Alice Cooper

REVIEW: Alice Cooper – Welcome To My Nightmare Live at The Forum, Los Angeles 6/17/75 (2025)

ALICE COOPER – Welcome To My Nightmare Live at The Forum, Los Angeles 6/17/75 (2025 Rhino)

For the first time ever, Alice Cooper was on tour without the Alice Cooper Band.  Dennis, Michael, Neal and Glen were set adrift.  Supporting his first solo album, Alice brought with him Dick Wagner and Steve Hunter on guitars, Prakash John on bass, Whitey Glen on drums and Jozef Chirowski on keyboards.  A more dramatic show was presented, including almost the entire new album.  (Only “The Awakening” was never played.)  So focused on the new album was this set that a smaller ratio of old Cooper classics were included.

At this point, only a few years into his career, Alice was already introduced as “legendary”.  He opens with an ominous and “Welcome to My Nightmare” and the crowd begins screaming as soon as he enters.  Alice’s voice is a little off from the start, but the band behind him has every beat covered.  Compared to his previous group, this one truly sounds like a “backing band”, with the star up front and group of pros behind him taking care of business.  That’s not a criticism, just an observation, and the soloing on “Welcome to My Nightmare” prove how great they are.  It’s a very different sounding group from what we heard before.

Not playing the Nightmare album sequentially, “Years Ago” recurs throughout the early songs played.  Old songs framed by “Years Ago”?  Quite clever.  Here, the first verse leads into “No More Mr. Nice Guy”, a very slick version though Alice sounds hoarse.  Even still, he powers through the chorus and falsetto.  If anything, he is less able to deliver some of the melodic hooks accurately.  Back to “Years Ago”, we get the second verse before “Billion Dollar Babies”, which is the strongest performance so far.  The extra keyboards and guitars are more than welcome, beefing up Alice’s stage sound and adding a side of virtuoso musicianship.  On its third appearance, “Years Ago” consists of a creepy keyboard solo, extended from the album version.  This time, the crashing guitars of “I’m Eighteen” shake us from the nightmare.  Though he’s vocally great here, Alice does mess up a line and goes in for a re-do.  That’s what makes a real live performance so beautiful.  The lead soloists weave tapestries of tasty hooks as the song goes on.

The fourth and final “Years Ago” delivers the “I’m a little boy…” verse, and it’s a bit weird sounding live with that “Steeeeven, Steven come home!” part included.  A transitional segue consisting of some of the music from “Black Widow” and a lot of original riffing too leads into “Some Folks”.  This is done instrumentally with the twin lead guitars playing the first chorus, until Alice himself enters the fray.  His vocal is undeniable rough here, except when doing the falsetto.  Fortunately it’s a great song and a brilliant performance by the band.

“Cold Ethyl” rocks a little more straightforward than the last few minutes of music.  Cooper delivers the creepy vibe here; a pretty solid version.    A brief musical interlude sets up the opening chords to “Only Women Bleed”.  The keyboard provide the strings, and the delicate picking of Hunter and Wagner is spot on.  Alice is strong here.  He seems to struggle vocally when he sings in that “rough” raspy evil voice, but not so much when singing clean or falsetto.

There is a fade out before “Devil’s Food” and “The Black Widow”, but this duo is a show highlight.  Prakash John gets a bass solo moment between the two, as does everyone else, as it’s ten minutes of music before “Black Widow” begins.  As to that, Vincent Price’s part plays on tape and you know what is coming next.  “Black Widow” lacks the certain special haunting quality of the album version, but this one makes up for it in drum and guitar power.  This is much more a heavy metal exercise in Arachnology.  The only thing that could follow such a song is “Steven”, which is excellent except for some startling screaming during the song that is a big loud when it comes!  Your neighbors will wonder what the hell is going on at your house!

“Welcome to My Nightmare” is reprised, as the show ends appropriately with a trio of “Escape”, “School’s Out” and “Department of Youth”.  “Escape” is a show highlight, the irresistible riff blasting hard (and we get plenty of too).  Alice is pretty solid here too.  “Department of Youth” is an extended outro with loads of playing by the band (and band intros).  It sounds absolutely huge!

This album is really a treasure for Steve Hunter and Dick Wagner fans.  There is so much guitar, all over the entire show.  Jozef Chirowski is really outstanding on keyboards.  This is a player’s Alice Cooper album.  Vocal issues aside, the only issue I had was with the drum sound.  A little flat and thuddy.  This is a 50 year old recording and we admire it for its authenticity.

3.25/5 stars

DVD REVIEW: Alice Cooper – Special Edition EP (2003)

ALICE COOPER – Special Edition EP (2003 ClassicPictures)

Special Edition EP…on a DVD?  Sure, why not.  This unofficial Alice Cooper DVD on a now-defunct label recycles three music videos that Alice recorded for German television in the early 1970s.  It’s the kind of thing that you bought because it was cheap and, again, why not?  Before YouTube made such videos easy to find and watch on demand, a DVD like this was a good way to get some obscure Alice Cooper video clips.

The menu music is generic rock, not Alice, but again this is very unofficial.  “Under My Wheels” (live 1971) begins the DVD, with music recorded live as well as video.  There is a cool “Pop-Up” feature that gives you some trivia as you watch.  Nothing ground breaking that fans were dying to know:  More like “Alice Cooper virtually invented rock theatre.  He changed trends in fashion.  A guy can dress like a girl now.”  Those are actual pop-ups that you get on this DVD.  Fortunately, Alice and the band’s performance is great.  Alice is rocking the spider eye makeup.  The audio isn’t superb or up to modern standards but this probably sounded great on your TV in 1971.

“I’m Eighteen”, recorded in 1972, has more pop-ups such as Alice’s birth date and location.  The band look super psychedelic with rear screen visuals. Alice sings the first verse as “Ma ma ma ma ma, la la la la la,” which is certainly different.  Dennis Dunaway is covered in sequins.  Neal Smith is a monster on the kit.  This is one of the versions where Alice quotes “American Pie” at the end of the song.  One of the 50 most important songs in rock history, according to the pop-up trivia.

“Public Animal #9” is a rare treat from School’s Out.  Recorded in 1972, the rear screen remains, now showing close ups of the band as they play.  The song begins with an instrumental intro that is not on the album.  This instrumental bit is dominated by the melodic basswork of Dennis Dunaway.  Then Michael Bruce and Glen Buxton come in with the riff and the opening guitar melody.  The band “hey hey hey’s!” behind a leather-clad Alice.  A rarity, this is one of the few live versions of this song you can easily buy, behind one on The Sound of A EP.  Alone, worth the price of the DVD.

There are more features.  “Previews” contains 30 second clips of other releases in the series, including:  Deep Purple (with a bit of “Highway Star”), Motorhead (“Ace of Spades”),  and so on.  Each of these artists has a three-song DVD in the series you can buy, with similar TV appearances.  The “DVD Jukebox” feature includes some bonus previews.  This is basically 33 minutes of ads for other DVDs.  Some, but not all, are full songs, but with ads over top rendering them unwatchable.  Jack Bruce’s “Sunshine Of Your Love” is only 90 seconds.  A pretty useless special feature.

The Alice Cooper Special Edition EP (DVD) is only worth the three songs in the main feature.  Purchase accordingly!

3/5 stars

 

VHS Archives #154: Alice Cooper Interview Compilation 1987-88 – MuchMusic Pepsi Power Hour

This collection of Alice Cooper interviews and videos circa 1987-88 was recorded from MuchMusic’s Pepsi Power Hour.

Topics include:

  • Does Alice enjoy playing the “bad guy”?
  • How do you continue to be outrageous?
  • Protest groups & PMRC.
  • Using the horror to spark the imagination.
  • Alice’s recommended horror movies.
  • Guns vs. guillotines.
  • Can a rock concert take it too far?

You’ll also see clips of videos for “The Man Behind the Mask”, “Freedom” and “I’m 18”.

#1187: The Spider

RECORD STORE TALES #1187: The Spider

2008.  Jen and I were newlyweds.  A few people had told us that it was the best wedding they’d ever been to, including some Record Store party people.   I will take partial credit for assembling some killer tunes, but the truth is we did a cool mixture of traditional and unique.  We don’t play by the rules and that’s what our wedding was like.  For instance, I was told that I had to stand at the front of the church and wait for people to arrive, all serious and stationary.  Screw that!  I joined the ushers and I greeted people at the church door as they arrived.  I mingled, I chatted, and I had fun.  I made sure the guests did too.  Later on, the reception was off the hook.

The glow lasted weeks.  Jen and I were the “new couple” and we basked in it a while.  Soon, however, we had to pass the baton on to the next couple.  Some old school friends of Jen’s were tying the knot in Toronto that fall.  While Jen and I still felt like the gleaming new couple, this time we were just guests.  It was kind of a cool feeling.  We were dressed up nicely, but since we were just guests, I didn’t bother with a tie, and I felt way more relaxed.

I didn’t know this couple, but they were very nice and made me feel welcome.  That was difficult, since the guests were almost entirely old highschool friends that I didn’t know, and they’d all break into inside jokes and stories that left me feeling like a 13th wheel.

There was one guy who was definitely not one of their old schoolmates.  Dressed in suit and tie, this man was 10 or 15 years older than us.  He had long black hair specked with grey, in a ponytail, and a fancy goatee.  He sat in the chapel, in the row in front of us.

“Who’s that guy?” I asked somebody.

“Their weed dealer,” came the surprising answer.

“Cool,” I said.  They invited their weed dealer. Nothing more to add.

The bride entered, the ceremony began, and I sat quietly in my seat.  Then, I caught movement out of the corner of my eye.

Movement where there should be no movement…in the drug dealer’s hair.

I watched with mouth agape as the tiniest spider crawled up and down a thread of silk in the man’s hair.  Up and down, up and down.  I could not believe it.  I whispered to Jen.

“Jen…look at his hair…”

It took a moment, but when the spider scooted down his silk fireman’s pole, she saw.

“Oh my God!”  Jen has a fear of spiders.

I just laughed behind my hand.

We may have had a unique wedding, but we definitely didn’t have any hair spiders.  That was something I’ve never seen since.  The happy couple is still together today.  As for the dealer…I do not know what happened to him, but I pray that Shelob never had a meal of him!

#1160: Halloweens Without Bob

RECORD STORE TALES #1160: Halloweens Without Bob

A sequel to #790:  Helluva Halloween

 

The first Halloween costume I distinctly remember wearing was a robot suit.  My mom and dad got a big cardboard box, cut out a head hole and some arm holes, and helped me decorate it with tinfoil.  Then another box became the head.  I drew on buttons and knobs with crayons.  I was so excited to be a robot that night.  That is, until I saw an older kid with a way better robot suit.  His had lights!  I briefly wondered if he was a real robot and dismissed the thought.

My costumes were sometimes store-bought, sometimes home made.  Darth Vader was a plastic mask and glow-in-the-dark sword.  Frankenstein was a costume I made myself, using cardboard to cut a square-ish wig, and green face paint.  It was so difficult to wash all that green off in the bathtub that night.  There was a green ring around the tub that my dad was furious about.  It’s very likely I went out as Empire Strikes Back Han Solo in 1980.  I already had the costume:  a blue hooded snow coat, goggles, with a gun and holster.  Another classic Harrison Ford costume was Indiana Jones.  I used brown makeup to simulate a 5 o’clock shadow, and had a rope-whip and a gun.  I was mistaken for a cowboy, which really peeved me.  How could you have not heard of Indiana Jones in 1981?  Maybe my costume just wasn’t good enough.

In 1984, my mom sewed us elaborate Ewok costumes.  While I wore mine that night, I wore a different costume to school:  that of a Cobra trooper from GI Joe!  I painted some red Cobra logos on a blue helmet, pulled my shirt up over my nose like a balaclava, and armed myself with a rifle.  Back when you could bring toy guns to school!  Weren’t those the days?  School was very particular about Halloween.  You had to participate.  If you didn’t bring a costume to school that day, the teacher would take a garbage bag, cut some holes in it, and force you to wear that.  I’m not kidding.

I went out for Halloween one more time in grade nine, but that was the last year.  I may have only gone to one house:  the “fudge house”.  There was an elderly couple who made home-made fudge.  It was so good, and so popular, that some kids would change costumes and go two or three times.  It was very sugary fudge, but so good.  Then, the era of Bob-Halloweens began!

From grade 10 onwards, Bob Schipper and I started making out own haunted houses.  That’s its own story, but I dressed as Alice Cooper that year. I painted up a black jacket with flames and wore a sword at my side.  Doing Halloween haunted houses was our thing for a few years, each time getting more elaborate.  We had mummies, scary sounds, flashing lights, spiders and cobwebs, and lots more.  It was a passion project.  We would spend a month or two preparing for Halloween.  November 1st always sucked.  Nobody likes cleanup.

When Bob moved on to college and doing his own things, I was left to man the fort by myself.  My first Halloween alone was 1991, and a lonely one it was.  I began preparing to do the haunted house, alone.  Without Bob’s collaboration or input, I made my usual mix tape of scary sounds.  I always took these sounds from cassettes I already owned.  The bit from Judas Priest’s recent “Night Crawler” with Rob Halford talking about the monster at the door was my latest addition to the scary sound library.  When I put the tape together, my sister said there’s “too much Judas Priest!”  She was right, but without Bob, I was left to my own devices.  I did what I wanted to, for better or for worse.

1991 was a lonely Halloween.  It wasn’t fun anymore.  It was a lonely time in general.  Up until then, I looked forward to our Halloween creativity.  I didn’t bother anymore after that.  We were seeing fewer and fewer kids at the front door, and for me, without Bob, what was the point?

 

REVIEW: Alice Cooper – Breadcrumbs (2024)

ALICE COOPER – Breadcrumbs (2024 earMUSIC, expanded reissue of 2019 Edel EP)

Wait a second…”Breadcrumbs“?  I thought the full title was The Breadcrumbs EP?  It was, but with the addition of two bonus tracks, it appears that Breadcrumbs has been upgraded to an album, with a modified title and altered cover art.  Interestingly now the artwork highlights the production of Bob Ezrin.

Back in 2019, Alice Cooper wanted to do a Detroit garage rock record and pay homage to his roots.  The Breadcrumbs EP was originally six tracks of stripped down goodness on 10″ vinyl and limited to 20,000 copies.  (I own #48!)  Now on CD, it is expanded to include the 2020 standalone Covid-era single “Don’t Give Up“, and a live track from 2022.

For the first six tracks (the original EP), Alice is backed by the MC5’s Wayne Kramer, bassist Paul Randolph, Grand Funk’s Railroad Mark Farner, and Detroit Wheel Johnny “Bee” Badanjek. A remake of Alice Cooper’s “Detroit City” (from The Eyes of Alice Cooper) is an appropriate starting point:

Me and Iggy were giggin’ with Ziggy and kickin’ with the MC5,
Ted and Seger were burnin’ with fever,
and let the Silver Bullets fly,
The Kid was in his crib, Shady wore a bib,
and the posse wasn’t even alive.

That’s some rock and roll poetry right there.  Not one of Alice’s finest songs but worthy of a second chance.  Then “Go Man Go” is a new original composition co-written by Wayne Kramer.  It’s punk rock Alice, as authentic as the bands he’s paying tribute to.  Bob Seger’s “East Side Story” is anchored a steady groove, right out of Hendrix’s version of “Gloria”.  A really funky “Your Mama Won’t Like Me” (Suzi Quatro) is the centrepiece of the EP.  Horns blastin’, Alice hasn’t been this funky since his dance-oriented Alice Cooper Goes to Hell in 1976.  “Devil With a Blue Dress On” (Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels) is the soulful side that Alice occasionally shows.  It’s merged with “Chains of Love” (J.J. Barnes) which pulls everything back to rock.  Finally “Sister Anne” by the MC5 puts the snot on the nose and the grime in the rock.  Kramer’s simply awesome riff is perfectly complemented by Cooper.

The world suddenly changed in March of 2020.  By May, Alice had made his statement on Covid-19:  “Don’t Give Up”!  It’s the most direct, most topical, and the least “Alice” song of the bunch.  Why?  Because this time he’s not telling stories, or covering a rock classic.  This time he’s addressing the listening directly and talking about current events.  Wisely, he just stuck to the feelings.

“Yeah, I know you’re struggling right now. We all are, in different ways. It’s like a new world that we don’t even know. It’s hard to sleep, even harder to dream. But look, you got seven billion brothers and sisters all in the same boat! So don’t panic. Life has a way of surviving and going on and on. We’re not fragile and we sure don’t break easy.”

Since it was 2020, the single was recorded in home studios and eventually released on vinyl, with a different version appearing on the Detroit Stories album.  This is the first CD release of the original 2020 version.   Musically you could call “Don’t Give Up” a power ballad.  It has a very 80’s guitar figure, with Alice speaking his message over it.  The chorus is more modern, with Alice singing as plaintively as he can.  It was never a remarkable track, but it was an important one in its time.

2020’s live version of “Go Man Go” features his live band, including Hurricane Nita Strauss on lead guitar.   This is a short blast of live track, and well recorded, at Hellfest 2020.  Probably just because of the live vibe, it’s a more enjoyable listen.

Nobody likes getting double-dipped and having to buy the same thing twice.  However, we’re used to getting fleeced by now.  It’s easy to ignore.

3.5/5 stars

VHS Archives #142: Alice Cooper Does Toronto – From the Rooftop in 1991

Alice Cooper was back in Toronto in 1991, promoting his new album Hey Stoopid in a big way:  by playing on top of the iconic HMV building at 333 Yonge St!  Shades of Let It Be, but with long hair and mascara, Alice’s band rocked the streets below.

Cooper also spoke to MuchMusic’s Michael Williams about the new album, and collaborating with L.A. friends such as Axl Rose.  He dropped a tidbit about their new album and a certain song called “The Garden”.

There’s also a segment here of Alice meeting fans from Operation Rock N’ Roll that same year.  Check it out1

 

 

 

VHS Archives #141: Alice Cooper Talks Trash – April 1989

Out promoting his big new album Trash, MuchMusic’s Terry David Mulligan spoke to Alice Cooper 35 years ago, in April of 1989.  Subjects discussed include Desmond Child, and a return to the sound of Billion Dollar Babies.  Have a watch.

 

Alice Cooper’s Top Five Albums + Rarities, with Harrison & Jex

Awesome show tonight hosted by Harrison and Jex!  Top Five Alice Cooper albums, plus a nice collection from Harrison for bonus show & tell.  Harrison has three Alice Cooper albums that I would like to steal from his house.  Which ones?  You’ll have to watch to find out.  But you can check out the boys’ Top Fives below!  And as a bonus, I’ll throw in my Top Five as well.  Check ’em out!

This was one of my favourite shows to watch!  Thank you to Harrison and Jex for doing such an amazing job!  This was a great set of lists, and some awesome show & tell from Harrison.  My list will be drastically different from theirs!

Thanks for watching and we’ll see ya next week for my birthday!

JEX

5. Special Forces (1981)
4. Trash (1989)
3. Constrictor (1986)
2. Killer (1971)
1. Flush The Fashion (1980)

 

HARRISON

5. The Last Temptation (1994)
4. Welcome To My Nightmare (1975)
3. Flush The Fashion (1980)
2. Dirty Diamonds (2005)
1. Special Forces (1981)

 

LeBRAINLESS

5. Welcome 2 My Nightmare (2011)
4. Killer (1971)
3. Love It To Death (1971)
2. Welcome To My Nightmare (1975)
1. School’s Out (1972)

 

Grab A Stack of Alice Cooper with Harrison & Jex: LeBRAINLESS!

GRAB A STACK OF ROCK With the Mad Metal Man & Jexciter: LeBRAINLESS!

Episode 28:  Alice Cooper Rarities & Cinco de Listo!

I’ve been wanting to do something for a long time:  Take a day off, sit back, and watch Harrison host the show without me.  Seriously!  I’ve always wanted to do that.  Today I get my wish.  For the first time ever, I get to watch Grab A Stack of Rock from the audience.

Join Harrison and Jex tonight as they show off highlights of their their Alice Cooper collections!  They will also be bringing back “Cinco de Listo” for the first time in ages, to count down an Alice Cooper TBA list that will rock your minds.

With the Coop’s 29th (not including the Hollywood Vampires!) new studio album Road coming soon, the time is perfect to revisit one of the greatest stars in all of metal history.  Ladies and gentlemen…Alice Cooper!

Friday July 14 at 8:00 P.M. E.S.T. / 9:00 P.M. Atlantic.  Enjoy on YouTube or on Facebook!