Did you jump on to the "TRASH" train...

[WickedYoungMan]

Gunner, if I may ask, what did "Trash" hurt?

[glamprincess]

Is it then 'compromising of one's integrity, morality and principles in exchange for money, 'success' (however defined) or other personal gain'?

No, I've written, played and performed songs and never felt the need to try and write something more 'accessible' so that people would listen to the other stuff!?

Some people argue that artists sometimes make compromises in order to achieve success and stardom. That's probably true, but it is a necessary trade-off: If the artist makes music that has no commercial appeal, then the artist never reaches a significant audience and without a significant audience, the artist can no longer continue to put out albums or go out on tour. So commercial success is necessary in order to ensure a career as a rock star.

You may not have made compromises with your music, Gunner, but then I have to ask you: how large is your audience? No offense, but I have never heard of you as a recording artist.

Look Alice Cooper or any other artist could choose to not be commercial, but then he would only be playing his music in his living room for his friends. I think we all know that some measures must be taken in order to have commercial success and a viable career in rock n' roll.

[glamprincess]

Gunner, if I may ask, what did "Trash" hurt?

Good point, WYM. I don't see any negative effects from Trash. I've met Alice fans who were not crazy about the album but I've never met a single fan who said they lost interest in Alice because of that one album. On the other hand, there are tons of Alice fans today who discovered Alice Cooper because of the huge success of Trash. Many are now members of this board.

[WickedYoungMan]

If you kinda think about it, and perhaps I am looking at this from a warped perception, but the original band sort of "compromised" for the sake of going more accessible in a way when they started going less from the "Pretties For You" sound to an album like "Love It To Death." Bob Ezrin was without a doubt the saving grace of Alice Cooper.

Think about it. "I'm Eighteen" in its original form was something like 8 minutes long wasn't it? It was a slower blusey song from what I recall hearing of it. Bob Ezrin came in and it became a radio friendly song that is still a radio staple to this day and one of Alice's most famous songs.

Now this isn't to say that they didn't retain their non-commercial elements (the whole second half of that particular album proves that, as well as many many other examples) but none the less compromises happen all the time. However, one is possibly likely complain about it only when they don't like the result of it, not simply on the merit of "going commercial" or whatever it might be.

But simply on the merit of trying to be more accessible, etc, then to be fair you should go after several of the albums in Alice's 40 year span, as I'm sure you will find several examples of such a thing happening.

[MadameBondage]

Is it then 'compromising of one's integrity, morality and principles in exchange for money, 'success' (however defined) or other personal gain'?

No, I've written, played and performed songs and never felt the need to try and write something more 'accessible' so that people would listen to the other stuff!?

You may not have made compromises with your music, Gunner, but then I have to ask you: how large is your audience? No offense, but I have never heard of you as a recording artist.

I was wondering the same thing. What is your band called and how large is your audience Gunner, if we may ask?

[Jaded]

If you kinda think about it, and perhaps I am looking at this from a warped perception, but the original band sort of "compromised" for the sake of going more accessible in a way when they started going less from the "Pretties For You" sound to an album like "Love It To Death." Bob Ezrin was without a doubt the saving grace of Alice Cooper.

Think about it. "I'm Eighteen" in its original form was something like 8 minutes long wasn't it? It was a slower blusey song from what I recall hearing of it. Bob Ezrin came in and it became a radio friendly song that is still a radio staple to this day and one of Alice's most famous songs.

Now this isn't to say that they didn't retain their non-commercial elements (the whole second half of that particular album proves that, as well as many many other examples) but none the less compromises happen all the time. However, one is possibly likely complain about it only when they don't like the result of it, not simply on the merit of "going commercial" or whatever it might be.

But simply on the merit of trying to be more accessible, etc, then to be fair you should go after several of the albums in Alice's 40 year span, as I'm sure you will find several examples of such a thing happening.

Every one in awhile you post something that is spot on and... Congrats WYM you have the Jaded seal of approval here..
Excellent post!!

[A_MichaelUK]

> Bob Ezrin was without a doubt the saving grace of Alice Cooper.

Exactly. I bet there are people out there who think Alice Cooper 'sold out' because they finally had a hit single.

[TEENAGE NITEMARE]

what got me started liking alice was my dad's friend had lent him the brutaly live dvd and i wasn't really watching it. it was just background noise.
then i got interested in him becuase he was'nt main stream and i started lisening to all of his stuff and i loved it.

LOL my dad didnt even like the DVD.

[RisingForce73]

The Halloween MTV special was the first concert special of Alice I saw and Trash was the first album of his I bought