SHOCK rocker ALICE COOPER is one of the great musical innovators of the 20th century. He has influenced the sound and look of rock and roll (think MARILYN MANSON, KISS and IRON MAIDEN), since he slithered onto the scene in the late 1960s and drove a stake through the heart of the love generation. Need convincing? THE LIFE & CRIMES OF ALICE COOPER through the WARNER ARCHIVES/RHINO, is all the proof you need. This week Newcastle's, and possibly Australia's, number one ALICE COOPER fanatic STEVEN 'MAC' MCLENNAN reviews the CD for us on-line at www.nnp.com.au Mac, pictured here in the 1994 with the man himself, gives the thumbs up to the 4 CD box set which follows Alice's career from his earliest recordings with high school buddies in garage bands to collaborations with ROB ZOMBIE and SOUNDGARDEN front man CHRIS CORNELL. TE
THE LIFE AND CRIMES OF ALICE COOPER
REVIEW by STEPHEN 'MAC' MCLENNAN
ALICE COOPER is one of the great musical innovators of the 20th century. He has influenced the sound and look of rock and roll since he slithered onto the scene in the late 1960s and drove a stake through the heart of the love generation.
Need convincing?
THE LIFE & CRIMES OF ALICE COOPER through the (WARNER ARCHIVES/RHINO) is all the proof you need. This new 4 CD box set follows Alice's career from his earliest recordings with high school buddies in garage bands, THE SPIDERS and THE NAZZ (1965-66) through to his most recent collaborations with ROB ZOMBIE and SOUNDGARDEN front man CHRIS CORNELL.
The more than 80 tracks contained on LIFE AND CRIMES are taken from each of Cooper's 20 studio albums, featuring demoes, rare alternative mixes, previously unreleased or limited edition tracks and soundtrack material.
Alice's former band mates, NEAL SMITH, MICHAEL BRUCE and DENNIS DUNAWAY, are also represented with two tracks from their BATTLEAXE album.
Producer BRIAN 'RENFIELD' NELSON, the world's leading authority on Cooper, has done a brilliant job bringing together mainstream commercial releases and limited-appeal, hard core collectors material.
The four-CD set is a must-have for the serious COOPER-phile as well as the ultimate starting point for the novice who wants to their hands on a genuine piece of rock and roll history.
It's also the perfect device for the fan who just never got around to updating from vinyl or eight-track to CD.
Of course all the hits are here, and what an impressive bunch of songs they are. I'M EIGHTEEN, UNDER MY WHEELS, SCHOOL'S OUT, ELECTED, NO MORE MR NICE GUY, DEPARTMENT OF YOUTH, FREEDOM, POISON, FEED MY FRANKENSTEIN and LOST IN AMERICA are proof positive that ALICE COOPER has always had the musical muscle to back up the stage antics and the hype.
The softer side of the hard-hearted Alice is represented by ONLY WOMEN BLEED, I NEVER CRY, YOU AND ME, HOW YOU GONNA SEE ME NOW, ONLY MY HEART TALKING and IT'S ME.
Add to this a potent mix of classic album tracks like BALLAD OF DWIGHT FRY and DEAD BABIES from the early 1970s, and Alice's versions of THE BEATLES' BECAUSE and JIMI HENDRIX'S FIRE, and you have a very special collection.
Other gems to be found include Alice's collaborations with a plethora of stars including DONOVAN, LIZA MINELLI, GUNS'N'ROSES and members of BON JOVI, THE WHO and AEROSMITH, JOE SATRIANI and OZZY OSBOURNE.
Renfield was even able to dig up tracks that the relevant record companies weren't even aware they had in their vaults.
The packaging is amazing, classically COOPER-esque, reminiscent of the elaborate sleeves created for the vinyl releases of SCHOOLS OUT, BILLION DOLLAR BABIES and FROM THE INSIDE.
The accompanying booklet contains an authoritative biography and is jam-packed with rare photos and glowing tributes from a veritable who's who of rock and roll, with an irreverent introduction by JOHN LYDON.
THE LIFE & CRIMES OF ALICE COOPER is a testament to an innovator, a true original. The ALICE COOPER phenomenon was always equal parts visual spectacle and aural excellence. Accept no substitutes. This is the real deal. I can't wait for volume 2!!!
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