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Eric Bloom | |
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 Bloom in 2016 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Eric Jay Bloom |
| Born | (1944-12-01)December 1, 1944 (age 80) Brooklyn, New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | Hard rock,heavy metal,psychedelic rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer, songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar, keyboards |
| Years active | 1959–present |
| Labels | Columbia,CMC |
| Website | ericbloom |
Eric Jay Bloom (born December 1, 1944) is an American musician, singer and songwriter. He is best known as the co-lead vocalist, guitar and keyboard/synthesizer player for the long-running bandBlue Öyster Cult, with work on more than 20 albums. Much of his lyrical content relates to his lifelong interest in science fiction.
A native New Yorker, Bloom was born inBrooklyn, the youngest of three children, and grew up inQueens. His mother was a housewife, active in local charities and family life. His father ran a picture frame and print company inManhattan. Bloom isJewish.[1] Bloom attendedJHS 216 (George J. Ryan Junior High School), and then moved on toWoodmere Academy andCheshire Academy inConnecticut.[2] It was there that he purchased his first guitar, a $52 Harmony full-bodied electric.
Bloom, known as "Manny" Bloom in college, attendedHobart College inGeneva, New York, studyingmodern languages.
One day in late 1968 some members of the band Soft White Underbelly, Donald Roeser (laterBuck Dharma),Allen Lanier and Andrew Winters, entered the store. One of them spotted a photo that Bloom had put up as a joke—he had placed an 8x10 glossy of his old band Lost and Found up on the wall with all the major bands such as theRolling Stones andThe Who. One of the SWU members recognized it because Les Braunstein, their lead singer, had also been a Hobart College alumnus, and had told his bandmates about the other college band. As Bloom talked with them about the photo, they struck up a friendship. Bloom ended up doing some sound engineering for them at theElectric Circus inGreenwich Village, and they mutually impressed each other enough that in November 1968, the band's manager,Sandy Pearlman, asked if Bloom would like to become their tour manager. Bloom moved into the group's house inGreat Neck, New York, in December 1968.[3][4]
In April 1969, when lead singer Braunstein dropped out of the group, Bloom became the band's vocalist. The band went through several name changes, but in 1971 settled on Blue Öyster Cult. Their first album was released byColumbia Records in 1972.
In 1976, their platinum albumAgents of Fortune with its hit "(Don't Fear) the Reaper" launched the band into international fame, though that particular song was sung and written by lead guitaristBuck Dharma. BothCreem readers[5] andRolling Stone critics[6] voted "Don't Fear the Reaper" as the top single of the year.
Bloom bought his own house in Great Neck in 1976.[3]
Bloom has been one of the longtime members of the band throughout the decades, along with original memberBuck Dharma. Bloom is credited as playing "stun guitar" on some Blue Öyster Cult works, a term the band uses for the distortion sound of hisrhythm guitar.[7][8]
Bloom is known for being an avid reader, especially science fiction and fantasy novels. He once sent a fan letter to English science-fiction authorMichael Moorcock, and then collaborated with him on three songs. "Black Blade" was written from the point of view of Moorcock'sElric character, and the other two were "The Great Sun Jester" and "Veteran of the Psychic Wars", the latter of which was used in the originalHeavy Metal movie.
Bloom also collaborated with authorEric Van Lustbader on the song "Shadow Warrior", and in 1998, 2001 and 2020 withcyberpunk authorJohn Shirley on theHeaven Forbid,Curse of the Hidden Mirror andThe Symbol Remains albums.
In 2006, Bloom began a partnership with artist Philippe Renaudin, to create and sell six elaborately painted custom-made guitars, each one of which interprets a different Blue Öyster Cult song, and each of which was played during BÖC performances.[9]
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