Headline Surfer Hall of Fame: Blue Oyster Cult rocks Destination Daytona

Videos and photos by Headline Surfer Multi-media Editor Sera Frederick / Above, Blue Oyster Cult in concert performing '(Don't) Fear The Reaper.'
 
Blue Oyster Cult is a 2017 entrant in the Headline Surfer Hall of Fame / Headline SurferThere are few classic rock bands from the 1960s & '70s that can take to a stage in front of several thousand fans and deliver like New York City's Blue Oyster Cult, which did just that at Bruce Rossmeyer's Destination Daytona during Biketoberfest 2011. And the rockers were so cool, they even invited Headline Surfer to take the stage with them and videotape their performances, which were awesome. It doesn't get any better than that, which explaimns why Blue Oyster Cult is an entrant in the inaugural Class of 2017 Headline Surfer Hall of Fame.
   
By HENRY FREDERICK
Headline Surfer

ORMOND BEACH, Fla. -- Blue Oyster Cult closed out Biketoberfest 2011 at Destination Daytona with a concert for the ages and Headline Surfer was right there on stage with the band to capture the magic on video with 6,500 bikers cheering on as the classic rockers performed "Burning ForYou," Godzilla" and their signature song, "(Don't Fear) The Reaper." 

Blue Oyster Cult is an official entrant in the inaugural Class of 2017 Headline Surfer Hall of Fame.

Headline Surfer (then NSBNews) was on stage with the classic rockers from Long Island for the entirety of their concert in front of the biker crowd that knew the lyrics and sang along, many with hands raised and index finger pointing straight up indicating BOC was No. 1 in their collective expressions - literally and figuratively as the band performed for 90 minutes on the main stage, ending it by performing the biker anthem, Steppenwolf's "Born to be Wild," the signature song from the 1968 movie, "Easy Rider," starring Peter Fonda, the late Dennis Hopper and Jack Nicholson.

Here is a portion of how the internet news outlet reported Blue Oyster Cult's concert, which closed out Biketoberfest 2011 at Destination Daytona, the massive venue and home of the late Bruce Rossmeyer's Harley-Davidson signature dealership:

Five years after the success of their album "Agents of Fortune," and their signature FM radio smash, "(Don't) Fear The Reaper," Blue Oyster Cult came of age with the younger MTV crowd with their second mega hit, "Burnin' For You. "With that said, it should come as no surprise that many of the 6,500 in the predominantly biker crowd went absolute bananas when lead guitarist Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser struck the first chords for the 1981 Top 40 hit, "Burnin' For You," and the rest of the band chimed in with the backing harmonies to his lead vocals. 

Headline Surfer (then-NSB News) was the only media outlet on stage at the pavilion at Destination Daytona for the huge Biketoberfest 2011 concert that featured several opening bands before BOC took to the stage amid a massive roar. Blue Oyster Cult, known for its extravagant light and laser shows was limited by the staging in that regard, but more than made up for it with the guitars as well as drums and keyboards.

 

Blue Oyster Culty frontman Eric Bloom with band in concert at Destination Daytona in 2011 / Headline SurferBlue Oyster Cult in concert during 2011 biker rally in Ormond Beach, Fl / Headline SurferFive years after the success of their album "Agents of Fortune," and their signature FM radio smash, "(Don't) Fear The Reaper," Blue Oyster Cult came of age with the younger MTV crowd with their second mega hit, "Burnin' For You."

"With that said, it should come as no surprise that many of the 6,500 in the predominantly biker crowd went absolute bananas when lead guitarist Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser struck the first chords for the 1981 Top 40 hit, "Burnin' For You," and the rest of the band chimed in with the backing harmonies to his lead vocals. 

Headline Surfer (then-NSB News) was the only media outlet on stage at the pavilion at Destination Daytona for the huge Biketoberfest 2011 concert that featured several opening bands before BOC took to the stage amid a massive roar. Blue Oyster Cult, known for its extravagant light and laser shows was limited by the staging in that regard, but more than made up for it with the guitars as well as drums and keyboards.

By Roeser's side was none other than frontman Eric Bloom, who has been with him all but the first two years in the New York City band's 43 years. Later in the concert, BOC performed another smash "Godzilla" and ended the concert with Reaper, where everyone was screaming at the top of their longs.

After appearing to leave the stage for good, Roeser came back out and struck a few chords to start what is a staple for biker nation, Steppenwolf's "Born To Be Wild."

Eric Bloom of Blue Oyster Cult interviewed after concert at Destination Daytona in Ormond Beach, FL for Biketoberfest 2011 / Headline Surfer

Immediately after the concert, Bloom granted an on-stage interview. You can click the link above to see it. 

Bloom was asked about the meaning of "(Don't) Fear the Reaper," which has been seen interpreted as a song about suicide, but Bloom said that wasn't necessarily so. "It's open to interpretation," Bloom said coyly. 

As for why Blue Oyster Cult played Steppenwolf's "Born to Be Wild," which the biker crowd enjoyed,Bloom said the band has "been playing that song as long as they have."

In the 2011 interview, Bloom was asked how long BOC had been together, he answered 43 years. Since then, the band continues touring the country with Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser, the classic rock band's founder still at the helm.

Bloom joined Roeser two years later. 

Did You Know?

Blue Oyster Cult founder Donald Roeser got the stage name "Buck Dharma" in the late 1960s. Manager Sandy Pearlman came up with the idea of creating eccentric stage names for Blue Öyster Cult's members. Every member rejected their new stage name except for Roeser, who liked the name and the idea of having an alternate persona. 

 
 
Video by Headline Surfer Multimedia Editor Sera King / Blue Oyster Cult performing "Godzilla" during the 2011 concert at Destination Daytona during Biketoberfest 2011.
 
Fast Facts:
• "Godzilla" is from BOC's 1977 album "Spectres." This is one of the most popular Blue Öyster Cult songs, but it was an album cut only. 
• Spectres was BOC's fifth album; the band's previous LP, "Agents of Fortune" contained their breakout hit "(Don't Fear ) The Reaper," but despite their efforts, they weren't able to duplicate the formula and no songs from Spectres charted.
• "Godzilla" has had a long life on classic rock radio stations like Orlando's 98.9 WMMO and Daytona's 95.7 The HOG. 
• The band's founder & lead guitarist, Buck Dharma, wrote this song and shared lead vocals on the track with frontman Eric Bloom. Dharma loves monster movies, and when he came up with the guitar riff, it made him think of Godzilla, which gave him the song's concept.
Source: Songfacts.com.