Californian powerhouse RIPPLE MUSIC is proud to confirm a January 2022 release for its anticipate all-star tribute album, Dominance And Submission: A Tribute To BLUE ÖYSTER CULT. The album will feature covers by Steve Hanford, Mark Lanegan, Billy Anderson, Zeke, Mondo Generator, members of High On Fire, Quasi, Fu Manchu, and many other names of the heavy rock world.

This special tribute album was initiated by Poison Idea’s departed drummer Steve Hanford, in conjunction with Ian Watts of Ape Machine. Founded in 1967, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT are considered pioneers of occult rock’n’roll, marking generations with timeless anthems such as ‘(Don’t Fear) The Reaper’, ‘Burnin’ For You’, ‘Cities On Flame With Rock And Roll’ or ‘Godzilla’. The New York outfit has since then remained a reference act of the ’70s rock scene alongside MC5, The Stooges, or Steppenwolf.

The Dominance And Submission: A Tribute To BLUE ÖYSTER CULT record will highlight some of the finest work from the legendary band, with unique contributions from MONDO GENERATOR, MOS GENERATOR, GREAT ELECTRIC QUEST, WAR CLOUD, APE MACHINE, ZEKE, YEAR OF THE COBRA, FETISH, SPINDRIFT, IT, HOWLING GIANT, members of HIGH ON FIRE, QUASI, HOLY GROVE, FU MANCHU, WITCH MOUNTAIN, WILD EYES, as well as MARK LANEGAN and BILLY ANDERSON. The artwork was designed by Dave Snider. The album will be released as 2xLP, CD and digital, with preorder starting this fall on Ripple Music.

TRACKLISTING & LINEUP:
Side 1:
1) ME 262″- Mondo Machine
2) Flaming Telepaths – Great Electric Quest
3) Dominance And Submission – Cosmo-Daemonic Telegraph Company featuring Mark Lanegan, Nick Oliveri and Sam Coomes
4) Godzilla – Howling Giant featuring Bob Balch

Side 2:
1) Transmaniacon MC – Tony Reed (Mos Generator) with Thee Slayer Hippy
2) Wings Wetted Down – IT featuring Andrea Vidal
3) Tattoo Vampire – Mondo Generator with Thee Slayer Hippy
4) Veteran Of The Psychic Wars – Ape Machine
5) Cities On Flame With Rock And Roll – Zeke

Side 3:
1) Stairway To The Stars – War Cloud featuring Janiece Gonzalez
2) Fireworks – Year Of The Cobra with Thee Slayer Hippy
3) 7 Screaming Diz-Busters – Fetish
4) (Don’t Fear) The Reaper – Spindrift

Project initiator STEVE HANFORD aka Thee Slayer Hippy lived the rocky road of the rock and roll veteran. As Poison Idea’s drummer and producer, he played on two of the most influential hardcore records: War All The Time and Feel The Darkness. He also worked as a producer on indie rock projects such as Heatmiser (with Elliot Smith) and punk albums for notable names like The Hard-Ons. Due to some struggles with addiction, Steve found himself in prison on multiple occasions, most recently in 2008 for a seven-year sentence after robbing a Walgreens. While in prison, Steve slowly turned his life around. He got a job in a music program where he started an ongoing creative collaboration with fellow musician and Portland native, Sam Redding. Together they recorded 13 albums of finished music (their own and that of other inmates), before being released in 2016. Not long after getting out, Steve jumped on a tour playing drums in The Skull and was soon after introduced to Ape Machine, which he quickly joined on drums, while working as a producer for Darker Seas. While on the road with Ape Machine, Steve decided he wanted to produce a tribute record to one of his favorite bands, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT.

Steve had a vision of building a studio and originally wanted to use funds from the sale of the tribute record to get some gear. The goal was to be able to work in his own studio, producing records for other bands. The idea was to have bands come and record BLUE ÖYSTER CULT tribute songs in his fledgling studio (temporarily using borrowed gear from Ian Watts) which he would produce, simultaneously making a name for the studio, his production techniques, and drumming skills. Unfortunately, Steve didn’t make it to see the project through to release due to his suffering a heart attack on May 21st, 2020. Fortunately for music fans though, he had completed most of the recording for the project, leaving Ian Watts to gather the final pieces and mix the record. Steve was an accomplished and respected musician and was able to round up a star-studded cast of bands for the tribute.

​With Steve no longer being with us, the proceeds of the record will go to benefit his widowed partner, Kitty Diggins who was left with some financial hardships, including much-needed house repairs.

RIPPLE MUSIC Online:
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