Allen Lanier

Allen Lanier (June 25, 1946 – August 14, 2013) was an original member of Blue Öyster Cult. Lanier played keyboards and rhythm guitar. He resided in Manhattan.

«Kimberly» (Патти Смит, Аллен Ланиер, Айван Крал) — 3:46

Lanier wrote several songs for Blue Öyster Cult albums, including "True Confessions", "Tenderloin", "Searchin' for Celine", "In Thee" and "Lonely Teardrops". In addition to his work with Blue Oyster Cult, he also contributed to music by Patti Smith, Jim Carroll,The Dictators and The Clash, among others. He dated Patti Smith for several years during the 1970s.

Lanier first performed with the band (then known as Soft White Underbelly) in 1967. He left the group in 1985, and was replaced by Tommy Zvoncheck (of Clarence Clemonsand Public Image Ltd fame). He returned in 1987. He retired from performing with them after the autumn of 2006.

Without any official announcement from Blue Öyster Cult, the band's line-up photograph was updated to remove Allen, and a brief mention on the page for Richie Castellano has the following to say: "Since the retirement of Allen Lanier, Richie has switched over to the guitars/keyboards position, both of which he's quite the master!", which would seem to indicate that Allen Lanier retired from both Blue Öyster Cult and music, at some point between 2006 and 2009.

Allen's death was announced by Blue Öyster Cult on August 14, 2013. According to their official Facebook page, "Allen succumbed to complications from C.O.P.D." Lead singer Eric Bloom posted the following:

My great friend Allen Lanier has passed. I'll miss the guy even though we hadn't spoken in awhile. He was so talented as a musician and a thinker. He read voraciously, all kinds of things, especially comparative religion. We drove for years together, shared rooms in the early days. We partied, laughed, played. All BOC fans and band members will mourn his death. Ultimately smoking finally got to him. He had been hospitalized with C.O.P.D. It was Allen who heard some old college band tapes of mine and suggested I get a shot as the singer in 1968. A lot of great memories, over 40 years worth. Maybe he's playing a tune with Jim Carroll right now.