BLUE ÖYSTER CULT's BUCK DHARMA On GHOST: 'I Wouldn't Say They're Really Copying Us'

In a new interview with Greg Prato of Ultimate Guitar, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT guitarist Buck Dharma was once again asked about comparisons between GHOST's music to that of his own band. He said: "To the degree that there is a similarity, I think they're welcomed to it. I think GHOST is certainly paving their own way as far as how they've gone down their road. I wouldn't say they're really copying us. To the degree that there are some similarities, that's fine."

Back in 2019, Dharma said that he was aware that many rock fans had compared GHOST's music to that of BLUE ÖYSTER CULT. "I've also read interviews with the leader of that band where he says he's not really trying to sound like BLUE ÖYSTER CULT," Buck told Ultimate Guitar in a new interview. "But I don't think that they really do sound like BLUE ÖYSTER CULT, but I guess you could see some similarities."

GHOST mastermind Tobias Forge addressed the BLUE ÖYSTER CULT comparisons during an interview with Loudwire. He said: "I love BLUE ÖYSTER CULT. They are nowhere near as much of an influence as people think they are for me. Especially not back [in GHOST's early days]. I'd say I probably listen to them more nowadays than I did back then. But never, ever were they as much of a big influence as… I can list so many more things that would be way more obvious, where I can say, 'That riff is from that. That riff is from that. That riff is from that. That vocal bit is from that.' It's just that the combination of, basically, slightly more confrontational rock and sort of AOR vocals that makes everybody think that it's, 'Oh, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT.' Just because a lot of the other, sort of, 'occult rock' bands usually have just one singer, like all the TROUBLEs and all the SAINT VITUSes and all those — it's just one singer, so you don't have that sort of multi-layered vocals."

With a history spanning five decades, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT has sold more than 24 million records worldwide, including seven million in the United States alone. Songs like "Burnin' For You", "Godzilla", "Astronomy" and "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" are true classics and staples of the classic rock genre. Often cited as a major influence by some of the biggest names in hard rock and heavy metal (including IRON MAIDEN and METALLICA),BLUE ÖYSTER CULT's sound has evolved through the decades, touching hard rock, heavy metal, progressive, and psychedelic rock. BLUE ÖYSTER CULT is sometimes referred to as "the thinking man's heavy metal band," due to its often-cryptic lyrics, literate songwriting, and links to famous authors.

GHOST's latest album, "Impera", came out in 2022. GHOST leader Tobias Forge worked on the LP with producer Klas Åhlund and Swedish co-writers Salem Al Fakir and Vincent Pontare, whose credits include Madonna and Lady Gaga.

GHOST's two September 2023 shows at the Forum in Inglewood, California were professionally filmed and recorded and will be used as part of a future film project.

At the Forum shows, GHOST performed the song "Twenties" live for the very first time live. They also played their cover of Roky Erikson's "If You Have Ghosts", which was originally reimagined by GHOST for their 2013 EP "If You Have Ghost". The band's version of the track at the Forum featured two cellists with a piano playing, and it was performed on a separate stage from the rest of the set.