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The Rebirth Of Alice Cooper

Even though there are plenty of Hitkrant readers who still know ALICE COOPER from 'the past', I thought it would be advisable to go back to the beginning. Alice Cooper has changed a lot over the years. His first LP and his last, there is a world of difference between them.

In '69 Alice came into contact with FRANK ZAPPA and for his record company Alice made two LPs that did not catch on. With a lot of luck, Alice manages to interest one BOB EZRIN in making a single with them. That will be the first big hit: because 'EIGHTEEN' will be a world hit!

The subsequent albums, 'LOVE IT TO DEATH', 'KILLER', 'SCHOOL'S OUT' and 'BILLION DOLLAR BABIES' made the group world famous and feared by many parents who came to know the lugubrious Alice through the gossip magazines.

Millionaire

Alice has more than become a millionaire and continues to do his shows. All kinds of things are involved: electric chairs, gallows, heavily painted faces, a real guillotine and a lot of scary animals. There is a lot of horror during Alice's performances!

Then it gradually goes further and further downhill. Alice flops several times with some of his work and the more dissatisfied he becomes with his work, the more addicted he becomes to drinking.

Brand new

Then - 1978 - he's suddenly back. He managed to get rid of his addiction (see Hitkrant 3) and is now enjoying life and his theater shows to the fullest. Alice is essentially brand new, a rebirth of sorts. It is Alice's second period, his review exercise.

Alice had taken up residence in the London Savoy hotel and had the Hitkrant come to London - at his expense. There he told the whole story about his addiction, his time in the clinic and the vision of the future he expects.

What will the future bring for you?

He laughs and says: 'A period, I hope a very long one, that will be characterized by a balanced way of acting. My mind is now my guide and together with BERNIE (TAUPIN, MA) I will once again amaze the world with my skills. I'm going to show a lot of musicians - or people who think they are - that I'm not copying them (he's referring, for example, to KISS, who, among other things, have adopted Alice's bizarre facial paintings and a number of lurid jokes).

Whales

'I will show a renewed Alice, who will bring something completely new for the second time. What I certainly won't do: tell people how bad it is to drink or something lame like that. I hate giving lessons.'

'I don't understand - for example - why there are people who give concerts for dying whales or something like that. (YES has committed itself to that goal - MA) There will be a show that will surprise everyone!'

You can see: Alice is full of hope for the future and given the success of his latest single, things will also go well during his repeat exercise for a very long time. How long? Time will tell.

(Translated from the original Dutch language publication - JUne 2024)