What album best represents the full catalogue?

[del]

I was asked yesterday that if only one album could be put forward as best representing the full catalogue of Alice Cooper what would it be. I wasn’t allowed to use live or compilation albums.

My favourite for years has been School’s Out and I have WTMN and Killer in my current top three and the other ACG albums outside the top five just now. I picked B$B though as this best represented what it was all about and still does in some ways for me.

The commerciality, variety, sleeze, humour and darkness were all there, supported by great themes and delivered with confidence and swagger.

Any different views?

[Si]

I was asked yesterday that if only one album could be put forward as best representing the full catalogue of Alice Cooper what would it be. I wasn’t allowed to use live or compilation albums.

That isn't possible.
Many albums are so stylistically diverse that you can't have one album that is representative Dada, Killer, WTMN and Brutal Planet, without going to a compilation. That's kinda the point of a good compilation (other than the obvious cash grab).

[cooperrocks]

As Si said, it is basically impossible because Alice has invoked so many styles through the years. If I was forced to pick an album, I would go with The Last Temptation. It had some modern elements for the time, a little bit of 80s style lyrics with Lost in America but some moody sounds like the 70s with things like Nothing's Free. That being said, there was plenty of styles it didn't invoke. Actually you could make an argument that it isn't a favorite album of mine but the new "Road" has 70s sound, a few things that could come out of the 80s including the early 80s albums and a modern element or two.

[mr.barlow]

I think it would be B$B mainly as it sums up the whole point and goal of the band. Alice's solo success was launched from that album as WTMN is the natural follow up to that album.

MOL, although a decent album, was a step back both musically and theatrical

Listen to B$B and WTMN and it's incredible how I Love The Dead flows right into Welcone To My Nightmare.

Also Ezrin bulit upon the commercial pop sound on certain songs on WTMN which also helped Alice start veering off into different directions.

I've always been a more solo Alice fan mainly dye to all of the different styles and genres he performed. He was able to weather 50 years of an always changing music scene quite successfully.

Even the early eighties albums,although not successful, contained some great music and looking back now some if the songs were ahead of the times.

All of the "blackout" albums have aged better than the hair metal years which now sound very dated.

Dada is an entity all in itself...it defies category and showed what Alice, Ezrin and Wagner were capable of producing without record executives and commercial pressures breathing down their necks. A true masterpiece...pure brilliance.

School's Out would also be in contention for its mix of experimentation, grandiose in places and incredible songwriting, but it lacked that commercial sheen that helped the band achieve their goal of cashing in on the whole concept.

B$B was that album...sheer in your face platter of commercial success that catapulted the band to fortune and fame. Unabashed capitalism at its finest made through sheer self promotion and exploitation....the American way all the way to the bank!

[mr.barlow]

Btw..the road to Trash was the same formula used years before building to B$B. Alice was brought back as a viscous metal artist with an extreme stage show...got tons of press..then they turned the switch and made him Alice Bon Jovi. A likeable rocker who was no more dangerous than Jon Bon Jovi and his cowboy hat.

[Ted Sallis]

I think it would be B$B mainly as it sums up the whole point and goal of the band. Alice's solo success was launched from that album as WTMN is the natural follow up to that album.

MOL, although a decent album, was a step back both musically and theatrical

Listen to B$B and WTMN and it's incredible how I Love The Dead flows right into Welcone To My Nightmare.

School's Out would also be in contention for its mix of experimentation, grandiose in places and incredible songwriting, but it lacked that commercial sheen that helped the band achieve their goal of cashing in on the whole concept.

B$B was that album...sheer in your face platter of commercial success that catapulted the band to fortune and fame. Unabashed capitalism at its finest made through sheer self promotion and exploitation....the American way all the way to the bank!

I agree with Si's post further up; I can agree with the above assessment of BDB based on it being the culmination of what the Group was aiming for: to become the biggest Group on the planet.

Re. MOL, I like it more than BDB but I can also agree that it's a step back musically and theatrically as that's what 4 Members of the ACG (all but Alice) wanted it to be at the time.

I also agree about ILTD flowing into WTMN but I also consider the former song far superior to the latter song and almost every other song on the album.

Due to the production I consider SO the Group's most commercial sounding album up to that point but in terms of composition (including lyrics) and arrangement I can agree that it's not as commercial.

Ted

[rodentdog]

BDB all day long

[del]

My initial thought was that it is impossible but when pushed into a corner B$B became the obvious choice. Other than the blackout albums I see links and themes from here to all other parts of the catalogue.

IMO, there isn’t actually an album (including live or compilation) which genuinely represents the whole catalogue but the question was which was best at doing the job and I really don’t think anything else really comes close.

[Saint&Sinner]

Originally i was thinking something like W2MN due to how varied it is.
But to be honest one album could never represent his full catalogue, its way too varied and while there are what i would call good starter albums (Killer, B$B, WTMN, Hey Stoopid, Last Temptation) none of those represent him musically - but maybe they give a good indication of his general vibe - horror tinged but with smart word play (most of the time) with musical style varied from metal to show tunes.