Published on Oct 13, 2001
It comes as a huge surprise to discover that for 28 years, this
was the only official live album documenting the controversial
antics of our favourite horror meister, Alice Cooper. This is
surprising because the Alice Cooper group of the early 70’s was
world reknowned for their completely over the top live spectacle.
Even more surprising is that this first live album was not recorded
during the massive tours of
School’s Out or
Billion Dollar Babies in 1972 – 73 with the classic band
line-up that most people consider to be the peak era, but rather in
1977 after Alice Cooper had released his third solo album,
Lace And Whiskey, a period during which Cooper’s popularity
had greatly decreased as well as him becoming a complete
drunkard.
Alice Cooper himself has said that he isn’t proud of this live
album, and that
A Fistful Of Alice (released in 1997) was a conscious
attempt to finally put out a live album of excellent renditions of
his classics. Well, I really don’t know what the hell he’s talking
about, because
The Alice Cooper Show is not nearly as bad as so many people
make it out to be, including himself.
This is a relatively energetic performance, especially in light
of his severe alcohol abuse at that time (he entered a nut house to
cure his addiction shortly after this album was released, and the
resulting brilliant concept album based on his experiences,
From The Inside, was released in 1978) and often gives an
extra punch and heaviness to the earlier studio material, which
sometimes doesn’t sound quite as powerful on record as when played
live.
Songs like “Eighteen”, “Sick Things”, and “Is It My Body” really
benefit from the added heaviness here. “I Love The Dead” is
particularly superior here to the studio version, sounding much
creepier with a throbbing bassline, distorted riffs, and an
additional ominous keyboard element not found on the original
version, and it’s thankfully a bit shorter because the 1973 studio
recording tends to get repetitive.
Even the hit ballads “You And Me” and “I Never Cry” are
beautifully done… only “Only Women Bleed” suffers a tad because
of a cheesy keyboard addition that wasn’t on the original, and is
definitely annoying. I also have to question the sensibility of
including three ballads on a live release because they drain energy
and momentum away from the rock oriented material, but I suppose
one could argue that including several ballads shows a more dynamic
diversity in his songwriting (which it does), and offers a more
varied flow so that fans of his heavier songs and fans of his
softer side both have cause to celebrate.
A couple of the songs, like “Under My Wheels”, “Billion Dollar
Babies”, “Go To Hell”, and “School’s Out” aren’t quite as strong as
the original studio versions, but such things are inevitable on
live albums. There are some interesting renditions however…just
check out how “I Love The Dead”, “Go To Hell”, and “Wish You Were
Here” flow together in a very theatrical medley.
The musicianship is simply amazing…this backup band, the
Hollywood Vampires, which played on Alice’s first three solo
albums, in my opinion rivalled the original Alice Cooper group in
playing ability and creativity. Particularly the dual lead guitar
assualt of Steve Hunter and Dick Wagner never fails to
impress…just listen to their insane shredding and dual lead
harmonies on “Wish You Were Here”. Doesn’t get much more awesome
than that.
The sound and production are excellent, and what really
surprised me the most are Alice’s vocals. I’ve heard lots of live
material from Alice Cooper, and seen many live videos (which, by
the way, is truly the best way to enjoy the spectacle), but his
singing on this album is among the best I’ve heard from him. Clear,
confident, note for note faithful to the original recordings, and
he doesn’t get too raspy as he sometimes has a tendency to do. This
is all the more suprising when you take into consideration that at
the time this was recorded in 1977, he was reaching the zenith of
his alcoholism as I mentioned before He doesn’t sound shitfaced at
all, which is totally unexpected…If you ever watch the live video
for the
Welcome To My Nightmare tour from not even two years prior
to this, he slurs the vocals, is often out of key, and is barely
able to stand! And by 1977 his drinking was much worse yet he
sounds better!
Hmmm…I smell a rat, and I wouldn’t be surprised at all if a
tremendous amount of overdubs were done in the studio, because it
just seems impossible that he could have sounded so good at the
time. Some people think he doesn’t sound good on this album, and
while I agree that he doesn’t seem quite as lively as I’ve seen him
on many other live accounts, I certainly don’t see how he sounds
bad.
I think
The Alice Cooper Show was purposely rush released in 1977, a
period during which live rock albums exploded on the charts, to
restore his rapidly sagging popularity. Even though live accounts
by his rock contemporaries at the time were mostly huge successes,
this was not, and I think this was a result of his drastic change
in musical direction away from the sinister, creepy, hard rocking
style to a sillier Broadway balladeering style starting with
Goes To Hell, which likely confused the fans of his more
serious, gritty, button pushing early 70’s work.
I also think that most people would have wanted a live album
from the classic 1969 – 74 Alice Cooper group band line-up, which
was finally released in 2001 as part of a two CD set of the deluxe
remaster edition of 1973’s
Billion Dollar Babies, featuring a disc’s worth of superb
live material from the massively successful 1973 tour. But if
you’re only in the market for one disc, then buy 1997’s
A Fistful Of Alice…although it leaves a fair bit to be
desired,
The Alice Cooper Show is not nearly as bad as has been
suggested, but with two superior live Cooper alternatives available
these days, it’s no longer essential.