Blue Öyster Cult has long been synonymous with Long Island, not just as their place of origin but as a recurring backdrop throughout their storied career. Formed in 1967 at Stony Brook University under the name Soft White Underbelly, the band quickly evolved into Blue Öyster Cult, developing a signature sound that mixed hard rock, science fiction, and gothic imagery. Some of the band members have lived in Long Island towns like Great Neck and Roslyn, and the group's early years were spent rehearsing and recording locally. The area’s mysterious coastal ambiance helped shape some of the band’s most iconic songs and aesthetics.
Over the decades, Blue Öyster Cult maintained strong ties to Long Island, returning often for performances and projects. Notably, their 1980 co-headlining tour with Black Sabbath was filmed at Nassau Coliseum and later released as the Black and Blue concert video. Some of that concert can be viewed here.
That connection deepened during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when the band turned to Long Beach High School on Long Island to film several music videos. With Manhattan studios closed, they used the school’s professional-grade TV studio to record four videos in a single day: “That Was Me,” “Box in My Head,” “The Alchemist,” and “Tainted Blood.” The shoot adhered strictly to COVID-19 protocols, with each member filmed separately on green screen. Long Beach High School students and staff handled much of the production, making the collaboration both a practical and community-driven solution.
A 2020 Paltrocast interview with the band's lead singer Eric Bloom can be watched here.
Researched by Darren Paltrowitz on July 9, 2025.