Blue Oyster Cult still doesn't fear the reaper.

Byline: Scott McLennan

COLUMN: SCOTT MCLENNAN

This weekend, The Police will pack Fenway Park in Boston as part of its reunion jaunt. Genesis will likewise pull a crowd to the Garden in Boston when it plays there in September as part of a tour that reunites Phil Collins, who split from the group in 1996, with Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks.

There is talk of Jimmy Page reuniting with The Yardbirds this fall, and a Van Halen reunion with David Lee Roth seems inevitable. Even a half-baked reunion of Smashing Pumpkins is getting more attention than it deserves.

Rock 'n' roll fans love it when old faves come back into action after some sort of hiatus.

But you gotta really love those bands that never really quit or radically alter whatever it was that made them catch on in the first place. Deep Purple and Blue Oyster Cult are two such bands and they team for a show Tuesday at the Bank of America Pavilion in Boston. The two legends of '70s arena rock are scheduled for three joint appearances this summer amid respective schedules that bring these bands across thousands of miles.

"We play shows every month," said Eric Bloom, singer for Blue Oyster Cult, a band this year celebrating the 35th anniversary of its debut recording.

Bloom and guitarist Buck Dharma (born Donald Roeser) remain from the original BOC lineup. Original keyboard player Allen Lanier recently went on sick leave and was replaced by Richie Castellano. Bass player Rudy Sarzo from Ronnie James Dio's band and drummer Jules Radino currently make up the Blue Oyster Cult rhythm section originally formed by brothers Joe and Albert Bouchard.

Formed in New York City, Blue Oyster Cult was part of a wild swirl of music that took in the waning of hippie psychedelia and the ascendance of glam and punk forces. It's not surprising to hear Bloom mention how the band's audition for Columbia Records took place in front of both Harry Nilsson and Patti Smith (who went on to become a frequent songwriting collaborator with the group), as all sorts of musical worlds were colliding at the time. In its first few years together, Blue Oyster Cult found itself sharing the stage with The Byrds and Alice Cooper, though not on the same nights.

"When we started, we played with Aerosmith, Ted Nugent, Heart, Kiss and Cheap Trick. All those bands are still working," Bloom said. "It was an interesting time with a lot of good music happening. There was a lot to like in all different styles. We did one show where Kiss went on first, then there was a band called Teenage Lust, then it was Iggy Pop, and we were the headliners."

Bloom recalled Blue Oyster Cult's invitation to tour with Cooper in 1972 as an important boost to the band's career, and that opportunity arose in Worcester.

"Our first record had just come out and we were given the chance to open for Alice Cooper. He wasn't getting along with the opening band on his tour and was looking for someone new. We were given one show to see how things worked out. It was in Worcester, and we broke out with that show. We got one chance and we took off," Bloom recalled. For the record, the fateful concert took place March 5, 1972, at WPI's Harrington Auditorium.

Blue Oyster Cult ruled through the 1970s, producing both memorable radio hits ("Don't Fear The Reaper," "Godzilla"), and, more importantly, knock-out albums.

Though BOC lost some commercial steam around the mid-'80s and underwent some lineup changes, the group's music had already left a deep impression, something reflected in the way punk rockers Minutemen covered BOC's "The Red and The Black" (which Minuteman bassist Mike Watt still pulls out during his solo performances), and how Metallica put a version of BOC's "Astronomy" on its "Garage, Inc." covers album, or in the handling of "Godzilla" by jam band moe., who invited Dharma to join in for a performance at the annual Jammie Awards a couple of years ago.

That so many different kinds of bands could gravitate to Blue Oyster Cult as an influence speaks to the nature of the group's music. Though hard rock at the core, Blue Oyster Cult brought a level of craft and personality (especially sardonic humor) to its work that made it something more than a totem of its times.

The twists and turns of BOC's music are being explored anew as the band's classic run of '70s albums get re-released with bonus tracks and remastered sound. Most recently Sony Legacy put out buffed-up versions of 1977's "Spectres" and the 1978 live album "Some Enchanted Evening." In both cases, the band's ability to craft richly textured guitar rock as well as undermine the bloat creeping into guitar rock at the time are vividly displayed.

The strength of the back catalog is enough to fuel BOC's continued road work, which is a hodgepodge of biker rallies, state fairs and concerts of the sort happening Tuesday at the Bank of America Pavilion.

"Every show is different," Bloom said. "We know that in some situations people aren't there just to see us. They may be there to vote for the best cow. At every show we'll play the obvious three ("Reaper" "Godzilla" and 1981 hit "Burnin' For You") then other song come and go depending on where we are."

But you can pretty much count on the band itself coming back.

In the face of an impending hike in royalty fees for music broadcast via programs on the Internet, cyber radio outpost WDOA.com last week suspended all its music streaming. Legislative action is pending but it seems inevitable that the recording industry will win its fight to collect higher royalty rates for artists whose songs are broadcast over the Internet. Mike Malone, WDOA's founder noted on the Web site how the operation was looking at paying upward of $5,000 annually to play its blend of independent garage rock and proto punk, a fee simply too high for an endeavor being done for the love of the music. Malone moved WDOA to the Web after getting busted for operating the station on a pirated radio signal. The Web of 1997 when WDOA showed up there held all the promise of the open frontier, allowing the likes of Malone and anyone else passionate about a particular type of music not championed in the mainstream to share their excitement with the world. Seems it didn't take long to tame, quiet and bleed dry that frontier.

311 brings Matisyahu and English Beat along for the ride when the band plays Sunday at The Tweeter Center in Mansfield. He Is Legend headlines The Palladium, 261 Main St., Worcester, on Tuesday. Dan Hicks plays at The Bull Run, Route 2A, Shirley, tomorrow to celebrate the release of his "cyber album" available on iTunes. The duets project pulled together cuts with guests that appeared on Hicks' "Beatin' the Heat" and "Selected Shorts" albums. The Tubes will also be at The Bull Run this weekend, playing there on Sunday.

Singer Karrin Allyson closes out this year's Jazz at Sunset concert series with a performance tomorrow at the EcoTarium, 222 Harrington Way, Worcester. The show begins at 6:30 p.m. Cathy's Clown, a group of local all-stars that covers pop gems from the 1950s and '60s, plays a free show tonight in Worcester's Elm Park. The Marshall Tucker Band is at Indian Ranch, Route 16, Webster on Sunday for a 2 p.m. concert.

White Chocolate has the funky stuff Saturday at The Lucky Dog Music Hall, 89 Green St., Worcester. Hey Now ... Morris Fader is also on the bill. Zircon and Frozen top the bill at tonight's heavy metal blowout happening tomorrow at Ralph's Chadwick Square Diner, 149 Grove St., Worcester.

New tours heading to the Bank of America Pavilion in Boston include Underworld and John Digweed on Sept. 15 and ZZ Top on Sept. 29. Tickets for both shows go on sale tomorrow through Ticketmaster.

New concerts slated for the Orpheum in Boston include Ben Harper on Sept. 23, Iron and Wine on Sept. 27, Queens of the Stone Age on Oct. 12, and Tori Amos on Oct. 18. Tickets for Harper go on sale Saturday, while the other Orpheum shows go on sale tomorrow, all through Ticketmaster.

Scott McLennan can be reached at [e-mail].

ART: PHOTO

CUTLINE: Blue Oyster Cult plays Tuesday at The Bank of America Pavilion in Boston.