This Week's Post:
Fridays With Alice... ARCHIVE
Posts from The Past“Fridays with Alice” is a blog that looks at God’s Word from a fresh, new perspective. It is a scripture-based endeavor. One that will take the songs and interviews of Alice Cooper and apply them to what God says about who we are in Him and who He wants us to be. We celebrate in knowing Alice as a Brother in Christ and are excited to share with you this project called, “Fridays with Alice… The Gospel according to Alice Cooper”.
Don’t Give Up (Single Release, 2020)
This week’s song was released less than a month ago on May 15th of this year. As the COVID-19 debate and lockdown escalates, Alice issued this song as a response and a declaration of perseverance. “Don’t Give Up” uplifts, encourages, and challenges the listener to look at the bright side of struggle and strife (check out more about the single at alicecooper.com).
Teenage Frankenstein (Constrictor, 1986)
“Constrictor”, released in 1986, is Alice’s ninth solo studio album. The album features the song “Teenage Frankenstein” and has Alice returning after a three year hiatus from the music industry. The product of that time spent away gave Alice the chance to redirect himself – breaking ties with Warner Bros. records, replenishing his health, and focusing on his new addiction, golf. All of these factors helped bring…
The Song That Didn’t Rhyme (The Eyes of Alice Cooper, 2003)
Didn’t expect to revisit ‘The Eyes of Alice Cooper ‘album so soon, but it seems fitting after this past week’s media circus. This post focuses on a humorous track entitled “The Song That Didn’t Rhyme”. A song, unlike its title, which is actually pretty catchy and has found its way on my playlist from time to time. Alice admits, “it’s just one of those songs that was a joke…
God, Drugs, and Rock and Roll: Greg Laurie has a chat with Alice Cooper (8.17.2019)
This week, we take a look at another Alice interview. In this one, entitled “God, Drugs, and Rock and Roll”, Cooper sits down with Greg Laurie, Senior Pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship, and discusses a large number of topics. As the conversation unfolds, it becomes evident that who Alice is matters. Not just who he is now, but who he was in the past. In fact, this is a question we’ve been asked from…
Nothing’s Free (The Last Temptation, 1994)
This week we again re-visit ‘The Last Temptation’ with the song “Nothing’s Free”. An LP which is full of insight and direction of Biblical proportion. Alice admits, “It’s a very strong concept album, a real morality play.” The album does a great job bridging the gap between generations of Alice fans as well. It’s a well-received record and a fan favorite. On that album there are songs about choice, virtue…
Dead Babies (Killer, 1971)
“Dead Babies” is found on the 1971 LP, “Killer,” The album is the Alice Cooper band’s fourth studio recording. Reaching #21 on the Billboard 200, the record continued to propel the group forward into the limelight of the music industry. With songs like “Under My Wheels,” “Be My Lover,” “Desperado,” “Halo of Flies,” and “Dead Babies,” the LP dishes up classics which are still often performed some 45+…
No More Mr. Nice Guy (Billion Dollar Babies, 1973)
Released on February 25th, 1973, Billion Dollar Babies was the Alice Cooper band’s 6th studio album. Overall, the record is very tongue-in-cheek – a dark comedy of sorts. Songs like “I Love The Dead,” “No More Mr. Nice Guy,” “Sick Things,” “Elected,” “Generation Landslide,” and the title track either poke fun at or call attention to the ironic, darker truths of reality. Cautionary…
I’m So Angry (The Eyes of Alice Cooper, 2003)
“The Eyes of Alice Cooper” was released on September 30, 2003, in the U.S. As the album turns 16, it seems fitting to revisit that LP this week. Alice was ready to move past the doom and gloom of industrial metal found on “Brutal Planet” and “Dragontown.” This album finds him returning instead to his roots. A mixture of humor, reality, and pure untainted Rock…
School’s Out (for COVID-19 and Maybe Summer) (School’s Out, 1972)
In 1972, Alice Cooper, the band, released their 5th studio album, School’s Out (for Summer because of COVID-19). The record is heavily influenced by the Yardbirds and reached No. 4 on the UK album charts, No. 2 on the US Billboard 200, and No. 1 on the Canadian RPM Top 100. “One thing about the School’s Out album that is interesting was…
He’s Back (The Man Behind The Mask) (Constrictor, 1986)
“He’s Back” is the final track on the “Constrictor (1986)” LP. Alice’s ninth solo studio album is driven by a much more aggressive tone. He notes that at this point in his career this album was the original Nightmare character – only more belligerent, more confrontational.
Hey Stoopid (Hey Stoopid, 1991)
This week’s post focuses on the title track from the Hey Stoopid album, released in 1991. This LP redirected Alice’s focus back to a heavier sound – a more ‘Alice’ feel and vibe. He admitted that he felt good about this album and the direction music was heading at that time. “When I listen to Guns N’ Roses or Skid Row or Jane’s Addiction, I hear…
I Am The Future (Zipper Catches Skin, 1982)
“I Am The Future,” the 3rd track found on “Zipper Catches Skin” released in 1982. The LP, Alice Cooper’s seventh solo studio album, was co-produced by Erik Scott, Alice’s bass player, and fellow songwriter. Scott admitted that this album “was meant to be lean, stripped-down, and low on frills. Punkish and bratty…”
Welcome To My Nightmare (Welcome To My Nightmare, 1975)
Welcome To My Nightmare, released in 1975, was Coop’s first solo LP. It’s an ambitious album that catapulted his career into the next phase. With Bob Ezrin as a fixed partner in the mix but no “band,” so to speak, Alice found himself in new territory. Ezrin speaks fondly about this time and has disclosed a lot of the process used to create the record. With so many…
The Sound of A (Paranormal, 2017)
‘The Sound of A’, a tale of ‘meaningless noise, from the Paranormal LP is our next focus. A creepy song influenced heavily by the psychedelic movement in the late 60s – the story that comes with this song is fascinating. Dennis Dunaway, original bass player for the Alice Cooper band, brought the song into the mix for the Paranormal album. The song is reported to be the very first song…
DaDa (DaDa, 1983)
This week, we take another look at Coop’s 8th solo album, DaDa. The LP was released in 1983 and wound up being his last record with the Warner Bros. label. DaDa stands apart from other Alice albums. It embraces many of the things we’ve come to expect from Alice, such as absurdity, artistic liberation, and dark humor. Yet, there’s an extra element of surrealism…
Hell Is Living Without You (Trash, 1989)
This week we re-visit Trash, an album that firmly placed Alice back into Top 20 status in both the US and UK. The record was released in 1989, and the song “Poison” was the ultimate catalyst for the album’s success. The LP also featured collaborative works with Jon Bon Jovi and Steven Tyler. This week’s post focuses on “Hell Is Living Without You.”
Wish I Were Born In Beverly Hills (From The Inside, 1978)
This week, we look at “Wish I Were Born In Beverly Hills” from one of Alice’s most recognized albums. From The Inside, released in 1978, is a heartfelt tale of honesty and sobriety laced with humor, darkness, and raw emotion. The LP is well-known as a recollection of Alice’s stay at Cornell Medical Center. He was admitted in mid-October 1977…
Alice and Sheryl Cooper Interview (Meet The Freemans, Sept. 15, 2016)
In this interview, Alice and Sheryl Cooper sit down with Jocelyn and Aaron Freeman (Meet the Freemans). It is nearly 26 minutes in entirety. This post is going to try and condense it down with some highlight areas. But honestly, it is completely worth viewing the entire video. I found myself taking notes segment after segment – learning more and more…
The Toy Master (The Scarecrow, 2008)
This week we step outside of the Alice Cooper catalog and into one of his guest appearances. In 2008, the German metal supergroup, Avantasia, released their third studio album entitled The Scarecrow LP. Alice’s voice perfectly chants out the lyrics to “The Toy Master,” the 7th track…
Sex, Death and Money (Dragontown, 2001)
This week’s post focuses on “Sex, Death and Money.” A song from Dragontown, Alice’s 22nd studio album. It was released in 2001. It’s a continuation of the themes found on the previous LP, Brutal Planet – a Brutal Planet part two, so to speak. “Dragontown describes the worst town on Brutal Planet,” according to Alice. The place and characters…
I Am Made of You (Welcome 2 My Nightmare, 2011)
This week we look at “I Am Made of You” from ‘Welcome 2 My Nightmare’ which was released in 2011. Like the original ‘Nightmare’ LP, this on is a concept album based on Steven’s nightmares. This time he journeys to Hell and finds many tongue-in-cheek examples of the horrible things that can be found there…
Alma Mater (School’s Out, 1972)
This week’s post is based on “Alma Mater”, the second to last song on the School’s Out LP. An album dedicated to the antics, the altercations, and the gravitas surrounding the moments and lessons learned in high school. The transition and change from child to young adult. The follow-up album to Killer, School’s Out reached No. 4 on the UK album charts, No. 2…
Go Man Go (The Breadcrumbs EP, 2019)
This week we look at Alice’s most recent work – The Breadcrumbs EP. Released last September, the record has a hard-hitting Detroit-based theme. The EP includes two original Alice songs, a re-write of “Detroit City” found on The Eyes of Alice Cooper and a new track titled “Go Man Go.” The rest of the EP features the following skillfully covered tracks…
My God (Lace & Whiskey, 1977)
“Lace and Whiskey” was released in 1977. The LP finds Alice playing the role of a new character, “Maurice Escargot.” Escargot is a heavy-drinking detective from the 1940s. This persona has its flaws but seems much less sinister in nature. The live show during this era was entitled “The King of The Silver Screen” and lasted nearly two years with a three-month intermission in the middle for time spent rehabilitating from his bouts with alcoholism. This week’s song is “My God.”
The Today Show Interview with Alice & Sheryl Cooper (December 17, 2019)
For the final post of 2019, we will be discussing Alice and Sheryl’s appearance on “The Today Show,” which aired last week on December 17th. The interview, entitled “Alice Cooper Opens Up About His Journey To Finding Faith,” is only about 5 minutes long but is packed full of insight and discovery. The folks at “The Today Show” did a marvelous job of allowing the couple to share their testimony without watering it down for mainstream media. While the segment is about Faith, I was honestly a bit shocked that the editors left in so much discussion…
Sun Arise (Love It To Death, 1971)
This week we travel back to 1971 and the release of the breakthrough album, Love It To Death. The post focuses on the song “Sun Arise”, and the album has become one of the greatest of all-time – a quintessential Classic Rock record. Songs such as “I’m Eighteen,” “The Ballad of Dwight Fry,” “Second Coming,” “Hallowed Be My Name,” and “Caught In A Dream” are masterpieces that would not only help them…
It’s The Little Things (Brutal Planet, 2000)
This week we discuss “It’s The Little Things” from the Brutal Planet LP. The album takes a dark, somewhat sarcastic approach to raw, thought-provoking topics such as racism, terrorism, gluttony, greed, abuse, and the fall of humanity. Each track throws the listener deeper and deeper into the dimmer side of humanity. What’s most interesting is the timing…
Lost In America (The Last Temptation, 1994)
This week we discuss “Lost In America” from the 1994 album, “The Last Temptation.” Interestingly enough, this album was not only a mainstream record but found its way into Christian bookstores as well. With many songs focusing on choice, temptation, and deliverance, it was easy to see why Christian teens and stores connected to the theme and message of the LP. At this point in Alice’s career, he admits that “the things that I used to make fun of are real now.” This album was the beginning of what would be a 3-part morality play that would dissect the progression (or maybe regression) of society, the world, and humanity.
We Are The Rock, Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock (12 Days of Solid Rock Christmas Fundraiser 2019)
This week we focus on the passion of Alice & Sheryl Cooper. In this post, we find a place where they both find purpose and meaning. Where they can give back to their community and help make “everlasting differences” in the lives of teens. This week we discuss ‘The Rock’ – a teen center in Phoenix, Arizona, and the video, “We Are The Rock.” A building that provides a “landing place for…
I Love The Dead (Billion Dollar Babies, 1973)
Released on February 25th, 1973, Billion Dollar Babies was the Alice Cooper band’s 6th studio album. Overall, the record is very tongue-in-cheek – a dark comedy of sorts. Songs like “I Love The Dead,” “No More Mr. Nice Guy,” “Sick Things,” “Elected,” “Generation Landslide,” and the title track either poke fun at or call attention to the ironic, darker truths of reality. Cautionary…
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