Alice Cooper & David Bowie (July 14 1973) – “Victims of Vietnam”  – Melody Maker

Jul 14, 1973
2 min read

This Melody Maker “Mailbag” feature from July 1973 presents a reader’s letter titled “Alice, Bowie — victims of Vietnam,” reflecting on how the cultural climate of the late 1960s and early 1970s shaped artists like Alice Cooper and David Bowie. The piece argues that their theatricality and alienation stemmed from the social upheaval and disillusionment of the Vietnam War era.

Publication: Melody Maker Date: July 14 1973 Country: United Kingdom

THE STORY

The letter opens by critiquing how media discussions of the Beatles, Stones, and Dylan often overlook the environmental and generational forces that influenced later musicians.

The writer suggests that Bowie and Cooper’s personas — flamboyant, cynical, and self‑aware — are products of a world reshaped by war, politics, and shifting moral values.

The page also includes other reader letters on contemporary music topics, such as BBC censorship of Elton John’s lyrics, praise for Slade, and commentary on Neil Sedaka’s overexposure.

A hand‑drawn cartoon of the duo Medicine Head by Jimmy Thomson occupies the centre, adding a surreal visual touch typical of Melody Maker’s early‑1970s aesthetic.

CONTEXT AND NOTES

By mid‑1973, both Bowie and Cooper were cultural lightning rods — Bowie with Aladdin Sane and Cooper with Billion Dollar Babies.

Their art mirrored the fragmentation and theatrical excess of post‑Vietnam youth culture.

This Mailbag letter captures how fans and critics alike interpreted their work as symptomatic of a generation’s loss of innocence and search for identity.

FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS

Event: Reader commentary on Bowie and Cooper’s cultural significance Era: 1973 – Post‑Vietnam / Glam Rock Reflection Tone: Analytical, reflective, and socially aware

Photography: Pencil‑drawn cartoon of Medicine Head; text‑only layout with multiple reader letters

WHAT THE CLIPPING SHOWS

Headline: “Alice, Bowie — victims of Vietnam”
Reader letter analysing cultural influences on Bowie and Cooper
Cartoon illustration by Jimmy Thomson
Additional letters discussing Elton John, Slade, and BBC censorship

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