Halo of flies is definitely Alice's "Freebird". Killer is my favorite album of theirs. The whole album is worth your attention, as is all of their early 70s collection.
You recognized the lyrical allusion to the jazz standard "My Favorite Things", of which John Coltrane did a famous cover. "Killer is one of the best albums of Alice Cooper.
My Favorite Things might have become a bit of a jazz standard over time but it was originally one of the standout tracks from The Sound of Music film ... hardly a jazz based soundtrack. But I agree about Alice Cooper's use of it in Halo of Flies.
@@frankpentangeli7945 Alice Cooper did use some jazz influences in some of his songs, most notably in songs like "Crazy Little Child" and "Blue Turk". He also used Broadway musicals in his songs, most notably "West Side Story" in songs like "Looney Tunes" and "Gutter Cat vs. the Jets". I think Alice Cooper's music is a lot deeper than most people realize.
@@j.woodbury412 I never said he didn't. In fact he most certainly did use jazz influences in multiple instances. All I said (or implied) was that My Favorite Things is NOT jazz, though various jazz artists did write adaptations of the tune.
Justin please consider a full album listen of "Killer". It's a masterpiece with not a weak song on it. My favorite album by the band. The other 3 essential Alice albums are "Love it to Death", "Schools Out" and "Billion Dollar Babies". All are worth a full album listen and yes, they are all early albums by the Alice Cooper band. Alice has had many backing bands over the years, but to me as an early 70's fan back then, none ever equaled these guys.
Alice was awesome in the early 70's, my first concert was Alice Cooper doing his Killer tour, and just introducing the School's Out album. that concert sold 80,000 plus tickets.
Alice Cooper during this time, including Killer, Billion Dollar Babies, Love It To Death, are my fave albums. They're full of eclectic sounds, borrowing from various genres, and are loaded with swagger and vamp. And I love that you can always hear what everybody is playing - they don't fall all over each other.
Damn right. I was so excited with Alice comeback in 1986 but man was i disappointed. Sadly he has kept the awfull 80´s metal sound up untill his recent album.
SUCH a great song, it's pretty rare I'm mind-boggled about the composing of songs, but damn! so many parts to this thing, always captivating and entertaining, with so many unexpected directions taken and themes explored. And to think I first heard it on my friend's old Telefunken stereo in his basement so long ago.
Great starting point for 70s Cooper! Honestly his peak years creatively was from 1971-1977. Any future Alice reactions should be chosen from those 6 years
The band Alice Cooper is, for me anyway, the way to go. "Killer" and "Love It To Death" are classics. I bought "Killer" when it first came out, and use to be a fan club member back then too. I've posted quite a few early group videos on YT, and actually had Cindy Dunaway, wife of Dennis, and brother of Neil Smith, leave comments., which was really cool!
Alice Cooper Band getting Proggy, in a Great way! Try "Hard-Hearted Alice" from Muscle of Love; "Ballad of Dwight Fry" from Love it to Death; "My Stars" from School's Out. The Band was in it's heyday from 71-75. Great stuff and great reaction, Justin!
At this point Alice Cooper was a band, in other words Alice Cooper was *_them_* "Killer" was the fourth out of seven albums released by the band Alice Cooper "Welcome to My Nightmare" (1975) was the first album by the artist Alice Cooper. From that point until now Alice Cooper is *_him_*
Alice once said there was "nothing Alice won't do" musically. He can handle anything from show tunes, to ballads, to jazz, to blues, to rock, metal, and industrial. He can pull it all off.
This was the album where Alice Cooper started to gain real attention from the world of rock and roll. It is actually a very progressive album though it has a couple of great singles on it. Around this time is when no less than Bob Dylan praised Alice Cooper as a songwriter, (though as noted, AC referred to the band at this point, not Vincent Furnier himself). I saw him live at the Greek Theater in LA and they performed this on the Paranormal tour at that time. He likes to find young, talented musicians who are trying to work their way up and incorporate them into his band, giving them exposure, fun, and occasionally stitches - some of the stage props can cause injuries, according to his current lead guitarist, Nita Strauss. When they do this live these days, Alice actually leaves the stage in the latter part to to put the spotlight on his band members.
Back when Alice Cooper was a band and their music was varied and inspired. Killer is my favorite Alice Cooper album. I remember like it was yesterday, I was six or seven years old and a classmate's father had this record and hung up the calendar poster for the year 1972 contained in the cover. Alice was hanging from a rope. it's an image that marked me for years and much later I ended up buying this record !!! .-)
Alice Cooper from 1974 and earlier was the band name. In 1975 when they split, Alice took the name as his own. He has some great solo stuff, but the best songs musically are the original band. He/they have crossed many genres. Alice is the Godfather of shock rock.
Back then this was a real band, and it shows here. Later he used several different band members.. Random recommandation this reminded me of: German group "Birth Control" with "Gamma Ray". So called Kraut-Rock, it fits in era and style, and if you love a grove, organ and drums, it's a real treat. It's their only 'hit', and still somewhat obscure especially outside Germany, but I think it would fit right in with the material on this channel!
Hello Justin ! Good choice man ! You Must Listen to the whole album ! it's great !! At first, Vincent Furnier is the singer of the group named "Alice Cooper", and all of the group is strong until 1975. Then he's been a solo Alice Cooper since 1975. Bob Ezrin is producer from the first days, he'll work later with P. Gabriel - 1st album, Lou Reed - Berlin, Pink Floyd - The Wall. In short, beautiful clothes !
As I mentioned before, my sister brought this album into the house and changed my mental record player. I wore this thing out. Great band and album, from this I bought Billion Dollar Babies and Muscle Of Love. Nice warm cooper in the morning. Love Desperado on this album, written for Doors Jim Morrison, but sadly turned down, so he does a similar vocal to Jim. The guy can sing when he wants to. Peace and I think it was Mellotron too Music
WOW!! JUST Now hearing your reactions for the first time and you open up with Halo of Flies?? My All Time Favorite Alice Cooper track!! The Original Alice Cooper Band was so Far better than when he decided to go solo!! Don't believe me? Just ask Alice Cooper followers!! Look forward to hearing more reactions from you. Guess I gotta subscribe now!! Thanks to for you not only getting into the music but into the lyrics as well. Not many reactioners do that especially on first listen!!
NOW you're talking. Desperado from this album is my favorite though, and Under My Wheels a great single hit. It is finally dawning on me why I like your channel so much. When I was younger and made friends with unsuspecting people I would ultimately invite them to my home and subject them to listening to my music. This is similar. You tease us with a selection and then we respond with, "yeah but check this out..." which was my way for sharing my passion for music with my friends. Some enjoyed it, and some ran screaming...haha.
Loved "Halo of Flies" when I was 13. I then learned this song when I could do one part... and then you hit the open E string ! Then move up the fret. Still an open E string. Great stuff.
Man, JP, you have got me SO STOKED! You're already digging deeper into Alice than anyone else on TH-cam, and it's only your second song of his. Or, I guess I could say their's, since Alice Cooper was also the name of the band. Alice has been my favorite since 1972 when my buddy played me "Black Juju" from the album before 'Killer', 'Love It To Death'. I went out and bought "School's Out", then 'Killer', 'Love It To Death' and then his first two albums (you'll praobably want to stay away from them). Then 'Billion Dollar Babies' came out, and I've bought all of his albums as they were released since then. I am indescribably happy that you're checking out early Alice. Five really great albums to choose from. I hope you hit them all. In '75 he left the band and went solo with 'Welcome To My Nightmare', another fantastic album, but it's not raw like the earlier stuff. If you want full on heavy metal/industrial Alice, go to 'Brutal Planet' and its companion album 'Dragon Town'. Full on frontal assault of your ears. Very good. FYI: The title song of 'Billion Dollar Babies' is a duet with Donovan (yes, that Donovan). One of his most popular songs. It's a must listen! Thank you so much for this video. I'm so glad you liked your first taste of early Alice. Peace! edit: If you want Nick Cave-ish sound and style from Alice, check out "Desperado", also from 'Killer'. He wrote it for his deceased friend, Jim Morrison.
Alice Cooper was the name of the lead singer AND the band, originally. This was 1971. The band broke up in 1974 and Alice went solo in 1975. It gets even more complicated from there, but Alice has done at least one song in just about every genre: rockabilly, gospel, disco, industrial, metal, soft pop, etc. Most of the albums were just soundtracks for the stage show. You really need to see a live concert to get the full experience.
I was a big Alice Cooper fan in the '70s. I finally got to see an Alice Cooper performance at Des Moines Iowa veterans Auditorium "Welcome to My Nightmare Tour". It was outstanding. It began with Alice and the band on a big screen with them walking through their different projections. What great production values! The opening band was The James gang with Iowa's own Tommy Bolin on lead guitar. But this is one of my favorite of all times from Alice Cooper's KILLER LP.
"Creepy Baroque Pop" is a great description of Alice Cooper! My brother had the Killer album, and the song on Killer before this one, "Be My Lover", is a more conventional pop hit kind of song with rough edges. And Alice released quite a few of them as hits - "I'm 18", "School's Out", etc. But the creepy progressive long tracks are good, too. I would recommend "Ballad of Dwight Fry" from their Love It To Death album.
Finally a song review where someone gets it! Recall the time span this was composed in. The focus on each member of the band having their particular moment is the main purpose. That and allowing Alice to escape for a costume change during the set is what I believe is why this was created in it's mastery.
Early Alice was a great addition to the 1970s music scene. Love it to Death, Killer, schools out and especially Billion Dollar Babies totally rocked. You can’t go wrong with any of those albums. When Alice went solo, he lost most of his edge.
HOOOOLY SHIT. Haven't even listened to this one yet, but I'm STOKED. I don't think I've _seen_ anyone react to this particular song (which is easily one of my top 5 Alice Cooper songs ever), and I watch a LOT of reaction channels. Looking forward to this!
Saw this live back in 72. Neil Smith had a great stage presence as well. Dunaway on bass equally dynamic on stage. This band went on to do Billion Dollar Babies and School’s Out
'Ole Audiophile here, This was Alice Cooper/the band's fourth album, their second on Warner Brothers Records. Both Love It To Death & Killer present the extreme pinnacle of the acts talents, there is not a single bad song on either. Love It To Death will always be my favorite but Killer is a very close second. These two records have probably influenced more musicians over the decades since than just about any other hard rock band albums in existence.
Frank Zappa found them, signed them to his label Straight Rule Records. After two releases, Zappa did his part by passing them up the ladder to a bigger label to help the band receive the attention in the studio they desperately needed to Warner Brothers.
In reply to your query, Alice Cooper wasn't able to maintain the quality of his act because they pushed it so far 'commercially'. Some songs became stale & baloney as to break up the original act & go solo. I like many Alice Cooper's later albums but there was NEVER any topping these two releases, they were stunningly different.
Try Ballad of Dwight Fry or I'm Eighteen from love it to Death. The band Alice Cooper had a run of great albums (love it to Death, killer, schools out, and Billion Dollar Babies) in the 70s before he became a solo act with hired backing musicians in the 80s and beyond. Very much hair metallish in that later phase.
I have seen Alice a couple of times. This album is what I would call "Classical Metal". I bought this in 1972 when in the 8th grade. I already had "Im 18" on 45 for awhile. Love It To Death was a good album but Killer....killed it. I saw the Welcome To My Nightmare show....awesome. Then in the 2000s I saw him.
This song takes me back to my middle school days back in the early 70's. I remember when I first heard of Alice Cooper from a friend in gym class. I was like, "Alice Cooper? Who's she?". "Na, man, Alice Cooper is a dude." My 13 year old brain was confused there for a while.
Killer and Love it To Death are great albums from the "Alice Cooper group" as a lot of people now call it - until the album Welcome To My Nightmare, Alice Cooper was a band, after that it became about the singer who took the name of the band as his own. I like both, but they are very different beasts.
Alice Cooper was a band I had been embarrassed to admit liking when I was young. I'm 67 so I was almost 18 when "I'm Eighteen" came out. But these days, I really respect three of their first four albums. Alice Cooper was never as great later on after he went out as a single. This song is one of my favorites.
Ahhh, this's more like it... Poison!, ptewi. This is the good stuff. Rockier, experimental (for the time), and sometimes meandering. But in a good way. Here, I particularly like the nod to both Julie Andres, and The Arabian Knights. A great tune that weave though a few styles, but always with an impeccable flow. Part of the golden age of A.C.
I really have neglected the early Alice Cooper so it was nice to hear this again. Unmistakably prog which they did dabble with to an extent though the US hard rock style morphed into a heavy pop style later.
I’m glad you acknowledged the strengths of the band, because back then, on their first seven albums, Alice Cooper was a full-fledged band. Both the singer and the band went by the name Alice Cooper. And they truly were a band- a good deal of songs were written by the other members without Alice even involved (although this particular one was written by the entire band). And it wasn’t like Alice just recruited a bunch of random musicians to back him up either; he and the other band members were schoolmates in Arizona and had been playing together for years before Frank Zappa discovered them, pioneering the pairing of rock music and horror theatricality even way back then. You should see if you can find their reunion performance at their Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. It was so cool getting to see them play together again after so many years (well, except for guitarist Glen Buxton who, unfortunately, died back in 1997).
As a teenager, well still today I loved this song. Thank you for covering it..I wanted to suggest it, but others beat me to it. If you like the feel of Halo of Flies and the James Bond thing, try out Unfinished Sweet. I think you'l get a kick out of it. It's James Bond visits a dentist.
Grew up in the valley of the sun and watched them evolve from a joke to the most popular band at the teen clubs (which were common then) They were the spyders. Another popular group then was beans, who became the tubes.
I was 11 in 1971 and Alice Cooper and Black Sabbath was the first bands that put out the spooky tunes. Both bands were a smash hit back then and still are in my book. Nowadays, slayer is the same, very spooky hard core heavy metal. I am partial to this kinda music.
You wanna try it tripping 😱 Halo of flies, can take on a really dark meaning … ‘My Stars’ is also a classic of the old Alice Cooper band. Bare in mind the Manson family were on trial in LA at the time and Alice was singing about ‘Dead Babies’
Middle part ... "Daggers and contacts and bright shiny limos".... Same notes as when Julia Andrew's sings , "These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things." ... Sound of Music film.
There is a song on the album "Muscle of Love" (the last album by the Alice Cooper group) called "The Man with the Golden Gun" that has a very "James Bond" sound to it. In fact, they were hoping it would be the theme from the James Bond movie of the same name.
Does the 'Man' make the band, or does the band make the 'Man'? There's this old, old guy touring right now being billed as 'Alice Cooper' & Band, but it can't be him. I saw him put to death on stage with a guillotine in June 1973!!! So this must be an imposter! Or maybe it's his 'Killer'! Try "Billion Dollar Babies' or 'Love It To Death' for more nightmares. Peace.
I have subscribed because I can tell that you are really picking up on details that the true fans appreciate about the music. Watching someone else discover and appreciate what you see in an artist is what makes us want to watch reaction videos. So thanks.
This was great to hear JP - I really love the synth pulse at the intro. I am not too familiar with most of Alice Cooper's work - 'Schools Out' was a hit single in the UK and I know and I particularly love the song 'Elected'. Now the obligatory plug - I think you will completely flip over 'This Wheels on Fire' by Julie Driscoll with Brian Auger and the Trinity. Possibly the pinnacle of early Psyche-Prog - smothered in mellotron and Hammond organ. Keep up the good work.
My favorite album by Alice is Billion Dollar Babies. Alice had a string of hits with heavy radio play. Schools Out, I'm Eighteen, No More Mr Nice Guy, Teenage Lament '74, and Welcome to My Nightmare.
Hard Hearted Alice from Muscle of Love has always been a favorite of mine. I also recommend Caught in a Dream, their first hit I'm Eighteen, Is it My Body, Ballad of Dwight Frye, Under My Wheels,Billion Dollar Babies, No More Mr. Nice Guy, Hello Hooray.....just to name a few!!!
Nice reaction! Highly recommend maybe doing the entire album. Alice Cooper's early stuff fit No box... Amazing talent, Amazing story lines... Thank you for taking a trip down Alice's highway... Taking into consideration, This album is from 1971 Alice & the band were way ahead of the time's in pretty much every way. Take care, Cheers from Canada!
Thank you so very much Justin! His early stuff was so much more unique for the time, and the concerts in the 70's were equal to any Las Vegas show. Saw him 5 times during that phase.
I've missed most of Alice Cooper, and now, thanks to you (and the people commenting here who know how it all works) I now get some idea of why Alice Cooper is so popular. (I've liked what I've heard of this music, but not enough to really get into it, in the past). Thanks.
If you'd like some piano (and eventually violin) music based on some work of literature (I'm guessing - else why a Night at the Library?) here's another one of those new song-by-song releases from that online concert of *Major Parkinson* th-cam.com/video/bNjCuPgXmmw/w-d-xo.html ( *Before the Helmets* ) (I think it's possible that all the songs they chose for that concert were ones based on novels members of the band have enjoyed. For instance the last one, the new single at the end, is based on Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle, and Isabel is based on a story by Franz Kafka).
Nearly forgot! I don't know if your love of ELP has led you to any of the covers by *Rachel Flowers* . If not, you can now hear her as a guitarist capable of playing Zappa's parts in Zappa plays Zappa (after all that Keith Emerson on keyboards she did till he committed suicide). That's a prodigy if ever I heard of one: can Zappa a guitar, and can Emerson any keyboard instrument. (And she can sing, too). Here's her in the band playing *Montana* th-cam.com/video/nBiWNLhX3Vc/w-d-xo.html (If she looks a bit "odd" to you, it'll be mainly because she's blind.)
Wonderful reaction to such a classic Alice epic! I also appreciate your constant positive vibes! The only thing I can tell you is to check out the albums Billion Dollar Babies, Love It To Death, Killer, and songs like Black Juju, or The Ballad Of Dwight Frye...pretty darn intense!. One of my faves is a hard rocker called Long Way To Go, and of course, the legendary School's Out! Peace ☮️
So glad you came back to Alice....I was among those suggesting this....Steven from the Welcome to my Nightmare album is also a masterpiece..as are many more from this album...acyually...any 70s Cooper you cant go wrong lol...heavy like Sabbath??...try I Love the Dead
As others have noted, there were two versions of Alice: the band, and the man. The band, sadly, ended after Muscle of Love in 1973, and Alice the man continued (and continues) on. If you want some truly strange and avant garde music (and I love every moment of them), check out the band's first two albums, Pretties for You and Easy Action.
So excited to hear your reaction to early Alice. This is only one of the band's homage to James Bond, in fact, they wrote a song specifically for the movie, "The Man With The Golden Gun" ,which is on the 1974 album "Muscle Of Love", but it was rejected in favour of the singer Lulu's version, [written by John Barry, I believe.]. The band were into expressing all of their musical and theatrical influences, eg. Westerns-"Desperado" [off the "Killer" album, which was also a a tribute to Jim Morrison -they were friends-], Sci-fi movies, eg, "My Stars", from the album "School's Out" -a song inspired by the movie "The Day The Earth Stood Still"- a song worth checking out actually! as well as the" West Side Story " inspired "Gutter Cat VS The Jets", also from "School's Out". There's not enough time to write it all here, but they absolutely have a vast range of styles. Alice does have a very wide vocal range, he can sing gently and with great power. Love his voice. Great musicians in this band, but you pointed out Neil 'the octopus' Smith, in particular, [so described because his arms were everywhere on the drums], so maybe you should check out the track "Billion Dollar Babies" from the album of the same name, next. The song was built around the drums AND it has Donovan singing dual vocals with Alice!!!. It's an awesome track. Oh, I could write about their musical history for ages, but this is already long, lol. There is just so much to explore with this band and THEN there's Alice's solo career, starting with the album "Welcome To My Nightmare", which I'd put money on [and I'm no gambler] that you would love. Just try the title track first. Phew!. Going now. Great reaction Justin.
First album I ever bought, in 1973, was Alice Cooper. He's been a huge part of my life since then. This is a very good album, as are nearly all his 70s albums. From The Inside is my favourite - written with Elton John's lyricist, Bernie Taupin and featuring Elton's band.
1. The entire album is about different kinds of killers' spies. gunfighters, negligent parents and so forth. Listen to "Desperado" 2. Back then, at the height of the Cold War, we were culturally obsessed with spies. James Bond, I Spy, the Man from Uncle, Secret Agent, even Get Smart.
I myself never was an Alice Cooper fan,but 3 of his albums i like. School's Out/Billion Dollar Babies... and KILLER. Yep.. u came in from the wrong side with Poison. But hey, we all did it sometimes. Like.. Abacab.. yeah it was ok, but not my cup.. and then missing out on firth of fift or supper's ready and so on. I liked your revelation on A. C.
Sure, you really oughta do this whole album now. Maybe just jump into the last song, Killer, next as it’s another 60s spy movie inspired sound like Halo. But go back all the goodness of this album before you move to Billion Dollar Babies. I’ll be anticipating Generation Landslide…
In the late 60s and early to mid 70s, Alice Cooper was the name of the band. Alice(Vincent Fournier) legally changed his name to Alice Cooper after the band split in ‘74 and embarked on an impressive solo career…of which he’s still touring and putting out albums. He’s currently working on 2 new albums after releasing his 28th studio album last year called Detroit Stories. If you want a heavy sound from Alice, check out Brutal Planet which released in ‘99 or 2000. Super heavy album with serious subject matter and blistering guitar work. Btw, The original band was influenced by James Bond and other tv icons and movies, they even did a song called Man With the Golden Gun for the movie soundtrack but it wasn’t used…although it was a very cool song.
I was lucky enough to see Alice about 10 or so years ago in Newcastle, UK. The drum solo was actually a drum trio (on stage that is, not sure about the record). The two guitarists put down their instruments and started hitting two big drums either side of the main drum kit. I think Alice at this point might have nipped off stage for a coffee or a toilet break or something. Great gig even though I had to leave before the end to catch the last train home (which turned out being half an hour late). Support bands were Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and Motorhead (who were LOUD!!!!!!)
Love the early Alice Cooper stuff. Billion Dollar Babies and Generation Landslide are a must !!
Now at 74 and a very long Alice Cooper fan (WOW what a show he puts on even now and he's my age) Halo of Flies still one of my favorites
This was Alice Cooper, the band.
Later on, he took the name and proceeded as a solo act with a revolving door policy for backing musicians.
Right! Technically, AC is not the singer, it is the band!
@@johnpress In the beginning, yeah. But he had his name legally changed to Alice Cooper.
Halo of flies is definitely Alice's "Freebird". Killer is my favorite album of theirs. The whole album is worth your attention, as is all of their early 70s collection.
Agree! My favorite AC
Except maybe 'Pretties For You' and 'Easy Action'. Completely different sounds before Bob Ezrin.
You recognized the lyrical allusion to the jazz standard "My Favorite Things", of which John Coltrane did a famous cover. "Killer is one of the best albums of Alice Cooper.
My Favorite Things might have become a bit of a jazz standard over time but it was originally one of the standout tracks from The Sound of Music film ... hardly a jazz based soundtrack. But I agree about Alice Cooper's use of it in Halo of Flies.
KIller is THE best Alice Cooper album. Followed closely by Schools Out and Billion Dollar Babies.
@@frankpentangeli7945 Alice Cooper did use some jazz influences in some of his songs, most notably in songs like "Crazy Little Child" and "Blue Turk". He also used Broadway musicals in his songs, most notably "West Side Story" in songs like "Looney Tunes" and "Gutter Cat vs. the Jets". I think Alice Cooper's music is a lot deeper than most people realize.
@@j.woodbury412 I never said he didn't. In fact he most certainly did use jazz influences in multiple instances. All I said (or implied) was that My Favorite Things is NOT jazz, though various jazz artists did write adaptations of the tune.
@@frankpentangeli7945 I didn't say you said he didn't. I was just commenting on what you said.
Justin please consider a full album listen of "Killer". It's a masterpiece with not a weak song on it. My favorite album by the band. The other 3 essential Alice albums are "Love it to Death", "Schools Out" and "Billion Dollar Babies". All are worth a full album listen and yes, they are all early albums by the Alice Cooper band. Alice has had many backing bands over the years, but to me as an early 70's fan back then, none ever equaled these guys.
EVER !
Easy Action is the great overlooked Alice Cooper album - if you like Halo of Flies check out Below Your Means, it's the "Halo of Flies" of that album
A completely unique genre for the time. Progressive shock rock. Somehow it still feels underrated.
Alice was awesome in the early 70's, my first concert was Alice Cooper doing his Killer tour, and just introducing the School's Out album. that concert sold 80,000 plus tickets.
Alice Cooper during this time, including Killer, Billion Dollar Babies, Love It To Death, are my fave albums. They're full of eclectic sounds, borrowing from various genres, and are loaded with swagger and vamp. And I love that you can always hear what everybody is playing - they don't fall all over each other.
KILLER is an excellent album.
Halo of Flies is a GREAT song.
Early Alice Cooper is much better than that hair-metal crap in the 80s.
He doesn't remember thje early eighhties.
Damn right. I was so excited with Alice comeback in 1986 but man was i disappointed. Sadly he has kept the awfull 80´s metal sound up untill his recent album.
SUCH a great song, it's pretty rare I'm mind-boggled about the composing of songs, but damn! so many parts to this thing, always captivating and entertaining, with so many unexpected directions taken and themes explored. And to think I first heard it on my friend's old Telefunken stereo in his basement so long ago.
Funny you say hair-metal( I agree) but this album should get more credit for the "metal" sound. The guitar work is flawless.
Early eighties were great, listen do DaDa! And from 2000 (Brutal Planet) Alice Cooper is great again
Great starting point for 70s Cooper! Honestly his peak years creatively was from 1971-1977. Any future Alice reactions should be chosen from those 6 years
I agree. His albums from that period were in heavy rotation on my turntable during those years. I kind of lost interest in his later work.
Agreed.
This was the Alice Cooper Band… with Dunaway, Buxton, Smith, Bruce!!!
Great musicians.
Try the songs Killer and Desperato also.
Best Alice Cooper album of the lot!
And the best song he ever did.
The band Alice Cooper is, for me anyway, the way to go. "Killer" and "Love It To Death" are classics. I bought "Killer" when it first came out, and use to be a fan club member back then too. I've posted quite a few early group videos on YT, and actually had Cindy Dunaway, wife of Dennis, and brother of Neil Smith, leave comments., which was really cool!
Alice Cooper Band getting Proggy, in a Great way! Try "Hard-Hearted Alice" from Muscle of Love; "Ballad of Dwight Fry" from Love it to Death; "My Stars" from School's Out. The Band was in it's heyday from 71-75. Great stuff and great reaction, Justin!
At this point Alice Cooper was a band, in other words Alice Cooper was *_them_*
"Killer" was the fourth out of seven albums released by the band Alice Cooper
"Welcome to My Nightmare" (1975) was the first album by the artist Alice Cooper. From that point until now Alice Cooper is *_him_*
Alice once said there was "nothing Alice won't do" musically. He can handle anything from show tunes, to ballads, to jazz, to blues, to rock, metal, and industrial. He can pull it all off.
This was the album where Alice Cooper started to gain real attention from the world of rock and roll. It is actually a very progressive album though it has a couple of great singles on it. Around this time is when no less than Bob Dylan praised Alice Cooper as a songwriter, (though as noted, AC referred to the band at this point, not Vincent Furnier himself). I saw him live at the Greek Theater in LA and they performed this on the Paranormal tour at that time. He likes to find young, talented musicians who are trying to work their way up and incorporate them into his band, giving them exposure, fun, and occasionally stitches - some of the stage props can cause injuries, according to his current lead guitarist, Nita Strauss. When they do this live these days, Alice actually leaves the stage in the latter part to to put the spotlight on his band members.
Killer and Billion Dollar Babies are terrific albums from front to back.
Back when Alice Cooper was a band and their music was varied and inspired. Killer is my favorite Alice Cooper album.
I remember like it was yesterday, I was six or seven years old and a classmate's father had this record and hung up the calendar poster for the year 1972 contained in the cover. Alice was hanging from a rope. it's an image that marked me for years and much later I ended up buying this record !!! .-)
Alice Cooper from 1974 and earlier was the band name. In 1975 when they split, Alice took the name as his own. He has some great solo stuff, but the best songs musically are the original band. He/they have crossed many genres. Alice is the Godfather of shock rock.
This one is worth a full album reaction, imo. Thanks!
Yep!
Back then this was a real band, and it shows here. Later he used several different band members..
Random recommandation this reminded me of:
German group "Birth Control" with "Gamma Ray".
So called Kraut-Rock, it fits in era and style, and if you love a grove, organ and drums, it's a real treat.
It's their only 'hit', and still somewhat obscure especially outside Germany, but I think it would fit right in with the material on this channel!
Hello Justin ! Good choice man ! You Must Listen to the whole album ! it's great !!
At first, Vincent Furnier is the singer of the group named "Alice Cooper", and all of the group is strong until 1975.
Then he's been a solo Alice Cooper since 1975.
Bob Ezrin is producer from the first days, he'll work later with P. Gabriel - 1st album, Lou Reed - Berlin, Pink Floyd - The Wall.
In short, beautiful clothes !
As I mentioned before, my sister brought this album into the house and changed my mental record player. I wore this thing out. Great band and album, from this I bought Billion Dollar Babies and Muscle Of Love. Nice warm cooper in the morning.
Love Desperado on this album, written for Doors Jim Morrison, but sadly turned down, so he does a similar vocal to Jim. The guy can sing when he wants to.
Peace and I think it was Mellotron too Music
WOW!! JUST Now hearing your reactions for the first time and you open up with Halo of Flies?? My All Time Favorite Alice Cooper track!! The Original Alice Cooper Band was so Far better than when he decided to go solo!! Don't believe me? Just ask Alice Cooper followers!! Look forward to hearing more reactions from you. Guess I gotta subscribe now!! Thanks to for you not only getting into the music but into the lyrics as well. Not many reactioners do that especially on first listen!!
Thank you so much Michael :D
NOW you're talking. Desperado from this album is my favorite though, and Under My Wheels a great single hit. It is finally dawning on me why I like your channel so much. When I was younger and made friends with unsuspecting people I would ultimately invite them to my home and subject them to listening to my music. This is similar. You tease us with a selection and then we respond with, "yeah but check this out..." which was my way for sharing my passion for music with my friends. Some enjoyed it, and some ran screaming...haha.
Loved "Halo of Flies" when I was 13.
I then learned this song when I could do one part... and then you hit the open E string !
Then move up the fret. Still an open E string. Great stuff.
Love it to death was my favorite and the ballad of Dwight Frey is his best ! You have never heard anything like it
Man, JP, you have got me SO STOKED! You're already digging deeper into Alice than anyone else on TH-cam, and it's only your second song of his. Or, I guess I could say their's, since Alice Cooper was also the name of the band.
Alice has been my favorite since 1972 when my buddy played me "Black Juju" from the album before 'Killer', 'Love It To Death'. I went out and bought "School's Out", then 'Killer', 'Love It To Death' and then his first two albums (you'll praobably want to stay away from them). Then 'Billion Dollar Babies' came out, and I've bought all of his albums as they were released since then.
I am indescribably happy that you're checking out early Alice. Five really great albums to choose from. I hope you hit them all.
In '75 he left the band and went solo with 'Welcome To My Nightmare', another fantastic album, but it's not raw like the earlier stuff.
If you want full on heavy metal/industrial Alice, go to 'Brutal Planet' and its companion album 'Dragon Town'. Full on frontal assault of your ears. Very good.
FYI: The title song of 'Billion Dollar Babies' is a duet with Donovan (yes, that Donovan). One of his most popular songs. It's a must listen!
Thank you so much for this video. I'm so glad you liked your first taste of early Alice.
Peace!
edit: If you want Nick Cave-ish sound and style from Alice, check out "Desperado", also from 'Killer'. He wrote it for his deceased friend, Jim Morrison.
Alice Cooper was the name of the lead singer AND the band, originally. This was 1971. The band broke up in 1974 and Alice went solo in 1975. It gets even more complicated from there, but Alice has done at least one song in just about every genre: rockabilly, gospel, disco, industrial, metal, soft pop, etc. Most of the albums were just soundtracks for the stage show. You really need to see a live concert to get the full experience.
My jaw dropped to the floor the first time I heard his current band play this live.
I was a big Alice Cooper fan in the '70s. I finally got to see an Alice Cooper performance at Des Moines Iowa veterans Auditorium "Welcome to My Nightmare Tour". It was outstanding. It began with Alice and the band on a big screen with them walking through their different projections.
What great production values!
The opening band was The James gang with Iowa's own Tommy Bolin on lead guitar.
But this is one of my favorite of all times from Alice Cooper's KILLER LP.
"Creepy Baroque Pop" is a great description of Alice Cooper! My brother had the Killer album, and the song on Killer before this one, "Be My Lover", is a more conventional pop hit kind of song with rough edges. And Alice released quite a few of them as hits - "I'm 18", "School's Out", etc. But the creepy progressive long tracks are good, too. I would recommend "Ballad of Dwight Fry" from their Love It To Death album.
The original Alice Cooper band lineup was so great. Love it to Death, Killer, Schools Out, and Billion Dollar Babies are classic albums.
Finally a song review where someone gets it! Recall the time span this was composed in. The focus on each member of the band having their particular moment is the main purpose. That and allowing Alice to escape for a costume change during the set is what I believe is why this was created in it's mastery.
Early Alice was a great addition to the 1970s music scene. Love it to Death, Killer, schools out and especially Billion Dollar Babies totally rocked. You can’t go wrong with any of those albums. When Alice went solo, he lost most of his edge.
Agreed
Always loved Alice Cooper, been lucky enough to meet him and seen him in concert so many times
HOOOOLY SHIT. Haven't even listened to this one yet, but I'm STOKED. I don't think I've _seen_ anyone react to this particular song (which is easily one of my top 5 Alice Cooper songs ever), and I watch a LOT of reaction channels. Looking forward to this!
One of my favorites of the Coop. If you want to hear what the band can really do, listen to the School's Out album. A kind of jazzy collection.
Saw this live back in 72. Neil Smith had a great stage presence as well. Dunaway on bass equally dynamic on stage. This band went on to do Billion Dollar Babies and School’s Out
The drummer and guitarists were imitating the buzzing and swatting of flies.
'Ole Audiophile here, This was Alice Cooper/the band's fourth album, their second on Warner Brothers Records. Both Love It To Death & Killer present the extreme pinnacle of the acts talents, there is not a single bad song on either. Love It To Death will always be my favorite but Killer is a very close second. These two records have probably influenced more musicians over the decades since than just about any other hard rock band albums in existence.
Frank Zappa found them, signed them to his label Straight Rule Records. After two releases, Zappa did his part by passing them up the ladder to a bigger label to help the band receive the attention in the studio they desperately needed to Warner Brothers.
In reply to your query, Alice Cooper wasn't able to maintain the quality of his act because they pushed it so far 'commercially'. Some songs became stale & baloney as to break up the original act & go solo. I like many Alice Cooper's later albums but there was NEVER any topping these two releases, they were stunningly different.
Bopping around town in my 1971 Maverick with this playing on my $39.99 Craig 8-track. Heaven.
Try Ballad of Dwight Fry or I'm Eighteen from love it to Death. The band Alice Cooper had a run of great albums (love it to Death, killer, schools out, and Billion Dollar Babies) in the 70s before he became a solo act with hired backing musicians in the 80s and beyond. Very much hair metallish in that later phase.
I have seen Alice a couple of times. This album is what I would call "Classical Metal". I bought this in 1972 when in the 8th grade. I already had "Im 18" on 45 for awhile. Love It To Death was a good album but Killer....killed it. I saw the Welcome To My Nightmare show....awesome. Then in the 2000s I saw him.
Alice Cooper was the name of the band back in the day . Alice went solo back in '75.
This song takes me back to my middle school days back in the early 70's. I remember when I first heard of Alice Cooper from a friend in gym class. I was like, "Alice Cooper? Who's she?". "Na, man, Alice Cooper is a dude." My 13 year old brain was confused there for a while.
Hearing this again, it reminds me how much experimentalism they had in common with BOC of the same era.
Killer and Love it To Death are great albums from the "Alice Cooper group" as a lot of people now call it - until the album Welcome To My Nightmare, Alice Cooper was a band, after that it became about the singer who took the name of the band as his own. I like both, but they are very different beasts.
Another against-type song of theirs that I really like is Blue Turk. Maybe give that one a try :)
Agree, "Blue Turk" is a real gem!
Alice Cooper was a band I had been embarrassed to admit liking when I was young. I'm 67 so I was almost 18 when "I'm Eighteen" came out. But these days, I really respect three of their first four albums. Alice Cooper was never as great later on after he went out as a single. This song is one of my favorites.
Ahhh, this's more like it... Poison!, ptewi. This is the good stuff. Rockier, experimental (for the time), and sometimes meandering. But in a good way. Here, I particularly like the nod to both Julie Andres, and The Arabian Knights. A great tune that weave though a few styles, but always with an impeccable flow. Part of the golden age of A.C.
I really have neglected the early Alice Cooper so it was nice to hear this again. Unmistakably prog which they did dabble with to an extent though the US hard rock style morphed into a heavy pop style later.
I’m glad you acknowledged the strengths of the band, because back then, on their first seven albums, Alice Cooper was a full-fledged band. Both the singer and the band went by the name Alice Cooper. And they truly were a band- a good deal of songs were written by the other members without Alice even involved (although this particular one was written by the entire band). And it wasn’t like Alice just recruited a bunch of random musicians to back him up either; he and the other band members were schoolmates in Arizona and had been playing together for years before Frank Zappa discovered them, pioneering the pairing of rock music and horror theatricality even way back then.
You should see if you can find their reunion performance at their Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. It was so cool getting to see them play together again after so many years (well, except for guitarist Glen Buxton who, unfortunately, died back in 1997).
As a teenager, well still today I loved this song. Thank you for covering it..I wanted to suggest it, but others beat me to it. If you like the feel of Halo of Flies and the James Bond thing, try out Unfinished Sweet. I think you'l get a kick out of it. It's James Bond visits a dentist.
Grew up in the valley of the sun and watched them evolve from a joke to the most popular band at the teen clubs (which were common then) They were the spyders. Another popular group then was beans, who became the tubes.
I was 11 in 1971 and Alice Cooper and Black Sabbath was the first bands that put out the spooky tunes. Both bands were a smash hit back then and still are in my book. Nowadays, slayer is the same, very spooky hard core heavy metal. I am partial to this kinda music.
You wanna try it tripping 😱
Halo of flies, can take on a really dark meaning … ‘My Stars’ is also a classic of the old Alice Cooper band.
Bare in mind the Manson family were on trial in LA at the time and Alice was singing about ‘Dead Babies’
Middle part ... "Daggers and contacts and bright shiny limos"....
Same notes as when Julia Andrew's sings , "These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things." ... Sound of Music film.
There is a song on the album "Muscle of Love" (the last album by the Alice Cooper group) called "The Man with the Golden Gun" that has a very "James Bond" sound to it. In fact, they were hoping it would be the theme from the James Bond movie of the same name.
very good choice !!!!!!!!!!!! my All-time favourite.
Does the 'Man' make the band, or does the band make the 'Man'? There's this old, old guy touring right now being billed as 'Alice Cooper' & Band, but it can't be him. I saw him put to death on stage with a guillotine in June 1973!!! So this must be an imposter! Or maybe it's his 'Killer'! Try "Billion Dollar Babies' or 'Love It To Death' for more nightmares. Peace.
I have subscribed because I can tell that you are really picking up on details that the true fans appreciate about the music. Watching someone else discover and appreciate what you see in an artist is what makes us want to watch reaction videos. So thanks.
Thank you so much Dawn! I'm glad you've enjoyed the videos and music :)
Yeah, great great records between 70-75 filled with twisted humour, comic horror, theatrical posturing......total showbiz. The band were on fire.
The first two albums, "Easy Action" and "Pretties for You", are very raw, even experimental--Easy Action is still one of my top Alice albums.
This was great to hear JP - I really love the synth pulse at the intro. I am not too familiar with most of Alice Cooper's work - 'Schools Out' was a hit single in the UK and I know and I particularly love the song 'Elected'. Now the obligatory plug - I think you will completely flip over 'This Wheels on Fire' by Julie Driscoll with Brian Auger and the Trinity. Possibly the pinnacle of early Psyche-Prog - smothered in mellotron and Hammond organ. Keep up the good work.
Great JP...Ballad of Dwight Frye is great also. All played SG's also..including the bass...like my brother.
My favorite album by Alice is Billion Dollar Babies. Alice had a string of hits with heavy radio play. Schools Out, I'm Eighteen, No More Mr Nice Guy, Teenage Lament '74, and Welcome to My Nightmare.
I had this album in high school and wore this song out! Great choice, not many people react to this gem ✌️
THANKS !!!! Favorite song of theirs is POISON and that is due to
TARJA'S chill inducing cover !!!!!
☮☮💘💘
Nice! Just watched your Arthur Brown “Crazy World of…” reaction. This dovetails beautifully with the Arthur Brown vibe.
Hard Hearted Alice from Muscle of Love has always been a favorite of mine. I also recommend Caught in a Dream, their first hit I'm Eighteen, Is it My Body, Ballad of Dwight Frye, Under My Wheels,Billion Dollar Babies, No More Mr. Nice Guy, Hello Hooray.....just to name a few!!!
Nice reaction!
Highly recommend maybe doing the entire album.
Alice Cooper's early stuff fit No box...
Amazing talent, Amazing story lines...
Thank you for taking a trip down Alice's highway...
Taking into consideration, This album is from 1971
Alice & the band were way ahead of the time's in pretty much every way.
Take care, Cheers from Canada!
Thank you so very much Justin! His early stuff was so much more unique for the time, and the concerts in the 70's were equal to any Las Vegas show. Saw him 5 times during that phase.
Oh, good choice, sir! I seem to recall mentioning this track a while ago, I know I wasn't the only one though. 🙃
Seems like yesterday…
@@-davidolivares Does it? It definitely wasn't!
The entire "Killer" album was KILLER!
I've missed most of Alice Cooper, and now, thanks to you (and the people commenting here who know how it all works) I now get some idea of why Alice Cooper is so popular. (I've liked what I've heard of this music, but not enough to really get into it, in the past). Thanks.
If you'd like some piano (and eventually violin) music based on some work of literature (I'm guessing - else why a Night at the Library?) here's another one of those new song-by-song releases from that online concert of *Major Parkinson* th-cam.com/video/bNjCuPgXmmw/w-d-xo.html
( *Before the Helmets* )
(I think it's possible that all the songs they chose for that concert were ones based on novels members of the band have enjoyed. For instance the last one, the new single at the end, is based on Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle, and Isabel is based on a story by Franz Kafka).
Nearly forgot! I don't know if your love of ELP has led you to any of the covers by *Rachel Flowers* . If not, you can now hear her as a guitarist capable of playing Zappa's parts in Zappa plays Zappa (after all that Keith Emerson on keyboards she did till he committed suicide).
That's a prodigy if ever I heard of one: can Zappa a guitar, and can Emerson any keyboard instrument. (And she can sing, too).
Here's her in the band playing *Montana* th-cam.com/video/nBiWNLhX3Vc/w-d-xo.html
(If she looks a bit "odd" to you, it'll be mainly because she's blind.)
Wonderful reaction to such a classic Alice epic!
I also appreciate your constant positive vibes!
The only thing I can tell you is to check out the albums Billion Dollar Babies, Love It To Death, Killer, and songs like Black Juju, or The Ballad Of Dwight Frye...pretty darn intense!. One of my faves is a hard rocker called Long Way To Go, and of course, the legendary School's Out!
Peace ☮️
Ty Dean! I'll definitely check out more
So glad you came back to Alice....I was among those suggesting this....Steven from the Welcome to my Nightmare album is also a masterpiece..as are many more from this album...acyually...any 70s Cooper you cant go wrong lol...heavy like Sabbath??...try I Love the Dead
As others have noted, there were two versions of Alice: the band, and the man. The band, sadly, ended after Muscle of Love in 1973, and Alice the man continued (and continues) on.
If you want some truly strange and avant garde music (and I love every moment of them), check out the band's first two albums, Pretties for You and Easy Action.
The Master of Shock Rock. You need to do this whole album!! 😏😏👍🏻
So excited to hear your reaction to early Alice. This is only one of the band's homage to James Bond, in fact, they wrote a song specifically for the movie, "The Man With The Golden Gun" ,which is on the 1974 album "Muscle Of Love", but it was rejected in favour of the singer Lulu's version, [written by John Barry, I believe.]. The band were into expressing all of their musical and theatrical influences, eg. Westerns-"Desperado" [off the "Killer" album, which was also a a tribute to Jim Morrison -they were friends-], Sci-fi movies, eg, "My Stars", from the album "School's Out" -a song inspired by the movie "The Day The Earth Stood Still"- a song worth checking out actually! as well as the" West Side Story " inspired "Gutter Cat VS The Jets", also from "School's Out". There's not enough time to write it all here, but they absolutely have a vast range of styles. Alice does have a very wide vocal range, he can sing gently and with great power. Love his voice. Great musicians in this band, but you pointed out Neil 'the octopus' Smith, in particular, [so described because his arms were everywhere on the drums], so maybe you should check out the track "Billion Dollar Babies" from the album of the same name, next. The song was built around the drums AND it has Donovan singing dual vocals with Alice!!!. It's an awesome track. Oh, I could write about their musical history for ages, but this is already long, lol. There is just so much to explore with this band and THEN there's Alice's solo career, starting with the album "Welcome To My Nightmare", which I'd put money on [and I'm no gambler] that you would love. Just try the title track first. Phew!. Going now. Great reaction Justin.
First album I ever bought, in 1973, was Alice Cooper. He's been a huge part of my life since then. This is a very good album, as are nearly all his 70s albums. From The Inside is my favourite - written with Elton John's lyricist, Bernie Taupin and featuring Elton's band.
1. The entire album is about different kinds of killers' spies. gunfighters, negligent parents and so forth. Listen to "Desperado"
2. Back then, at the height of the Cold War, we were culturally obsessed with spies. James Bond, I Spy, the Man from Uncle, Secret Agent, even Get Smart.
The original alice cooper band were great. Pretty for you to muscle of love. The albums of greatness.
My favorite AC cut. So much going on in one tune.
Dead Babies sounds like Black Sabbath and Killer is amazing. This whole album is fantastic.
This was actually a big hit in the Netherlands, way back in 1973. Incredible.
I myself never was an Alice Cooper fan,but 3 of his albums i like.
School's Out/Billion Dollar Babies... and KILLER.
Yep.. u came in from the wrong side with Poison.
But hey, we all did it sometimes.
Like.. Abacab.. yeah it was ok, but not my cup.. and then missing out on firth of fift or supper's ready and so on.
I liked your revelation on A. C.
Love this song.. Great upload.
The 1971 Killer album, a killer album, is one of Cooper's finest.
YAY!! I’ve been waiting for this for a long time!!
Sure, you really oughta do this whole album now. Maybe just jump into the last song, Killer, next as it’s another 60s spy movie inspired sound like Halo. But go back all the goodness of this album before you move to Billion Dollar Babies. I’ll be anticipating Generation Landslide…
The tempo change at 8.40 is so bad ass
Great track, great album and excellent band/artist. Good reaction - constructive.
In the late 60s and early to mid 70s, Alice Cooper was the name of the band. Alice(Vincent Fournier) legally changed his name to Alice Cooper after the band split in ‘74 and embarked on an impressive solo career…of which he’s still touring and putting out albums. He’s currently working on 2 new albums after releasing his 28th studio album last year called Detroit Stories. If you want a heavy sound from Alice, check out Brutal Planet which released in ‘99 or 2000. Super heavy album with serious subject matter and blistering guitar work. Btw, The original band was influenced by James Bond and other tv icons and movies, they even did a song called Man With the Golden Gun for the movie soundtrack but it wasn’t used…although it was a very cool song.
Good morning Justin. How's things with you? ALICE COOPER!! Rocking since the 70's. Awesome!
Doing great here Jeff, hope you're doing well!
@@JustJP Doing ok.😎
Yes! Before the split and lapse into self-parody.
I was lucky enough to see Alice about 10 or so years ago in Newcastle, UK. The drum solo was actually a drum trio (on stage that is, not sure about the record). The two guitarists put down their instruments and started hitting two big drums either side of the main drum kit. I think Alice at this point might have nipped off stage for a coffee or a toilet break or something. Great gig even though I had to leave before the end to catch the last train home (which turned out being half an hour late).
Support bands were Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and Motorhead (who were LOUD!!!!!!)
Great reaction as always.
"Elected" (Official Video) from 1972 is a good one