Alice Cooper : The songs

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by erickana666, Feb 15, 2018.

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  1. erickana666

    erickana666 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    montreal, canada
    Do you think alice deserves that kind of thread ? Im all for it. Starting with pretties for you.
     
  2. California Couple

    California Couple dislike us on facebook

    Location:
    Newport Beach
    Holy muscle of love, why not!

    Just listening to

    [​IMG]

    Anything by the actual band I will read along to.
     
  3. pdenny

    pdenny 22-Year SHTV Participation Trophy Recipient

    Location:
    Hawthorne CA
  4. Rufus rag

    Rufus rag Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    I'm in up until From the Inside and then I jump
     
  5. erickana666

    erickana666 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    montreal, canada
    So lets start with Pretties for you :
    Titwnic ouverture : i remember having a lot ofntroublemto find this album, so everytimes i heard this intro it brings me memory of all the hunting i did to get the album. Maybe the band miss some orientation with Zappa on board.
     
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  6. Zoot Marimba

    Zoot Marimba And I’m The Critic Of The Group

    Location:
    Savannah, Georgia
    Pretty neat idea for a thread. Admittedly, I'm not really that familiar with certain periods of Alice, and I won't be able to post everyday, but I'll check it out
     
  7. Zoot Marimba

    Zoot Marimba And I’m The Critic Of The Group

    Location:
    Savannah, Georgia
    Anyway,
    Alice Cooper, Pretties for You:
    [​IMG]:

    Pretties for You is the debut album by Alice Cooper. It was released in June 25 1969 by Straight Records. At this time, the name "Alice Cooper" referred to the band, not its lead singer Vincent Furnier, although he was later also known as Alice Cooper. The music has a psychedelic flavor to it; the group had yet to develop the more concise hard rock sound that they would become famous for. Most of the tracks feature unusual time signatures and arrangements, jarring syncopation, expressive dynamics, sound effects, and an eclectic range of music influences. A few songs, such as "Levity Ball," show the influence of Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd, with whom the band hung out during the British group's U.S. tour.[6] Too bizarre and avant-garde for its time, Pretties for You was a critical and commercial failure, only briefly denting the Billboard Top 200, and none of its songs have ever been played live by Cooper since the release of the band's breakthrough album Love It to Death.[7]
    The song "Reflected", Alice Cooper's first single, was later rewritten as "Elected" (which featured on their 1973 album Billion Dollar Babies). The artwork for this album is a painting by Edward Beardsley.[8] It was originally hanging on the wall of the living room in Frank Zappa's house.[9] His wife Gail Zappa claims that it was later stolen from them.[10]

    ProductionEdit
    According to Alice Cooper's band manager, Shep Gordon, when recording at Whitney Studios in Burbank, Frank Zappa left his brother in charge of recording while Zappa left the studio. Zappa returned later that day and informed them the album was finished, having only recorded the band rehearsing. Gordon states that there was no producer during recording, that the band had no complete songs written, that Zappa "didn't spend 5 minutes in the studio" and never asked to hear their material, and that the band's debut album was made up entirely of that rehearsal recording. [11]

    ReceptionEdit
    Lester Bangs of Rolling Stone felt that there were no "[hints] of life, spontaneity, joy, rage, or any kind of authentic passion or conviction." However, he stated that "within the context of [Alice Cooper's] self-imposed limitations, the album is listenable." He concluded the review by saying that "Alice Cooper's music is, for this reviewer at any rate, totally dispensable."[12]
    Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine feels that the album "was an earnest but flawed stab at psychedelia that occasionally caught fire."[13]

    Live coversEdit
    On November 8, 2015 the entire record was performed live at The Stone in NYC as part of Nick Didkovsky's residency there.[14] Neal Smith, Dennis Dunaway and Cindy Smith Dunaway were in attendance. Dennis Dunaway joined the band for "Nobody Likes Me" as an encore, a song that was originally slated to be on the record.

    Track listingEdit
    All songs written by Alice Cooper, Glen Buxton, Michael Bruce, Dennis Dunaway and Neal Smith.

    Side One

    1. "Titanic Overture" – 1:12
    2. "10 Minutes Before the Worm" – 1:39
    3. "Sing Low, Sweet Cheerio" – 5:42
    4. "Today Mueller" – 1:48
    5. "Living" – 3:12
    6. "Fields of Regret" – 5:44
    Side Two

    1. "No Longer Umpire" – 2:02
    2. "Levity Ball" – 4:39
    3. "B.B. on Mars" – 1:17
    4. "Reflected" – 3:17
    5. "Apple Bush" – 3:08
    6. "Earwigs to Eternity" – 1:19
    7. "Changing Arranging" – 3:03
    PersonnelEdit
    Alice Cooper band
    Titanic Overture:

    Titanic Overture kicks off the record, and it's a somewhat interesting, off kilter instrumental. I can't give any real background to a lot of these songs so that's all I got.
     
  8. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    I don't know a good way to go. Maybe start with going through each album?
     
  9. erickana666

    erickana666 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    montreal, canada
    Thank you musicman1998, you are the best to do that kind of thread
     
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  10. tinnox

    tinnox Senior Member

    Location:
    Maryland
    Never owned this one just not sure about it
     
  11. flaxton

    flaxton Forum Resident

    Location:
    Uk
    I love this album. Took a long time to get in the uk as it was an import in the early seventies. It was in a glass case in my local record shop along with Easy Action.
     
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  12. mestreech

    mestreech Forum Resident

    I always loved "Titanic Overture" although it could have been longer.
    For me this would be an ideal show opener.
     
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  13. The Panda

    The Panda Forum Mutant

    Location:
    Marple, PA, USA
    I am heavily into this record. Love the jazz of Apple Bush. Changing Arranging, Living, Reflected, and Cheerio have always been in heavy rotation throughout my year.
    The short tracks are so poppy, they sound almost self conscious.
    I shelled out for the mono single years ago and I'm glad I did; it's commanding silly prices now, I understand.

    IIRC, Alice has said he was heavily influenced by Floyd at this time and even met Syd when they came to the US. Much of Cheerio is a Floyd tribute.
    I always thought Living has Byrd touches--the odd keys remind me of Crosby's minor key songs.

    Funny how they returned to this lp to scavenge two of the songs for later use.

    IT's a very good record, but totally unlike anything that came after it.
     
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  14. Rufus rag

    Rufus rag Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    I didn't hear this album until it was released in the UK as School Days with Easy Action! I came on board with School's Out so when I heard this it was a WTF reaction. Not one I spin often but I appreciate it's historical importance to the ACG!
     
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  15. Alf.

    Alf. Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    PFY, and follow-up Easy Action, are often described as "not proper Alice Cooper" albums. What is 'proper' AC though? The 'Grand Guignol' Ezrin quartet, or campy horror-vaudeville (Nightmare/Hell)? But then, there's confessional (Inside); new wavery (Flush); 'left-field' WTF (Zipper); hair-metal etc etc.

    That first album is certainly amateurish & shamateurish; songs often sounding like a dozen different ideas shoehorned into a couple of minutes. Lo-fi fuzz & scuzz; garage-psych, freak-out, 'tripping'. It's Zappa/Beefheart weirdsville; but then solo Alice's final '80s, Warner Brothers, albums, were weirder than weird - so, a fitting full circle for that period. PFY is certainly a damn site more creative, and interesting, than Alice's late-80s, one-dimensional, cliched, poodle rawk.

    I love the opening Titanic Overture. Imagine: a mostly unknown band, hoping (well, in their minds, though not Frank's) for some serious chart action, kicking off their debut with some Gothic Wurlitzering, before seguewaying into the totally unrelated 'nibbling', 'squeakings', and dramatic droneathon, that's 10 Minutes Before The Worm! My favourite track? Probably, the rather more 'conventional' Swing Low Sweet Cheerio.

    Here's a great review, from Julian Cope's Head Heritage site: alice-cooper-pretties-for-you
     
    Last edited: Feb 16, 2018
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  16. erickana666

    erickana666 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    montreal, canada
    I remember getting the Freaknout, nobody likes me live in toronto, the famous live album with a thousand of titles and releasing of the same product, with bad sound, thanks godnthey release the final version 2 or 3 years ago. So i got the live album from this tour before getting Pretties...
    Bobody likes me should has been included. Sweet cherios, reflected are my 2 favorites songs. But i prefer Easy action album more polished than Pfy.
    10 minutes before the worm is a cool title.
     
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  17. Rhinojack

    Rhinojack Forum Resident

    Location:
    Harlingen, Texas
    ...and Rufus rag's sentiment clearly reflects my position and my albums. I quit buyin' after "From the Inside". I do want to express an affection for the "Welcome to My Nightmare" and "Alice Cooper Goes to Hell" period as a solo performer. my favorite as a group is "Killer".
     
  18. Scooter59

    Scooter59 Forum Resident

    Location:
    North Shore, MA
    I discovered Alice Cooper through the Greatest Hits album (one of the 'greatest' of Greatest Hits albums, IMO), and still think the Ezrin era of LITD thru BDB is the holy quartet. But over the past couple of years I've found a new appreciation for PFY and EA (Stooges, Floyd, Doors), and can now hear the pre-echoes of "Black JuJu", "Killer", "Desperado", et al. I really like most of Ezrin's work, but he may get a bit too much credit for AC's early 70's albums.
     
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  19. erickana666

    erickana666 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    montreal, canada
    Since i know that not a lot of people got PFy in their collection : complere review

    10 minutes before the worm : first scary song from Alice , very experimental, very Pink Floyd, Syd Barrett, at first i was hoping that 10 minutes later on the album we will get The worm !

    Sing low sweet cheerios : great mood song, great voicenfrom alice cooper, bizarre guitar parts, really the vibenofnthenfirst albums of Alice.

    Today mueller : really Beatles vibe, the sound ofnthenalbum is very clear, its terrific for a starting album from a new bizarre band in those years.

    Living : melodic lyrics, very early Pink Floyd, good solo for the time

    Fields of regret : i like the dark tone in the intro, cool guitar parts. Could has been a good single.

    No longer umpire : finally a clean version from a song that i knew from the cd live in toronto 1960s, great singing from Alice, a favorite from their first tour.

    Levity ball: Best song on the album, a greatmsongmtomintroduce early Alicemto new fans. Perfect for his time.

    Bb on mars : a faster song, maybe a little bit repetitive...

    Reflected : I think it was the single ofnthe album, parts were took to be on the song well know Elected from B$B.

    Apple bush : a smooth song, not my favorite from the album. Not bad but not great.

    Earwig to eternity ; there is a lot of songs on this album , so since i always listen an album from start to finish, sometikes i know less well later song, thats the case with this one.

    Changing arranging: i like the drum patterns on this, nice way to finish the album.

    Its not an easy album for starter, during his career there is a lot of styles of music used

    Psychedelic
    Rock
    Pop
    New wave
    Heavy metal
    Hard rock
    Industrial
    Concept album

    I started with metal and hard rock then Rock,conceot album, new wwve, pop,psychedelic,industrial

    I like everything from alice, he can do a harmonica album and its a buy for me !
    I even bought themcd Peter and the wolf from him !
    Long live Alice

    During the last temptation tour, imwas front row, imcatched amdrum stick from Eric Singer, alice guitar pick, a dollar of b$b, the only thing imdid not catch was his cane. I have a great memory from this show.
     
  20. Ethan B

    Ethan B Forum Resident

    Location:
    san diego
    An Ezrin version would have been epic.
     
  21. Ethan B

    Ethan B Forum Resident

    Location:
    san diego

    If you are referring to Reflected they actually didn't. I thought so for many years but the song was actually recorded first as Elected then recycled as Reflected and then recycled again as Elected.
     
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  22. Ethan B

    Ethan B Forum Resident

    Location:
    san diego
    If they had released a third album as shoddy and amateurish as the first two it would have been over for them.
     
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  23. erickana666

    erickana666 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    montreal, canada
    I know, the 2 first albums were a failure, but they had success with the underground fans. Some knew they had potentiel, just need direction
     
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  24. Vinyl Fan 1973

    Vinyl Fan 1973 "They're like soup, they're like....nothing bad"

    Funny enough I pulled out Pretties For You last night and gave it a spin. Not that familiar with the album, it was a bit jarring the first time I heard it. Not what I was expecting out of the gate, but it’s grown on me. I enjoy it for what it is, but certainly isn’t a favourite album. If anything I listen to it for its historical reference, and it certainly fits in with the musical landscape of that time.
     
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  25. erickana666

    erickana666 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    montreal, canada
    same thing for me
     
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