[dannyPec]

NO SANDY WAS ALREADY BUSY UNDERMINDING THE FUTURE CAREER OF A BAND THAT.....NOW GET READY FOR THIS....DIDNT EXIST YET. WHAT A GUY.NAME THE BAND AND YOU WIN MY PERSONAL THUMBS UP. WHOPEE

[olshak]

Great video...though I was disappointed that theyy dropped the last verse... still a nice treat for BOC fans. I also wonder if Sandy was involved.

[NiksaMike]

I wonder how involved Sandy Pearlman was in making this video... neat imagery.