Blue Oyster Cult on Behind the Music (4-9-00)
Announcer: After a series of staggering defeats, Blue Oyster Cult assembled in the recording studio in late 1976 for a session with famed producer Bruce Dickinson. And, luckily for us, the cameras were rolling.
Bruce Dickinson (Christopher Walken): Alright, guys, I think we're ready to lay this first track down. By the way, my name is Bruce Dickinson. Yes, the Bruce Dickinson. And I gotta tell you: fellas.. you have got what appears to be a dynamite sound!
Eric Bloom (Chris Parnell): Coming from you, Bruce, that means a lot.
Buck Dharma (Horatio Sanz): Yeah. I mean, you're Bruce Dickinson!
Alan (Chris Kattan): It's incredible!
Bobby (Jimmy Fallon): I can't believe Bruce Dickinson digs our sound!
Bruce Dickinson: Easy, guys.. I put my pants on just like the rest of you - one leg at a time. Except, once my pants are on, I make gold records. [ the group laughs ] Alright, here we go. "Don't Fear the Reaper" - take one. [ exits into the control booth ]
[ the group begins the song. Bobby slaps the drums, Eric jams his guitar, and Gene bangs on a cowbell. ]
Eric: [ distracted by Gene banging the cowbell ] Okay! Wait! Wait! [ the group cuts off their instruments ] Bruce, could you come in here for a minute, please?
Bruce Dickinson: [ stepping out of the booth ] That was gonna be a great track. Guys, what's the deal?
Eric: Are you sure that was sounding okay?
Bruce Dickinson: I'll be honest.. fellas, it was sounding great. But.. I could've used a little more cowbell. So.. let's take it again.. and, Gene.
Gene Frenkle (Will Ferrell): Yeah?
Bruce Dickinson: Really explore the studio space this time. I mean, really.. explore the space. I like what I'm hearing.
[ the group starts the song again, as Gene bangs more wildly onto the cowbell ]
Eric: Okay, wait! Stop! I'm sorry. Bruce, could you come back in here, please?
Bruce Dickinson: [ stepping out of the booth ] Fellas.. now, we just wasted two good tracks! That last one was even better than the first!
Eric: Well, it's just that I find Gene's cowbell playing distracting! If I'm the only one, I'll shut up.
Buck Dharma: It was pretty rough..
Gene Frenkle: You know, I could pull back a little. If you'd like.
Bruce Dickinson: Not too much, though! Fellas, I'm telling you - you're gonna want that cowbell on the track!
Gene Frenkle: You know what? It's fine. Let's just do this thing.
[ the band starts the song once more, with Gene banging the cowbell right next to Eric's ear ]
Eric: [ stopping the song again, fighting Gene ] Come on, people!
Bruce Dickinson: [ running out of the booth again ] That.. that doesn't work for me. I gotta have more cowbell!
Alan: Don't blow this for us, Gene!
Bobby: Quit being so selfish, Gene!
Gene Frenkle: Can I just say one thing? I'm standing here, staring at Bruce Dickinson! And if Bruce Dickinson wants more cowbell, we should probably give him more cowbell! And, Bobby, you are right - I am being selfish. But the last time I checked, we don't have a lot of songs that feature the cowbell.
Bruce Dickinson: I gotta have more cowbell, baby!
Gene Frenkle: I'll be doing myself a disservice, and everybody in this band, if I don't perform the hell out of this.
Bruce Dickinson: Guess what? I got a fever! And the only prescription.. is more cowbell!
Gene Frenkle: Thanks, Bruce. But I think, maybe if I just leave.. and, maybe I'll come back later, and we can lay down the cowbell. [ starts to leave the studio ]
Bruce Dickinson: Aw, baby..
Eric: Gene, wait! Why don't you lay down that cowbell right now. With us. Together.
[ everyone agrees ]
Gene Frenkle: Do you mean that, Eric?
Buck Dharma: He speaks for all of us.
Gene Frenkle: Thank you.
Bruce Dickinson: Babies.. before we're done here.. y'all are gonna be wearing gold-plated diapers.
Alan: What does that mean?
Bruce Dickinson: Never question, Bruce Dickinson! Roll it! [ exits back to booth ]
Eric: [ ready to lay the complete track down ] 1, 2, 3, 4.
[ the band starts up again. Close-up on Gene as he bangs the cowbell to freeze-frame with graphic: "In Memorium: Gene Frenkle: 1950-2000" ]
Announcer: After a series of staggering defeats, Blue Oyster Cult assembled in the recording studio in late 1976 for a session with famed producer Bruce Dickinson. And, luckily for us, the cameras were rolling.
Bruce Dickinson (Christopher Walken): Alright, guys, I think we're ready to lay this first track down. By the way, my name is Bruce Dickinson. Yes, the Bruce Dickinson. And I gotta tell you: fellas.. you have got what appears to be a dynamite sound!
Eric Bloom (Chris Parnell): Coming from you, Bruce, that means a lot.
Buck Dharma (Horatio Sanz): Yeah. I mean, you're Bruce Dickinson!
Alan (Chris Kattan): It's incredible!
Bobby (Jimmy Fallon): I can't believe Bruce Dickinson digs our sound!
Bruce Dickinson: Easy, guys.. I put my pants on just like the rest of you - one leg at a time. Except, once my pants are on, I make gold records. [ the group laughs ] Alright, here we go. "Don't Fear the Reaper" - take one. [ exits into the control booth ]
[ the group begins the song. Bobby slaps the drums, Eric jams his guitar, and Gene bangs on a cowbell. ]
Eric: [ distracted by Gene banging the cowbell ] Okay! Wait! Wait! [ the group cuts off their instruments ] Bruce, could you come in here for a minute, please?
Bruce Dickinson: [ stepping out of the booth ] That was gonna be a great track. Guys, what's the deal?
Eric: Are you sure that was sounding okay?
Bruce Dickinson: I'll be honest.. fellas, it was sounding great. But.. I could've used a little more cowbell. So.. let's take it again.. and, Gene.
Gene Frenkle (Will Ferrell): Yeah?
Bruce Dickinson: Really explore the studio space this time. I mean, really.. explore the space. I like what I'm hearing.
[ the group starts the song again, as Gene bangs more wildly onto the cowbell ]
Eric: Okay, wait! Stop! I'm sorry. Bruce, could you come back in here, please?
Bruce Dickinson: [ stepping out of the booth ] Fellas.. now, we just wasted two good tracks! That last one was even better than the first!
Eric: Well, it's just that I find Gene's cowbell playing distracting! If I'm the only one, I'll shut up.
Buck Dharma: It was pretty rough..
Gene Frenkle: You know, I could pull back a little. If you'd like.
Bruce Dickinson: Not too much, though! Fellas, I'm telling you - you're gonna want that cowbell on the track!
Gene Frenkle: You know what? It's fine. Let's just do this thing.
[ the band starts the song once more, with Gene banging the cowbell right next to Eric's ear ]
Eric: [ stopping the song again, fighting Gene ] Come on, people!
Bruce Dickinson: [ running out of the booth again ] That.. that doesn't work for me. I gotta have more cowbell!
Alan: Don't blow this for us, Gene!
Bobby: Quit being so selfish, Gene!
Gene Frenkle: Can I just say one thing? I'm standing here, staring at Bruce Dickinson! And if Bruce Dickinson wants more cowbell, we should probably give him more cowbell! And, Bobby, you are right - I am being selfish. But the last time I checked, we don't have a lot of songs that feature the cowbell.
Bruce Dickinson: I gotta have more cowbell, baby!
Gene Frenkle: I'll be doing myself a disservice, and everybody in this band, if I don't perform the hell out of this.
Bruce Dickinson: Guess what? I got a fever! And the only prescription.. is more cowbell!
Gene Frenkle: Thanks, Bruce. But I think, maybe if I just leave.. and, maybe I'll come back later, and we can lay down the cowbell. [ starts to leave the studio ]
Bruce Dickinson: Aw, baby..
Eric: Gene, wait! Why don't you lay down that cowbell right now. With us. Together.
[ everyone agrees ]
Gene Frenkle: Do you mean that, Eric?
Buck Dharma: He speaks for all of us.
Gene Frenkle: Thank you.
Bruce Dickinson: Babies.. before we're done here.. y'all are gonna be wearing gold-plated diapers.
Alan: What does that mean?
Bruce Dickinson: Never question, Bruce Dickinson! Roll it! [ exits back to booth ]
Eric: [ ready to lay the complete track down ] 1, 2, 3, 4.
[ the band starts up again. Close-up on Gene as he bangs the cowbell to freeze-frame with graphic: "In Memorium: Gene Frenkle: 1950-2000" ]
