http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.1218&rws=%2Fblue-cheer%2Fdiscography.rssAt one time, Blue Cheer was hyped as the loudest rock band on the planet. Rampant personnel changes stunted their progress but the band's first three albums remain essential listening for devotees of all music that is heavy. Basically inventing acid rock (and heavy metal, too) with their blistering rape of Eddie Cochran's "Summertime Blues" in 1968, these NorCal kids pretty much flattened all comers for the crown of world's heaviest band at the time. Their debut album, <I>Vincebus Eruptum</I> is marked by big, fat, revved-up blues riffs with dueling lead guitar solos that occupy totally separate spots in either speaker, and wholly over-the-top drum rolls that do the same thing. Other elements include unhealthy amounts of fuzz, dirty hippie "yeahs" at just the right moments, and a serious biker rock/LSD vibe. The name of the band even refers to a brand of the drug. <I>Vincebus Eruptum</I> makes Cream and Iron Butterfly and any other late '60s pre-metal band sound like Herman's Hermits by comparison. The original lineup (a trio) recorded the sprawling, more psychedelic <I>Outsideinside</I> before shrieky guitarist Leigh Stephens left and was replaced by loud guitar prophet Randy Holden, who offered three insanely heavy cuts to the group's third album <I>New! Improved! Blue Cheer</I>. By the time the group recorded a self-titled fourth album, bassist/singer Dickie Peterson was the only remaining original member. Recordings from this period are best collected on <I>Good Times Are So Hard To Find: The History of Blue Cheer</I>. - Mike McGuirkAcid Rocken720Sun, 29 Nov 2009 16:07:25 -0800 http://static.realone.com/rotw/images/logo_rhapsody_113x22.gif http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.1218&rws=%2Fblue-cheer%2Fdiscography.rss At one time, Blue Cheer was hyped as the loudest rock band on the planet. Rampant personnel changes stunted their progress but the band's first three albums remain essential listening for devotees of all music that is heavy. Basically inventing acid rock (and heavy metal, too) with their blistering rape of Eddie Cochran's "Summertime Blues" in 1968, these NorCal kids pretty much flattened all comers for the crown of world's heaviest band at the time. Their debut album, <I>Vincebus Eruptum</I> is marked by big, fat, revved-up blues riffs with dueling lead guitar solos that occupy totally separate spots in either speaker, and wholly over-the-top drum rolls that do the same thing. Other elements include unhealthy amounts of fuzz, dirty hippie "yeahs" at just the right moments, and a serious biker rock/LSD vibe. The name of the band even refers to a brand of the drug. <I>Vincebus Eruptum</I> makes Cream and Iron Butterfly and any other late '60s pre-metal band sound like Herman's Hermits by comparison. The original lineup (a trio) recorded the sprawling, more psychedelic <I>Outsideinside</I> before shrieky guitarist Leigh Stephens left and was replaced by loud guitar prophet Randy Holden, who offered three insanely heavy cuts to the group's third album <I>New! Improved! Blue Cheer</I>. By the time the group recorded a self-titled fourth album, bassist/singer Dickie Peterson was the only remaining original member. Recordings from this period are best collected on <I>Good Times Are So Hard To Find: The History of Blue Cheer</I>. - Mike McGuirk http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.25919025&rws=%2Fblue-cheer%2Fdiscography.rss Acid Rock Thu, 1 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0800 Blue Cheer Discography on Rhapsody Online alb.25919025 alb.25919025 Blue Cheer art.1218 0.99 Summertime Blues alb.25919025 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/4/6/9/3/1563964_170x170.jpg 2009-01-01 00:00:00.0 2009-01-01 00:00:00.0 true false single http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.25919025&rws=%2Fblue-cheer%2Fdiscography.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.25919025&variant=data&rws=%2Fblue-cheer%2Fdiscography.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.19750314&rws=%2Fblue-cheer%2Fdiscography.rss Acid Rock Tue, 21 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 Blue Cheer Discography on Rhapsody Online alb.19750314 alb.19750314 Blue Cheer art.1218 7.99 What Doesn't Kill You alb.19750314 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/4/0/6/3/1253604_170x170.jpg 2007-08-21 00:00:00.0 2007-08-21 00:00:00.0 true false main-release http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.19750314&rws=%2Fblue-cheer%2Fdiscography.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.19750314&variant=data&rws=%2Fblue-cheer%2Fdiscography.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.100332&rws=%2Fblue-cheer%2Fdiscography.rss Acid Rock Tue, 25 Sep 1990 00:00:00 -0700 Blue Cheer Discography on Rhapsody Online alb.100332 alb.100332 Blue Cheer art.1218 7.99 Good Times Are So Hard To Find: The History of Blue Cheer alb.100332 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/5/0/2/0/1080205_170x170.jpg 1990-09-25 00:00:00.0 1990-10-25 00:00:00.0 true false main-release http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.100332&rws=%2Fblue-cheer%2Fdiscography.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.100332&variant=data&rws=%2Fblue-cheer%2Fdiscography.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.6041350&rws=%2Fblue-cheer%2Fdiscography.rss Acid Rock Tue, 12 May 2009 00:00:00 -0700 Blue Cheer Discography on Rhapsody Online alb.6041350 alb.6041350 Blue Cheer art.1218 9.99 The Beast Is Back alb.6041350 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/7/6/3/0/1800367_170x170.jpg 2009-05-12 00:00:00.0 1984-01-01 00:00:00.0 true false main-release http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.6041350&rws=%2Fblue-cheer%2Fdiscography.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.6041350&variant=data&rws=%2Fblue-cheer%2Fdiscography.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.249747&rws=%2Fblue-cheer%2Fdiscography.rss Acid Rock Tue, 6 Apr 1993 00:00:00 -0700 Blue Cheer Discography on Rhapsody Online alb.249747 alb.249747 Blue Cheer art.1218 5.99 Vincebus Eruptum alb.249747 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/6/7/2/2/1082276_170x170.jpg 1993-04-06 00:00:00.0 1968-01-01 00:00:00.0 true false main-release http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.249747&rws=%2Fblue-cheer%2Fdiscography.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=alb.249747&variant=data&rws=%2Fblue-cheer%2Fdiscography.rss