Joe Bouchard is the original bassist for Blue Oyster Cult. Since departing Blue Öyster Cult he has released 7 solo albums as well as several albums with other bands such as Blue Coupe.  

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Joe Bouchard is a legendary recording artist and one of the founding members of the iconic band Blue Öyster Cult. From the 70s and 80s, the band recorded classic albums for Columbia Records and toured the world, playing in the US, Canada, Europe, the UK, and Japan. Joe's impressive musical career earned him nine gold and two platinum awards.

Born on November 9, 1948, Joe grew up on a farm in Clayton, NY, surrounded by music. With his older brother Albert as the drummer, Joe learned to play various instruments, including piano, trumpet, and guitar. The two brothers even started their own successful band, The Regal Tones, and turned their farm's barn into a dance hall.  Determined to pursue a career in music, Joe earned a bachelor's degree in Music Education from Ithaca College. 

From humble beginnings on the farm in Clayton, NY, to the heights of rock fame, Joe Bouchard's story is one of hard work, determination, and pure musical talent.

In 1970, Joe's life took a dramatic turn when he joined the band that would become Blue Öyster Cult. In the middle of the night he received a call from Albert, frantically asking him to join the band Soft White Underbelly as their bass player since a national tour with Led Zeppelin was forthcoming. The band later became Blue Öyster Cult, but their tour with Led Zeppelin never happened. Despite the setback, Joe and the band worked hard and signed a long-term deal with Columbia Records, launching them to rock stardom.

Joe Bouchard was a driving force behind Blue Öyster Cult's iconic sound for 16 epic years. With 14 albums recorded for Columbia Records, BÖC electrified audiences worldwide with their genre-defining rock anthems. Joe, as the band's dynamic bass player, also masterfully tackled piano, keyboards, and guitar, leaving his mark on countless tracks. He even wrote timeless classics like "Astronomy" (which was later covered by Metallica) and the hit single "Hot Rails to Hell." But his ensemble skills truly shined with "Don't Fear the Reaper," a top 20 hit that has been featured in countless films and TV shows. The unstoppable BÖC followed that up with "Godzilla" and the forever-popular "Burnin' for You."  Joe's character (played by Horatio Sanz) even contributed to one of the most famous sketches in Saturday Night Live history with "More Cowbell."  Today, Joe's entire catalog with Blue Öyster Cult continues to rock the world through reissues by Columbia/Sony.

In 1986, Joe made the bold move to retire from BÖC and explore new creative avenues. He honed his skills as a composer, performer, and educator, earning a master's degree in music composition from The Hartt School at the University of Hartford. With his wealth of musical talent and experience, Joe continues to inspire and captivate audiences to this day.

Joe's star rose even higher in 1997 when Metallica covered his co-written song "Astronomy" on their massively popular album "Garage Inc." This cover opened up the BÖC catalog to a whole new generation of fans and solidified Joe's reputation as a songwriting genius.