Allen Lanier, Guitarist of Blue Öyster Cult, Dies at Age 67

Allen Lanier, founding member and guitarist for cult rock group Blue Öyster Cult, passed away Wednesday as the result of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was 67.

Lanier had not performed with the band since 2006, but other founding guitarist Donald Roeser said that "it feels like the circle is broken."

Lanier's name isn't attached to too many of the Cult's big hits, but being a guitarist in the band generates plenty of attention. Lanier and the Cult are renowned for the solos present in hits such as "Godzilla" and "Cities on Flame With Rock and Roll." Still, for all of his work with Blue Öyster Cult, Lanier is perhaps even more relevant for his work with the New York City CBGB scene. Most prominently, Lanier played guitar and co-wrote "Elegie" on Patti Smith's landmark album "Horses." The pair became romantically involved. The horse pin that Smith is wearing on the album cover was given to her as a gift by Lanier.

Smith described Lanier as "soft-spoken and encouraging" in her memoir, Just Kids. Cult's touring schedule led to a breakup however.

"Ultimately it destroyed our relationship, but not the respect I had for him, nor the gratitude I felt for the good he had done," she wrote.

Lanier also recorded piano on The Clash's "Give 'Em Enough Rope," as well as with Jim Carroll and Iggy Pop as a solo performer.

Lanier played a one-off show with the Cult in New York City during 2012.

"Within 10 or 15 minutes of playing together at rehearsals, it clicked again," says Roeser. "It was riding like a bicycle. We'll miss him."

Tags

Patti Smith, The Clash