Blue Öyster Cult Finally Speak Out About ‘SNL’ “More Cowbell” Skit

Blue Öyster Cult, the musicians behind the iconic hit song “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” are reflecting on a moment that took on a life of its own, thanks to a very silly yet memorable Saturday Night Live episode featuring Will Ferrell and Christopher Walken. The skit, “More Cowbell,” is based on the real-life recording sessions for the song. But according to band members, the real version went a bit differently that the comedic version.
In SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night, a documentary series celebrating Saturday Night Live‘s 50th anniversary, several current and former members of Blue Öyster Cult, as well as two of the song’s producers, delve into the history, accuracy and cultural impact of the “More Cowbell” sketch. This hilarious skit imagines the chaotic recording session for the band’s 1976 hit, in which Walken’s character, Bruce Dickinson, demands “more cowbell” from Ferrell’s enthusiastic percussionist, Gene Frenkle.
In the documentary, BÖC guitarist Buck Dharma, who wrote and sang the track, recounts how the song came to be. “‘(Don’t Fear) The Reaper,’ that’s our most famous song,” he said. “I was just playing guitar, and the iconic riff just sorta happened, and I immediately turned the recorder on and captured it. It was our second gold record, and it eventually went platinum.” For Dharma, the song was not just a hit but a milestone. Fellow guitarist Eric Bloom agrees, adding, “It sort of lifted us up.”
The documentary also explores the legacy of the cowbell — an instrument that unexpectedly became a comedic symbol thanks to SNL‘s sketch. The Blue Öyster Cult members reflect on the impact of this iconic sketch, debating who among the three credited producers might best match Walken’s larger-than-life character.
“I’m a believer in credits. You know, I think credits are important. And I’m listed as the lead producer,” said Murray Krugman. He then speculates that Walken’s character might be a blend of himself and the late Sandy Pearlman, another producer on the track. However, not everyone agrees with Krugman’s assessment. When asked who the real Bruce Dickinson is, another credited producer, David Lucas, proudly declared, “Me! Well, I was the producer.”

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Interestingly, while the SNL sketch uses the name “Bruce Dickinson,” there was, in fact, a real Bruce Dickinson in the music world. He’s most famous as the lead singer of Iron Maiden, though he had no involvement with the “Don’t Fear the Reaper” recording. The real Dickinson himself recalled being amused by the use of his name in the sketch. “I kinda thought it was hilarious, but it was like, ‘Why are they using my name?’ I had never worked on the original record,” he said. Ferrell revealed that he chose the name Bruce Dickinson purely based on a CD cover. “It’s kind of a funny-sounding name. That was the extent of my research: The back of a CD cover.”
Former BÖC drummer Albert Bouchard admitted to being both baffled and amused by the sketch’s focus on the cowbell. He explained, “When I saw the skit, I thought, ‘How did they even hear the cowbell? How did they even know it was there?’ And then to come up with this thing about, ‘Should it be in there or should it not be in there’ — that’s exactly what happened! We actually had that debate at the time.” The band then debated on who actually played the cowbell on the track. While they couldn’t agree on who it was, thanks to the SNL sketch, it is now synonymous with the songs. Dharma added, “People started bringing cowbells to our shows — most people cannot play a cowbell. Everybody thinks they can, then it all falls apart.”
The SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night documentary is currently streaming on Peacock.

Classic Comedy Duos
March 2021
Chuckle at television & films funniest comic duos.
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