Alice Cooper

The Life And Crimes Of Alice Cooper (Warner)
by Martin Popoff

All I can say is: Wow. I mean, the box set is an area where major label budgets can really be put to good use. And this time, out came both the brains and bucks. Above all, this thing is an orgy of good reading and good pictures, every track dealt extensive, discography-meticulous credits, plus pointed words of wisdom from Alice Cooper and other important parties to the crime. And let’s face it, part of the crime is how bad some of the material here is – Alice not afraid to suck the tailpipe of trend like a mangy mutt misguidedly after a sugar fix.

Too many henchmen and too many tugs of the buck make this thing a walk through Sodom. But it’s all seen through the lens of wit, and each era of Alice has its focal tracks, all arranged here from the early Kinks-to-Zappa rock, through the golden era, the sodden era, the new wave era, re-bar metal era, and finally the decent and thoughtful latest post-trend inward Alice spoo. But like I say, while you’re alternately getting misty-eyed and blinded by distaste, there’s a whole novella of great Alice history, peppered with previously unpublished photos galore. The rarities are many, but mainly soundtrack songs and demos (fave: “Respect for the Sleepers”), but there’re four discs providing hours of enjoyment and/or rock’n’roll study. Which is the bottom line: this is not just for Alice fans, but those who want to experience rock culture history from a wink-of-the-eye distance. Now back to the text. School ain’t out until the thin lady sings. Uh, OK math class, lessee, this gets a 6 for technical merit, 10 for presentation, that makes…