‘We’re All At the Mercy of the Cowbell Sketch’

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I can’t help but chuckle when I reminisce about the time “More Cowbell” took over our lives, much like a relentless, uncontrollable worm in Dune. It’s been quite the ride!

In simpler terms, Bruce Dickinson, much like the rest of us, puts on his trousers one leg at a time. However, once dressed, he creates gold records. This is the basis of the Saturday Night Live sketch titled “More Cowbell,” where the music producer (played by Christopher Walken) works with Blue Öyster Cult to perfect their classic song “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper.” Bruce has a keen ear and strong intuition. As Gene Frenkle (portrayed by Will Ferrell) starts banging on the cowbell and moving around the studio, the other band members are annoyed because it overpowers the other instruments. But Bruce hears an explosive sound that needs to be turned up loud, and he doesn’t understand why this extra percussion isn’t getting more applause. “I’m telling you guys,” he says, “you’re going to want that cowbell.” He also seems to require a specific treatment for his high fever.

The “More Cowbell” sketch, which aired as the finale on the April 8, 2000 episode hosted by Christopher Walken, has catapulted from Studio 8H’s golden costumes into widespread cultural relevance. The term has even earned a spot in the dictionary (informal idiom: “An additional element that enhances something or someone”). Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser, co-founder and lead vocalist of Blue Öyster Cult who wrote “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” for their 1976 album, Agents of Fortune, has managed to keep a positive relationship with the sketch. However, he acknowledges that things could have turned out differently if he didn’t find the concept genuinely amusing. “It’s been a 25-year ride with the cowbell,” Buck Dharma says. “I can’t complain about the journey and its outcomes. It’s all good.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=cVsQLlk-T0s

In April 2000, your question takes me back to how Blue Öyster Cult was navigating the turn of the millennium. As we stood on the cusp of three decades as a band, we might have seen ourselves as an established or seasoned group, given our longevity compared to many pop groups I’ve encountered throughout my lifetime. Our journey together spanning over half a century is quite extraordinary, and I harbor few if any regrets. However, in 2000, we were somewhat off the mainstream music radar. We weren’t selling records anymore, but we continued to record for a niche audience that appreciated our work. Our touring, on the other hand, was thriving, as we had always been known for delivering exceptional live performances. Fans were loyal and would turn out to see us perform. The advent of the internet also boosted our popularity, even though it was contributing to the decline of traditional record sales. Instead, it helped increase our visibility among new audiences.

To what extent were your listeners niche or specialized? Even at the peak of Blue Öyster Cult’s popularity, our music was not as widely consumed as that of the most successful rock artists, who often achieved multi-platinum sales. However, we had a unique blend of humor, image, sound, and performance style that resonated with people, and I am thankful for the success we have enjoyed from it.

Were you ever asked to perform as a musical guest on SNL? It seems surprising that we never had the chance to appear on the show during the ’70s. I’m unsure about the process behind who gets selected for the program, but I would have loved to be a part of it. We did participate in other TV shows, but not Saturday Night Live.

In “More Cowbell,” the opening line uttered by the narrator is “After a string of heavy losses…” This line serves as a prelude for the ensuing action, yet looking back on Agents of Fortune, what were the most challenging aspects of its production? For Agents of Fortune, it represented a new chapter in the band’s progress. The significant shift was the advent of affordable multitrack tape recorders, which allowed each band member to own their four-track at home. This meant that when we composed songs, we could bring them in with more refined arrangements than before, as opposed to our previous method: One would arrive with a guitar and an idea, then explain it to everyone else, and we’d work out the arrangement on the spot, hoping it would work. While there is merit in working that way, the advantage for Agents of Fortune was that the songs were more thoroughly considered and fully developed before they reached the band, even if additional work was required later. They represented actual, realized versions of the composer’s vision.

Moreover, we made our recordings at the legendary Record Plant in New York City, known as the pinnacle. It was the initial time we utilized that studio for our work. Prior to this, we had been using Columbia’s previous studios within the city, a condition of their labor contract with their artists. Notable acts like John Lennon, Aerosmith, Cheap Trick, Blondie, and many others who achieved great success were also recording there. Being in such creative company quickly gave us a clear understanding of our place in the industry.

Have you ever had any interesting encounters or friendly competitions with bands like KISS while recording in studios? For me personally, it was always enjoyable meeting other musicians and exchanging greetings during these sessions. Since I grew up on Long Island and didn’t live in the city, going to Manhattan for recording purposes became more than just work – it also offered a social aspect that made the experience even more enjoyable.

Which magical instance in the recording studio do you think cameras should have been there to immortalize? For us, every moment in the studio was both serious and enjoyable, but there was an exceptional one when we knew we’d nailed a fantastic sound on playback. For “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper,” the legendary guitar riff just flowed effortlessly through my fingers at a time when the tape recorder was right in front of me. This could have been my equivalent to Paul McCartney’s “Let It Be” moment, where I managed to capture it and recognize that it marked the beginning of something extraordinary. The first two lines of the lyrics simply popped into my head spontaneously. From there, the idea for a love story that transcends death was born, making it the core of the song.

Regarding the addition of the cowbell in “Don’t Fear) the Reaper”, I remember that it was David Lucas, one of the producers, who suggested it. He felt that the drum rhythm needed a bit more emphasis for the verses, so he added a cowbell as an accent to give it that steady-four-on-the-floor beat. It wasn’t something completely novel or unexpected in music at the time. I wonder what inspired Will Ferrell to make the cowbell such a well-known cultural symbol; if I ever met him, I would ask him about it!

At what time did you first become aware of the sketch that aired on Sunday morning? Not long after I woke up, my wife received a call from her mother who was still awake and watching it. She exclaimed, “Oh my God, Donald is on TV!” So we tuned in to SNL out of curiosity, but it wasn’t me they were featuring. Instead, the show was satirizing a song and creating a sketch around it. I only caught the final 25 seconds of it. Soon after, I managed to get my hands on a VHS tape containing the entire episode.

After watching the entire sketch from that VHS tape, my initial reaction was one of relief – a mix of finding it amusing and appreciating that it wasn’t excessively harsh on the band. I’ve seen ‘SNL’ take some rather unkind jabs at artists like Neil Diamond in the past, so I was pleasantly surprised to find it genuinely funny. Despite making fun of Blue Öyster Cult, the sketch wasn’t malicious or mean-spirited in any way.

In the sketch, there are numerous instances where the actors break character – Jimmy Fallon being one of them, despite having only two lines. This spontaneity often adds to the humor for me. I find it hard to imagine not laughing in the presence of Christopher Walken’s exceptional performance. The unpredictability and distinct delivery he brings make every appearance on SNL hilarious. He has a knack for comedy due to his unique style and genuine comedic instincts.

As a movie critic, I can’t confirm if any fellow musicians in the industry secretly harbored jealousy over Blue Öyster Cult’s resurgence. Competition isn’t something I often see in the creative world, but then again, who knows? The cowbell phenomenon, whether we loved it or not, has become synonymous with the band, much like how Christopher Walken is now associated with his iconic “I need more cowbell” line. It’s a strange kind of fame, and while I empathize with their situation, it’s hard to deny the comic brilliance of that sketch.

Does everyone in your band feel as open-minded about this matter as you do, or is it more of a natural flow within our group, something we don’t have much control over?

Was there any impact on how you felt about the song following that skit? To put it another way, did the cowbell scene in “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” influence the way you perform or perceive the song at all? For nearly two decades prior, we hadn’t incorporated a live cowbell into our performances and never thought about doing so. However, due to its persistent presence, we were compelled to include it in our live performances. Despite the sketch’s lasting significance, I’m relieved that it didn’t tarnish the song, its essence, or its original atmosphere. It continues to be used effectively as a cue in horror films to create an eerie and metaphysically unsettling mood. Consequently, I’m glad the sketch didn’t transform the song into a joke or overshadow its original intent.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=xjA6yTAKyNA

Will Ferrell has said, quite seriously, that Christopher Walken told him he ruined his life with “More Cowbell” because he’s been constantly inundated with quips from people about it. As someone else who’s been affected by this piece of SNL history, what advice would you give him?
It’s funny to think about. I feel bonded to Will and Christopher in a way, because we’re all at the mercy of the cowbell sketch in different ways. I feel a little bit of kinship and sympathy with them. Will’s character, Gene Frenkle, was made up. We dedicate the song to him sometimes. But I would tell Christopher: It’s all bearable, I suppose. Blue Öyster Cult got through it and we persevered. When we play “Reaper,” people still mimic playing the cowbell, and we had to ban people from bringing actual cowbells to the concerts. But, again, it’s a tiny cross to bear.

Were the outfits in the sketch similar to the ones worn by Will’s fictional cowbell player? It seems they were modeled after a picture we had of a greatest-hits compilation album, which Bruce Dickinson, the character in the skit, was actually a Sony legacy staff producer who compiled. Although he wasn’t the producer of “Agents of Fortune,” the costumes were based on that photo, so you could compare it to see how snug they were.

Here’s a suggestion for paraphrasing the text:

Looking back on it now, don’t you believe that perhaps a bit more cowbell would have made the song even better?

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2024-11-26 18:55