Meet The Artist: Albert Bouchard
Imaginos was a story that Sandy Pearlman, who became Blue Oyster Cult’s manager, producer and songwriter, told me when I first met him in 1967.
Astronomy is a song I wrote with my brother Joe. It was the first Imaginos song either of us had worked on.
Some fans are surprised by how short I am. Heck, even I am surprised because it’s not something I think about much.
For more than five decades, Albert Bouchard has been a creative force in rock music, best known as a founding member and original drummer of the legendary Blue Öyster Cult. As a musician, songwriter, and vocalist, Bouchard helped shape the band's distinctive sound, contributing to some of its most celebrated recordings. His musical journey has also been closely tied to Imaginos, the ambitious concept originally developed with longtime collaborator Sandy Pearlman, which has evolved into an expansive musical saga through Bouchard's own creative vision. Continuing to explore new musical territory while honoring his remarkable past, Bouchard remains as passionate and inventive as ever. We caught up with Albert to discuss his early days, the fascinating story behind Imaginos, and what continues to inspire him after a lifetime dedicated to music.
1. For someone discovering you for the first time, how would you introduce yourself and Imaginos and its sound?
Answer: I think of my sound as eclectic and a bit unpredictable. I write songs that would fall into the fantasy category with allegorical ties to modern life.
2. How did the Imaginos project originally come together?
Answer: Imaginos was a story that Sandy Pearlman, who became Blue Oyster Cult’s manager, producer and songwriter, told me when I first met him in 1967. When I left BOC Sandy got a deal with Columbia records to produce a series of three albums that would tell the whole multi-century story.
3. Where did the Imaginos name come from, and what did it initially mean to you?
Answer: Sandy Pearlman wrote some lyrics to a song called Blue Oyster Cult in 1969 and Imaginos was the main character. It was a shape-shifter human.
4. How would you describe the sound to someone who hasn't heard the music yet?
Answer: It sometimes sounds like classical/folk music and sometimes it sounds like hard rock.
5. Who are some of the artists or bands that helped influence your sound and career as a musician?
Answer: Beethoven, Benny Goodman, Dave Brubeck, my cousin Teddy Streets, my music teacher Frank Sacci, The Ventures, Beach Boys, Beatles, Motown, Prog rock, Weather Report, John Coltraine, Blues Project, Paul Butterfield, Jimi Hendrix, the Yardbirds, the Who, Keith Moon, King Curtis and the Kingpins, Bernard Purdie, Dionne Warwick, Vanilla Fudge, Dino Danelli, Jeff Beck, and too many more to mention.
6. What do the musicians bring to the current Imaginos trilogy and beyond project, musically or even personality-wise to you?
Answer: I have a core band that performs with me live, while the records feature many additional collaborators. My brother Joe has written songs and played on every Imaginos album, helping ground my wild ideas—and his songs are often the audience favorites. YouTube guitarist RJ Ronquillo has also appeared on every Imaginos record, bringing polish and shine to each track. Violinist Greg Holt played on the first two albums, adding a lyrical, plaintive sound that never felt predictable. Joe Cerisano sings on the three most recent Imaginos records and also appeared on the original 1988 album. His voice resembles mine, but with greater depth and emotion. The third Imaginos record also featured longtime musical friends—including Kasim Sulton, Mike Watt, Steve Conte, Susie Lorraine, Mike Fornatale, and the Dictators—making it feel like a big family affair.
7. When you write a song, where does it usually begin - a riff, melody, lyric, beat, or something else?
Answer: After all these years of writing songs you would I would have it down to a process. I don’t really have one way of doing it. The most common way that I write songs is with a germ of an idea. Like the things you mentioned or maybe imagining performing something before a big crowd. What would get them excited, a sing along, a giant riff, a dramatic breakdown. Then I record it somehow. If I’m in my studio I can get started right there but most times it’s when I’m out running or dreaming at night so I make a voice memo. In the old days I’d use my Walkman or a notepad. Ther next step is always the same. I make a demo and almost always it’s disappointing to me. Then I keep changing it until I like it. That step can take years. Many of the later BOC songs developed over several years.
8. Is there one song you'd recommend as the perfect introduction to the project? Why that one?
Answer: Astronomy is a song I wrote with my brother Joe. It was the first Imaginos song either of us had worked on. It captures the mystery and grandeur of the story perfectly. No surprise it’s the most popular one as well.
9. What do you want people to feel when they hear your music?
Answer: Any emotion will do, joy, excitement, mystery, grandeur, even fear if they are fans of horror. The second Imaginos record, Bombs Over Germany, is the best one for that last one. The new record, Imaginos 4 Rhyme of the Star Clock, is really augmenting material for the first 3 records so you should be able to feel all the emotions.
10. What has been the most memorable moment of this project so far?
Answer: When I started coming back to the project I was asked by fans if I would do the whole trilogy and my stock reply was that I would see how it goes. If the fans and even the general public like it I will continue recording Imaginos songs. Remember that when I started the first Imaginos record in 1981 I was told by the record company that it had no commercial potential and I had to change it to make it viable. When it came out in 1988 it failed to make an impact on the general public, in spite of critics and fans support. It did not make the top 200 in the Billboard charts. It was the poorest selling BOC record. When ReImaginos came out it make the top 100 and sold thousands of copies around the world. That was vindication. The fact that I just released Imaginos 4 is a testament to how far that feeling has carried me.
11. What has been the biggest challenge you've faced along the way?
Answer: The biggest challenge for me was getting over the negativity I faced when I first started this project in 1981. I really questioned whether anyone would want to hear this material. My faith in my vocal abilities was also shaken because certain people within the BOC organization felt I was a terrible singer. I did many things to become a better singer. I stopped doing drugs and started jogging to increase my lung capacity and in 2018 I joined a men’s chorus to improve my technique. I believe all those things have improved my abilities as a vocalist.
12. What do you think separates Imaginos music from other artists/albums in the same genre?
Answer: I don’t think my music is radically different. The story is kind of like every sci fi story rolled into one thing. OTOH I’m all in on it and even though there are some regular emotional aspects, it does not easily breakdown into the typical common man or love problem themes. I aim for something higher, the nature of reality, the possibilities of the universe, the future of mankind. It’s those kinds of themes that I’m interested in.
13. What are you working on right now that you're most excited about?
Answer: For the past 6 months I have been working on a ReImaginos movie. It’s basically music videos of the 12 songs on the first Imaginos record, tied together with text and scenes from the Imaginos I comic. I’m releasing in in episodic form on the 12 days before Christmas this year.
14. What can fans expect from you over the next year or so? Will the focus remain on Imaginos material or are there other musical projects you want to or are exploring?
Answer: I have already recorded and mixed 2 songs for an Imaginos 5 record and I have even more Sandy Pearlman lyrics beyond that. I have also been working with other artists so they will see the Shakin’ Street record that I produced in the very near future and may see another Dictators record next year.
15. What was the first album you bought with your own money?
Answer: Hey Let’s Twist, the soundtrack album to the Joey Dee and the Starlighters movie. I wanted to buy The Ventures Walk Don’t Run album but my brother, Joe, bought it first.
16. In your youth what album changed the way you thought about music?
Answer: Out of Time by the Dave Brubeck Quartet changed the way I thought about music when I first heard it.
17. Who was the first artist you saw live?
Answer: The first rock band I saw was Ray John and the Wanderers when I was 11. They were a popular local act in the 1000 Islands region of NY. The first national act I saw was the Beach Boys at the Syracuse War Memorial Stadium in 1964.
18. What artist would be your dream band to share the stage with?
Answer: Metallica
19. If you could collaborate with any musician, living or dead, who would it be?
Answer: Jimi Hendrix
20. What's one band or artist people would be surprised to learn you listen to?
Answer: I can’t really speak about what my fans think. I never try to second guess them. I try to imagine myself as one of them but I know I can’t pretend to know what they think. I have extremely eclectic tastes, I like classical like Beethoven, Vivaldi and many others. I love a lot of country from Brad Paisley to Dolly Parton. I like some rap, especially the early stuff like KRS One, Public Enemy and Tribe Called Quest but I also like new rappers like ASAP Rocky, Logic, Ren and many others. I like newer rock acts like Muse and Rolling Quartz.
21. What song do you wish you had written?
Answer: Amazing Grace
22. Growing up in an era of vinyl and then eventually cassette and CD. What are your feelings of physical media verse digital streaming?
Answer: To me it’s apples and oranges. I like them both. Each audio format has its advantages and disadvantages. I think vinyl sounds the best but it is not accurate and a bit clumsy to deal with. Digital is convenient and extremely accurate, maybe too much so. Streaming is the most convenient and not very accurate.
23. Do you prefer the studio or stage and has that changed over your career?
Answer: I love to play live. The only reason I don’t do it so much is because I have no name recognition and therefore find it extremely hard to get gigs that make enough money to pay my band what they’re worth. That doesn’t mean that I won’t play live but I don’t know if I will ever do another national tour. Playing locally is enough to scratch that itch for me.
24. What's the strangest thing that has happened to you at a gig?
Answer: Signing breasts is always awkward and pleasant at the same time. Some things never get old.
25. Would you consider yourself a perfectionist in the studio or are you more a person who prefers a live feel with minimal takes?
Answer: I went down the perfectionist route when I first got some nice recording equipment. After a while I realized it’s more fun to just let things happen and not try to control everything. The results are richer when collaborating with others. I still like sounds that are mostly pleasing to the ear but what works is usually both simple and not obvious.
26. What's something fans probably don't know about you?
Answer: Some fans are surprised by how short I am. Heck, even I am surprised because it’s not something I think about much. Sometimes fans are surprised by how approachable I am but that’s probably because many other musicians are not.
27. If someone finishes reading the meet the band segment and listens to just one of your songs, which song should it be – and why?
Answer: Fans should check out From The Curved Window on Imaginos IV. It was a lovely poem of Sandy Pearlman that I found some compelling sounds for, while trying to learn the Chinese Guzheng. I imagined Patti Smith singing it when I was doing the vocal.
Meet The Writer: Mark Balogh – Capturing the Spirit of Music! 📸🤘
With a passion for music and an eye for the unforgettable, Mark Balogh brings the world of music to life through his photography and writing. From the raw energy of live performances to the personalities and stories behind the music, Mark captures the moments, musicians, and memories that define the scene. His work celebrates the artists, the fans, and the culture that keep music alive, preserving the spirit of the music one image and one story at a time.
That step can take years. Many of the later BOC songs developed over several years.
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