Spectres (album)

Spectres
Spectres
Studio album by Blue Öyster Cult
Released	November 1977
Recorded	July–September 1977
Studio	The Record Plant (New York City)
Genre	Hard rock; heavy metal; occult rock;
Length	40:29
Label	Columbia
Producer	Murray Krugman, Sandy Pearlman, David Lucas, Blue Öyster Cult
Blue Öyster Cult chronology
Singles from Spectres
	"Goin' Through the Motions"; Released: December 1977 (US); "Godzilla"; Released: February 1978 (US); "I Love the Night"; Released: 4 August 1978 (UK);

Spectres is the fifth studio album by American rock band Blue Öyster Cult, released in November 1977 by Columbia Records. The album features one of the band's biggest hits, concert staple "Godzilla," and was certified gold by the RIAA on January 19, 1978.^[5]

Quick Facts Studio album by Blue Öyster Cult, Released ...

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The cover art features lasers, which Blue Öyster Cult used in their live shows at that time.

A remastered version was released on February 13, 2007, which included four previously unreleased outtakes from the Spectres sessions as bonus tracks.

More information Review scores, Source ...

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[6]
Christgau's Record Guide	B+^[7]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal	10/10^[8]
Q	^[9]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	^[10]

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Record World called the single "Goin' Through the Motions," which was co-written by Mott the Hoople singer Ian Hunter, a "thumping, hand-clapping pop-rocker."^[11]

Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler covered "Goin’ Through the Motions" on her album Faster Than the Speed of Night.

More information No., Title ...

Side one
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Godzilla"	Donald Roeser	Roeser, Eric Bloom	3:41
2.	"Golden Age of Leather"	Roeser, Bruce Abbott	Roeser, Bloom	5:53
3.	"Death Valley Nights"	Albert Bouchard, Richard Meltzer	A. Bouchard	4:07
4.	"Searchin' for Celine"	Allen Lanier	Bloom	3:35
5.	"Fireworks"	A. Bouchard	A. Bouchard	3:14

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More information No., Title ...

Side two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"R. U. Ready 2 Rock"	A. Bouchard, Sandy Pearlman	Bloom	3:45
2.	"Celestial the Queen"	Joe Bouchard, Helen Wheels	J. Bouchard	3:24
3.	"Goin' Through the Motions"	Bloom, Ian Hunter	Bloom	3:12
4.	"I Love the Night"	Roeser	Roeser	4:23
5.	"Nosferatu"	J. Bouchard, Wheels	J. Bouchard	5:23

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More information No., Title ...

2007 CD reissue bonus tracks
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Lead vocals	Length
11.	"Night Flyer"	Roeser	Roeser	3:48
12.	"Dial M for Murder"	A. Bouchard	Bloom	3:11
13.	"Please Hold"	A. Lanier	Lanier	2:47
14.	"Be My Baby" (The Ronettes cover)	Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, Phil Spector	Bloom	3:01
Total length:				53:16

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Blue Öyster Cult

Eric Bloom – stun guitar, vocals
Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser – lead guitar, vocals
Allen Lanier – keyboards, rhythm guitar, vocals
Joe Bouchard – bass, vocals, keyboards
Albert Bouchard – drums, harmonica, percussion, vocals

Additional musicians

Newark Boys Chorus – vocals on "Golden Age of Leather"

Production

Murray Krugman, Sandy Pearlman, David Lucas – producers
Shelly Yakus – engineer, mixing
John Jansen, Corky Stasiak, Thom Panunzio, Andy Abrams – engineers
Gray Russell, Dave Thoener, Jay Krugman, Rod O’Brien, Sam Ginsberg – assistant engineers
Joe Brescio – mastering
Roni Hoffman – design
Eric Meola – photos
David Infante – laser effects and photo assistance

More information Chart (1977–1978), Peak position ...

Chart (1977–1978)	Peak position
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)^[12]	58
French Albums (SNEP)^[13]	28
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)^[14]	47
UK Albums (OCC)^[15]	60
US Billboard 200^[16]	43

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More information Region, Certification ...


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)^[5]	Gold	500,000^{^}
^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

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[1]
Dave Swanson (November 17, 2013). "How Blue Oyster Cult Searched for Identity on 'Spectres'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved September 26, 2022. Pressured for a follow-up, Blue Oyster Cult then issued the somewhat unbalanced, but still striking, Spectres in November 1977.
[2]
Strong, Martin Charles (1995). The Great Rock Discography. Canongate Press. p. 75. ISBN 9780862415419.
[3]
"Blue Oyster Cult singles".
[4]
"Blue Oyster Cult singles".
[5]
"American album certifications – Blue Öyster Cult – Spectres". Recording Industry Association of America.
[6]
Jurek, Thom. "Blue Öyster Cult - Spectres review". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
[7]
Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: B". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved February 22, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
[8]
Popoff, Martin (October 2003). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 1: The Seventies. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 54. ISBN 978-1894959025.
[9]
Mongredien, Phil (April 2007). "Blue Öyster Cult - Spectres". Q. No. 249.
[10]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 70.
[11]
"Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. December 17, 1977. p. 1. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
[12]
"Top RPM Albums: Issue 5478b". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
[13]
"Le Détail des Albums de chaque Artiste – B". Infodisc.fr (in French). Archived from the original on October 22, 2014. Retrieved March 25, 2024. Select Blue Oyster Cult from the menu, then press OK.
[14]
"Swedishcharts.com – Blue Öyster Cult – Spectres". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
[15]
"Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
[16]
"Blue Oyster Cult Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 25, 2024.

[1] [1]
Dave Swanson (November 17, 2013). "How Blue Oyster Cult Searched for Identity on 'Spectres'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved September 26, 2022. Pressured for a follow-up, Blue Oyster Cult then issued the somewhat unbalanced, but still striking, Spectres in November 1977.

[2] [2]
Strong, Martin Charles (1995). The Great Rock Discography. Canongate Press. p. 75. ISBN 9780862415419.

[3] [3]
"Blue Oyster Cult singles".

[4] [4]
"Blue Oyster Cult singles".

[RIAA-5] [5]
"American album certifications – Blue Öyster Cult – Spectres". Recording Industry Association of America.

[6] [6]
Jurek, Thom. "Blue Öyster Cult - Spectres review". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved February 10, 2012.

[7] [7]
Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: B". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved February 22, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.

[8] [8]
Popoff, Martin (October 2003). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 1: The Seventies. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 54. ISBN 978-1894959025.

[9] [9]
Mongredien, Phil (April 2007). "Blue Öyster Cult - Spectres". Q. No. 249.

[RS-10] [10]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 70.

[rw-11] [11]
"Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. December 17, 1977. p. 1. Retrieved February 15, 2023.

[group=-12] [12]
"Top RPM Albums: Issue 5478b". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 25, 2024.

[13] [13]
"Le Détail des Albums de chaque Artiste – B". Infodisc.fr (in French). Archived from the original on October 22, 2014. Retrieved March 25, 2024. Select Blue Oyster Cult from the menu, then press OK.

[ac_Sweden_Blue_Öyster_Cult-14] [14]
"Swedishcharts.com – Blue Öyster Cult – Spectres". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 25, 2024.

[ac_UK2_-15] [15]
"Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 25, 2024.

[Billboard_200-16] [16]
"Blue Oyster Cult Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 25, 2024.

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Spectres (album)

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Critical reception

Cover versions

Track listing

Personnel

Charts

Certifications

References