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.  Recoreded 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