Allen Glover Lanier was an original member of Blue �yster Cult. Lanier played keyboards and rhythm guitar. He resided in Manhattan. Lanier wrote several songs for Blue �yster Cult albums, including "True Confessions", "Tenderloin", "Searchin' for Celine", "In Thee", and "Lonely Teardrops". In addition to his work with Blue �yster 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 in 1967. He left the group in 1985, and was replaced by Tommy Zvoncheck. He returned in 1987. He retired from performing with them after the autumn of 2006. Without any official announcement from Blue �yster 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 �yster Cult and music, in 2007, having played his last concert with them in late 2006. 

June 25th, 1946 in Long Island  /  Died:   Aug 14th, 2013