Yeah, that's true! Like you said, it makes absolutely no sense because he was responsible for a large amount of Alice Cooper classics. Incidentally, I read an old interview with Neal Smith where he complains about people calling the band "The Alice Cooper Group" or "The Alice Cooper Band"... there seems to be this bitterness that still exists over Alice Cooper being the name of the band, a name which was subsequently hijacked by the lead vocalist changing his name to Alice Cooper, dumping the group and going solo.
The thing is, there's nothing more that I'd love to refer to the band solely as "Alice Cooper", but it would make talking to people who are unaware of the difference between Alice Cooper "the band" and Alice Cooper "the solo artist" a total ballache. I feel sorry for the other members of the band, to be honest.
― You’re being too simplistic and you’re insulting my poor heart (Turrican), Thursday, 18 December 2014 21:06 (nine years ago) link
wait isn't he Furnier credited as "Alice Cooper" on those early record sleeves
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 18 December 2014 21:09 (nine years ago) link
like I thought that name change happened before he dumped the band
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 18 December 2014 21:10 (nine years ago) link
Yeah. He didn't change his name until 1972.
― EZ Snappin, Thursday, 18 December 2014 21:11 (nine years ago) link
Incidentally, I read an old interview with Neal Smith where he complains about people calling the band "The Alice Cooper Group" or "The Alice Cooper Band"... there seems to be this bitterness that still exists over Alice Cooper being the name of the band, a name which was subsequently hijacked by the lead vocalist changing his name to Alice Cooper, dumping the group and going solo.
^Dickie Betts always had the same problem with the name "Allman Brothers Band". I guess he was originally for it, but after Duane died it kind of made Gregg de facto leader even though Dickie was the musical force of the band.
― Prince Kajuku (Bill Magill), Thursday, 18 December 2014 21:21 (nine years ago) link
Dave Gilmour should've changed his name to Pink Floyd
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 18 December 2014 21:29 (nine years ago) link
around 1980 or so
Yeah, it's true that Mr. Furnier was credited as "Alice Cooper" on the sleeves of the albums well before the band disintegrated, but Vincent Furnier was still his legal name. He had his name legally changed to Alice Cooper in 1974 (the same year the band disintegrated), so Alice Cooper has actually been his legal, official name since then.
― You’re being too simplistic and you’re insulting my poor heart (Turrican), Thursday, 18 December 2014 22:03 (nine years ago) link
So yeah, I mean, even though he was known as Alice Cooper, the lead singer of the five-piece rock band Alice Cooper, he didn't have his name legally changed to his stage name until some point after Muscle of Love and before his first solo album Welcome To My Nightmare. I guess in a way this could be seen as him legally hijacking the name of the band, even though he was already known by that name.
― You’re being too simplistic and you’re insulting my poor heart (Turrican), Thursday, 18 December 2014 22:16 (nine years ago) link
^Dickie Betts always had the same problem with the name "Allman Brothers Band". I guess he was originally for it, but after Duane died it kind of made Gregg de facto leader even though Dickie was the musical force of the band.― Prince Kajuku (Bill Magill), Thursday, December 18, 2014 9:21 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― Prince Kajuku (Bill Magill), Thursday, December 18, 2014 9:21 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
Yeah... I mean, Michael Bruce obviously had a large hand in writing a lot of Cooper classics, and I think most fans recognise this. Hell, he deserves all the acclaim in the world for writing the music to 'No More Mr. Nice Guy' alone! Let's not forget though, the contributions of the other guys: before Glen Buxton started getting too fucked up to play, he wrote the main riff to 'School's Out'! 'Billion Dollar Babies' (the song) wouldn't have existed if Neal Smith hadn't come up with that main drum part first, and Dennis Dunaway single-handedly came up with 'Black Juju'. That band had such an underrated rhythm section too: Smith's drumming on 'Billion Dollar Babies' and Dunaway's bass playing in general, but particularly on 'Gutter Cat vs. The Jets'. Sure, Furnier may have had a large hand in lyrics/concepts/the visual side, and producer Bob Ezrin more than played his part too as an arranger, but musically that band were definitely a unit, and it's such a shame that when people hear the name Alice Cooper, they think of one person and not the incredibly talented, incredibly classic five-piece band.
And sure, Furnier may have struck it lucky with Welcome To My Nightmare, and I still believe DaDa to be an incredibly underrated and classic record (both records driven by Bob Ezrin and Dick Wagner as much as Furnier), but when you go to see him live, large portions of his set are songs from when he was the lead singer of the band and not a solo artist.
― You’re being too simplistic and you’re insulting my poor heart (Turrican), Thursday, 18 December 2014 22:44 (nine years ago) link
I guess in a way this could be seen as him legally hijacking the name of the band, even though he was already known by that name.
it's p obvious as a legal move - at the same time, I would say the groundwork for that was pretty clearly laid by appearing publicly as "Alice Cooper" as part of a band that also happens to be called "Alice Cooper". Inviting that kind of confusion was clearly to his personal advantage.
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 18 December 2014 22:48 (nine years ago) link
Oh yeah, there's a laugh-out-loud funny moment in the Bob Greene book. He's sitting with Glen Buxton in his hotel room, and Buxton is showing Greene some the poems and writings and stuff in his notebook, and suddenly Buxton says something along the lines of "oh, some of the messages I write in there are in code, so if says 'buy Cocaine' it means I need to pick up the groceries" (!!!)
This conversation takes place near the end of the tour, and it says a lot that Buxton actually has no idea that Greene has been on the whole tour, such is his disconnect from the rest of the band and the situation in general.
― You’re being too simplistic and you’re insulting my poor heart (Turrican), Friday, 19 December 2014 21:57 (nine years ago) link
man that book must be rare. we have a great library system in minneapolis, they do have a copy but it's listed a "library use only" meaning you can read it there but you can't check it out
found a couple of shady download links...but there is this:
it's a site where you can download stuff if you get a paid membership, but there is in-browser reader that you can make full screen and read the whole thing it looks like, not the most fun way to read but i checked and it goes $60 and up online
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/62794170/BILLION-DOLLAR-BABIES-by-Bob-Greene-an-Alice-Cooper-biography-BILLION-DOLLAR-BABIES
― waddy watchel (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, 19 December 2014 22:34 (nine years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVHUyDxmi_Q&list=RDJVHUyDxmi_Q
― ©Oz Quiz© (Adam Bruneau), Saturday, 28 March 2015 17:29 (nine years ago) link
VH1 Classic showed Super Duper Alice Cooper last night. It's a pretty great documentary, especially if you dig the Alice Cooper (the band, not the man) period.
― ^^^ NOT METAL (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Saturday, 4 April 2015 20:17 (nine years ago) link
Dang, looks like it was showing again at 7:00PM tonight, don't know if they will show it again, don't see it on the schedule.
Definitely dig the band and think they were undersung. Always think the same thing about Elton John's classic lineup. Obviously that is a much different situation in terms of who was doing the songwriter, but in terms of a band that played well together and made great records, well..
― Is It Because I'm Blecch (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 5 April 2015 02:36 (nine years ago) link
Complete Warner Bros. Studio Albums Box: http://www.amazon.com/Studio-Albums-1969-1983-CAB-15/dp/B00ZGVMKU6/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1436212419&sr=1-1&keywords=alice+cooper+box+set
― Love, Wilco (C. Grisso/McCain), Monday, 6 July 2015 19:54 (eight years ago) link
damn it. I don't have the later stuff but I don't need to replace the early stuff either. Grr.
― EZ Snappin, Monday, 6 July 2015 21:19 (eight years ago) link
Looks like this is the 2011 Japanese remasters, at least for all the stuff through the 70s. Ugh. No money.
― EZ Snappin, Monday, 6 July 2015 21:44 (eight years ago) link
Found some money. Box set arrived today.
― EZ Snappin, Wednesday, 5 August 2015 19:42 (eight years ago) link
So our own EZ Snappin there was a little bit of history tonight...
https://twitter.com/EZSnappin/status/651598763157381120
https://twitter.com/EZSnappin/status/651599309297709057
https://twitter.com/EZSnappin/status/651606411059707904
And some more:
https://twitter.com/RobertWilonsky/status/651599023820832768
https://twitter.com/RobertWilonsky/status/651604977136177153
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 7 October 2015 04:36 (eight years ago) link
AT a little bit of history, but sure he's a little bit of history now too!
This was amazing. Don't know what else to say.
― EZ Snappin, Wednesday, 7 October 2015 06:58 (eight years ago) link
What'd they play?
― A. Begrand, Wednesday, 7 October 2015 07:09 (eight years ago) link
Erik, you lucky bastard! Jealousy doesn't even cover it... what did they play!?
― Turrican, Wednesday, 7 October 2015 10:31 (eight years ago) link
Alice Cooper = one of the best bands of the '70s, full stop.
― Turrican, Wednesday, 7 October 2015 10:34 (eight years ago) link
Wooooooooah
― Comme Si, Kamasi (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 7 October 2015 11:41 (eight years ago) link
So is Glen Buxton still alive?
― Terry Micawber (Tom D.), Wednesday, 7 October 2015 11:43 (eight years ago) link
No ;_;
Setlist:
http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/alice-cooper/2015/good-records-dallas-tx-73f40e01.html
Report:
http://ultimateclassicrock.com/alice-cooper-band-reunion/
And a Periscope:
https://www.periscope.tv/w/1DXGywbpWMkxM
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 7 October 2015 14:04 (eight years ago) link
And another report:
http://www.dallasobserver.com/music/alice-cooper-played-a-surprise-reunion-with-his-original-band-at-good-records-7663648
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 7 October 2015 14:39 (eight years ago) link
Apparently they've done this at the Cooperstown restaurant in recent years
― Comme Si, Kamasi (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 7 October 2015 14:44 (eight years ago) link
Interesting. Michael, Neal and Dennis told the crowd it was the first time the three of them had all been together since the Hall of Fame induction.
― EZ Snappin, Wednesday, 7 October 2015 15:40 (eight years ago) link
who's the lead guitarist?
― Thus Sang Freud, Wednesday, 7 October 2015 16:33 (eight years ago) link
Apparently they've done this at the Cooperstown restaurant in recent years― Comme Si, Kamasi (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, October 7, 2015 2:44 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― Comme Si, Kamasi (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, October 7, 2015 2:44 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
That was 16 years ago!
― Turrican, Wednesday, 7 October 2015 16:37 (eight years ago) link
23rd October 1999: CoopersTown, Phoenix16th December 2010: Dodge Theatre, Phoenix14th March 2011: Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame11th May 2011: Battersea Power Station, London6th October 2015: Dallas, Texas
― Turrican, Wednesday, 7 October 2015 16:41 (eight years ago) link
11th May 2011: Battersea Power Station, London
That wasn't a proper gig but some kind of "hologram" live broadcast.
― schlep and back trio (anagram), Wednesday, 7 October 2015 16:48 (eight years ago) link
Ryan Roxie from the current Alice Cooper lineup.
― EZ Snappin, Wednesday, 7 October 2015 19:22 (eight years ago) link
makes sense. must have been a thrill for him.
― Thus Sang Freud, Thursday, 8 October 2015 00:12 (eight years ago) link
have you got the time to tell me did they play "is it my body?"
― La Lechera, Thursday, 8 October 2015 01:45 (eight years ago) link
They did. It was awesome.
Looks like they joined Alice for his set tonight opening for Motley Crue. I would totally go if they toured.
― EZ Snappin, Thursday, 8 October 2015 02:05 (eight years ago) link
omgdid they do the extended "goin' to the graveyard" part or the album version?
― La Lechera, Thursday, 8 October 2015 02:06 (eight years ago) link
I think it was just the shorter version.
Set list:
Caught in a Dream (sung by Michael)
Alice then joined them:
Be My LoverI'm EighteenIs It My BodyNo More Mr. Nice GuyUnder My WheelsSchool's Out
Encore:
Elected
― EZ Snappin, Thursday, 8 October 2015 02:09 (eight years ago) link
shut up
elected!!
― La Lechera, Thursday, 8 October 2015 02:59 (eight years ago) link
Which he ended by urging us all to vote as long as it wasn't for him.
― EZ Snappin, Thursday, 8 October 2015 03:13 (eight years ago) link
Full set is up. A little rocky, especially at the start, but once Alice comes out it's a lot of fun.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=sQuYnldPlqY
― EZ Snappin, Thursday, 8 October 2015 05:46 (eight years ago) link
Whenever I get on a kick of listening to those Alice Cooper albums from 1971-1974, I always find myself thinking that it was a shame that a band that good didn't get back together after a temporary break. I often wonder how many great albums they had in them, and whether Muscle of Love (as much as I love the highlights of that record) would have been just a temporary dip.
― Turrican, Thursday, 8 October 2015 18:17 (eight years ago) link
Alice's dip into addiction and Bernie Taupin might've just meant we got the same albums with a better backing band
― jimmy falloff (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Thursday, 8 October 2015 19:07 (eight years ago) link
Hmm. I guess the lyrics could have had some of the same themes but musically they would have been very different, definitely. I couldn't imagine Bruce/Buxton/Dunaway/Smith going for some of the disco/funk type of tracks that ended up on Goes To Hell and I definitely can't imagine the original band going "new wave" as Alice did in the early '80s. There may have been some wet ballads, but on the whole I think the LP's would have rocked and had interesting musical passages.
― Turrican, Thursday, 8 October 2015 19:15 (eight years ago) link
I love a good alternate universe thought experiment, too, but how many hard rock bands made it past '74 without succumbing to some dumb fads or attempts at commercial accessibility?
― jimmy falloff (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Thursday, 8 October 2015 20:12 (eight years ago) link