Alice Cooper band breakup 1974

I always wondered, why was Buxton too ill to play?......was he a drunk? drug addict?....health issues?

 

Yes. Even after "Welcome to my nightmare" happened and after that 1975 Alice tour, Dennis did an interview
with Creem magazine and he said that they were going to get back together. He still thought at the time
that it was just a break.

 

Right. Sure. I mean, yes, this is what they said at the time. But the reality was probably one/all of the reasons in post (1).

 

Buxton was a mess in 73/74..anything and everything. He even tore apart all of his Gold Record Awards a little later on cause he thought they were made from REAL Gold. Tried cashing in the discs at a pawn shop. He was only getting about 30K a year in royalties from Album sales after the split

 

Unfortunately he was a heavy drug user.

 

Interesting commenst

I remember reading in Creem an article about each member's favorite drink concoction and they said at that point that he was told not to drink again by his doctor.

 

Alice Cooler Band would be a great band name.

 

I remember seeing Buxton hanging-out in the back cross-aisle at the Academy of Music in NYC, probably 1977. I wish I could remember who was playing that night, but I can't. He was a rough-looking guy to begin with, but I have a vivid image of him with a couple of hanger-on chicks. Glenn was obviously drunk and/or high, but what struck me was that he was wearing some of his old, worn Alice Cooper stage clothes, tight gold lame things. It wasn't a happy sight.

 

Sad.

 

From what I have read it seems that the band was rather expertly managed by Shep Gordon, it was a well oiled machine. The thing is that Shep had a better relationship with Alice than the rest of the guys and he may have steered Alice towards the solo career, or at least when that option appeared he must have found it a much easier situation to manage.

In interviews when this subject has been brought up all the guys (especially Dennis and Neal, don't remember Michael) have denied this and said they were all into the theatrics.

 

That's funny. They were interviewed on the release of Billion Dollar Babies "Battle Axe". Quite a good article too. That was what was said during the interview (too many theatrics, back to the basics). I guess artists tell so many versions of "the facts" during interviews they don't remember what they said.

 

I only wish I made 30K a year to do nothing. That must have been more than enough to live comfortably back in the 70s. He must have had an expensive lifestyle. I bust my tail working 3rd shift full time and still make under 30K so that annoys me.

 

30K in the 70's was great....not so great in the 1990's.

 

I think the band had what a band needs: great songs - but the competition in those days was so intense that you really needed some strong visual/technical u.s.p. to stand out above the crowd - and the A.C.B. found theirs with the theatrics.

Their songs were always strong - nearly as good as what the Stones were coming out with in the same period: but the python/guillotine/make-up were what got them noticed. I wondered if we'd ever have heard of them had they not lighted on those elements?

 

Rock lifestyle caught up with Cooper guitarist Glen Buxton »

 

I still find it fascinating that they played Oak Lawn. The noisiest things here now are helicopters landing at the hospital.

 

I haven't played it in years but I never cared for it much when I bought it in the 80's.

 

Some pretty asinine remarks concerning Glen. I guess we could start off by telling the "know it alls" here that he spelled his name with only one "n", not two. As for you other personal comments and pontifications, perhaps you should try research a little. There is a website about Glen (Original Glen Buxton), there are also facebook pages. Dennis Dunaway has a current book out that talks a lot about Glen, his ups and downs, his good and bad times. Of course, you could just keep blowing smoke....it is what is done a lot now a days.

BTW....I am Glen's brother in law. My wife (Glen's sister) and I created GB's facebook page, The Shiny New Dime and I am developing the GB website.

As for your questions about the band's break up....sorry, there is no one or even two real easy answers. Glen's health and problems were a part of it, but there was a long list of other things that led to the break up. BUT THE DESIRE TO DO OR NOT TO DO THEATRICS IS NOT ONE OF THEM.

 

I didn't know much about Glen's personal life outside the band. I think it's really sad the original band broke up, as they were much better as a group than with Alice on his own. Good luck on the new website, I'm sure there are many fans who will visit.

 

Thank you for showing up to set the record straight. That's very appreciated, especially considering the fact that I wasn't even aware of the Facebook page, the website, or Dennis Dunaway's book. I'm sure there are many who aren't. It's also intriguing that the breakup reason you wrote in all caps was just about the only reason given in the American press at the time of the breakup. We fans... and yes I was among them... had no idea that Glen didn't play on Muscle Of Love, even. Most of the high profile information available now seems to be coming from Steve Hunter, and by association the late Dick Wagner. It's gotten lots of attention due to their continued efforts with other artists over the years.

I'm sure that nobody here would object to your correcting any errors you find. It's the internet, and reliable sources are scant. I would like to mention though, that I think you're dealing with naivete here, not ignorance. I'm sure that doesn't make discovering misinformation any less troubling, and if anything I've personally posted has done a disservice, I apologize sincerely. What you're seeing, in a way, is a sort of proof that people still hold the original band in high regard, or there would be no interest in discussing them. I hope that, after the initial distress wears off, it will be possible to pay proper respects together. Please help us to do that.

 

I think it was a YMCA at the time. It was in a semi-urban neighborhood, the ice rink was on the street line and there was a wrought iron fence along the sidewalk. I remember there were older couples sitting on the stoops of the row houses across the street observing the crazy rock 'n roll... they seemed bemused by the whole affair. I think it was $2.00 to get in, an elderly volunteer took the money, and they were selling popcorn and soda.

It's a very fond "gig" memory. I saw most of my concerts at The Auditorium Theater, the Opera House or the Aragon Ballroom.

 

Steve Hunter has nothing but good things to say about the Alice Cooper group and felt honored to stand in for Glen at the R&RHOF performance. Ezrin's incorporation of outside musicians was not unusual for the time and was usually meant to expand the palatte rather then being a reflection on the abilities of the musicians. They were making records. The only thing I question is why Eick Derringer played on Under My Wheels, unless it was a matter of who was around at the time. Later on, when GB's situation became more complicated, things changed, and the group started to crumble. My personal experience with some of those involved at the time was that the break made feasible by Alice/Vince's contractual out for a soundtrack was not necessarily meant to be permanent. It could well be though that Shep, Bob Brown and co just did find the prospect easier of dealing only with Vince once it was determined that he could succeed wit house the group, but that success proved a bumpy road for a long time.

 

The major hurdle in attempting to understand the band's break-up is the wading through the years of only receiving ONE view of the story - the view from Alice's camp. Yet, over the years, the story of the band's demise, from that source, has changed. As for most things in life, their are multiple views of events when more than one person is involved. Unfortunately, in this case, only one voice has been heard, at least by the casual Alice Cooper fan. (EX: TeddyB's reference to the name "Vince" is a key point in the time frame and storyline of the breakup.)

 

Thank you for stopping by here and taking the time to write. Sorry if some of the comments here seemed disrespectful, but I am sure that is not the intention. As you say most of us only know what scraps and bits of the story we have heard over the years and the rest we fill out in these types of discussions, where there will inevitably be speculation. There are many fans of the original Alice Cooper group here, and lots of love for that era, in fact I think there are at the moment, for no particular reason, four threads running that discuss different topics that relate to the group. The topic of one of them is in regards to the name "Alice Cooper" and how it was used before and after the split up of the group, and Vince legally changing his name was brought up, I assume that is maybe what you are alluding to. Please feel fee to elighten us with anything you like to share.

 

From reading interviews on the net from Neal smith, Dennis Dunaway, and Micheal Bruce,
Plus Dennis and Michael's books, was that Alice did not want to go back. He made the decision to leave the guys (maybe
with Shep's encouragement, who knows ?)
So i surmised that much. I kind of equate this to what John Lennon did to The Beatles when he left.
So, i think the reason lies with Alice and every story he tells about it seems to be different.
On The Prime Cuts video he says that the other guys didn't want to do theatrics, which was BS.
Then on the old school DVD, he says it was time and the other guys wanted to cash in.