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Letter From Los Angeles

Alice Cooper has just been confirmed as opening act for the Scorpions' US tour, marking the first time Alice has accepted an opening slot for many years. It also signifies how insecure the Scorpions are feeling, when they have to take on a support act of the stature of Alice Cooper, who will obviously have made demands on a much greater scale than any new band desperate for a chance to open for the Scorps, and will have had them granted or he wouldn't have accepted the slot.

Prior to the tour, Cooper will be recording a 'Greatest Hits Live' package in response to the hits package currently being marketed by former labels. The release will be the first the Cooper album for Hollywood Records, to which he signed by his former A&R man at Epic, now President of Hollywood

Alice's current band sees a couple of old faces making their return to the fold - guitarist Reb Beach and keyboard player Paul Taylor, with Jimmy Degrasso on drums (already out of the re-formed Y&T unless they can get some touring going), and Greg Smith on bass also running away from a situation which didn't pan out - in his case Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow. The last place in Alice's band is that of second guitarist, which is occupied by Ryan Roxie, the former Candy player more recently a part of Gilby Clake's band.