ON YOUR FEET OR ON YOUR KNEES

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A rough diamond that really shines!

BÖC's "On Your Feet Or On Your Knees" is another of those albums that doesn't see the light of day too often in my house these days but when it does I really enjoy the trip. I remember quite vividly listening to the opening notes of "The Subhuman" in 78 Records (a notable record store in Perth, Western Australia) the day I first spotted the cover photo of the church and limo shot through a fisheye lens in 1976. I walked out of 78's with the album about two minutes later.

As far as progressive goes, there is not a lot for the die-hard prog fan on this album, though there are smatterings of good keyboard work throughout. But if you are looking for fast- paced, crunching guitars backed by a driving rhythm section in a live setting this is an album for you. Similarly, if you want that raw, largely-untouched-at-the-mastering-stage 1970's live sound then again this is an album for you. And if you appreciate your rock a little quieter OYFOOYK has the gem of a track "(Then Came The) Last Days Of May", which features some top guitar work and vocals by Donald 'Buck Dharma' Rooser. At the end the album is rounded out with the Mars Bonfire's classic "Born To Be Wild", which is the perfect finisher for a riotous album full of good rocking fun.

In my mind OYFOOYK is a rock masterpiece, five stars all the way! Then when I look from a progressive perspective it would struggle to get three stars. Overall I reckon OYFOOYK deserves four stars as a rocking live set that conveys the vitality of the various performances (the tracks are strung together from a number of different shows) along with the band's energy.

If the classic live sound is your cup of tea OYFOOYK is an album that should be sought out. If you haven't heard it as yet I am sure you will not be disappointed when you do get the chance.

4/5 stars from the Dinosaur.

This is the perfect live album for Blue Oyster Cult to close the fruitful "black and white" period. At the half of the seventies thy reached their own sound and I think the critics were unjust in saying they were only the american Black Sabbath. Unfortunately not their best efforts are included in this double lp. Songs as "Astronomy" and "Flaming Telepaths" have been criminally thrown away when they decided the tracking list.

This is the only negative remark. Presumably it was due to the sound quality...who know? Anyway the album still remains their best live contribution, I think, only followed by 1982 excellent "Extraterrestrial Live".

"Subhuman", "Harvester Of Eyes", "Hot Rails To Hell", "The Red And The Black" and "7 Screaming Diz-Busters" are a strong tour de force!

All the band's members are at the top of their form delivering an interesting mix between that proto-hard rock / metal sound within gentle keyboards and even synth' excursions. As common in their live cathalogue, the album feature two covers: Maserati GT and Born to Be Wild.

Most progressive fans here agree that the Black and White period of the Blue Öyster Cult was their pinnacle and "Agents of Fortune" was a sort of a commercial sell-out. But before this album, and after the luscious "Secret Treaties", was this rousing live memento aptly titled "On Your Feet or On Your Knees", a wild and rambunctious depiction of their early "greasy" sound. The attitude is lewd and raunchy, lots of gritty guitars sawing away with "The Subhuman" starting off in a huff, Eric Bloom offering his trademark sarcastic New York vocals ("So Ladies, Fish and Gentlemen..") while handing over the spotlight to Don Roeser, arguably the most underrated rock guitarist of his era, who wastes little time in showing off his metal mettle on the fret board and a brief Allen Lanier synthesizer solo that pleases to no end. But as "Harvester of Eyes" kicks it up a serious notch, the mood becomes hotter and sweatier, veering almost into rock 'n roll realms with bubbling electronics , a typically funky vocal engaging the raging riffing guitars everywhere and a boogie finale with bopping bass and rampant soloing. The fire then gets really heavy with the blinding "Hot Rails to Hell", a whirlwind blitz, almost punkoid in structure that serves mostly to unnerve the delirious crowd even more , three guitars riffing away unfettered! Fun but not that proggy really, except for the solo guitar. The beat stays relentless with "The Red & The Black", more steamroller boogie rock 'n roll (almost sounding like the J.Geils Band) which segues almost immediately into "Seven Screaming Dizbusters" , another BOC torpedo honing in on the kill. Then we have the first 3 true gems here are all in a row, with first "Buck's Boogie" a near 8 minute romp featuring the illustrious Roeser displaying the chops that make him an underground hero. My fave BOC cut is next "Last Days in May" just blows me away both live and studio versions doing the trick. "Cities on Flame" is a classic Cult song and deservedly so (the cheering here is pretty intense), with a main theme that is just plain "rock 'n roll" swaggering with overt bellicosity and arrogance that actually comes across as fun. Buck unleashes more fret magic as expected. "Me262" is a rather wonky studio tune that thankfully is transformed here in a live setting into a huge 8 minute jam that must have been fun with all its stop/start settings, the triple guitar show must have been a sight to behold, the Bouchard brothers rather adept as a rhythm section here. "Before The Kiss" and "Maserati GT" are more boogie /rock 'n roll jam fests that just add to the occasion, part of the concert experience. The finale encore is the classic Steppenwolf anthem to bikers "Born to Be Wild" and they do the Pushermen proud with a rousing version that swerves, dips, hugs the road and chugs along threateningly, as it should. Hey, this is not the best live album, certainly hardly of interest to most proggers but fun to have anyway as a window into your typical dirty rock show in the mid 70s. It won't get you on your feet or on your knees, regardless of what Mr. Bloom says. 3.5 curved hooks.

Released in 1975, as a sort of ideal conclusion to their legendary 'black and white' trilogy, On Your Feet or On Your Knees is simply one of the best live albums in rock, bar none. It captures the New York band at the peak of their creativity, before they started exploring more commercial pastures with Agents of Fortune and all the albums that followed. A towering achievement of sheer musical power and lyrical subtlety, pervaded with the looming aura of malevolence that led the band to be dubbed the American Black Sabbath (though their musicianship was vastly superior to that of the Birmingham quartet), right from its sinister, Gothic cover art the album intrigues and holds the listener's attention in a firm grip.

Blue Oyster Cult have always been one of the best live acts around (I can vouch for that, having seen them in 1986), and to this day - when most of the members are in their early sixties - their performances are said to be worth every cent of the entrance fee. In the mid-Seventies, at the top of their game, they were an unstoppable force, as On Your Feet or On Your Knees shows quite clearly. Crushing yet memorable riffs (move over, Smoke on the Water), slinky keyboard lines, Eric Bloom's gruff, theatrical vocal tones, galloping rhythms, weird, sci-fi lyrical themes - and a light show that, at the time, was deemed positively dangerous - BOC had it all, an intoxicating mix of violence and sophistication, just like their hometown. I would hesitate, though, to call them heavy metal, as they have all too often been described. With all due respect to the genre, I find very little in common between BOC's music and that of some of their British contemporaries, such as Black Sabbath or Judas Priest. I would rather compare them to the likes of Uriah Heep, or even the mighty Deep Purple - hard-edged, yes, but capable of subtlety and elegance.

The album features the cream of BOC's first three albums (with two glaring omissions, Astronomy and Flaming Telepaths - both amongst the band's finest moments), plus a cracking cover of Steppenwolf's anthemic Born to Be Wild, which closes the album in style. Though I have heard a number of covers of this song, in my opinion BOC's is the best by far - possibly together with fellow New Yorkers Riot's (on their album Narita). Some of the songs also appear on the band's other three live albums, notably the energetic The Red and the Black, Cities on Flame with its memorable riff, and the steamrolling Hot Rails to Hell. Guitar fans could do worse than to check the irrepressible instrumental Buck's Boogie, a showcase for the criminally underrated six-stringer, Donald Buck Dharma Roeser (aided and abetted by Allen Lanier's keyboards), or the wistful The Last Days of May from their debut album. However, to these ears the real highpoints of the album are also the most progressive - opener The Subhuman, one of the band's most impenetrable, darker tracks; chilling, spacey Harvester of Eyes; and the masterpiece that is Seven Screamin' Dizbusters, unleashed in all its intricate, menacing glory.

Now, as in the case of most of my prog-related reviews, I will have to warn the newcomer that the 'prog quotient' on this album is somewhat lower than, for instance, on BOC's masterful third album, Secret Treaties. By omitting Astronomy and Flaming Telepaths, the band chose to turn to the rockier end of their output - though, as I have stated before, 'rockier' does not automatically mean simplistic (to be perfectly frank, BOC sound nothing like Kiss). However, the progressive touches are undeniably present, and at any rate this is an album that will appeal to most prog fans - except those who have an aversion to straight rock. Therefore, though not an 'essential masterpiece of progressive music', I will give this beauty the top rating. Join the Blue Oyster Cult!

Double Live album with the inner gatefold giving you an idea of what's on the two discs: guitars!! Indeed the picture inside shows all five Cultmen playing guitar was mostly a gimmick for the group, even if their drummer Albert Bouchard did write songs, and play guitar as well. In either case, everything this package wants you to think is HEAVY. And heavy it is, because the album recapitulates the group's so-called Black & White trilogy, although I find that it's neglecting (a bit) their third one, Secret Treaties.

Apart from an extended version of Subhuman and a good rendition of Harvester as the opening tracks from the first disc, you'll have to wait until the fourth side to find another ST track in the solid and extended ME262. The rest of the first disc is spent covering the first two albums, but also including Buck's Boogie, a guitar fest honouring that same guitarist. What had appeared in the studio also was true for their stage performance, all three frontmen are no geniuses at their instruments, but all are apt at playing their parts. It's to their credit that the guitars are more set to work together, rather than blow each other off the stage.

If the second disc starts in the same mould than the first, the final side is a happy surprise, with two live-only covers, namely the jamming Ain"t Got You (a blues that Aerosmith would also include in their live set) and Steppenwolf's all-time classic Born To Be Wild, which is not a fave version of mine, but I've heard worse. As much as many see this double live album as a chapter résumé, personally, I find that adding one more track on each side and featuring more of their then-latest Treaties a much better bet. Like their other albums, OYF is definitely not essential to prog, but cult fanatics will tell you otherwise0

"I'd like to thank my friends here who gave me this little whip, It's really lovely, I'll keep it and cherish it forever..."

"On Your Feet Or On Your Knees" is another of the all time greatest live albums that were churned out in the mid-70s. "Kiss Alive!", "Frampton Comes Alive" and UFO's "Strangers In The Night" were all powerhouse albums showing an awesome live sound, and presenting the respective songs as far superior to the studio releases with lead guitar brilliance from respectively Ace Frehley, Peter Frampton and Michael Schenker. BOC have a much more raw sound and the extended lead guitar solos are stunning; Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser is really given a chance to ignite the atmosphere with electrical charges of guitar energy, surely he is his element on the live stage where he can be allowed to run riot on his Gibson SG lead guitar. Eric Bloom is wonderful on lead vocals, stun guitar, and synthesizer, Allen Lanier keep things cranking on keyboards, and the rhythm section of the Bouchard brothers on bass and drums gives it the drive and power it needs. The band are simply dynamic throughout the concert, and the added sections of lead guitar licks and extended codas, as well as Bloom's banter and the roar of the crowds make this an irresistible slice of proto prog, early metal history.

'The Subhuman' is a great rocking opener to set things in motion. The band sound fresh and enthusiastic, hammering out the classic from "Secret Treaties". This is followed up swiftly with 'Harvester Of Eyes' where the guitars are heavy slabs of lead generating a brilliant sound, with Bloom screaming like a banshee "right in front, to the back of your skull." This is akin to Sabbath or Purple at their best.

'Hot Rails To Hell' from "Tyranny and Mutation" is next with a spine crushing solo, and played at a blistering pace. Next is 'The Red And The Black' that had to be here, and the riffs are furious with scorching lead breaks from Dharma. The astonishing musicianship sets the bar very high but it prepares us for the blockbuster to follow.

'Seven Screaming Diz-Busters' is an 8:49 tour de force of blitzkrieg lead guitar and crunching riffs. Eric Bloom intros it by saying he likes his whip and he will cherish it forever, presumably thrown to him from someone in the crowd. This live version was my first taste of BOC 28 years ago when I heard it on the metal show. This is the version I will always cherish, too awesome for words, with the greatest riffs that lock into your skull, and then there is the towering lead solo. Dharma's guitar screams in pain and the solo is full of fret melting ferocity with vicious string bends. The interlude is Bloom telling the crowd all about how the band apparently were visited by a mysterious man who promised them they would be famous and rock legends as long as they signed a secret deal, in blood! Apparently they did and now the mystery man wants to reclaim the payment, and he is coming back for them. This is as sinister as the band gets as far as atmosphere, and it features some frenetic lead work from Dharma, and shimmering organ phrases from Lanier. The drums are attacked by Albert throughout and the bass is pulsating continually by Joe, the Bouchard brothers. The best BOC for me personally without a doubt as I love the extended lead soloing and overall atmospherics.

'Buck's Boogie' is an amazing instrumental guitar workout, and the Hammond drives it home beautifully. The lead guitar break is blues and rock revved to the max and this is a fast paced jam session to unleash what the band do best. The classic '(Then Came The) Last Days Of May' which is very popular has a nice blues melody and some beautiful lead guitar passages. 'Cities On Flame' is the live staple heard many times, a riff heavy gem from the early album, and is played with passion here. The power riffs are a delight and Bloom really belts this out with a lot of volume.

'Me 262' is an 8 minute riffer that is even better than the version on "Secret Treaties"; it really rocks hard. It is followed by 'Before The Kiss (A Redcap)' that is a nice moderate track before they unleash a blues deluge of guitar energy on the 9 minute 'Maserati GT (I Ain't Got You)'. This features Dharma on extended lead solo and it is absolutely delightful to hear him break out into huge guitar improvisations as the band lock into a bluesy groove, similar to Ten Years After's Alvin Lee in some respects.

The band are reintroduced for an encore and they launch into 'Born To Be Wild', the Steppenwolf classic. This is way better and heavier than the original and it is great to hear BOC play a cover. Of course the song has grinding organ like the original, but I love Bloom's heavy vocal treatment. There is freakout of organ and guitar in the extended solo. Dharma has a killer time of it blazing out awesome chord progressions and searing variations on the riffs. They turn a relatively simple rocker into a complex sonic guitar workout.

In my opinion, having heard 5 studio albums, and some others live, this is as good as it gets for BOC. It is a live triumph capturing the early 70s vibe, and some of the best lead guitar you are likely to hear. Every song is a tour de force that slaughters the originals for sheer unadulterated in your face rock. This is the way to experience BOC, and it is proto metal as well as having moments of invigorating prog musicianship. It comes highly recommended as a 70s live treasure; a veritable masterpiece for Blue Oyster Cult.