Article about 1972 Alice Cooper show

[brianjbowe]

Greetings, all. It's my first post here, but I wanted to share the link to an article I wrote that was published today about the June 21, 1972 Alice Cooper show in Holland, Mich. I wasn't there, but I grew up in Holland (which is a very conservative town), and people always talked about how the show really freaked a lot of people out. I've always wanted to write something about it. I was able to uncover some information that suggests it was a fairly interesting concert because it was one of the few that featured the ill-fated cannon prop...

Anyway, here's the link: http://localspins.com/vintage-gigs-1972 ... erversion/

[VinceRaven]

Interesting article. The cannon stuff is fascinating - 'spewed some goo'.

[pitkin88]

Nice read highlighting just how feared they were in some places.

[mestreech]

Great read!!!

[brianjbowe]

Thanks, everybody! Having heard about this show growing up, I always heard about the cannon; I didn't realize that it wasn't a regular part of the shows of that era until this week!

[Toronto Bob]

Thanks for that, good read.

[Paul]

With regard to the cannon, has anyone ever seen a photo of the cannon?

[TodayMueller]

I'm pretty sure I've seen the canon in a Stones live broadcast.
To bad it didn't catch on with the Coops.

[killer wolf]

nice read.
i can only imagine Leer was on drugs too (or a complete wuss, lol) because even on the BP and NR tours i've never remotely felt AC exhibited "more death-cult vibes than the Manson Family.

[A_MichaelUK]

From killer wolf:
"i can only imagine Leer was on drugs too"

That is a strong probability.

>because even on the BP and NR tours i've never remotely felt AC exhibited "more death-cult vibes than the Manson Family.

Did you see the band at the time of those comments though? As pitkin88 pointed out, a lot of people have forgotten or are unaware (in relation to that era) how threatening, controversial and dark the band's image was.

[MrD Returns]

From killer wolf:
"i can only imagine Leer was on drugs too"

That is a strong probability.

>because even on the BP and NR tours i've never remotely felt AC exhibited "more death-cult vibes than the Manson Family.

Did you see the band at the time of those comments though? As pitkin88 pointed out, a lot of people have forgotten or are unaware (in relation to that era) how threatening, controversial and dark the band's image was.

It's sometimes hard to explain to people that weren't around in 1972 just what Alice Cooper was. Today he/they are "beloved", back in 1972 , probably the most reviled man/band on earth.

[tuneylune]

Nice to see this-Thanks for posting!

[killer wolf]

It's sometimes hard to explain to people that weren't around in 1972 just what Alice Cooper was. Today he/they are "beloved", back in 1972 , probably the most reviled man/band on earth.

i was around then but not concert going, lol, but still, after various read-ups and docus and the like, i still see nothing like that,and certainly nothing like the scale Manson got around the Antichrist Superstar period. don't get me wrong, i understand the hippies etc not liking him, but that hyperbole's a bit stupid, IMO.

[A_MichaelUK]

From killer wolf:
"not concert going"

If, as I suspect, that is because you weren't old enough, then it kind of proves my point in that you weren't old enough to understand the world around you at the time and what the culture was like.

[jacknifejohnny]

Believe me Killer Wolf, it was pretty bad back then, they we're thought to be a real danger, countries we're trying to ban him, Manson has nothing on The ACG in that respect. The only band I can think who came close in your day was Guns N Roses, who also had a threatening aura about them.

[killer wolf]

lol, GnR are a bunch of pussies compared to some bands. still, i accept your view as you had direct experience of it, but given, eg, Manson and others have had records burned, countrywide bans and death threats etc, it's hard for me to compare. even Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis seemed to kick up more outrage, lol.
mebbes it's the same as films. i lived through the whole "video nasty" ridiculousness and nowadays you can pick them up in high street stores and see far worse brutality in your local multiplex.

[A_MichaelUK]

From killer wolf:
"eg, Manson and others have had records burned, countrywide bans and death threats etc,"

At least two of those happened to Alice Cooper as well.

[concolz]

There have always been certain records, particular incidents, even entire musical genres, which have triggered bans, threats, moral indignation etc. IMO, though, very few acts have ever really stoked sustained, international ('Western') 'moral panic' - Alice Cooper were definitely amongst that few.

'Back then', ACG really did cause a furore in many quarters - politicians, 'morality' campaigners, parents, educators, newspapers, the church etc. were all 'up in arms' at one stage or another. Of course the real paradox was that, beneath the surface 'dangerous' tag, Alice Cooper were probably the nicest bunch of musicians on the circuit. (Some of the offstage nastiness, that oozed from a number of acts, always seemed absent from ACG - one of the reasons I loved them so much. Mary Whitehouse and Leo Abse would have found much to like, if they'd just dug deeper!)

[killer wolf]

yeah, but there's a mile of difference between outraging parents/authority and giving off "death cult vibes", is my point.

[A_MichaelUK]

From killer worlf:
"yeah, but there's a mile of difference between outraging parents/authority and giving off "death cult vibes", is my point"

Again, it's all in relation to the culture of the time, though.