Cowbell Optional: Ringing In LI's Blue Öyster Cult's Mark 50th Anniversary Of '(Don't) Fear The Reaper'

STONY BROOK, NY — At different times, Al Bouchard will be out in his car or running errands when he recognizes the classic rock tune, "(Don't) Fear the Reaper," playing in the background.

Recently, he was working out when it came on, and he agrees it could not have been more appropriate. It was an important reminder for Bouchard, 78, who was doing pilates with the Apple 1 workout, "keeping himself healthy.”

No fear is how he has lived his life.

"I look death in the eye," he said. "And I'm like, ‘Not yet, not yet.’ I'm procrastinating that one."

While the tune has often been misunderstood as having an association with the occult, the song is more about enjoying life and learning to love before the mythical harbinger of death comes for you.

While he was doing his routine, a woman exclaimed how she loves the song, and he had to tell her, “That’s my song.”

It hit the airwaves in 1976 as part of the release of Long Island's own Blue Öyster Cult's album, "Agents of Fortune."

The band, which is also known as BOC, was formed on Long Island in 1967, and included Bouchard on drums, Donald Roeser on the guitar, keyboardist Allen Lanier, bassist Andrew Winters, and Les Braunstein. The group had some success playing in Stony Brook before they developed a following and got gigs opening for big names like The Grateful Dead.

When "Reaper," as Bouchard affectionately calls it, first came out 50 years ago, there was “a big outcry that it was promoting suicide” because of the mention of Shakespeare’s ill-fated lovers, Romeo and Juliet, but it never occurred to him or the song’s writer, Roeser, he recalled.

"He never meant for that to be what it was about," he said. "The idea was love transcends death. You know, it's a simple idea, and pretty cool. That's the idea, nothing dark; nothing more than that."

"Well, it's dark," he said. "It'"Well, it's dark," he said. "It's dark in that it faces death, unblinking, and that's how I've lived my life."

A Reminder Of Living Life To The Fullest And Celebrating Those You Love

“Reaper” reminds him of when a friend of his for 60 years was hospitalized in January, and some of his other friends couldn't bring themselves to go see him.

"I'm like, 'No, no, you got to go see him,'" he recalled. "I brought people to see him because you can't be afraid of it. It's just going to happen."

There are certain things that you want to do if you're going to lose somebody, Bouchard says, adding, "you want to just cherish them a little bit more."

And over the years, the song has been played over and over on the radio, and has been used in theatrical productions probably hundreds of times, Bouchard says.

The song has been featured in movies and television shows, including on the big screen in movies like "Halloween" and "Scream" and on television in Stephen King's "The Stand" mini series, as well as episodes of "Supernatural" and "Grey's Anatomy."

“Oh yeah, it's turned out to be way more popular than even I thought it would be,” Bouchard said. “You know, I was like, I'm gonna be able to hear this on the radio.

The song is known not only for its dark lyrics, but also the unique instrumentals, including the muted cowbell, are what make it so recognizable to the ear.

Bouchard recalls that when it was first played live, it went over real well, “and it still does.”

There was no hesitation, people … you hear it, you just know, this is a great song,” he added.

SNL’s ‘More Cowbell, Please’

“Reaper” has also been featured in a hilarious Saturday Night Live sketch featuring Christopher Walken and Will Ferrell, which has become iconic in its own right.

The sketch features Ferrell manning the cowbell, along with bandmates Jimmy Falllon, Chris Parnell, Chris Kattan, and Horatio Sanz. Walken plays a producer, who has the audience in hysterics with his trademark monotone, Queens accent, asking his overworked musicians for “more cowbell.”

It’s a scene that has inspired many tributes.

It ended up being a very popular skit, one of the top 10 of all time, according to Bouchard.

“Reaper’s” original release will be celebrated during a special event this Saturday at the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame in Stony Brook.

The ticketed event will include a video presentation, live music performance, and question and answer session. Former and current members of the band, including Bouchard, his brother, Joe Bouchard, Danny Miranda, and Jules Radino, as well as special guests are slated to attend.

Preserving Music For The Younger Generation

Radino, who lives in Bellport and teaches music to local students, joined the band, replacing Bobby Rondinelli on the drums, has a studio at his house and a drum shed where he gives lessons from 10- to 70-year-olds. He also travels to local schools teaching music clinics to students to get them “fired up.”

“I love teaching,” he said. “I've been doing it since I was 18, and I just love giving kids confidence and just pushing along the percussion and drum departments and, you know, different schools around Long Island.”

It’s important to continue a love of music in the younger generation, Randino says.

“I was lucky enough to study with some great players, and I'm somebody who's still doing it, touring the world with a world-renowned band,” he said. “And I just love to pass along that knowledge and seeing kids, even if they don't become a pro drummer, it's not about that. It's about building their confidence or whatever they want to do.”

“Plus, with music, it stays with you forever,” he said. “It's not a sport where you age out of it. Kids, maybe they won't play for a few years, after they get older, but you always seem to gravitate back towards it. It's once you've got it in your soul. I am thrilled just to be a part of that in people's lives.”

Norman Prusslin, a journalism professor, who is a founding member of the museum, said Saturday’s event will include a set of some songs and some stories will be shared with the audience.

“We have these, like, little cowbell ringer things, so we're going to give those out, but not during the show, because people are going to start clanging it throughout the show,” he said. “We'll give it to them as, like, a little gift.”

On one side, it will thank them for coming to the Long Island Music Hall of Fame, and on the other side, it says, “More cowbell,” which is the classic line from Saturday Night Live,” Prusslin said.

Radino says he can’t recall the first time he heard the song, but he remembers playing it with his bandmates.

“To be honest with you, I guess I heard it on the radio when I was driving around,” he said. “The first time I played the song was great, but I don't really recall hearing it. I don't remember that.”

His memory of playing the first show with the band at the Harris Casino in Indiana is “pretty vivid.”

“It can be surreal when you know, playing with people that you grew up listening to. You know, it was great,” he said.

Radino said he is humbled and thrilled to be a part of the celebration on Saturday.

“I think it's one of the best rock and roll records of all time,” he said. “I wasn't a part of the record at all, obviously. But just to be able to keep those songs alive, even playing with the band for the last 22 years, or whatever it is, it's pretty amazing.”

For more information about the anniversary, go to limhof.com.