Alice Cooper (Official Thread)

[rtbuck]

Re: Alice Cooper ~ March 2010 Band of the Month

What little I do know about AC is from this album, like you said the main songs that are associated with him.

"Schools Out" is one of those songs that is a rite of passage song played at every graduation party. Alice Cooper had the insight to know he was writing a classic song based on one of the happiest moments in a teenagers life....getting out of school

This album, IMO, portrays Alice Cooper himself, a class cutting, rowdy, partying school boy. Great stuff !!

You got that right Magic & actually Alice got the idea for "School's Out" from an old Bowery Boys film in which Satch said those 2 words to Chuck meaning for him to "Wise Up"

 

[rtbuck]

Re: Alice Cooper ~ March 2010 Band of the Month

A few years ago I wrote a review up for the DVD release of 'Good to See You Again Alice Cooper' so I dug it up as I figured it would go along great in this era of the band:



Alice Cooper 'Good to See You Again Alice Cooper'

Released: 2005 (originally 1974)
Label: Shout! Factory
Review by: Bucky


Finally,after 31 years “Good To See You Again Alice Cooper” sees the light of day.The original Alice Cooper Band reached the peak in their career with the release of their fifth album “Billion dollar Babies”in 1973.This DVD features concert footage from the tour that supported the Billion Dollar Babies album intertwined with a corny storyline in which a bumbling director(actor Fred Smoot)named Herr Direktor chases the band around the world to seek revenge because the band destroyed his stage set in the opening minutes of the movie.The movie begins with an all white stage set & the Alice Cooper band all dressed in white playing their instruments behind all white music stands.Alice steps out onstage wearing a short blonde wig & a white tux while singing the Sinatra classic “Lady Is a Tramp”.Alice & the band get fed up with this whole idea & destroy the stage set as Herr Direktor is shocked out of his mind.As the band drives away in a limo Alice yells out the window”Build our stage,build OUR stage!”.At that point a live version of “No More Mr. Niceguy”cranks out & in fast motion roadies build the stage & fans start to fill up the arena.”And now America’s own Billion Dollar Babies…the legendary Alice Cooper!!”blares out through the PA & Alice & Band start off with “Hello Hurray”.At one point the camera shows the entire stage & not only do you see Alice,Michael Bruce,Dennis Dunnaway,Glen Buxton,& Neil Smith but you also see 2 additional musicians Bobby Dolan(piano) & Mick Mashiber(guitar).Rumors say that Glen wasn’t to healthy so they needed an extra guitarist for the tour.At the end of “Hello Hurray”Alice throws some flash paper out to give the illusion he’s shooting fire from his wrists.Up next is the title track off “Billion Dollar Babies” & what I thought was pretty neat was that during the solo part of the song Alice runs over to each guitarist(Mick Mashiber included)& each of them play a small solther notable highlights from the DVD is during “Raped & Freezing” seeing Alice,Michael,Glen,& Dennis all together at the front of the stage jamming.Alice at one point spits on the torso of a mannequin & waits with his mouth open at the bottom for the loogie to land in while singing the chorus”…Hey,I think I got a live one…”.Showing his strange sense of humor,during “No More Mr. Niceguy”Alice attaches a rubber fly to the front of his pants.During “Unfinished Sweet”it’s a trip to the Dentist chair in which a psychotic dentist(played by the Amazing Randi)drills Alice’s teeth with a huge drill.As Alice “comes off the gas”he’s greeted by a giant dancing tooth that he brushes with a giant toothbrush.The movie cuts to a scene on an actual busy street where Alice chases the giant tooth as pedestrians look on.The scene ends as Alice runs into his good friend…the psychotic dentist.During “Sick Things” Alice naturally has his snake but during the guitar solo break Michael Bruce dives knees first at Alice’s back & the two wrestle around a bit.Alice loses his head during “I Love the Dead” & awakes in a graveyard where he spots his tombstone & destroys it.During “School’s Out”Alice tells the crowd that they are crazier than him & proceeds to throw posters out to the crowd & watches everyone fight after them.The band closes with “Under My Wheels” in which Alice taunts the girls up front & the show ends when a Richard Nixon imposter comes out onstage & the band beat him like a scene out of “A Clockwork Orange”. Great DVD overall & on the bonus feature you have the option to just watch the concert which I recommend.If anything I would have liked to see more shots of the band during the concert.And for the record during the movie the phrase
“Good To See You Again”is said 6 times & that leaves me to say”Good To See You Again Alice Cooper”

Bucky

 

[Hepcat]

Re: Alice Cooper ~ March 2010 Band of the Month

Once again, the Cooper machine kept truckin’ on through with no break and the effects of that along with alcohol abuse began taking its toll, especially on lead guitarist, Glen Buxton, who was spiraling downward.

Heavy drinking seemed to be a trademark of the band almost from the start. Empty stubbies (the industry standard beer bottle in Canada in those days) of 50 Ale littered the stage at the outdoor Alice Cooper concert I attended at the University of Western Ontario in London in September 1971. In fact, Alice substituted the lyrics "Drinking Labatt's 50 Ale" into "I'm Eighteen" before spitting a mouthful into the similarly inebriated front few rows of the crowd. (Labatt 50 Ale was the best selling beer in Canada at the time.)

 

[LG]

Re: Alice Cooper ~ March 2010 Band of the Month

Billion Dollar Babies is the album that I like the most of AC. My friends older brother had a copy and we got to play it on his really good stereo rig, seeing he was out of town logging/surveying all the time it worked out great.

Excellent educational thread so far Bucky, you are an amazingly knowledgeable fan about the bands you love.

As for Hep's advice, both him and Fox have been bumping their old Stones and Doors threads all the time, no matter what month it is...(Which is fine, there is nothing wrong with adding to them as long as you want.)

 

[Foxhound]

Re: Alice Cooper ~ March 2010 Band of the Month

As for Hep's advice, both him and Fox have been bumping their old Stones and Doors threads all the time, no matter what month it is...(Which is fine, there is nothing wrong with adding to them as long as you want.)

I won't speak for the dastardly feline but I'm not done yet - not by a longshot!

 

[PinkFreud]

Re: Alice Cooper ~ March 2010 Band of the Month

It's about time they won
For being known as a "shock rock" pioneer, I always thought of Alice Cooper's music to be more...I don't know how to describe it. Hard rock? Teen rock? Something along those lines. They just made good music, that's all I can really say

 

[METALPRIEST]

Re: Alice Cooper ~ March 2010 Band of the Month

So Good To See You Again is a great movie and everyone should see it or pick it up!!



Nice write ups...gonna try and add a few vids & moments myself from Killer - Muscle Of Love!!



Hanging Scene Killer

 

[rtbuck]

Re: Alice Cooper ~ March 2010 Band of the Month

Wow! Hep, that's awesome that you got to see the band in the early days.My sister seen him back then but she barely remembers much of anything from those days which kind of sucks because she seen Edgar Winter,Bob Seger, J Geils, & her favorite Brownsville Station.

I will take my time with this as advised. There is so much stuff I have lying around here on Coop whether it's books,magazines,live recordings,comic books, or live interview tapes from the 70's!

MP, awesome job adding the photos & videos( My next era is '75-'80 so by early next week I should be on Flush the Fashion,Special Forces,Zipper Catches Skin, & Dada!)

 

[METALPRIEST]

Re: Alice Cooper ~ March 2010 Band of the Month

^^ Take your time and make it last!! We got a whole month of Alice fun!! I'm lovin' this thread BTW!

 

[Flower]

Re: Alice Cooper ~ March 2010 Band of the Month

^^ Take your time and make it last!! We got a whole month of Alice fun!! I'm lovin' this thread BTW!

I second that ...