📰 Alice the Cover Girl ‑ Article: Apr. 1973
- Alice Cooper Group
- Apr 7, 1973
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 7
A playful, tongue‑in‑cheek Popswop feature framing Alice Cooper — shock‑rock’s reigning villain — as an unlikely pop pin‑up, complete with snakes, smiles, and a glam‑era wink at his own outrageous image.
When shock‑rock meets teen‑mag charm.
Popswop Magazine
Date: April 7, 1973
Length: 4 min read
The article celebrates Cooper’s theatrical excess while softening it through the bright, cheeky tone of youth‑press storytelling, turning his “Billion Dollar Babies” era into a glossy pop‑culture moment.
đź“° Key Highlights
• Popswop’s one‑page spotlight on Alice Cooper
• Behind‑the‑scenes story of the *Billion Dollar Babies* album sleeve
• David Bailey’s money‑drenched photo session
• Cooper photographed with a snake, smiling through glam‑era makeup
• Teen‑mag framing of a shock‑rock icon
đź“° Overview
This *Popswop* feature from April 7, 1973 captures Alice Cooper at the height of his *Billion Dollar Babies* fame — a moment when his blend of horror, humour, and glam theatrics had fully crossed into mainstream pop culture. Popswop, known for its bright, playful tone, presents Cooper not as a menace but as a mischievous star whose outrageousness is part of the fun.
The article focuses on the creation of the *Billion Dollar Babies* album sleeve, emphasising the extravagance of the shoot and Cooper’s willingness to lean into the absurdity of his own image.
đź“° Source Details
Publication / Venue: Popswop Magazine
Date: April 7, 1973
Format: Feature / Pop‑Culture Spotlight
Provenance Notes: Based on the original one‑page Popswop article “Alice the Cover Girl!”
đź“° The Story
The article recounts how Cooper wanted the *Billion Dollar Babies* album sleeve to be as extravagant as the record itself. With a reported £50,000 production cost, he insisted the artwork match the scale. Photographer David Bailey was brought in to shoot Cooper “wallowing in money,” surrounded by dollar bills flown in from the United States specifically for the session.
The feature also mentions a baby wearing Alice‑style makeup — a surreal, tongue‑in‑cheek touch that fits perfectly with the band’s theatrical identity. Popswop’s tone is light and amused, treating Cooper’s excesses as part of his charm rather than something shocking.
The accompanying photo — Cooper smiling, snake in hand, makeup smudged into a glam‑horror mask — reinforces the playful contradiction at the heart of his persona.
đź“° Visual Archive
• Full‑page Popswop photo of Alice Cooper holding a snake
• Heavy glam‑era makeup and bracelets
• Red border framing the image
Alice Cooper in 1973 — smiling, serpentine, and fully aware of his own theatrical absurdity.
đź“° Check out the tags at the bottom of the post.
đź“° Closing Notes
This *Popswop* feature captures Cooper at the moment he became both a shock‑rock icon and a pop‑culture favourite. By reframing his outrageousness through a teen‑mag lens, the article highlights the humour, charisma, and self‑awareness that made him irresistible to a generation.
đź“ť Copyright Notice
All magazine scans, photographs, and original text excerpts referenced in this entry remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This Chronicle entry is a transformative, non‑commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference. No ownership of the original material is claimed or implied.
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