Joe Bouchard
Joe Bouchard | |
---|---|
Born |
Watertown, New York, US | November 9, 1948
Genres | Heavy metal, hard rock, psychedelic rock |
Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
Instruments | Bass, keyboards, guitar |
Associated acts |
Blue Öyster Cult Dennis Dunaway Albert Bouchard |
Notable instruments | |
Fender Precision Bass |
Joseph "Joe" Bouchard (born November 9, 1948) is an American guitarist and bassist. He was the bassist for Blue Öyster Cult during their most successful period.
Biography
Bouchard was born in Watertown, New York,[1] and grew up in Clayton, New York. He joined Soft White Underbelly, the group that would become Blue Öyster Cult, as a bassist in the summer of 1970, although he had already been jamming and performing occasionally with the band for a few years.
Originally a guitar player, Bouchard took up bass for the formative BÖC after the departure of Andy Winters. Bouchard is skilled on many instruments including keyboards and trumpet.
Bouchard's songwriting contributions often dealt with otherworldly themes, such as "Nosferatu" and "Light Years of Love" but Bouchard's signature piece was most definitely "Hot Rails To Hell."
Bouchard left Blue Öyster Cult in 1986, and since then has worked with several musical projects, including the Spencer Davis Group, and appeared on records by Deadringer (with Neal Smith & Dennis Dunaway), Fabienne Shine and his own X Brothers.
In the last few years he completed his master's degree in music, and recently welcomed the new release of a CD with his band, BDS (Bouchard, Dunaway, Smith) with Dennis Dunaway and Neal Smith of Alice Cooper Group and Deadringer. He also currently teaches at a number of preparatory school academies in Connecticut. He recently performed with his Washington Montessori School Acoustic and Rock band. He is a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia music fraternity.
In 2009, he released his first solo album, entitled Jukebox in my Head.
He is the brother of former Blue Öyster Cult drummer Albert Bouchard. Albert and Joe, along with Dennis Dunaway [original Alice Cooper Band bass player] play live as 'Blue Coupe', performing songs from both Alice Cooper's and BOC's early years, as well as new material. Blue Coupe released albums in 2011 and 2013.
In 2012 Bouchard released a new solo album "Tales From The Island", in which he performs every instrument. The album fuses the genres of hard rock and country The songs have been written half on his own and half contributed by artist / friend John Elwood Cook.
He currently teaches music at Kent School in Kent, Connecticut.
Personal life
He is married to Sara (née Pinckney). They have two daughters and live in Granby, Connecticut.
Bouchard is a fan of silent films and uses footage from several silent films (such as George Melies productions) in his music videos for the songs "Perpetrator" and "Christopher Walken is Walkin' Her Home".
Discography
Albums with Blue Öyster Cult (on Columbia Records):
- Blue Öyster Cult
- Tyranny and Mutation
- Secret Treaties (gold)
- On Your Feet or on Your Knees (gold)
- Agents of Fortune (gold and platinum)
- Spectres (gold)
- Some Enchanted Evening (gold and platinum)
- Mirrors
- Cultosaurus Erectus
- The Heavy Metal Movie Soundtrack (gold) (Asylum Records)
- Fire of Unknown Origin
- Extraterrestrial Live
- The Revölution by Night
- Club Ninja
- Live 1976 (Castle Communications)
- Workshop of the Telescopes (Legacy/Columbia)
- Don't Fear the Reaper: The Best of Blue Öyster Cult,The Complete BOC 17-CD Box Set (2012)
Joe Bouchard Solo Albums:
- Jukebox in My Head (2010)
- Tales from the Island (2012)
- New Solid Black (2014)
With The X Brothers:
- Dedicated Follower of Fashion
- Beyond the Valley of the X
- Solid Citizens
References
- ↑ Strong, Martin Charles (2004). The Great Rock Discography. Canongate U.S. p. 158.
- ↑ http://www.joebouchard.com/
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Joe Bouchard. |