🔘 Zipper Catches Skin – Album: 1982

Released in 1982, Zipper Catches Skin stands as one of Cooper’s most eccentric and sharp‑edged studio experiments — a wiry collision of punk bite, new‑wave minimalism, and jet‑black humour. The album strips things down to a skeletal, off‑kilter sound, pairing deadpan delivery with jagged riffs and surreal storytelling. Often overlooked on release, it has since become a cult favourite for its fearless weirdness and its snapshot of Cooper pushing against every expectation during his early‑’80s blackout era.

Alice Cooper’s Zipper Catches Skin was released as an LP album in the US by Warner Bros. Records (catalog number 9 23719-1) on August 25, 1982, with a UK release in September 1982. Showcasing a dry, energetic hard rock style with pop-punk and post-punk influences, it moved away from heavy riffs, continuing the direction of Special Forces with slicker production. Produced by Alice Cooper and Erik Scott, its lyrics leaned into comical sarcasm, as noted by bassist Erik Scott, who described it as “lean, stripped down, and low on frills. Punkish and bratty.” A 1982 Kerrang! review highlighted its raw, rebellious charm, though the album did not chart.

Tracklist:

A1. Zorro’s Ascent – 3:56

A2. Make That Money (Scrooge’s Song) – 3:30

A3. I Am the Future – 3:29

A4. No Baloney Homosapiens – 5:06

B1. Adaptable (Anything for You) – 2:56

B2. I Like Girls – 2:25

B3. Remarkably Insincere – 2:07

B4. Tag, You’re It – 2:54

B5. I Better Be Good – 3:50

B6. I’m Alive (That Was the Day My Dead Pet Came Back to Save My Life) – 5:15

Note: The tracklist is based on the standard 1982 vinyl release (Warner Bros. Records).