Alice Cooper (Official Thread)

[rtbuck]

Re: Alice Cooper ~ March 2010 Band of the Month

2002 brought Alice back to the studio in which he was ready to record his 2nd album with “Spitfire Records’. The band still featured Ryan Roxie & Bob Marlette but this time Coop enlisted Tim Pierce & Wayne Swinney as additional guitarists & Kenny Aronof on drums. The new album was sort of a sequel to ‘Brutal Planet’ & the title of the new album was to be ‘Dragontown’










‘Dragontown’

Released: 2002
Label: Spitfire Records
Song Titles: Triggerman/ Deeper/ Dragontown/ Sex, Death, & Money/ Fantasy Man/ Somewhere in the Jungle/ Disgraceland/ Sister Sara/ Every Woman has a Name/ I Just Wanna be God/ It’s Much too Late/ The Sentinel

‘Dragontown’ picks up right where ‘Brutal Planet’ left off as Alice takes the listener on a dark heavy journey to Dragontown which is actually Hell. The songwriting both musically & lyrically is actually darker than its predecessor. Overall, it’s a great album but comes up a bit short when compared to ‘Brutal Planet’. The opening track “Triggerman” is a heavy hitter which sets the pace for the album & musically picks up where “Sanctuary” left off from his last album. “Deeper” is a heavy sounding tune that is a decent tune but it plods along rather slowly at times but it is a necessary song that goes with the storyline of the album. The title track is a typical Cooper tune which even revisits the styling from Coop’s ‘Dada’ album which it would’ve been a perfect fit for. “Sex, Death, & Money” could’ve easily been a Marilyn Manson tune with its style while “Fantasy Man” is an up-tempo tune with a chorus that will have you throwing your fists in the air yelling “Hey!” “Somewhere in the Jungle” sounds as it would’ve been a great fit for “The Last Temptation” & reminds a lot of “You’re my Temptation”. My favorite tune off of the album is the heavy metal rockabilly humorous tribute to Elvis “DisGraceland” in which Alice sings “He ate his weight in country ham,
Killed on pills and woke in disgraceland…” Up next is “Sister Sara” which is an almost dark rap style tune with a heavy rhythm & a feel good chorus featuring Coop’s daughter Calico. “Every Woman Has a Name” is the Cooper ballad of the album which is followed by the hard driving “I Just Wanna be God” featuring Alice portraying Satan with another heavy metal rap style. “It’s Much too Late” has the feel of a typical 90’s pop tune but with a Beatles style chorus & the album closes with “The Sentinel” which was probably written after the tragic 9/11 attacks.




Alice toured to promote ‘Dragontown’ from September 2001 – November 2001 & the tour was called ‘The Descent to Dragontown Tour’ & was similar to the ‘Brutal Planet Tour’. This time out for the first few dates Alice was performing “Welcome to the Jungle” by Gun & Roses in concert but that was replaced with “Cold Ethyl”. Alice brought back “Is it my Body”, “Nurse Rozetta”, “Department of Youth”, & “Trash” to the live set & continued once again with the guillotine by means of execution.

 

[rtbuck]

Re: Alice Cooper ~ March 2010 Band of the Month

In June of 2003 Alice stepped into the studio to record the third & final album with his ‘Spitfire Records’ contract. This time he wanted to step away from his heavy industrial metal sound that he had on his previous 2 albums & go with more of a garage rock style. Alice recorded his latest album in less than 2 weeks so it would give it a raw energy/ bare bones in your face rock & roll feel to it. The result was originally to be called ‘Spirits Rebellious’ but was changed to ‘The Eyes of Alice Cooper’.

‘The Eyes of Alice Cooper’

Released: 2003
Label: Spitfire Records
Song Titles: What Do You Want From Me/ Between High School & Old School/ Man of the Year/ Novocain/ Bye Bye Baby/ Be With You Awhile/ Detroit City/ Spirits Rebellious/ This House is Haunted/ Love Should Never Feel Like This/ The Song Didn’t Rhyme/ I’m So Angry/ Backyard Brawl


The first thing that grabs you about ‘The Eyes of Alice Cooper’ are the eyes of Alice Cooper on the album’s cover…a return to the Spider make-up from the Killer era of Alice! Once the CD loads into your player the music takes over. Nothing to complex here on this album, just simple kick-ass rock & roll starting with the opening tune “What Do You Want From Me” through the album’s final cut which is a tribute to the world of backyard wrestling(this was huge in the early part of the 2000’s as it brought the world of Pro Wrestling into the back yards of teenage wrestling fans). “Between High School & Old School” revisits the MC5 with, of course, a twist of Alice as it has the anthem feel that the MC5’s “High School had. “Man of the Year” has the sound of 90’s pop punk & is one of my favorites from the album. “Novocain” has the humor of ‘Flush the Fashion’ Alice mixed with some awesome 70’s style lead guitar. The energy keeps coming & “Bye Bye Baby” is no different as it’s another in your face rocker. The tempo is brought down on “Be With You Awhile” as this ballad totally revisits the 70’s. Speaking of the MC5 “Detroit City” is my favorite tune off of the album & it features MC5 guitarist Wayne Kramer doing what he does best & that is…ripping on his guitar. “Spirits Rebellious” & “Love Should Never Feel Like This” also rock the house while This House is Haunted” & “The Song Didn’t Rhyme” show a mellower but cool side of Alice. “I’m so Angry” is another great tune that will have you wondering if it’s a Stooges song Overall, this is a great album & it’s right up there near “Brutal Planet” for my favorite Cooper album in the past 30 years.

Alice did a short tour support the new album but by 2005 it was back to the studio again for Alice & this time he was recording for ‘New West Records’ & followed up with the same garage style as ‘The Eyes of Alice Cooper’.

 

[LG]

Re: Alice Cooper ~ March 2010 Band of the Month

Holy crap Bucky that album cover is scary.

Nice to see you back, hope you are feeling yourself again, and another epic post.

 

[rtbuck]

Re: Alice Cooper ~ March 2010 Band of the Month

Removed dead videos






‘Dirty Diamonds’

Released: 2005
Label: New West Records
Song Titles: Woman of Mass Distraction/ Perfect/ You Make me Wanna/ Dirty Diamond/ Ballad of Jesse Jane/ Sunset Babies/ Pretty Ballerina/ Run Down the Devil/ Steal That Car/ Six Hours/ Your Own Worst Enemy/Stand/ Zombie Dance


This is yet another great Cooper album & I think it’s great that Alice just keeps on putting out new material that keeps getting stronger. Dirty Diamonds is filled with crunching hard rock anthems. The opening track “Woman of Mass Distraction” is a great way to start off the album as it’s filled with crunching riffs & rhythms that will hook you in upon your first listen. The crunch continues on “Perfect” which is a bit reminiscent of Ugly Kid Joe style. “You Make me Wanna” has a Stones feel to it but it also takes me back to “Caught in a Dream”. The title track is probably the heaviest track on the album with a thumping bass line revisiting early Sabbath. “The Saga of Jesse Jane” is a hilarious acoustic number written in the same vein of “Desperado”. I was watching “The Late Show” one night & Alice was on & performed “Sunset Babies”. It was the first time I heard the tune & I was blown away by it. He had his daughter come out dressed as Paris Hilton & she was attacked by her stuffed dog which bit her on the throat drawing blood. The song rocked similar to “I Wish I Was Born in Beverly Hills”. “Pretty Ballarina” is the Ballad of the album but the following song “Run Down the Devil” is far from a ballad as it’s filled with earsplitting guitars. The rest of the album is awesome & “Zombie Dance” is one of the coolest sounding Cooper Tunes ever.

2005-2006 had been great for Alice Cooper fans so far.In August of 2005 he released his latest studio album “Dirty Diamonds”(which featured 13 new tracks),in November of 2005 fans finally got what they were waiting for with the release of the classic Cooper line-up featured in the movie/concert DVD of “Good To See You Again,Alice Cooper”(live from the Billion Dollar Babies tour in 1973), & now in May 2006,fans get even more with the release of “Alice Cooper Live At Montreux”(recorded live in 2005 from the Dirty Diamonds tour).
“Live At Montreux” is packaged similar to the 2000 released “Brutally Live”in that not only do you do you get the live DVD but you get a CD to go along with it which gives you more value for your money.The show is great from start to finish with the master of shock rock pulling no punches as he rocks through 27 tunes.The set list is awesome for the show & with 27 albums behind him I’m sure selecting songs isn’t all that easy.All
the Cooper classics are here(as they should be)including “I’m 18”,”School’s Out”,”No More Mr. Nice Guy”,”Billion Dollar Babies”,”Under My Wheels”,& “Poison”. The show starts out with the band striking power chords & chanting “Hey,Hey,Hey,Hey!”as they lead into “Department Of Youth”(from 1975’s “Welcome to My Nightmare”album).The band kicks right into “No More Mr. Nice Guy” & with the momentum of the first 2 songs going strong they rock out to the title track off the latest studio album “Dirty Diamonds”. It’s great the way “Dirty Diamonds” is sandwiched between “No More Mr. Nice Guy” & “Billion Dollar Babies” as they all flow together with such intensity that you don’t even realize it’s a new song & you find yourself singing along with it as if it’s a classic from that era.Also, from the Dirty Diamonds CD Alice performs “Woman of Mass Distraction” & off of the 2003 release “The Eyes of Alice Cooper”,the band performs “Between High School & Old School” & “What Do You Want From Me”.
The Band is phenomenal throughout the show led by the guitars of Ryan Roxie,who hops around the stage like a demented Chuck Berry similar to Andy McCoy(Hanoi Rocks) & guitarist/Keyboards Damon Johnson.The rythym section is rounded out featuring Eric Singer on drums & bassist Chuck Garric.The band is clearly visable throughout the show & right up front along with Alice.The highlight for the band is the rocking instrumental version of “The Black Widow” where at one point Roxie, Johnson,& Garric are all jamming next to each other at the foot of the stage (which was a bit reminiscent of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band from the 70’s)followed by a short but to the point drum solo by Singer.
Of course an Alice Cooper show wouldn’t be complete without theatrics & Alice does deliver with the help of his daughter,Calico Cooper as she plays different roles throughout the show.Alice meets his fate once again by the guillotine during a medley of “Ballad of Dwight Fry”,“Killer” ,& “I Love the Dead” after which he is resurrected during the anthem”School’s Out”.His encores are “Poison”,”I Wish I Was Born in Beverly Hills”(which features Calico as a Paris Hilton type being followed around by the paparazzi & eventually getting her throat ripped open by her dog she is carrying),& closing the show is “Under My Wheels”.
Overall this is a great show with a good mix of tunes & a well lit stage.I definitely recommend this DVD/CD & I give it 4.5 out of 5 severed heads

 

[rtbuck]

Re: Alice Cooper ~ March 2010 Band of the Month

2007 had Alice recording with ‘Steamhammer Records’ & by now Alice was ready for another concept album & this time it was about a psychopathic killer who collected body parts to create his own spider.







‘Along Came a Spider’
Released: 2008
Label : Steamhammer / SPV
Song Titles: Prologue/ I Know Where You Live/ Vengeance is Mine/ Wake The Dead/ Catch Me if You Can/ In touch with Your Feminine Side/ Wrapped in Silk/ Killed By Love/ I’m Hungry/ The One That Got Away/Salvation/ I am the Spider/Epilogue



Alice Cooper is back again in 2008 & as he sings on the 2nd track of his latest album ‘Along Came a Spider’, “Vengeance is Mine”, he overtakes the listener & leaves no prisoners. Once again Alice has returned with another twisted concept which features a psychopathic killer appropriately named Spider whose world & mind is ruled by arachnids. In the sick mind of this individual his goal is to kill individuals, wrap them in silk, & proceed in amputating a leg from each victim so he can create the ultimate Human Spider. All goes wrong when Spider falls in love with his final victim.

Musically, the album is much in the same vein as his last handful of cd’s which will rock you out. The album kicks off with a modern day “Cold Ethyl” cowbell rocker called “I Know Where You Live” which sets up the twisted tale. “Vengeance is Mine” is solid tune that would have been perfect both musically & lyrically on ‘Brutal Planet’ & the song takes on a life of it’s own with some scorching guitar work by Slash. “Wake the Dead” is kind of a modern day psychedelic rocker which features Ozzy Osbourne lending some harmonica while a buzzing guitar riff runs through the tune. “Catch Me if You Can” has a catchy chorus & musically revisits 2001’s “Dragontown”. “In Touch With Your Feminine Side” & “Wrapped in Silk” are 2 decent rockers that keep up the album’s momentum which leads into Spider’s realization that he is in love with his last victim on the ballad “Killed by Love”. “Killed by Love” starts off with an acoustic guitar sound that is reminiscent of ‘The Ballad of Dwight Fry” & “I Never Cry” with Beatles overtones. “I’m Hungry” is my favorite track off the album as it kicks off with an opening riff that takes me back to Alice’s 1971 classic “Is it My Body” & rocks out with a steady beat, handclaps, & some cool backing vocals. “The One That Got Away”, “Salvation”, & “I am the Spider/ Epilogue” closeout the concept album much in the same way “Chop Chop Chop”, “Gail”, & “Roses on White Lace” fit together at the end of the ‘Raise Your Fist & Yell “ or “Steven”, “The Awakening” & “Escape” closed out the classic ‘Welcome to my Nightmare’ album. At the end of ‘Along Came a Spider’ it is revealed that the psychopath “Spider” is a creation that has come from the mind of none other than Welcome To My Nightmare’s’…Steven!

In 2009 Alice released a new single just in time for Halloween & the tune was titled "Keeping Halloween Alive"

 

[METALPRIEST]

Re: Alice Cooper ~ March 2010 Band of the Month



Bucky you have done a helluva job with this thread!! I have all Alice's albums up to and including Along Came A Spider and I'm not sure what else do add really. I'll pop a couple deeper cuts here from the later stuff I like.

The Left Banke cover of Pretty Ballerina

 

[Flower]

Re: Alice Cooper ~ March 2010 Band of the Month

Alice interviewing Jeff Beck

 

[METALPRIEST]

Re: Alice Cooper

OK!!!

The funniest Cooper add hands down!!

After being able to meet him I can tell you...he's really THIS cool!!

 

[annie]

Re: Alice Cooper

^^^^^ This must be karma LOL I had never listened to Alice before because his makeup put me off. I heard him by chance on tv a couple of days ago and was absolutely speechless he is so good. So I was planning to look for a thread on this forum and now here it has popped up before my eyes. Thank you MP and RT Buck. I am going to spend the next week listening to everything that is on this thread. I cannot wait!!

 

[METALPRIEST]

Re: Alice Cooper

Cool annie...yeah he really is a nice guy with great music!! A great history! He/they were our artist of the month in March! Read all about them here! A more complete historical thread by bucky!!! Very well done...

Alice Cooper Band Of The Month