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STRANGE CASE OF DVD

Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 11:08 am
by GAZZ
I got my copy of strange case of DVD yesterday and have been waiting to see this for years from the inside is and always will be one of my best Alice albums . but the DVD for one its definitely not the best set of musicians Alice has ever used they make a mess of the black widow and a few times there timing is off I know Alice wasn't at his best health wise at this time but he is out of breath a lot in the DVD and misses words out of songs and why inmates is cut in half I don't know . I did read something by Brian nelson a few years back that he said this should never of been released on video ( it was on a Wright up on the video and I think it was on sickthings but I cant find it now ) and I understand why now . the Alice of today blows the Alice of 79 right out of the water . I'm glad iv got the DVD as I love all things Alice but its not one I would watch over and over again like I do with welcome to my nightmare / brutal planet / the nightmare returns / theater of death and good to see you again . what do you guys think

Re: STRANGE CASE OF DVD

Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 12:14 pm
by homerx
Listen to the commentary track with Alice he talks alot about the show

Re: STRANGE CASE OF DVD

Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 1:02 pm
by GAZZ
I will later . as i said i only got it yesterday and only watched it once up to yet

Re: STRANGE CASE OF DVD

Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 11:47 am
by Gunner
I wonder how much my original VHS cassette is now worth since it is in good condition with box and everything. :/

Re: STRANGE CASE OF DVD

Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 2:43 pm
by RemarkablyInsincere
Gunner wrote:I wonder how much my original VHS cassette is now worth since it is in good condition with box and everything. :/
I have one too... probably next to nothing now.

Re: STRANGE CASE OF DVD

Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2012 5:24 pm
by James1981
homerx wrote:Listen to the commentary track with Alice he talks alot about the show
Ha!!! I take it you're being sarcastic? Anyways finally got my copy a couple of days ago. Very impressed with how much the picture and sound quality have improved compared to my, ahem other version. I really enjoyed it. I wouldn't say Alice's singing is bad. Just different than what we are used to. It has been suggested by one of my friends that perhaps he was singing like this in an attempt to more accurately portray a mad man. Possible perhaps? What do you guys think?

Re: STRANGE CASE OF DVD

Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 3:21 am
by tim10cc
That's what I thought..he was singing like a mad man. My complaint still is cutting the segments like Nurse Rozetta & The Inmates...would of been nice to see ALL STRAPPED UP too...Someone had to edit this out...wonder if there is a rare uncut version of this on film sitting in some warehouse.

Re: STRANGE CASE OF DVD

Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 11:39 am
by SickThings
tim10cc wrote:That's what I thought..he was singing like a mad man. My complaint still is cutting the segments like Nurse Rozetta & The Inmates...would of been nice to see ALL STRAPPED UP too...Someone had to edit this out...wonder if there is a rare uncut version of this on film sitting in some warehouse.
I can't find the reference now, but I recall Brian Nelson once saying he'd searched high and low for that footage and finally concluded that it was Lost to the Ages....

Hunter

Re: STRANGE CASE OF DVD

Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 5:02 pm
by tim10cc
Going on treasure hunts for Alice footage could be fun...esp if you strike gold....I can't imagine News Clips and Footage out there. I remember the VH1 behind the music Alice Cooper...when they showed live footage of Alice singing Hello Hooray...nice pro shot from the Carnival tour...would love to see more of that!

Re: STRANGE CASE OF DVD

Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 7:34 pm
by darkmenace
I love the DVD. Interesting versions of 18 and Dwight Frye to say nothing of From the Inside. This "mad" version of Alice is pretty unique and the band is very good, how could it not be with Steve Hunter and Davey Johnstone. Loved seeing this tour live and love the DVD.

Re: STRANGE CASE OF DVD

Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 10:20 am
by Nick
I'm glad to have this on DVD, but this has never been one of my favourite vocal performances from Alice, and his appearance is downright scary (and not in a good way.) What amazes me is that today at 64 he blows this much younger version of himself out of the water.

Re: STRANGE CASE OF DVD

Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 1:17 am
by scotty
yes,and alice will tell you so at any given moment. It was the drinking..no doubt about it!

Re: STRANGE CASE OF DVD

Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 2:59 am
by darkmenace
So he was already drinking on the tour that's about his beating drinking?

Re: STRANGE CASE OF DVD

Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 3:09 am
by darkmenace
btw I don't agree that 64 year old Alice blows Madhouse Rock Alice away. Alice is more professional and polished nowadays but this weird MR version has got a lot going for it. Alice was more spontaneous back then, more gritty and raw. I'll take the MR version of Dwight Frye, even without the extra theatrics, over the later versions. It's crazier, scarier, more believable. And even though Alice messes up lyrics consistently in the MR show I like the raggedness of the performance.

I also like the variation in the performance of songs. You'll never hear a version of 18 like the one on MR again. He performs his hits pretty much by the book today. And his vocals on Dwight Frye are often off the mark, timing is off, again more raw and unpredictable as befits a madman singing that song.

Re: STRANGE CASE OF DVD

Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 3:20 am
by Nick
I might be wrong, but I think the raggedness of the performance was mainly because he was...well, ragged. I'll take today's powerful, sharper vocal and more dominating stage presence over the skeletal appearance and inconsistent vocal of MR. I liked Alice's spontaneity in his 70's performances, but I don't like seeing him when he looks unhealthy. And despite apparently kicking the booze (as least temporarily) during this period, he doesn't look healthy.

Re: STRANGE CASE OF DVD

Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 3:45 am
by darkmenace
I agree he doesn't look healthy. To make matters worse he removes his shirt at the end and has a sickly hunched over look. How could he not have been self-conscious about it? The most likely answer is he had already returned to drinking heavily.

Re: STRANGE CASE OF DVD

Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2012 11:57 am
by Devon
By all accounts, Alice was off the booze until 80 or 81 when he reportedly sipped some of Sheryl's wine at dinner and relapsed.

Re: STRANGE CASE OF DVD

Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2012 1:10 pm
by darkmenace
If that's true it's amazing how he got so many lyrics mixed up on the dvd if he was totally straight. I wonder if he was taking other kinds of drugs at the time.

Re: STRANGE CASE OF DVD

Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 2:42 am
by Shoesalesman
darkmenace wrote:If that's true it's amazing how he got so many lyrics mixed up on the dvd if he was totally straight.
While I've admitted Alice's voice on this recording is not my favorite, I'd say he strapped on a HUGE set by going on the road without booze and did a top-notch job given the circumstances and changes in his lifestyle.

Re: STRANGE CASE OF DVD

Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 9:35 pm
by darkmenace
I've seen Alice live around a dozen times starting with WTMN and this show was my favorite. I saw it in Cleveland. I thought the theatrics and music were integrated nearly perfectly. Alice was still a big arena act at the time and the crowd reaction was great.