Alice Cooper Group: "Bizarre Show and Rock 'n Roll" Feature (1971)

Alice Cooper Group’s "Bizarre Show and Rock 'n Roll," a one-page feature in Muzik Express Magazine, October 1, 1971.

Translated and original

Alice Cooper, 23-year-old son of an American minister, says: "We love going on stage and showing people what their perfect world has become. Strangely enough, they are almost always shocked!"

Alice and his group are not shocked; they are doing better today than ever. With "Eighteen," their hit, which in the States is known as the "My Generation" of the seventies, they climbed several rungs on the ladder to success at once. Let's try to remember the last popular rock group that really shocked people. You would have to go all the way back to the Stones to find a group with even remotely as much musical courage. Alice Cooper, unlike most bands today, plays the melodic, penetrating rock that is the formula for hits and success.

The group has existed for six years Like the Stones, the members of Alice Cooper attended art school until they realized that rock 'n' roll gave them greater scope for expression. While they were initially influenced by the usual artists (Beatles, Stones, Zappa), they quickly developed their own style, which was somewhat bluesy and resulted in unexpected visual highlights on stage. The events surrounding their performances have now become a kind of modern legend. It is said that Alice slaughtered a chicken on stage and drank the blood, ripped open pillows, and let the feathers fly through the audience. These and similar stories gave the group an image of wild, unpredictable, and sensational. When these events are published in the newspapers, the parents of their young fans, in particular, are sent into a panic. It is said that Alice Cooper, like the Stones in the mid-1960s, is now the most hated group in America by adults. Alice corrects this claim: "I think the parents fear us more than they hate us. Many of them hate hair, but only until their own children grow their hair. If it's their own children, then it can't be that bad. Crazy logic!" When you talk about Alice Cooper, you involuntarily think of bizarre shows and, not least, sex. Why sex? Alice explains: Most groups these days seem to have forgotten that rock music is sex music. We are a band of the third generation of rock, and we want to bring back some of the originality of this genre. Our music doesn't hit people

in the head, but something deeper."

The Alice Cooper band began their musical career in Phoenix, Arizona. They initially called themselves "The Spiders." Later, after moving to Los Angeles, they changed their name to "Nazz," inspired by Lord Buckley's famous dialogue. However, they soon discovered that another, more well-known group of that name already existed in Philadelphia. After much deliberation, they decided on "Alice Cooper." Their stage act seemed somewhat exaggerated in its early stages, especially since they neglected the musical element in favor of the visual element. The effect on the audience was correspondingly negative. They therefore decided to exert more control over the show, hoping at the same time to gain secure control over the crowd. With this in mind, the five boys met for a few days at the Psychedelic Supermarket in Los Angeles and designed a new, highly artistic and well-thought-out show. From now on, their permanent stage equipment included false eyelashes, women's clothing, makeup, and lipstick With these and other props (e.g., an electric chair and a live snake), they bombarded not only the ears but also the eyes.

Alice Cooper is a group that is said in the States to have a great, but unfortunately not a good, influence on kids. Alice, singer and undisputed center of the group, rejects any responsibility towards the audience. He commented on this as follows: "We don't tell people what to do, we don't show them the way, we don't even make suggestions. Like a psychiatrist who doesn't give any answers, but lets the patient answer his own questions

At the beginning of their career, there were quite a few who doubted the group's musical ability. Today, after the release of their third album, "Love It To Death," even skeptics have taken notice. Salvador Dali, the famous, acclaimed artist, was one of their first fans. His fondness for Alice Cooper goes so far that he offered them his painting, "Geopoliticus Child," for the cover of one of their records. Unfortunately, the group has not yet recorded an LP that they considered perfect enough to accept Dali's offer. Regarding the initial difficulties, Alice, who does not want to reveal his real name so as not to discredit his famous father, says: "We are more interested in the musical part of our repertoire today than before. Back then, the focus was on the show, whereas today we have found a healthy balance: a combination of show and music." The group's recent increase in popularity has demonstrated how effective this combination is.

Alice Cooper: Vocals, Harmonica; Neil Smith: Drums

Michael Bruce: Guitar, Piano, Organ

Dennis Dunaway Bass Glen Buxton - Leadgitarre

ALICE

COOPER

Bizarre Show and Rock 'n Roll

M

47