Alice Cooper's DaDa- Albums Unleashed w/Dick Wagner

[DecibelGeek]

This week we launch the first installment of a brand new series for the Decibel Geek podcast with Albums Unleashed. The stories behind the songs, circumstances, and creative process from a major player in an album's creation. And to start things off, we're covering Alice Cooper's DaDa album with special guest Dick Wagner.

Released in 1983, DaDa was, for all intents and purposes, dead on arrival due to being the final album in Cooper's contract with Warner Brothers as well as the out-of-the-box style of songs. Part art-rock, part esoteric/theatrical concept, DaDa's synthesizer-infused production combined with a healthy amount of humor crossed with dark subject matter left 1983 audiences confused; and they weren't the only ones.

The early 80's were a self-professed "blackout" period for Alice Cooper with the rocker going as far as saying that he barely even remembers the songwriting process or production of this album. Cooper's lack of recollection has led many die-hard Cooper fans to create their own theories as to the concept behind DaDa. Guitarist/composer Dick Wagner, a longtime collaborator of Alice's, was the principal songwriter on this album and was kind enough, while in Nashville in May of 2014, to sit down with Aaron and Chris to discuss the entire album track by track and memory by memory.

In this discussion, Wagner shares his memories of the difficult circumstances of getting Alice to come to ESP Studios in Buttonville Ontario from his Pheonix home to join he and producer Bob Ezrin in the making of DaDa. Alice's alcohol abuse hit record highs during this period and Dick shares his recollections of their songwriting and recording process that led to the songs on the album.

To stream/download this episode go to the link below:
http://www.dbgeekshow.blogspot.com/2014 ... er-ep.html

[pitkin88]

Excellent. listening right now.

[DecibelGeek]

Excellent. listening right now.

Thanks so much!

[mr.barlow]

Thank you for posting this incredible insightful interview. DaDa is by leaps and bounds the greatest Alice Cooper record. It is one of the greatest pieces of music ever created. A true masterpiece. I bought the album upon it's release in 1983 and was in awe of it then and 30 years later I'm in more awe of it now. Dick Wagner is correct when he says this album never ages. It was great to hear some of the "behind-the scenes" stories of the making of this album and the songs. DaDa has become a very personal album to me for many reasons and I want to thank you again for bringing these incredible insights and stories to us all.

[concolz]

Just finished listening. It's a brilliant broadcast. Love how the guys asking the questions obviously know their AC, and Dick's detailed recollections and insights are simply spellbinding. I'd never heard the story of the two waitresses - who became the 'Scarlet And Sheba' characters - before, plus there's some really interesting comments about the tensions between Dick and Bob Ezrin in the studio. As with 'Super Duper', Alice's desperate state of health is vividly spelt out.

Like they say, the album's always seemed unclassifiable. 'Dada's' also definitely not of it's era - the style over substance 80's - in fact it just doesn't belong in any time frame. For me, it's one of Alice's very best records - up there with ACG's Ezrin quartet - and that it got made at all, amid such desperate circumstances, makes it all the more remarkable.

[A_MichaelUK]

>Love how the guys asking the questions obviously know their AC,

They did a good job but they didn't seem to know the chronology particularly well (for example, when they asked whether Dick and Alice ever performed any songs from the album on the Australian tour which actually happened six year before the album).

[darkmenace]

Thanks for posting. Never would have dreamed 30 years ago that people would still be talking about Dada. Guess it shows that great work stands the test of time.

Even when they were saying their interpretations of Pass the Gun Around I still have my own. The album is brilliant for how the pieces can be brought together in different ways.

It was interesting the genesis of Former Lee Warmer but in the end once Alice got a hold of it, it thematically became an Alice song.

[mr.barlow]

I picked up on that too. It seemed to me that Dick Wagner either took for granted they knew their Alice history or got his recollections and eras mixed up. The interviewers didn't catch it or ask him to clarify. I can see it coming where there will be quite a few people who will now be asking about The Welcome To MY Nightmare tour of Australia in 1983 after they recorded Dada. I'm guessing these guys "discovered" Alice long after Dada was released and are not well versed in Alice history and didn't pick up on it. That being said--I thought they did a great job and really got Wagner to open up about the album.

[concolz]

>Love how the guys asking the questions obviously know their AC,

They did a good job but they didn't seem to know the chronology particularly well (for example, when they asked whether Dick and Alice ever performed any songs from the album on the Australian tour which actually happened six year before the album).

Yes, you're right - the '77 and '83 periods got muddled. Another bit of confusion was over 'Brutal Planet' as well. On reflection, I ought to have written: Love how the guys asking the questions were obviously so enthusiastic about 'Dada'!

[mr.barlow]

When I first heard "Pass The Gun Around" in 1983 I was floored His equating a bottle of alcohol with a gun and the line "give everyone a shot" is one of the best things Alice ever wrote. It is also the song that had a deep impact on my personal life. What makes his comeback with The Nightmare Returns tour so much more special is knowing what he went through to get back to the top. He closed a chapter with "Pass The Gun Around". We all heard the gunshot. ALice was dead---or was he? He basically brought both himself and his career back from the dead--through hard work, perseverence and sobriety. I remember watching The Nightmare Returns on MTV that Halloween night not knowing what to expect. When Alice burst through the gates he was INSTANTLY back. He owned the stage and had a presence like never before. It sent shivers up my spine both then and every time I see it. I was so happy for him. The comeback wasn't Trash & Poison. It was in Detroit that Halloween night.

[wind_up_toy]

When I first heard "Pass The Gun Around" in 1983 I was floored His equating a bottle of alcohol with a gun and the line "give everyone a shot" is one of the best things Alice ever wrote. It is also the song that had a deep impact on my personal life. What makes his comeback with The Nightmare Returns tour so much more special is knowing what he went through to get back to the top. He closed a chapter with "Pass The Gun Around". We all heard the gunshot. ALice was dead---or was he? He basically brought both himself and his career back from the dead--through hard work, perseverence and sobriety. I remember watching The Nightmare Returns on MTV that Halloween night not knowing what to expect. When Alice burst through the gates he was INSTANTLY back. He owned the stage and had a presence like never before. It sent shivers up my spine both then and every time I see it. I was so happy for him. The comeback wasn't Trash & Poison. It was in Detroit that Halloween night.

Good post, your last comment appears to tie in with the decision to end the new film at that point in time.

[DecibelGeek]

I'm truly humbled by so many nice things said about the episode. As for the chronology, yes, we're late-comers to the Alice party and we're still learning things so I appreciate you guys being cool about it.

We're very proud of this episode and we're thrilled that some of these stories were new to you. That was a big part of why we chose this album to spotlight; to give some new info to the die-hards.

Thanks for taking the time to listen and I hope you'll check out more of our episodes in the future.

Chris
Decibel Geek Podcast

www.facebook.com/decibelgeek

[A_MichaelUK]

>We're very proud of this episode and we're thrilled that some of these stories were new to you. That was a big part of why we chose this album to spotlight; to give some new info to the die-hards.

If you want to compare notes, there's a page on this site about that album as well as at least one thread, I think.

[concolz]

For me, 'Dada' reinforces the notion that adversity often creates the greatest music - 'tortured artist' territory basically. Alice, at crisis point with his health, personal life and career summons up one of the most musically accomplished and literate albums of his entire career. Three years later, thankfully better and full of vim and vigour, we get 'Constrictor' - a pile of steaming horse manure.

[darkmenace]

Agreed. Constrictor was a huge letdown after Alice cleaned up, but that's another topic.

[mr.barlow]

For me, 'Dada' reinforces the notion that adversity often creates the greatest music - 'tortured artist' territory basically. Alice, at crisis point with his health, personal life and career summons up one of the most musically accomplished and literate albums of his entire career. Three years later, thankfully better and full of vim and vigour, we get 'Constrictor' - a pile of steaming horse manure.

Constrictor was an album that was purposely "dumbed down"--especially lyrically to appeal to the tennage fan demographic. Alice and Shep saw a perfect opening for the re-emergence of Alice as part of the the rising hard rock/ metal scene. They wanted to appeal to that audience--an audience that was just coming of age and hearing the legendary stories of 1970s Alice. There was no better way in than to resurrect the "classic" Alice Cooper character, record an album of pop hard rock songs and tour. The whole thing was a big gamble as Alice had been basically written off as a "has-been" and no one really knew how he'd be received. I think they both knew that it would be the tour that would "sell" Alice to the new crop of kids as it was quite an expensive and elaborate undertaking for an artist who was recently sober, had not had a big hit in years and who basically off everyone's radar. The album was a way to hopefully get some radio play, an MTV video and plenty of press--to help support and promote the tour. Also, it had to appeal to the teenage mind and taste. Alice, Shep and Kane did not set out to make another "Killer", "B$B" or even "DaDa"--they set out to make an album that would appeal to the Quiet Riot and Ratt mentality. And.....it worked! All in all--the album is not that bad. The drum machine was a horrible mistake (possibly a result of MCA's budget for the album} but the songwriting is pure 1980s pop metal--no better or worse than anything else of that era. But remember--that's what they set out to create. Everyone has to remember that it's called "show business" for a reason. It's a business. You need success to continue to stay in business. Constrictor and The Nightmare Returns tour made it possible for Alice to have his comeback and take his place as an icon. Think about it--if it were not for Constrictor --everything and every album after it may have never taken place.

[concolz]

I always try very hard not to think about - let alone listen to - Alice's hair-metal, bandwagon-jumping records. (Although I do retain a soft spot for 'Poison'.) They're my own personal 'blackout albums'. For me, 'Dada' and 'TLT' are perfect musical bookends; both artistically great and both borne out of AC reaching a crisis/crossroads in his life - 'tortured artist' territory.

[pitkin88]

For me, 'Dada' reinforces the notion that adversity often creates the greatest music - 'tortured artist' territory basically. Alice, at crisis point with his health, personal life and career summons up one of the most musically accomplished and literate albums of his entire career. Three years later, thankfully better and full of vim and vigour, we get 'Constrictor' - a pile of steaming horse manure.

Constrictor was an album that was purposely "dumbed down"--especially lyrically to appeal to the tennage fan demographic. Alice and Shep saw a perfect opening for the re-emergence of Alice as part of the the rising hard rock/ metal scene. They wanted to appeal to that audience--an audience that was just coming of age and hearing the legendary stories of 1970s Alice. There was no better way in than to resurrect the "classic" Alice Cooper character, record an album of pop hard rock songs and tour. The whole thing was a big gamble as Alice had been basically written off as a "has-been" and no one really knew how he'd be received. I think they both knew that it would be the tour that would "sell" Alice to the new crop of kids as it was quite an expensive and elaborate undertaking for an artist who was recently sober, had not had a big hit in years and who basically off everyone's radar. The album was a way to hopefully get some radio play, an MTV video and plenty of press--to help support and promote the tour. Also, it had to appeal to the teenage mind and taste. Alice, Shep and Kane did not set out to make another "Killer", "B$B" or even "DaDa"--they set out to make an album that would appeal to the Quiet Riot and Ratt mentality. And.....it worked! All in all--the album is not that bad. The drum machine was a horrible mistake (possibly a result of MCA's budget for the album} but the songwriting is pure 1980s pop metal--no better or worse than anything else of that era. But remember--that's what they set out to create. Everyone has to remember that it's called "show business" for a reason. It's a business. You need success to continue to stay in business. Constrictor and The Nightmare Returns tour made it possible for Alice to have his comeback and take his place as an icon. Think about it--if it were not for Constrictor --everything and every album after it may have never taken place.

I don't believe Alice had been written off. Certainly not in the UK as evidenced by the crowds for the Special Forces shows. He hadn't toured since the brief 75 shows and could still play to packed houses. I do remember touts outside the Manchester Apollo and I think there were more shows added due to the demand. Without the support of a label, which he hadn't really had since FTI, along with his alcohol abuse it was always going to be hard. Yes Constrictor put him back on the map but it was without doubt the worst lyrical album to date.

[SickThings]

The whole thing was a big gamble as Alice had been basically written off as a "has-been" and no one really knew how he'd be received.

I think a lot of people have forgotten that. In the early '80s, successful, popular bands were still putting out albums every year. In the U.S., the early '80s trilogy of albums went completely under the radar. Add to that the dry spell after DaDa, and Alice had become a "has-been" for the general public. MTV ruled, and without new videos in heavy rotation, pretty much every band from the '70s without them was considered a "has-been." It wasn't like it is now, where many artists who release new albums take years to do so. Many of the now-successful, perennial touring acts don't ever put out new albums (The Guess Who, Grand Funk Railroad, Styx, etc). But many, if not most, of them had been written off and forgotten by the late '80s. The fact that Alice was able to come back the way he did when he did is pretty remarkable.

Hunter

[pitkin88]

The whole thing was a big gamble as Alice had been basically written off as a "has-been" and no one really knew how he'd be received.

I think a lot of people have forgotten that. In the early '80s, successful, popular bands were still putting out albums every year. In the U.S., the early '80s trilogy of albums went completely under the radar. Add to that the dry spell after DaDa, and Alice had become a "has-been" for the general public. MTV ruled, and without new videos in heavy rotation, pretty much every band from the '70s without them was considered a "has-been." It wasn't like it is now, where many artists who release new albums take years to do so. Many of the now-successful, perennial touring acts don't ever put out new albums (The Guess Who, Grand Funk Railroad, Styx, etc). But many, if not most, of them had been written off and forgotten by the late '80s. The fact that Alice was able to come back the way he did when he did is pretty remarkable.

Hunter

Well the has been put together a very well attended shows in the UK with Special Forces with very scant backing from Warner Bros. Press in the UK was almost non existent between 80-83. Despite all this 7 & 7 is almost cracked the charts with probably zero air play. If the label had been behind him the comeback was certainly on the cards.