The Boy Wonder Article: 1972

1972's Toronto Chaos to Stardom

The one-page article in New Musical Express (February 5, 1972) reflected on Alice Cooper Group's journey from near-disaster to stardom. It recalled their frightening 1969 Toronto Rock And Roll Revival performance—marked by a scared chicken, a battered watermelon, Neal Smith climbing speakers, and the band needing to get drunk to go on stage—where they were easily the worst act until Yoko Ono appeared. The piece credited their success to producer Bob Ezrin, nicknamed "Boy Wonder," who took them in hand over a year ago and became a full partner in Jack Richardson's Nimbus 9 organization (home to The Guess Who).

Article Overview

Publication Details

Magazine: New Musical Express (UK).

Date: February 5, 1972.

Format: One-page feature article.

SOME THIRTY MONTHS

ago I first experienced Alice Cooper. Alice was new to the rock and roll game then, fresh out of Arizona, a state totally unrenowned for its pop music contributions. Even taking into account Alice's inexperience. the greatest surprise is not that Alice has since gone on to be-come a first-rate star, but that he survived at all.

We were at the 1969 Rock And Roll Revival in Toronto, one of this continent's last great pop festivals. After all this time the memories remain fresh the very frightened chicken, a battered water melon, and guitarist Neal Smith climbing banks of speakers, supposedly in search of meaning but more apparently trying to disassociate himself from the chaos be-low.

"We were scared," Neal admits now. "The only way we could go on stage was to get drunk first." Until Yoko Ono made her appearance. Alice was easily the worst performer of the day.

So why is Alice suddenly a star? He didn't make a success of himself without some outside help. By no coincidence, his real success dates back to the day he was taken in hand by Bob Ezrin.

Since that time Ezrin has earned himself the nickname "Boy Wonder" and become a full partner in Jack Richard-son's Nimbus 9 (The Guess Who) organization. But just over a year ago he was merely another young producer.

The day Ezrin told me he was taking on Alice, I laughed. old Bob Alice could never be a big recording name. Ezrin sim-ply told me I was wrong and Bob Ezrin, boy wonder of rock

left it at that. Two months later Alice had a hit single, Eighteen.

Now I'm a believer, not so much in Alice, although his added sophistication makes his performance easier to take, as in Ezrin.

Ezrin has taught Alice how to make music as effective as his refurbished stage act.

With a raw, rough-and-tumble approach to production. he has re-captured the simple drive of classic rock and roll. It's Ezrin's production hand that makes "Killer", Alice's second album for Bob, such a fine recording.

But Ezrin has not restricted himself to Alice. Long-time Detroit shouter Mitch Ryder has suddenly resurfaced with his first hit record in four years. The album is called "Detroit". beats everything Ryder record-ed in his prime for Bob Crewe. and was produced by Ezrin.

At the present time Ezrin has three other acts ready for release. That makes five groups, all American, that have come to Canadian producer Ezrin. Give him another year and Ezrin may have resurrected rock and roll.

Paul Anka found himself blacklisted by the Musicians Union this week. The Union claims Anka did not pay his sidemen on the recent Paul Anka album according to union regulations. Anka retorted that the union claims are ridiculous because all the musicians are contracted to his record company.

"Get It On" by T. Rex is back on the radio charts here. The song made a brief appearance last fall but dropped off quickly. The radio stations have not explained why they're picking up on it again but odds are the song found some support in Los Angeles.

Don McLean went on Dick Cavett's late-night Ameri-can television show to explain that he doesn't know what American Pie means. Seems the song is just a collection of images, like the old Dylan songs.

The Guess Who went back to the studios this weekend. For the first time since "Canned Wheat" the Winnipeg group is recording in Los Angeles rather than Chicago. "What could be worse than Chicago in winter?" asked producer Jack Richardson.

Now Crowbar is planning on April for a British tour. At least that's this week's plan. next week, who knows? The band flew to New York yester-day to begin a new album. "It's an album about America. Where else can you record an album like that?" leader Kelly Jay Fordham wanted to know. The band flies home to Hamilton for a rare local appearance on Wednesday and returns to New York on Thursday.

Babe Cooper, the less-than-regal bass player for King Biscuit Boy, has taken excер-tion to my disparaging remarks about Biscuit's sidemen. "You only stayed for two sets and you have the nerve to say that." he charged last week. He's wrong. I left in the middle of the second set.

ALICE COOPER: The production, by Bob Ezrin, makes group's latest album such a fine recording.

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