One of America's best-loved and most enduringly successful hard rock bands, Blue
Öyster Cult came up with one of heavy metal's most beloved anthems, 1976's
"(Don't Fear) The Reaper," characterized by Buck Dharma's iconic guitar riff.
Initially calling themselves Soft White Underbelly, the band originally set
themselves up as America's answer to Black Sabbath. Managed by Sandy Pearlman,
they began to make their mark playing in New York clubs after Eric Bloom
replaced Les Braunstein as lead singer, releasing their self-titled debut album
in 1972. Tours with the Byrds, Mahavishnu Or...