Lost Bands of Yesteryear #4 - ALICE COOPER
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.ย. 2024
- #alicecooper #welcometomynightmare #bobezrin #glenbuxton
Some of you may be asking, “Wait, this series is called the Lost BANDS of Yesteryear… why is there an episode about a solo artist?”…. Well, that’s a good question, and the answer TO it may surprise you…. The fact is that, this isn’t about a solo artist at all!…. Alice Cooper, THE BAND, is next up, so stay tuned!
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"Ballad of Dwight Fry" will always be my favorite Cooper song. Cheers to every Alice fans 🍻🍻
That is my favorite song of the band
The way “Second Coming” segues into it is magic.
Man, I loved the original Alice Cooper band. Dennis Dunaway was one of my big influences as a bass player. I was lucky enough to see them live once.
When and where did you see them...? That's one of my life regrets...I only knew about them playing the Hollywood bowl in '72 and the Los Angeles Forum in '73 and I was too young to go see them...I was devastated when they broke up...took me awhile to get over it...😐
"Long Way to Go" did it for me way back when. Thanks, Michael Bruce for writing the lyrics. Glenn Buxton was king tone. Thanks, Guitar Historian!
The original Alice Cooper band was just as essential and influential as Led Zeppelin, Pink FLoyd, Black Sabbath, Lynyrd Skynyrd or ANY band that you can name from the 70s. Met Dennis Dunaway once, great dude. Yeah, I always read that the main reason for the split-up was the theatrics which the band claimed restricted them from playing their instruments. So Vince decided to split from them but kept the name. They gave us some GREAT music. Seeing that band in concert made a BIG impact on a very young Randy Rhoads whose older brother Kelly took him to see them.
One of my favorite songs by them is "Caught In A Dream." LOVE that opening riff.
@alanmatthew5713 Still wonder how they got that exact guitar sound, I mean I knows SGs and all, but still....
@@tonystevenson26 most of your sound comes from the PLAYER.
Such a great rock band . The theatrics didn’t do it for me but these phenomenal songs and guitar riffs are timeless! More so than the Stones!
Halo of Fly's is a bona-fide masterpiece
Love It to Death through Billion Dollar Babies is a great four-album run. Bob Ezrin made the group shine with his direction. Phenomenal producer.
Yes he was essential in the making of the album's. I don't think Alice cooper band would have been as huge without him.
Bob Ezrin taught them how to 'get their shit together'.
Muscle of Love has several terrific compositions on it too. It just lacked the stylistic cohesion of, and with, its predecessor, Billion Dollar Babies.
I first saw the original AC group in 1971 at the Long Beach Arena, then again in 1972 at the Hollywood Bowl and in 1973 at the L.A. Forum. No matter what Alice does today, he will never, ever equal the songs or in particular, the sound of Glen, Mike,Neil and Dennis, period. They were truly a band you had to experience. RIP Glen Buxton
Well said Donny ! I'm envious you got to see the original band...I've always loved them...I was too young to see them when they came to Los Angeles on the Hollywood bowl and Los Angeles Forum dates but I remember hearing about it...I was devastated when they broke up...😐
Thank you so much for making the point that Alice Cooper started as a full band!
I saw them in 1970 in San Diego and have never been the same since . I've seen Cooper shows 4 more times since and I have always liked the original Cooper band the best I was never disappointed, always a great show.
Most underrated musicians of the era. Killer, Love it to Death, Schools Out, are three of the best albums ever made. The lyrics and way the songs lead into each other has become a lost art .
Pretties for You cover art was a giant painting Zappa had on his wall. No idea how it was chosen, but found a picture of it on a random Zappa picture search
I got to see the original band live at Cobo Hall Detroit in 1971 It was a awesome performance. I had Love It To Death on 8 track.when released It was one of my favorite A C albums My childhood friends met the band when they lived on the Pontiac farm.They got to party with them
I saw that tour in NYC at the Fillmore East. They were 3rd on the bill but so great that the audience wouldn't let the headliner Bloodrock play. Later shows like Killer, Schools Out etc were a lot less intense.
What do you remember about the farm? I work a mile from there now. Pass the lot every day where the house was.
It was this band that opened my eyes to rock and roll. I joined his fan club in 1978 when I was 14. To this day I still listen to them every day (almost). Glen Buxton and Michael Bruce have been a major influence in my guitar playing. Definitely my favorite line up since day 1.
Enjoyed the video and love anything Alice Cooper. I caught two minor points that may need correcting. The band was not approached by Shep Gordon. Neal Smith's sister, Cindy, first approached Gordon and Joe Greenberg on the band's behalf thinking they were managers. I believe Shep Gordon did not make the initial contact with Frank Zappa on the band's behalf. The story I heard goes where the band was hanging with the GTOs and it was Miss Christine that got Alice Cooper and Zappa connected by way of the infamous crack-of-dawn audition. Shep Gordon only became interested in managing Alice Cooper AFTER he learned the band was signed or about to be signed to Zappa's record label.
My first rock band as a 14 year old. & I still listen to Alice today. Can't believe he's still doing this.
"can't believe he's still doing this " - I can only imagine it's something in the genes that sets all these guys apart from us mere mortals . An image they strive for - inbuilt , deep down . Grows and grows . Determination / Dedication .
I'm just glad I lived this stuff , sooooo much of it .
12:14 - "Love It To Death" is one of my three favorite Detroit album, along with "Kick Out the Jams" and "Raw Power"...!!
Man, you have an awesome channel. EVERYONE, tell your friends. This channel deserves 6 figure subs and beyond.
What Bob Ezrin did to organize this band yielded some of the greatest two-guitar music in the hard rock genre. Love It To Death and Killer have incredible examples all over them. One need only listen to Halo of Flies on Killer to hear rock guitar arrangements that are absolute genius. And the guitar sounds were powerful and heavy, yet not mushed-out with excessive distortion. So many owe so much to Bob Ezrin, but there was magic in the fingers of Mike Bruce, Glen Buxton, Steve Hunter, Dick Wagner (those guitars on Cold Ethyl! man!) and others like David Gilmour (the guitar solos on Comfortably Numb) and even Paul Stanley and Ace Frehley (The 2-guitar solo in Detroit Rock City) and Ezrin knew how to draw the magic out. And yes, Alice Cooper was a group first and I have never forgotten that. Cheers!
The band's first name was The Earwigs before The Spiders!
Correct! I actually found a picture of them performing as the earwigs, but it was after I had had written the script already
God. Glenn buxton, was the man. Dare I say keef cool. He was a riff master for sure. Him and richards are two of my favorites.
Anyway the original cooper gang really killed it. Gotta get back to work now. Thanks for another great music moment guitar historian.👍✌️
The AC band was my favorite in high school. The first album I ever bought was Billion Dollar Babies, and I wore that sucker out.
I never saw the original band live, but, I saw them on Halloween, here in Phoenix when they played at the AZ State Fair, probably in 2015 or so. I had chills and tears in my eyes when they played Halo of Flies. They even brought out the gallows for the first time in many years.
My Mom always thought I flipped when she heard me listening to Killer and BDB! What great albums.
To a kid from 12 to when I as 15 YO, The original lineup was all there was. Those guys were SO freakin GOOD!
@AliceCooper- Wow what an honor. I'm in North Carolina. A bunch of us saw you guys in Greensboro during the Muscle of Love tour - ZZ Top opened for you. Y'all are just good ol' American Boys. Best to you and Sheryl..!
@AliceCooper- School's Out came out in '72 I think. That single was all over Top 40 AM. I heard I'm Eighteen shortly after. I think Love It To Death was the 1st album I got, then School's Out, then Killer. The grooves were worn out on those. Then Billion Dollar Babies - couldn't believe Hello Hurray and Elected. Muscle Of Love of course. I've been goin down all the TH-cam rabbit holes the past few years. Mike, Neal and Dennis and of course GB (We ain't never gonna con-fess...). God Bless His Soul. Thanks, Man for the great times..! God Bless Ya...
Quite possibly my favorite band! Thanks for sharing this with us!
Graduating in 1972, "Schools Out" was my Class Theme Song, and it was apropos!
Also I able to see the Billion Dollar Baby tour in Madison Square garden, where Alice fornicated with a tube of tooth paste along with his other antics, what a show!!!
Of course he did LOL
Alice Cooper was the first concert I ever went to in Rochester, NY in 1972 and it was my best concert experience ever! They were great!
I saw Alice in Philly in 1971, and am happy to admit to not (intentionally) listening to their music since about 1973. Some things are better left in the past.
That said, I found this profile of the band interesting, and informative. Well done, Jason!
Good vid. I think the band split at the right time. Great legacy
1972...First time I really got stoned, a friend brought over weed & 3 albums...Love It To Death, Killer, and Pink Floyd's Atom Heart Mother...Life Changing...LOL .
Love classic Cooper ! Grew up going to their concerts back in the 70s. The "Love it to Death" album was Great when it came out !!
Thank you for this .
It was one of those films that starts and finishes in what seems like a blink of the eye - I was literally transfixed .
Many happy memories as well , pretending to be Neal Smith in my bedroom / volume on max .
Grounded when the neighbours grassed me up to my parents ..... Thank You for bringing it all back .
Favourite ? Strangely enough , "Desperado" , something sad and haunting that spoke to me for some reason .
Not “lost” the remaining members have gotten together quite a few times over the past years for live albums and new tracks.
TWELVE YEARS OLD, my parents were out for the evening FINALLY I was going to get to see my hero on national TELEVISION LIVE ! 1972 I believe....man I was more excited than Christmas!! .....and guess what....the NETWORK BANNED IT. At the last minute too....my heart sank as I sat there stunned, watching a prerecorded Black Sabbath concert instead !! 😢 He came to my town that year and Mom wouldn't let me go !! I resented her for months but at Christmas, she got me Love it to Death and Kiss first album, so I forgave her a little....People my age in the town STILL talk about that show....In 2013 he came BACK to the SAME theater (The Keith Albee, in Huntington W.V.) with Orianthi....man, it was all I hoped it would be.... even did an incredible version of Muscle of Love....appropriately I brought that album at age 14.....ahhh, changes
That Don Kirshner “In Concert” with Alice is viewable on TH-cam Tube. During that time in 1972 I was able to see that show at age 14. The station I saw it on was not censored.
The #1 album with Bob Ezrin, Love It To Death was the greatest Rock album of the bunch. All five albums were solid gold!
The legend lives on
In those days the super troupers would make the stage hot enough to melt your make-up.
That's what I remember someone saying in the "Billion dollar baby" book that Bob Green wrote about the holiday tour of December '73...
Was turned on to "Love it to Death" in 1971 when I was 13 years old, by a pretty girl who spent the summer in our neighborhood. That album was the first strong influence on my musical taste, followed shortly there after by Roxy Music and Lou Reed. Rock and and Roll weirdo's rule.
Thanks for a great video! I have been listening to Alice Cooper since 1973 and it was cool to learn about the early years. Keep up the good work!
I remember a high school teacher who went to Cortez HS with Alice.
I saw all concerts in Montreal from 70 t0 73 and for sure Alice Cooper was a band!!!
I Had loved Alice Cooper since I was a kid in Pigtails my cousin had taken me to his concert i was 13 years old…
Been corrupted ever since.1972
I was turned on to the first 2 Cooper albums in '69. I got to see the Killer tour in '71 and Billion Dollar Baby tour in '73. That Killer tour they were very well rehearsed and tight. They were on top of their game.
I never knew Hunter and Wagner were involved with Alice Cooper. That intro to Sweet Jane in rock n roll animal is the arguably the greatest rock intro of all time, although Elton John’s Funeral for a Friend says “hold my beer”.
Great Job... From an old original Alice fan
Bravo, great telling of a legendary tail I've followed since Jr high in '71 ;)
"Love It To Death" is in my collection, it has "Is It My Body","Dwight Fry" and "I'm 18" and others I appreciate. I'm surprised you didn't mention their smash album " The Rise & Fall Of Vincent Furnier And The Spiders From Phoenix".
What a story. First fell for them when "Under My Wheels" came out on the radio. Just got a car and would drive around till that song came on. Quickly got all their past records. Remember their special show on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert ABC show around the 72 election. Still got it on cassette. Remember the paper panties that were wrapped around the vinyl record of "School's Out" ?
Excellent presentation. Thanks for sharing.
"No More Mr. Nice Guy" has such a groove?
not ?
!!!!!!¡!!
I don't think there's a better opening tune anywhere, than "Under My Wheels".
I like Hello hooray for an opener.
This band had such an impact on me. I ended up playing in bands for years. Their music was so very clever and great fun to listen to. Alice being a Christian also later gave support to my being committed to Christ as well. I wish they had remained together longer as they would have likely done some amazing works that we would be speaking of now. Ezrin really does know how to bring the best out of a band and should get some credit. He is a talent. Look at what he did for Kiss which was a significantly lesser talent than the Alice Cooper Band. i have Easy Action on Straight Records. It is a treasure in my record collection. Ballad of Dwight Fry might be my favorite Cooper song, a masterpiece.
"Love it to death" was the album that introduced me to rock music at the age of 9. I have all 3 covers of this album. If you listen closely between the tracks "Is it my body" and "Hallowed be my name" you can hear the sound engineer utter the words in the count off "Don't count your carp before they're hatched".
So much new information here that I’ve not been exposed to as a lifelong AC fan. Thx!
Neal Smith was never in The Spiders, he joined The Nazz in late 1967.
Both referenced in “Ziggy Stardust.”
Awesome video ‼️
Saw all of their shows in Wichita, KS! One of my favorite bands!
Great episode (as always) and good to have you back! 👍
All the AC albums after the first two are absolutely great in different ways. A lovely mix of the weirdest experimental stuff and the most groovy heavy rock. Truly one of the greatest rock bands ever. Solo Alice had a few good albums before his drinking got out of control. I was a teenager in the 80s and really liked Constrictor when it came out. The next album, RYFAY is even better. And after a few years of some pretty bland stuff the latest iteration of industrial rock Alice also has quite a bit good going on. It seems like his voice is on his last verse though....
Eddie hazel forgotten fret masters?
I caught their show the night before I was inducted into the army. It was 1972 at Manzanita speedway in Phoenix and it was fantastic. I even reordered Love it to Death a week ago. After School's out, I kinda lost interest in the band, not sure why.
Speaking of School's out... The cut "Blue Turk" is the best song you never heard. A mix of jazz, blues and rock, it has to be one of the best songs they ever did.
While best known for their stage shows, Alice Cooper is one of the most musically tight bands I've ever heard.
Whoa, that must have been some morning after the night before! Must have been close to the end of the draft or had you signed up? What a transition. Hope it went well. Ha! I was there at Manzanita too!. Your post sure triggered a lot of old memories from those times and that concert, a fairly early one for me. A few years younger than you, I think I was 16 and that concert stood out for years in my mind but I haven't thought of it in decades. I was living in the East Valley, in Mesa at the time, and that must have been a long hot drive in my no AC 65 Impala. I just checked the location and I'd forgotten how far on the west side it was and before the freeways. Found the concert lineup too. I sorta remember Canned Heat opening but forgot about Capt Beefhart. But Cooper and crew were on a different level. What a show. Ha! First thing I re-remembered was the hanging scene at the end of "Killer". I don't know about you but that just blew my already blown mind away. I was just expecting them to cut the lights or something. Quite the rush. The other bit that resurfaced was at some point I told my Drama teacher about it and she was able to borrow one of those "vests" for me to use in the hanging scene at the end of a one-act Salem witchcraft type play I wrote. Actually wearing it and using it was something else. That drop took some practice to just relax. Weird feeling at the end of the drop, every time. Lol, in any case there were a couple good screams from the small mainly parent audience. They were not expecting that. Lol, I doubt if that could happen nowadays. School Admins and District Legals would freak I imagine. Good times
@@JCK-gi2gm LOL, I volunteered because my draft number was 17 and, although a draftee only had to serve two years, I had better chances of not getting sent to Vietnam if I volunteered. That ended up working out for me thankfully.
those early albums were pretty great - still jam em
The last show was April 6th 1974 in Rio, not April 8th.
Nothing beats the original
My favorite Alice Cooper (band) song is “Hard Hearted Alice” on “Muscle of Love.”
That's a terrific track and is also my pick of that album. Big Apple Dreaming and Man with the Golden Gun were notably well composed too. Teenage Lament was perfectly targeted as a hit radio song for that era as well.
I know it's incidental, but Lizzie Borden wasn't a "teenage" axe murderer, she was in her 30s which in 1800s was middle-aged!
Alice Cooper isn't a lost band.
Ezrin hit gold for himself and Alice Cooper. He's been touted quite highly for years. I'm somewhat surprise that in the John Waite doc on AMZN, Waite can't have a kind word for Bob Ezrin. I don't know what the skinny really is other than he's one of the most successful rock and roll producers ever. He played on Pink Floyd albums he produced and that is great proof he's a talent.
Welcome to my Nightmare is a brilliant album.
I remember watching some bootleg recording of the RYFAY concert in Stockholm back in 1988 here on youtube a few years ago. Does anyone know if it still exists somewhere? I think it's called "Live in the flesh" or something like that. But I can't find it anymore...
Would be nice to watch it again since that show was the first time I watched Alice live as a kid. I was fighting to be in the front rows and were covered in fake blood afterwards. Good times.
Enjoyed again. Thanks. :)
The Alice Cooper Group - Amazing
I might be the only one but I find the background music horribly distracting. I'd prefer to listen to your dialog without extra noise.
Good retrospective on a great band but sidesteps the alcohol issue that played a large part of the story. They were an extremely hard partying band! Alice himself was reported to be consuming a fifth of Seagrams VO and a case of Budweiser EACH DAY by the end of the original band's run! I had seen the original group on the Killer, School's Out and BDB tours and was a huge fan! Went to see the WTMN show and Alice openly talked during the show about how he had just become sober. The theme of mental illness mentioned here was his alcoholism (which is what also led to Glen Buxton's early demise). Also, no mention of them being called The Earwigs at one point (or did I miss that?)
At 13 my big brother played me 2 songs. Yes, Roundabout and Alice Cooper, Ballad of Dwight Frye. At 14 i made the decision to become a musician, haven't looked back since
This is why you shouldn't be in a band with a person's name. To help promote the Band Vince "Alice' was advertised as a person. When the band broke up Vince legally changed his name to Alice Cooper and released the soundtrack album Welcome to my Nightmare. The rest of the band would now be unemployed and screwed of out of the name. This wouldn't have happened if they stayed The Spiders and the singer was Vince.
lol. Until the later clarifying comment, I was like, wait a minute, Alice Cooper and Todd Rundgren played in the same band???
I had the School's Out album on 8-track in 1972...MAN... I Got Laid so many times by having this 8-rack album also with this songs by Donnie Osmond, I did not like Donnie Osmond but my girlfriends did & I got laid all thru my teen yrs, If I ever meet Alice or Donnie I will Bow down & thank them both for my teen yrs with benefits....Thank You Alice Cooper..
very nice thanks ....can you do the rest of the albums please ?? hahahahah
Well they weren’t a band anymore lol 😉
haha oh yeah of course ....hahah
i was 12 when i took my first breath in life. It was while listening to B.D.F.. My family has not rested since.
B.D.F? What does that stand for?
@@rayellebishop8168
Ballad of Dwight Frye.
Some would argue, their best song.
Hows about Alex Harvey, SAHB? I think that would be interesting.
Greatest band ever imo,, much better than the sad made up rockers that he sings with now
If I don't c u in the next contect I hop all of your family have a nice Christmas and happy new year🎉❤love u always Jennifer Louise love 😘
@AliceCooper- I hop u had a nice birthday aswell 76 I bet u can feel it now when I was at your contact u lot come around on the 11th of July in 2023 my birthday was on the 8th of July all of u was my big birthday 🎁 I was there with my nicese cheryse we had a good time I'm watching u on TH-cam now singing alone with u
@AliceCooper- united kingdom that's where I live it's the black country
I being a fan for a long time now I would love to meet u face to face
I wish u was here to meet me and I could meet aswell
You should know that this is not the real Alice cooper account. It’s someone scamming. Don’t send them any money or information.
well done
Vince changed his name to Alice Cooper at least a year before the band broke up. After that, it was just a matter of time. Why split the money six ways, including the manager, when you can split it two ways; Alice and Shep Gordon? Most fans think it was the dirtiest move ever made in rock history besides Elvis getting rid of his original band because his manager said so.
You forgot the original bands name, The Earwigs.
I saw him once in Denver with no schlock. They came out and played four or five rockers non stop....Alice said "not bad for a sixty something year old man huh?" Then they proceeded to tear that place up. I saw him again for the cigarette show, but the show with no props was CLASSIC. Thanks
This isn't about solo Alice, bozo
Beatles, KISS, Alice Cooper, a natural progression for a 12 year old in 76....right?
…really enjoyed this and not being particularly a fan of Alice this was perfect length and full of info i did not know…liked the hits, his brand of “thow bisneth” had no appeal for me..i was 17 when “18” was out and you couldn’t escape the bloody tune…
Have you heard Alice Cooper Pretties for You album?
Love AC Group...saw the Welcome To My Nightmare tour at the Norfolk Scope (Suzi Quatro opened). Fluff.
The backing band kept "in the shadows" is an understatement. Waaaay in the back...Hunter & Wagner came up close during their duel ("Devil's Food). That was the highlight for me. Love the original band, still.
Man you didn't listen did you? LOL
It is a shame that these great bands and their great music is now "lost"
The two first albums are unfocused and uneven... still... some nuggets there... Levity Ball... Shoe Salesman.. Beautiful Flyaway ( to name a few ) could have been classics
Fan since '71. You're dead on, there are some gems, especially on Easy Action.
I saw Alice Cooper, in Harrisburg , on his billion baby tour. It started with Alice exiting a 40’ Sarcophagus rising out of the stage with bright lights for eyes! Every song had a different skit ending with Alice being guillotined! Great concert, definitely a band to be seen live!
The Turtles opened!
Remember the Coop!
The story I heard was Alice ws wearing heavy make up and under close stage lights the makeup began to run down his face .
He soldiered on and the crowd went wild a the makeup running all down his face. So he staryef doing it for every show.
How can you do an Alice Cooper story and not include that?
Or did I remember it wrong...
I was around for the first albums.
great video. sorry about youtube being ridiculous. vincent furnier cool guy.
Original AC band was the best
Thi⚡ channel kick⚡ ⚡eriou⚡ a⚡⚡ many thnx!
👌🇺🇸
Saw him in Vegas in a college theater in 1989.
Only Women Bleed.
Had a dead female mannequin and the guillotine.
Crazy good show.
Think the boat was there also.
1989...this relates to video, how??????
Goes to hell is my favorite
And mine.
When did they become a ‘lost’ band? Lol, no more lost than any of the other all time classic bands
Well, to be honest, it’s more the fact that few people know it was a BAND before it was a man. That’s more the lost part.
Change the name guitars do speak