⭐ In My Own Way – LP Album: 1975
- Alice Cooper Group
- Jun 23, 1975
- 5 min read
Michael Bruce
Vinyl LP — Polydor 2310 431
Released: June 24, 1975 (Germany)
Michael Bruce steps out from the Alice Cooper shadow with a melodic, genre‑blending solo statement.
Released in 1975, In My Own Way marks Michael Bruce’s first major solo outing after the dissolution of the original Alice Cooper group. Recorded at the Record Plant in Los Angeles, the album captures Bruce at a crossroads — eager to assert his own musical identity while surrounded by an astonishing roster of collaborators.
The record blends soft rock, country‑rock, and soul influences, reflecting Bruce’s melodic instincts and his desire to move beyond the theatrical shock‑rock framework he helped build. Though the album didn’t chart, it has since become a cult favorite among collectors, especially due to its unusual production history, its star‑studded guest list, and its limited original pressing.
Notable anecdotes include the involvement of Keith Moon, David Foster, and members of The Rascals, as well as the album’s striking cover photography by Francesco Scavullo. Over time, In My Own Way has grown into a prized artifact of post‑Cooper history — a snapshot of Bruce’s artistry at its most personal.
🔘 Track List
Side A
A1 — King Of America — 2:54
A2 — Lucky Break — 3:57
A3 — Friday On My Mind — 3:20
A4 — In My Own Way — 4:17
Side B
B1 — As Rock Rolls On — 2:55
B2 — If The Sky Should Fall — 2:44
B3 — So Far So Good — 3:18
B4 — Gotta Get Hold Of Myself — 3:07
B5 — Seems Like I Only Fool Myself — 4:06
🔘 Variants
Germany — Polydor (1975)
• LP — 2310 431
• Standard issue
• Original Scavullo cover photography
• Primary collector reference pressing
Japan — Polydor (1975)
• LP, Album, Promo — MP 2532
• White‑label promotional edition
• Japanese insert + OBI (varies by surviving copies)
• Highly collectible
• CD Reissue — OW 34486
• First official CD release
• Standard jewel case.
Track List
1 — King Of America — 2:54
2 — Lucky Break — 3:57
3 — Friday On My Mind — 3:20
4 — In My Own Way — 4:17
5 — As Rock Rolls On — 2:55
6 — If The Sky Should Fall — 2:44
7 — So Far So Good — 3:18
8 — Gotta Get Hold — 3:07
9 — Seems Like I Only Fool Myself — 4:06
Bonus Track:
10 — Morning Song
Edition Notes
Restores the original 1975 album in full
Adds “Morning Song” as a bonus track — sourced from the 1975 sessions
Standard jewel case with One Way Records branding
No expanded booklet or archival notes included
Considered the “gateway” edition for collectors before the 2002 and 2019 expanded sets
United Kingdom — Burning Airlines (2002)
• 2×CD — Pilot 114
• In My Own Way – The Complete Sessions
• Includes demos, alternates, and unreleased material
Europe — Gonzo Multimedia (2019)
• 2×CD Reissue of the above — HST483CD
• Expanded edition of The Complete Sessions
Track List
CD 1 — Original Album + Outtakes + Demos
1‑1 — King Of America — 2:53
1‑2 — Lucky Break — 3:56
1‑3 — Friday On My Mind — 3:19
1‑4 — In My Own Way — 4:16
1‑5 — As Rock Rolls On — 2:54
1‑6 — If The Sky Should Fall — 2:44
1‑7 — So Far So Good — 3:18
1‑8 — Gotta Get Hold — 3:06
1‑9 — Seems Like I Only Fool Myself — 4:05
Bonus Material:
1‑10 — Morning Song — 4:00 (1975 outtake)
1‑11 — As Rock Rolls On (Alt) — 3:36
1‑12 — If I Was King (Working Title) — 3:55
1‑13 — Oh My Love — 3:24
1‑14 — Nothing On Earth — 2:53
CD 2 — 1974 Lake Tahoe “Sunburst” Recordings
2‑1 — As The World Turns On — 2:23
2‑2 — Love’s Opened Up My Heart — 4:52
2‑3 — I Kicked Da Blues — 3:18
2‑4 — Someone Like You — 2:32
2‑5 — I Can’t Leave You — 2:55
2‑6 — No‑One Knows The Stranger — 7:10
2‑7 — In My Own Way (Alt) — 4:37
2‑8 — Got To Get Hold — 3:36
2‑9 — Love Love Love — 3:32
2‑10 — Morning Song — 6:09
2‑11 — Feeling Like I’m Somebody Else — 3:25
2‑12 — Something In This Life — 3:16
2‑13 — When You’re On The Outside — 3:45
2‑14 — Ain’t That Just Life — 4:14
2‑15 — Life Will Be Our Music — 3:54
2‑16 — So Far So Good — 3:19
2‑17 — Lucky Break — 3:56
Edition Notes
CD 1, Tracks 1–9: Original 1975 album
CD 1, Track 10: 1975 outtake
CD 1, Tracks 11–14: Original demos
CD 2: 1974 Lake Tahoe “Sunburst” sessions — previously unreleased archive material
Booklet includes a new interview with Michael Bruce by Jon Kirkman, exclusive to this edition
🔘 Chart Performance
• No official chart placements recorded
• Later reissues gained cult traction among Alice Cooper collectors
🔘 Context & Notes
Recording Sessions:
• Recorded at the Record Plant, Los Angeles
• Sessions spanned roughly three months in 1975
Studio Personnel:
• Michael Bruce — vocals, guitar, keyboards
• Mick Mashbir — guitar
• Bob Dolin — keyboards, mellotron, clavinet, Moog, vocals
• Bryan Garofalo — bass
• Gene Cornish — bass, guitar, producer
• Dino Danelli — drums, percussion, producer
• Ricky Fataar — drums
• Ed Black — pedal steel
• David Foster — piano
• Engineers: Bob Merritt, David Palmer
Anecdotes & Production Quirks:
• Keith Moon contributed to early sessions (uncredited on final LP)
• Scavullo’s cover shoot became one of Bruce’s most iconic images
• The album’s original Polydor pressing was limited, contributing to its rarity
Legacy Notes:
• Often cited as the “missing link” between Muscle of Love and the later Billion Dollar Babies project
• The 2002 and 2019 expanded editions restored the album’s reputation among collectors
🔘 Visual Archive
The album cover features a black‑and‑white portrait of Michael Bruce, shirtless with arms crossed, framed by a bold red border. The title In My Own Way appears in cursive at the top, with “MICHAEL BRUCE” in large uppercase lettering beneath. Some copies feature Bruce’s autograph across the lower portion of the image.
Michael Bruce — In My Own Way (1975), cover photography by Francesco Scavullo.
🔘 Related Material
• Battle Axe — Billion Dollar Babies (1977)
• Alice Cooper Group — Muscle of Love (1973)
• Michael Bruce — Rock Rolls On (1983)
🔘 Discography
• In My Own Way (1975)
• Rock Rolls On (1983)
• Halo of Ice (2002)
• The Second Coming of Michael Bruce (2005)
• Be Your Lover – Anthology (2011)
🔘 Mini‑Timeline
• 1974 — Early sessions begin
• 1975 — Album recorded at Record Plant
• 1975 — German Polydor LP released
• 1997 — First CD reissue
• 2002 — Complete Sessions issued
• 2019 — Expanded reissue released
🔘 Glam Flashback
In the wake of Alice Cooper’s split, Bruce crafted a record that traded shock for sincerity — a warm, melodic portrait of a musician rediscovering his own voice.
🔘 Closing Notes
In My Own Way stands as one of the most intriguing post‑Cooper artifacts — a richly arranged, emotionally open album that reveals Michael Bruce’s depth as a songwriter. For collectors, it remains a cornerstone piece, bridging the gap between glam‑era theatrics and personal artistic expression.
🔘 Sources & Copyright
• Polydor release documentation
• Discogs‑verified catalogue entries
• Artist interviews and session notes
All artwork and recordings remain the property of their respective copyright holders.
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