Road in the charts

[pitkin88]

No disrespect to the Jocks but why does Scotland need an album chart?

Because it's a country, like England, France, Italy and the USA are countries. Why shouldn't it have one?

I don't remember ever hearing of it growing up. So what's it take to get to Number One there 500 copies? Is there a Welsh charts?

[Si]

No disrespect to the Jocks but why does Scotland need an album chart?

Because it's a country, like England, France, Italy and the USA are countries. Why shouldn't it have one?

I don't remember ever hearing of it growing up.

That's your poor education then.

[Pitta]

Because it's a country, like England, France, Italy and the USA are countries. Why shouldn't it have one?

I don't remember ever hearing of it growing up.

That's your poor education then.

Good answer

[Babysquid]

Not good. It's an uphill battle to begin with considering the state of rock music these days.

Three things that might help the next release

1) Get Alice in the news.I don't mean Twitter mob bs either. Every time Ozzy does anything Sharon gets some story trending in the news. "Ozzy is sick" "Ozzy cheated on me" "Ozzy is back on drugs" etc.

2) Guest stars. You've got to pull out all the stops these days. An appearance by Dave Grohl, James Hetfield or whoever might make a big difference in sales and publicity. You've got 79 minutes to fill on a cd - make use of it.

3) Use a focus group when deciding on which "singles" to release. Cooper fans have differing tastes but I think the general consensus is that Big Goodbye and 100 Miles would have gotten fans more hyped than "I'm Alice."

[Babysquid]

No! No! No!
Anything but those ideas (well the last two anyway)
80 mins of committee designed ligging!

[Mr. Misdemeanor]

He's just released a mediocre album that has bombed on the charts - he should just keep repeating that?

Does anybody really think that "Big Goodbye" wouldn't have been a better pre-release track than "I'm Alice"? I mean, a person shouldn't need a focus group to tell them something this obvious, but if that's what it takes then so be it.

Having guest musicians might be a problem if they were replacing regular band members, but Alice already uses hired guns so what difference does it make? Other than a boost in sales, that is.

[Pitta]

He's just released a mediocre album that has bombed on the charts - he should just keep repeating that?

Does anybody really think that "Big Goodbye" wouldn't have been a better pre-release track than "I'm Alice"? I mean, a person shouldn't need a focus group to tell them something this obvious, but if that's what it takes then so be it.

Having guest musicians might be a problem if they were replacing regular band members, but Alice already uses hired guns so what difference does it make? Other than a boost in sales, that is.

He will repeat it, because Ezrin wants to repeat it. Ezrin is the boss actually and not Alice. I read all of the interviews after the last two albums came out and seems to be so.

[pitkin88]

Because it's a country, like England, France, Italy and the USA are countries. Why shouldn't it have one?

I don't remember ever hearing of it growing up.

That's your poor education then.

Hoots Mon! I bet you've got lots of cuttings you exchanged with Amuk from back in the day revealing the inroads he was making in Aberdeen and the Outer Hebridies. Gathering round the transistor in the school yard crossing your fingers he'd gone up a spot. East Fife matters.

[Si]

I don't remember ever hearing of it growing up.

That's your poor education then.

Hoots Mon! I bet you've got lots of cuttings you exchanged with Amuk from back in the day revealing the inroads he was making in Aberdeen and the Outer Hebridies. Gathering round the transistor in the school yard crossing your fingers he'd gone up a spot. East Fife matters.

Your post seemed to say you didn't remember ever hearing of SCOTLAND when growing up.

[pitkin88]

That's your poor education then.

Hoots Mon! I bet you've got lots of cuttings you exchanged with Amuk from back in the day revealing the inroads he was making in Aberdeen and the Outer Hebridies. Gathering round the transistor in the school yard crossing your fingers he'd gone up a spot. East Fife matters.

Your post seemed to say you didn't remember ever hearing of SCOTLAND when growing up.

OK that made me laugh. I went to the highlands as a wee lad as I had an uncle living there. Also went to Jock Steins testimonial and had a pint of heavy in the luxurious Spring Field Vaults.

[Babysquid]

He's just released a mediocre album that has bombed on the charts - he should just keep repeating that?

Does anybody really think that "Big Goodbye" wouldn't have been a better pre-release track than "I'm Alice"? I mean, a person shouldn't need a focus group to tell them something this obvious, but if that's what it takes then so be it.

Having guest musicians might be a problem if they were replacing regular band members, but Alice already uses hired guns so what difference does it make? Other than a boost in sales, that is.

Well it’s not like he hasn’t gone that route before is it? He’s not exactly been quiet about the featured artists on his previous records!
Personally I’d rather he and Bob concentrated on producing the best album that they could and maybe did something a bit more artful. Have faith in the music rather than the celebrity cameo factor! He’s Alice Cooper for crying out loud, he shouldn’t need any guest stars to prop him up!
I’m of course well aware that this is unlikely to happen. Alice will do what Alice wants and I get the feeling he likes guest stars. I also get the feeling that Alice see’s the Alice Cooper show as his real legacy and achievement rather than his catalog of recorded music. The albums are almost promoting the next tour rather than the other way around. I could of course be wrong and doing him a disservice.
My point I’m trying to make, in a very around the houses fashion, is that if the album is mediocre, it’s usually because the material is sub par. No amount of Dave Grohl paradiddles or James Hetfield power chords will reverse that. That’s just rolling a turd in glitter.

[Si]

OK that made me laugh. I went to the highlands as a wee lad as I had an uncle living there. Also went to Jock Steins testimonial and had a pint of heavy in the luxurious Spring Field Vaults.

Well, it did seem an odd thing to say.

[tommycooper]

I think the earlier point about Alice seeing the show and not the records as his legacy is a good one. Selfishly I've always wanted him to spend more time and energy on new music than his constant touring. We can all enjoy new music but only a fraction get to hear him on his umpteenth visit to wherever USA. Having said that, I'm sure I'd miss his very regular trips to the UK!
Another poster drew a comparison between Road and From The Inside- the latter using its concept to create some great stories and characters which seem to be missing from Road. I think From The Inside is a prime example of a left field producer spending a bit more time and money to help create something special.
Anyway, Alice has earned the right to do whatever he wants with his career. I just wish he wouldn't regularly tell us he's still trying to write his best song and then deliver albums which seem rushed and forgettable

[del]

No disrespect to the Jocks but why does Scotland need an album chart?

Because it's a country, like England, France, Italy and the USA are countries. Why shouldn't it have one?

I don't remember ever hearing of it growing up. So what's it take to get to Number One there 500 copies? Is there a Welsh charts?

For the record:

1. There has been a Scottish chart for over 45 years I believe and it became "official" about 35 years ago.

2. Being a slightly larger population than Finland and Ireland the chart has relevance

2. Alice often charts better here than the UK overall. Road actually entered at no.2. This means that Scottish stats actually boost the UK position.

3. To fill out our chart positions knowledge Road also entered the Irish charts at no.2 (Detroit Stories actuall got to no.1 there. An album with much more push behind it, not something that has been mentioned much about this album)

4. No clear idea what current sales need to be here but belive it fluctuates by season and about this time of year we are talking 1 to 2 thousand, physical sales, about 10% of overall UK figures.

5. So, we have two big misses in the US and Canada but at the same time we have the Amazon issue which seems to be very relevant.. If that's the real issue for these locations we potentially don't really have a flop globally at all.but a continuation of good first week performance for recent albums.

6. No "official" Welsh chart.

7. Never drank at the Springfield Tavern. I was a Stadium Bar man. Different side of the road...

[Agrophile in Texas]

Thanks for sharing that del, very informative.

I wonder how significant the Amazon delays are, what number of CD/LPs are still waiting to be shipped vs what was sent out? A third, half... more, less?

I was expecting it to come in at around the #60 range in the States on the Top 200, #160 was a surprise. But #11 is not bad on the actual album sales chart. How much higher would have been without delays, I don't know? I don't think it would have matched DS #1, but it makes me curious.

[revinkevin]

Looks like it’s not even in the top 200 anymore. Which is really sad since some of the stuff that made the charts are Journey’s Greatest Hits, a Queen release and an Elvis release. WTF ?

[cooperrocks]

Looks like it’s not even in the top 200 anymore. Which is really sad since some of the stuff that made the charts are Journey’s Greatest Hits, a Queen release and an Elvis release. WTF ?

Unfortunately there is just no way to put a positive spin on this one, the album bombed. The last 3 or 4 albums have charted very high the first week and while charts don't mean what they once did, the numbers were very solid in today's day and age. This one, for whatever reason, tanked. I really thought with the current band on the album, etc that this was going to continue that trend but between the shipping issues (not sure if it is Amazon, Ear Music, or who is to fault) and I still don't think "I'm Alice" was the best song to introduce as the first single, there never was any momentum. With no new songs being played live at the moment, I hate to say it but there is no point because there really is nothing to promote.

[concolz]

I really like the album, but if Alice can't be bothered to play even one song from it whilst actually on the Road - at the very time of release & with the very people who it was designed around - then he deserves a North American chart flop. I find the disconnect quite astonishing.

He muddies the waters, as well, with Hollywood Vampires nonsense. When the first couple of songs from Road were released, Alice was busy focusing on a side project; in Europe. Now these are the very countries where Road has done relatively well on the charts; just as the previous couple of albums did. So, why not anticipate this and book a large European tour to coincide with Road's release, and promote the hell out of it? Those chart positions would have undoubtedly been even better then. The Cooper camp certainly move in mysterious ways.

And earMusic hasn't helped the situation - in the UK at least - by having the stand-alone CD priced several £s more than new releases usually retail for. Presumably it's aimed at nudging folk into opting for the slightly dearer CD+DVD option; yet the prohibitive pricing of the CD will doubtless have caused some people to think twice before buying. I know I did.

[Mr. Misdemeanor]

I hope no one(Alice or Bob) draws the conclusion that the band is at fault for the disappointing result. FWIW, Nita's single, The Wolf You Feed, has had 10 million views on Youtube in the last 10 months.

I don't know why at least one track isn't being played at the live shows. I'd much rather hear Big Goodbye, Dead Don't Dance or even White Line Frankenstein over an old hit that has been played a million times before.

but if Alice can't be bothered to play even one song from it whilst actually on the Road - at the very time of release & with the very people who it was designed around - then he deserves a North American chart flop. I find the disconnect quite astonishing.

It puts me in mind of the type of album that an artist puts out because they are contractually obligated to do so. Less effort put into the lyrics, little promotion, and not even bothering to play any of it live. Very strange.

[andyrew]

I agree with the fact that it was disappointing that they didn’t play one track off the new album.

I thought by the Toronto show, they would have promoted one song, but nothing. I guess they are either saving the promotion of it for 2024, he wasn’t confident the crowd would be that into vs. performing another hit - or maybe a combination of both.

It was strange that the concert venue was promoting Road on the screens when I went though, and there was a Road T-shirt being sold.