More cowbell

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Bruce Dickinson (Christopher Walken), right, gold record producer and self-proclaimed "cock of the walk," speaks to Gene Frenkle and Blue Öyster Cult.

"More cowbell" is a line from an April 8, 2000 Saturday Night Live comedy sketch about the recording of the song "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" by Blue Öyster Cult. The sketch featured guest host Christopher Walken as music producer Bruce Dickinson and Will Ferrell as fictional cowbell player Gene Frenkle. The line itself has grown into a pop culture catch phrase.

[edit] Synopsis

Bruce Dickinson (Christopher Walken) delivering the trademark line: "I could've used a little more cowbell."

The sketch is presented as though it is an episode of VH1's Behind the Music. It begins with what is said to be film from the 1976 recording session that produced the band's biggest hit, "(Don't Fear) The Reaper." The producer (Christopher Walken) introduces himself as "the Bruce Dickinson" and tells the band they have "what appears to be a dynamite sound." The band members are impressed at this compliment because of Bruce Dickinson's supposed high standing in the music industry (note that "the" Bruce Dickinson is not Bruce Dickinson, lead singer of Iron Maiden).

The first take of the recording session begins soon after. The recording seems to be going well, but the band stops playing after a few moments because the cowbell part is rather loud and distracting. However, Dickinson feels quite differently and, to the surprise of most of the band, asks for "a little more cowbell" and suggests that the cowbell player, Gene Frenkle (Will Ferrell), "really explore the studio space this time."

Gene Frenkle (Will Ferrell) plays the cowbell in the "More Cowbell" sketch

Frenkle's exuberance in following this advice causes him to bump into his bandmates in the cramped studio, and the band aborts another take. Dickinson enters the studio exasperated at wasting "two good tracks." Frenkle sheepishly agrees to tone down his performance in the spirit of cooperation. Instead, he passive-aggressively plays the cowbell very close to Eric Bloom's (Chris Parnell) ear and fails to keep time with the rest of the band. Frenkle then knocks over Bloom's microphone stand, ending the take prematurely. The rest of the band expresses frustration with Frenkle, but Dickinson remains focused only on getting more cowbell onto the track.

Gene Frenkle then makes an impromptu speech to the rest of the band. He declares that Dickinson's stature lends a great deal of weight to his opinion about the cowbell part, and therefore it is Frenkle's duty to give it his all in playing the cowbell and "explore the space." At the climax of the sketch, Dickinson exclaims: "Guess what! I got a fever, and the only prescription... is more cowbell!" The band agrees to let Frenkle play the cowbell part his way. As the band begins another take, the sketch ends with a freeze frame on Frenkle with the message: "In Memoriam: Gene Frenkle: 1950-2000."

[edit] Comedy vs. reality

The sketch takes a great deal of liberty with the actual events surrounding the recording of "(Don't Fear) The Reaper."

• Gene Frenkle is a fictional character invented for the sketch, though fans have occasionally expressed their sympathies to Blue Öyster Cult over his death.^[1][2]
• According to former band bassist Joe Bouchard, the cowbell part was overdubbed by his brother Albert after the rest of the song had been recorded.^[1] It is much quieter than portrayed in the sketch. Eric Bloom, however, claims that he was the one who played it.^[2]
• The sketch dates the recording session in August 1976. The song was actually recorded in 1975, and released in May 1976.^{[citation needed]}
• The sketch shows lead singer Eric Bloom as the vocalist, but lead guitarist Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser actually wrote and sang lead vocal on "(Don't Fear) The Reaper."
• Christopher Walken portrays a character called Bruce Dickinson, who is identified as the producer of "(Don't Fear) The Reaper". However, the song was actually produced by Sandy Pearlman. ^[3] This mistake arose from the credits of "On Flame with Rock and Roll," a 1990 Blue Öyster Cult compilation that included "(Don't Fear) The Reaper." The compilation carried the credit "Produced by Bruce Dickinson," but that is a mischaracterization. Bruce Dickinson was in charge of producing the remasters for the compilation, but had nothing to do with the original recording.^[2] Walken's performance is however based on Pearlman, rather than Dickinson.^{[verification needed]}

[edit] Reappearance in Saturday Night Live

On May 14, 2005, on an episode that Will Ferrell hosted, the Gene Frenkle character made a re-appearance on the set of Saturday Night Live as musical guest Queens of the Stone Age played their first song of the night, "Little Sister." In his Gene Frenkle costume, Ferrell played the song's wood block part using a cowbell along with the band, drawing much applause.

[edit] References in popular culture

"More cowbell" has become a catchphrase and pop culture phenomenon. T-shirts featuring the slogan have been sold at Hot Topic and Urban Outfitters, sports teams such as Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Devil Rays and the National Hockey League's Pittsburgh Penguins use the sketch as the basis for cowbell-related fan participation, and numerous musical artists have incorporated the sketch into their concerts and studio releases. In the 2002 NBA Playoffs, the Dallas Mavericks used a clip of Walken to stir up the crowd and fulfill owner Mark Cuban's pledge to give the Sacramento Kings, whose fans were known for excessive cowbell noise, a taste of their own medicine.^[4] As late as March 8, 2007, the catchphrase is still being used sporadically during highlight commentary on ESPN's SportsCenter.

[edit] Sketch performers

• Jimmy Fallon as Albert Bouchard
• Will Ferrell as Gene Frenkle
• Chris Kattan as Buck Dharma
• Chris Parnell as Eric Bloom
• Horatio Sanz as Joe Bouchard
• Christopher Walken as Bruce Dickinson

[edit] References and footnotes

[edit] External links

• Even More Cowbell! – Timeline of events from Wired magazine.
• Blue Oyster Cult, Playing Along With 'More Cowbell' Paul Farhi, January 29, 2005, Washington Post
• Don't Fear The Cowbell - References in popular culture
• Quote used in the 2006 film Déjà Vu.