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#201
27th January 2016, 06:34 AM
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The penultimate song on the album is, you guessed it, another ballad! 'Jackknife Johnny' is about a Vietnam Vet, ignored by the country he was fighting for, hated by the other Vets because he fell in love with a 'gook'. Again, it's not a bad song, but c'mon - 4 ballads on an album with 10 songs is a bit much! 09/10 Jackknife Johnny (Cooper, Taupin, Wagner) "From his army confessions of his military days You still carry the shrapnel, you're shell-shocked and dazed Dear Johnny (oh Johnny) have you just lost your way Or like denim and leather are you faded and frayed Institute lackies with hot bourbon breath White coats and needles Johnny like to scare you to death Dear Johnny (Johnny) do you feel your best When you're strung out at night on your morphine and meth Jackknife Johnny you're a floor moppin' flunkie Tool of a dagger's drawn world Jackknife Johnny them old vets gotta hate you For bringing home that V.C. girl Jackknife Johnny welcome to our world From the tone deaf hearing of the draft board game You were washing cars down in Dallas when the holocaust came Dear Johnny (Johnny) your excuse was lame All your friends sleep in boxes while you sleep in chains Jackknife Johnny you're a floor moppin' flunkie Tool of a dagger's drawn world (tool of a dagger's drawn world) Jackknife Johnny them old vets gotta hate you For bringing home that V.C. girl Jackknife Johnny welcome to our world Jackknife Johnny you're a bad jungle monkey Tool of a dagger's drawn world (tool of a dagger's drawn world) Jackknife Johnny them old vets gotta hate you For bringing home that V.C. girl Jackknife Johnny Welcome to our world" The final song on the album, 'Inmates (We're All Crazy)' is classic, old-school bad taste Alice. It's a very dark song, that uses a dramatic string arrangement that wouldn't have been out of place on the final Beatles album! The use of nursery-rhymes also gives the song a twisted feel Lizzy Borden, mentioned in the song, was an American woman who was tried (and acquitted) for the axe murders of her father and her stepmother in 1892. She died in 1927. [As a side bar, there is an American band called 'Lizzy Borden' who have a male singer who's name is Lizzy Borden. Their songs are based around death and murder, and they have a very theatrical stage show. Sound familiar?] 10/10 Inmates (We're All Crazy) (Cooper, Taupin, Wagner) "Not like we did something wrong We just burned down the church While the choir within sang religious songs And it's not like we thought we was right We just played with the wheels of a passenger train That cracked on the tracks one night It's not like we ain't on the ball We just talk to our shrinks Huh they talk to their shrinks No wonder we're up the wall We're not stupid or dumb We're the lunatic fringe who rusted the hinge On Uncle Sam's daughters and sons Good old boys and girls Congregating waiting in another world With roller coaster brains Imagine playing with trains Good old boys and girls Congregating waiting in some other world We're all crazy, we're all crazy, we're all crazy Lizzy Borden took an axe and gave her mother forty whacks And don't think we're trying to be bad (no!) All the innocent crime seemed alright at the time (Not neccesarily mad) Not necessarily mad not necessarily mad We watch every day for the bus And the driver would say "That's where lunatics stay" I wonder if he's talking about us It's not like we're vicious or gone (no!) We just dug up the graves where your relatives lay In old forest lawn And it's not like we don't know the score We're the fragile elite they dragged off the street I guess they just couldn't take us no more Good old boys and girls Congregating waiting in another world With roller coaster brains Imagine digging up graves Good old boys and girls Congregating waiting in some other world We're all crazy, we're all crazy, we're all crazy, We're all crazy, we're all crazy, we're all crazy We're all crazy crazy crazy crazy, we're all crazy We`re all crazy, we're all crazy, we're all crazy" The tour to promote the album was called 'The Mad House Rocks' tour Three nights were booked at the Wembley Arena on May 29th-31st 1979, but these were ultimately cancelled The touring band, known as the 'Ultra Latex Band', consisted of: Davey Johnstone - guitar Steve Hunter - guitar Prakash John ("Johhny Stilletto") - bass Penti 'Whitey' Glan - drums Fred Mandel - keyboards Sheryl Cooper - dancer Rosa Aragon - dancer Uchi Sugiyami - dancer Eugene Montoya (Martin Luther Queen) - dancer Clifford Allen - dancer Wendy Haas - background singer Joe Pizzulo - background singer A sample setlist consisted of:
A DVD entitled 'The Strange Case Of Alice Cooper' is available, filmed in San Diego on April 9th 1979, but sadly it has only been released as a Region 1 (American) version
__________________ People try to put us down Just because we get around Golly, Gee! it's wrong to be so guilty  |
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#202
29th January 2016, 06:27 PM
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And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the end of part 2 INTERMISSION Alice had not only survived the break up of the original Alice Cooper Group, but had gone on to bigger things He had produced highs - 'Welcome To My Nightmare' - and experienced lows - going into rehab While Alice was in rehab, he got a special 'passout', so that he could appear in the film version of 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' on the condition he returned immediately afterwards to resume treatment which he did. In the film, he played the character of 'Father Sun', performing The Beatles song 'Because', which had backing vocals by the Bee Gees. When he recorded the tune, he did it in the style of John Lennon. Producer George Martin was impressed with the recording, but it was not what he wanted, so he allegedly said to Alice: "That was good, but how would John have wanted you to do it?" Because - Lennon, McCartney "Because the world is round it turns me on Because the world is round Because the wind is high it blows my mind Because the wind is high Love is old, love is new Love is all, love is you sweetie Because the sky is blue it makes me cry Because the sky is blue" In addition to this oddity, he also recorded another song during the 'From The Inside' sessions, which became the 'B' side to the 'How You Gonna See Me Now' single. The song, which is about Heroin addiction, features Betty Wright as the featured female singer - she is a soul singer who has also worked with Bob Marley and Stevie Wonder amongst others No Tricks - Taupin, Cooper, Wagner https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpcdMaXabbk "[Alice] No tricks up my sleeve I kicked the downs and now I'm clean No shakes up my spine I beat the speed and I dumped the wine No tracks, that was yesterday I changed my style, the way I play [Betty] Don't you believe it No blues No depression No more panic Or obsession [Betty] Don't you believe Anything he said All them junkies talk that way It's just as bad as it was before I see the man knockin' at his back door [Alice] ... this kid's straight And put on ice The street corner deals at any price Come on and check my veins And check my eyes No tracks, that was yesterday I changed my style, the way I play [Betty] Don't you believe it No blues No depression No more panic Or obsession Some tricks just go away And other tricks they're here to stay [Betty] Oh don't you know me Sometimes my spirit's willin' The flesh is weak and That's what's killin' [Betty] Don't you believe anything he said All them junkies talk that way It's just as bad as it was before I see the man knockin' at his back door [Alice] Hey now this kid's straight, put on ice The street corner deals at any price Come on and check my veins And check my eyes [Alice] I tried so hard But I'm hurting for another fix It's just this habit I, I can always kick What do you say there friend? [Betty] Don't you call me.. It's just a game And I can beat it any day No matter what this lovely lady say Hey, wanna be my friend? Some tricks yhey go away And other tricks they're here to stay [Betty] Oh don't you know me Sometimes my spirit's willin' My flesh is weak and That's what's killin' [Betty] Don't you believe anything he said All them junkies talk that way It's just as bad as it was before I see the man knockin' at his back door [Alice] I said this kid's straight And put on ice The street corner deals at any price Come on and check my veins And check my eyes" Jani likes this.
__________________ People try to put us down Just because we get around Golly, Gee! it's wrong to be so guilty |
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#203
29th January 2016, 06:46 PM
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| PART 3: The 'Missing' Years 1980 saw Alice searching for a new character and musical style following his first brush with rehab. With the dawn of the new decade he seemed to have lost touch with his audience and while concert attendances were still good, album sales were falling fast. For his next releases, Alice changed musical style - he tapped into the current fad of post-punk/new wave music! He also changed his image from the gothic horror of the 70's, to what was (at the time) described as the 'widow twanky' look, a reference to the British theatre pantomime dames and their pancake makeup and chopstick hairdos The classic Alice was gone. He even appeared on album covers in normal clothes with short hair, although actually it was just tied back in a poni-tail In interviews and on stage he was still a performer and the entertainment was as good as ever, but to the average rock fan on the street, he looked like he had fallen to the traditional rock 'n' roll evils of drink and drugs. This did not mean the early eighties albums were bad. All had their moments, and are hailed by some people as being among his best. But with his relationship with Warner Brothers almost non-existant, Alice was clearly adrift, looking for a new direction to take The period 1980-1983, is also a time when Alice kept a pretty low profile outside of the shows. He fell of the wagon briefly and returned to the alcohol after a sip of Sheryl`s wine at dinner, and (although it wasn't admitted until 30 years later) he also discovered cocaine... By his own admission, Alice has no memory of the recording of his next four albums - 'Flush The Fashion', 'Special Forces', 'Zipper Catches Skin' and 'DaDa' Thankfully, Alice cleaned up for good around 1984 and that he has been "clean" ever since, but the period 1980 - 1984 was very much a low point in his history
__________________ People try to put us down Just because we get around Golly, Gee! it's wrong to be so guilty |
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#204
29th January 2016, 07:45 PM
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There's always more, but I've been collecting Alice for awhile.Susan - you're even crazier than I am, god bless you.
Justin101 and Susan Foreman like this. Last edited by Jani; 29th January 2016 at 08:32 PM. |
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#205
29th January 2016, 07:50 PM
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You have a NICE collection there I have the 'cut down' version of "Old School" - I couldn't afford the full set! If you are a fan of the DVD's, if you don't have 'Brutally Live' and 'Theatre Of Death', then I seriously urge you to get them - they are very good Jani likes this.
__________________ People try to put us down Just because we get around Golly, Gee! it's wrong to be so guilty |
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#206
29th January 2016, 07:54 PM
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#207
29th January 2016, 07:58 PM
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I'm still living in hope for an official release of 'The Nightmare' television special!
Jani likes this.
__________________ People try to put us down Just because we get around Golly, Gee! it's wrong to be so guilty |
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#208
30th January 2016, 04:42 PM
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Two years after the 'From The Inside' album, Alice released 'Flush The Fashion' in May 1980. As already stated, it was a noticeable change from the Alice of the 70s. New wave and punk had taken their toll and a new approach was needed, along with a new image...or so Alice obviously thought! The album contains one real classic song, a minor hit single and a real turkey! But the rest, while good material, wasn't what most Alice fans wanted Alice has stated that the ideas and titles for all the songs on the album came from headlines in "The National Enquirer" (the American version of 'The Sunday Sport')! For the first time in a long time, the line up on the album was constant Alice Cooper - vocals Davey Johnstone - Lead Guitar Fred Mandel - Guitar, Keyboards Dennis Conway - Drums "Cooker" John LoPresti - Bass Backing Vocals - Flo And Eddie, Joe Pizzulo, Fred Mandel, Ricky 'Rat' Tierney and Keith Allison. Producer - Roy Thomas Baker The first song on the album is entitled 'Talk Talk', and the change in musical style is evident - this could be a recording by The Cars or Devo! It is a solid rocker, but it is a synth-based solid rocker! The song is a cover, originally recorded by the American band The Music Machine in 1966 01/10 - Talk Talk (Sean Bonniwell) "I got me a complication And it's an only child Concern my reputation As something more than wild I know it serves me right But I can't sleep at night I have to hide my face Or go some other place No! I won't cry out for justice Admit that I was wrong I Stay in hibernation 'Til the talk subsides and gone My social life's a dud My name is really mud I'm up to here in lies I guess I'm down to size To size I can't seem to talk about The things that bother me Seems to be what everybody has Against me! (ooh! ooh! ooh! yeah!) Now here's my situation And how it really stands I'm out of circulation I've all but washed my hands My social life's a dud My name is really mud I'm up to here in lies I guess I'm down to size To size Talk, talk Talk, talk Talk, talk Talk, talk" The second song on the album is possibly best known by people. 'Clones (We're All)' was a minor hit single This song is an attack on forced conformity and was very popular with high school students. The lyrics paint a future where all traces of the human race have been replaced by dehumanized clones: "We've destroyed the government, we're destroying time. No more problems on the way." It's also been suggested that the song is based on a movie called 'Clones' from the late 70's(?), which features one of the clones saying to their creator "six is having problems adjusting to his clone status", but I have not been able to verify this suggestion It was written by David Carron, who had been a member of Arlo Guthrie's touring band, Shenandoah, in the 1970s. 02/10 - Clones (We're All) (Carron) "I'm a clone I know it and I'm fine I'm one and more are on the way I'm two, doctor Three's on the line He'll take incubation another day I'm all alone, so are we all We're all clones All are one and one are all All are one and one are all We destroy the government We're destroying time No more problems on the way I'm through doctor We don't need your kind The other ones Ugly ones Stupid boys Wrong ones I'm all alone, so are we all We're all clones All are one and one are all All are one and one are all Six is having problems Adjusting to his clone status Have to put him on a shelf (please don`t put me on the shelf) All day long we hear him crying so loud I just wanna be myself I just wanna be myself I just wanna be myself Be myself Be myself I'm all alone, so are we all We destroy the government We destroy time No more problems on the way I'm through doctor We don't need your kind The other ones Ugly ones Stupid boys Wrong ones I'm all alone, so are we all We're all clones All are one and one are all All are one and one are all I'm all alone, so are we all We're all clones All are one and one are all All are one and one are all"
__________________ People try to put us down Just because we get around Golly, Gee! it's wrong to be so guilty |
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#209
4th February 2016, 05:56 AM
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The third song on the album is called 'Pain', and it is probably my favourite track on the album It's a fun song, with some of the most offensive (but hilarious) lyrics that Alice has used for a long time! The song was using in the 1980 film 'Roadie', which (as well as Alice), starred Meatloaf, Blondie, Hank Williams and Roy Orbison amongst others Alice Cooper - vocals Davey Johnstone - Lead Guitar Fred Mandel - Guitar, Keyboards Dennis Conway - Drums "Cooker" John LoPresti - Bass Backing Vocals - Flo And Eddie, Joe Pizzulo, Fred Mandel, Ricky 'Rat' Tierney and Keith Allison. 03/10 - Pain (Cooper, Johnstone, Mandel) "I'm hidden in the scream when the virgin dies I'm the ache in the belly when the baby cries And I'm the burnin' sensation when the convict fries I'm pain I'm your pain Unspeakable pain I'm your private pain And I'm the compound fracture in the twisted car And I'm the lines on the face at the tramp at the bar And I'm the reds by the bed of the suicide star You know me.. I'm pain I'm your pain Your own private pain Unfathomable pain And it's a compliment to me to hear you screamin' through the night All night Tonight I'm the holes in your arm when you're feeling the shakes And I'm the lump on your head when you step on the rake And I'm the loudest one laughing at the saddest wake Yes I'm pain I'm just pain I`m dear old pain You need your pain And I'm the loudest one laughing at the saddest wake I'm the salt in the sweat on the cuts of the slaves I was the wound in the side while Jesus prayed I was the filthiest word at the vandalized grave Ahh so pain Do you love me pain I love my pain I'm your pain It's a compliment to me to hear you screamin' through the night All night Tonight" 'Leather Boots' is a fun, rockabilly song Sure, it's short and as insubstantial as hell, but it's cute! Try as I might, I have not been able to find any information about songwriter Geoff Wester, so I do not know if he was connected with any other bands, or if he had written anything else 04/10 - Leather Boots (Wester) "Leather boots poundin' the floor Black and shiny kickin' the door The police, hit the streets They would never take the boots off of their feet If I break the law and get caught I could get smashed in the face by the big boys 'Cause they're frightened by the real world Frightened by the real world Scared of the real world. Oh yeah. I saw a cop, he looked pretty shot By some criminals, left there to rot I took a look, no one around I put his boots on, stomped on the ground Stood so tall and felt so strong I wanted to be just like them So I could hurt somebody Hurt somebody (Hurt somebody, hurt somebody ) Scared of the real world. Oh yeah Scared of the real world. Oh yeah Don't litter or score in the dark Don't kill your lover and don't overpark 'Cause if you murder or if you loot Get the heel of my new leather boots If I break the law and get caught you could get smashed in the face by this young boy Who is frightened by the real world This boy is frightened by the real world I gonna hurt somebody 'Cause I'm frightened of the real world. Oh yeah"
__________________ People try to put us down Just because we get around Golly, Gee! it's wrong to be so guilty |
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#210
4th February 2016, 10:32 AM
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Happy birthday Alice - 68 today News is starting to come in regarding a new American tour, which will go under the banner heading of 'Spend The Night With Alice Cooper' Dates so far announced are: 29th April - Billoxi, MS, Beau Rivage Resort & Casino 2nd May - Nashville, TN, Tpac's Jackson Hall 4th May - Peoria, IL, USA, Peoria Civic Center 5th May - Merrillville, IN, Star Plaza Theatre 6th May - Columbus, OH, LC Pavilion 8th May - Concord, NC, Carolina Rebellion Campground 10th May - New Brunswick, NJ, State Theatre 12th May - Port Chester, NY, Capitol Theater 13th May - Wilkes-Barre, PA, FM Kirby Center 14th May - Lynn, MA, Lynn Memorial Auditorium 15th May - Morristown, NJ, Mayo Performing Arts Center 17th May - Warren, OH, Packard Music Hall 20th May - Pittsburgh, PA, Stage AE 21st May - Rama, ON, Canada, Casino Rama Entertainment Centre In addition to those are: Hollywood Vampires 27th May Lisbon, PRT Alice Cooper 9th-12th June Nicklesdorf, AUT 18th June London, UK 23rd June Copenhagen, DEN 24th June Halden, NO Jani likes this.
__________________ People try to put us down Just because we get around Golly, Gee! it's wrong to be so guilty |
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