
"As the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame says: "Before the world heard of KISS, the New York Dolls, Marilyn Manson or Ozzy Osbourne, there was Alice Cooper, the original shock-rock band." When Alice Cooper became the stuff of legend in the early '70s, their shows were monuments of fun and invention. Riding on a string of hits like "I'm 18" and "School's Out," they became America's highest-grossing act, producing four platinum albums and hitting number one on the U.S. and U.K. charts with Billion Dollar Babies in 1973. Their utterly original performance style and look, known as Shock Rock, was swiftly copied by countless bands. Dennis Dunaway, the bassist and co-songwriter for the band, tells a story just as over-the-top crazy as their (in)famous shows. As teenagers in Phoenix, Dennis Dunaway and lead singer Vince Furnier, who would later change his name to Alice Cooper, formed a hard-knuckles band that played prisons, cowboy bars and teen clubs. Their journey took them from Hollywood to the ferocious Detroit music scene, along the way adding new dimensions of rock theater. From struggling for recognition to topping the charts, the Alice Cooper group was entertaining, outrageous, and one-of-a-kind. Snakes! Guillotines! Electric Chairs! is the riveting account of the band's creation in the '60s, strange glory in the '70s, and the legendary characters they met along the way"-- Provided by publisher.
Publisher:
New York : Thomas Dunne Books, 2015.
Edition:
First edition.
ISBN:
9781250048080
1250048087
1250048087
Characteristics:
x, 290 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations ; 24 cm
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Add a CommentA well written story taking you the reader from the formation of the Alice Cooper group to the hectic / party life of the road in the mid 1970's. Dennis and Chris share thier insights and a lookback at the Rock and Roll lifestyle and the spiral down and addictions that claimed guitarist Glen Buxton. A great read for the fan from the heyday.
Agree with tperkinssr... I only saw Alice Cooper during the Welcome to My Nightmare tour. I thought at the time that it was good vaudeville stage craft, but not really rock'n'roll. This book tells the fun story of the early days, and the sad story of how the Alice Cooper band was hijacked into Alice Cooper the showman.
Excellent read for any fan of the original group