Thoughts On And Ranking The New Album

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Re: Thoughts On And Ranking The New Album

Post by Rhapsody of Fire » Sun Aug 27, 2017 5:16 pm

padre_sliprat wrote:
pitkin88 wrote:
Rhapsody of Fire wrote:Good album, great music and lyrics.
Since I am more of an "Edgar Allan Poe" kind of fans, I would say that Paranormal and the Sound of A, are my favorites. I like them a lot. Also, Fireball, I like the sound of it, something you could dance on. The rest is OK. It's a very American, Detroit rock sound,
which is not really my kind of sound, but I like the Devil song :devil: I don't like GAG, it's a Trumpy song. So, it's very diversified, and there's songs for every kind of fans.

Dancing to Fireball? A Trump song?
The Trumpy Song is probably their biggest seller - I believe it was on one of the cookout albums...you know, the ones Alice recorded and forget about during that infamous BBQ at Frank Zappa's house.
Hi Padre, how you doing? I hope that you are safe from the hurricane Harvey. I know that GAG is their biggest seller.

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Re: Thoughts On And Ranking The New Album

Post by MVS 1009 » Mon Aug 28, 2017 9:54 am

Really pleased to see Paranormal gain success and make an impact on various charts around the world.

However on a personal note it would not make my top ten Alice (ACG) albums. There are a few stand out songs but on the whole it does not make me want to play the album from start to end.

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Re: Thoughts On And Ranking The New Album

Post by padre_sliprat » Tue Aug 29, 2017 1:21 am

Rhapsody of Fire wrote:
padre_sliprat wrote:
The Trumpy Song is probably their biggest seller - I believe it was on one of the cookout albums...you know, the ones Alice recorded and forget about during that infamous BBQ at Frank Zappa's house.
Hi Padre, how you doing? I hope that you are safe from the hurricane Harvey. I know that GAG is their biggest seller.
I'm high and dry. Well not high since 1979, anyway. Haha. Never mind me, I enjoy aggravating people. Kinda like Pitkin, only better. :)
"He's old, the snake's got gray hair..."

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Re: Thoughts On And Ranking The New Album

Post by pitkin88 » Tue Aug 29, 2017 1:26 am

padre_sliprat wrote:
Rhapsody of Fire wrote:
padre_sliprat wrote:
The Trumpy Song is probably their biggest seller - I believe it was on one of the cookout albums...you know, the ones Alice recorded and forget about during that infamous BBQ at Frank Zappa's house.
Hi Padre, how you doing? I hope that you are safe from the hurricane Harvey. I know that GAG is their biggest seller.
I'm high and dry. Well not high since 1979, anyway. Haha. Never mind me, I enjoy aggravating people. Kinda like Pitkin, only better. :)

Rank amateur ;)

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Re: Thoughts On And Ranking The New Album

Post by padre_sliprat » Tue Aug 29, 2017 1:35 am

pitkin88 wrote:Rank amateur ;)
This is no time to be self-defecating. :grin:
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Re: Thoughts On And Ranking The New Album

Post by Rhapsody of Fire » Tue Aug 29, 2017 2:33 am

padre_sliprat wrote:
Rhapsody of Fire wrote:
padre_sliprat wrote:
The Trumpy Song is probably their biggest seller - I believe it was on one of the cookout albums...you know, the ones Alice recorded and forget about during that infamous BBQ at Frank Zappa's house.
Hi Padre, how you doing? I hope that you are safe from the hurricane Harvey. I know that GAG is their biggest seller.
I'm high and dry. Well not high since 1979, anyway. Haha. Never mind me, I enjoy aggravating people. Kinda like Pitkin, only better. :)
I'm glad to know you're OK. That's fine, I'm French, so most of the time, I don't understand the subtleties of your language.

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Re: Thoughts On And Ranking The New Album

Post by mr.barlow » Tue Aug 29, 2017 3:08 am

Speaking of Trump---he used the whole Alice Cooper marketing playbook to get himself elected president. It will only be a matter of time until he mainstreams "the character" and will be loved by the average American housewife. He's halfway there as half of the USA can't get enough of him. The other half can't wait to get rid of him.

To be honest--I'm working on an article that shows the similarities in how Shep marketed Alice and how Trump executed his campaign and now how his continuing "adventures" are taking him on a course for "mainstreaming" prior to 2020. The similarities are just incredible!


But the truth be told--they both stole it all from the master P.T. Barnum.

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Re: Thoughts On And Ranking The New Album

Post by guttertrash » Tue Aug 29, 2017 10:42 am

mr.barlow wrote:Speaking of Trump---he used the whole Alice Cooper marketing playbook to get himself elected president. It will only be a matter of time until he mainstreams "the character" and will be loved by the average American housewife. He's halfway there as half of the USA can't get enough of him. The other half can't wait to get rid of him.

To be honest--I'm working on an article that shows the similarities in how Shep marketed Alice and how Trump executed his campaign and now how his continuing "adventures" are taking him on a course for "mainstreaming" prior to 2020. The similarities are just incredible!


But the truth be told--they both stole it all from the master P.T. Barnum.
Please share this when you are finished, because I can't agree more with this. The guy was also a fan of GG Allin, so over-the-top, shock-oriented tactics are definitely not lost on him.

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Re: Thoughts On And Ranking The New Album

Post by Rhapsody of Fire » Tue Aug 29, 2017 5:45 pm

guttertrash wrote:
mr.barlow wrote:Speaking of Trump---he used the whole Alice Cooper marketing playbook to get himself elected president. It will only be a matter of time until he mainstreams "the character" and will be loved by the average American housewife. He's halfway there as half of the USA can't get enough of him. The other half can't wait to get rid of him.

To be honest--I'm working on an article that shows the similarities in how Shep marketed Alice and how Trump executed his campaign and now how his continuing "adventures" are taking him on a course for "mainstreaming" prior to 2020. The similarities are just incredible!


But the truth be told--they both stole it all from the master P.T. Barnum.
Please share this when you are finished, because I can't agree more with this. The guy was also a fan of GG Allin, so over-the-top, shock-oriented tactics are definitely not lost on him.
Did I opened a can of worms? We are not supposed to talk politics, here. Alice hates politics. I said that GAG sounded Trumpy, because I was wondering about the reaction of the LGBTQ2 community, that's it. But it's just a song and a good one, even if I don't like it.

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Re: Thoughts On And Ranking The New Album

Post by pitkin88 » Tue Aug 29, 2017 6:20 pm

Rhapsody of Fire wrote:
guttertrash wrote:
mr.barlow wrote:Speaking of Trump---he used the whole Alice Cooper marketing playbook to get himself elected president. It will only be a matter of time until he mainstreams "the character" and will be loved by the average American housewife. He's halfway there as half of the USA can't get enough of him. The other half can't wait to get rid of him.

To be honest--I'm working on an article that shows the similarities in how Shep marketed Alice and how Trump executed his campaign and now how his continuing "adventures" are taking him on a course for "mainstreaming" prior to 2020. The similarities are just incredible!


But the truth be told--they both stole it all from the master P.T. Barnum.
Please share this when you are finished, because I can't agree more with this. The guy was also a fan of GG Allin, so over-the-top, shock-oriented tactics are definitely not lost on him.
Did I opened a can of worms? We are not supposed to talk politics, here. Alice hates politics. I said that GAG sounded Trumpy, because I was wondering about the reaction of the LGBTQ2 community, that's it. But it's just a song and a good one, even if I don't like it.

I seriously doubt that GAG has penetrated the LGBT community. It's hardly Cher's Believe.

mr.barlow

Re: Thoughts On And Ranking The New Album

Post by mr.barlow » Tue Aug 29, 2017 8:07 pm

Uhhhhh....you said penetrated....uhh huh huh huh

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Re: Thoughts On And Ranking The New Album

Post by Swinger » Tue Aug 29, 2017 10:05 pm

So I've been thinking about GAG for a while and I have to talk serious about it for a moment.

I'm trans, I'm queer and I'm an Alice fan. And Alice to me has been hit and miss when he used queerness/trans/crossdressing as a lyrical subject. It's certainly been handled as something that is weird and freaky but on the other hand Alice himself has always been weird and freaky in some ways. And I'd rather that he'd treat queerness as a joke that say something related to a serial killer. But times change and while I for example liked "The Saga of Jesse Jane" when I was 15 I have a much harder time listening to it now.
So when Alice first started talking about GAG in interviews before the album came out I was worried. Worried that he would play up the freakiness, worried that it would be mean.

But now with the album in hand, I don't mind the song. The music's great. The lyrics are still a little iffy but at heart they are about someone who's happy being who they are. It's actually joyfull compared to KotSS, PCotB or TSoJJ. I think the biggest joke of the song is the fact that it's a male singing voice but if you just accept that as the characters voice regardless of her gender then what's the joke? We're are after all the people who don't think it's strange that a man is called Alice and we're the fans that can listen to him portraying the part of a little boy in songs like Steven without that being treated as a joke so why should this be different?

So I don't mind the song in and of itself. But the problem is that it doesn't exist in a vaccuum. Regardless if Alice himself actually considers being trans a joke or it's just a lighthearted take on it, it helps cement that fact that a lot of people don't take transpeople seriously. And that's the part about the song that worries me at the moment. Peoples reactions to it. Some people here treat it just as a complete joke, others claim it should be a LGBT anthem (Really? Maybe it's time songs by actual LGBT artist became anthems instead) and there's a lot of comments about Caitlyn Jenner. What has she's got to with anything other than the fact that she happens to be a transperson the public is aware of? I don't think people are trying to be mean but I don't know.

What I'm trying to say is:
Being trans is not a joke. I'm not a joke. My life is not a joke. And personally I don't feel like joke when listening to GAG. But I'm afraid that other people will think of me and my life as a joke because of it. Maybe my worries are wrong, maybe they're not, how knows?
"You, sir, are a demented, sick, degenerate, barbaric, naughty freako."

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Re: Thoughts On And Ranking The New Album

Post by Rhapsody of Fire » Tue Aug 29, 2017 10:28 pm

Swinger wrote:So I've been thinking about GAG for a while and I have to talk serious about it for a moment.

I'm trans, I'm queer and I'm an Alice fan. And Alice to me has been hit and miss when he used queerness/trans/crossdressing as a lyrical subject. It's certainly been handled as something that is weird and freaky but on the other hand Alice himself has always been weird and freaky in some ways. And I'd rather that he'd treat queerness as a joke that say something related to a serial killer. But times change and while I for example liked "The Saga of Jesse Jane" when I was 15 I have a much harder time listening to it now.
So when Alice first started talking about GAG in interviews before the album came out I was worried. Worried that he would play up the freakiness, worried that it would be mean.

But now with the album in hand, I don't mind the song. The music's great. The lyrics are still a little iffy but at heart they are about someone who's happy being who they are. It's actually joyfull compared to KotSS, PCotB or TSoJJ. I think the biggest joke of the song is the fact that it's a male singing voice but if you just accept that as the characters voice regardless of her gender then what's the joke? We're are after all the people who don't think it's strange that a man is called Alice and we're the fans that can listen to him portraying the part of a little boy in songs like Steven without that being treated as a joke so why should this be different?

So I don't mind the song in and of itself. But the problem is that it doesn't exist in a vaccuum. Regardless if Alice himself actually considers being trans a joke or it's just a lighthearted take on it, it helps cement that fact that a lot of people don't take transpeople seriously. And that's the part about the song that worries me at the moment. Peoples reactions to it. Some people here treat it just as a complete joke, others claim it should be a LGBT anthem (Really? Maybe it's time songs by actual LGBT artist became anthems instead) and there's a lot of comments about Caitlyn Jenner. What has she's got to with anything other than the fact that she happens to be a transperson the public is aware of? I don't think people are trying to be mean but I don't know.

What I'm trying to say is:
Being trans is not a joke. I'm not a joke. My life is not a joke. And personally I don't feel like joke when listening to GAG. But I'm afraid that other people will think of me and my life as a joke because of it. Maybe my worries are wrong, maybe they're not, how knows?
Read this:


http://www.rollingstone.com/music/featu ... nd-w494001

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Re: Thoughts On And Ranking The New Album

Post by Swinger » Tue Aug 29, 2017 10:40 pm

Okay, that does make me a bit sad. I saw the headline of the article earlier but didn't want to read it because I was afraid of what he had to say, and yeah it does make me sad. I don't think he's malicious or condeming, more that he just can't understand it and thinks it's absurd - he says "I'm just talking about the series of events, not the morality of it." - but it seems like he can't take transpeople seriously and I was hoping that he would know better. (and it's sad to see him use Caitlyns deadname so casually)
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Re: Thoughts On And Ranking The New Album

Post by pitkin88 » Tue Aug 29, 2017 11:28 pm

I don't think GAG is mean spirited. Alice has only written one really offensive song and that was Disgraceland. I can see some people being upset by the song but really how many LGBT will ever get to hear it?

Transexuals are still shocking to a lot of people and a lot has happened in a short period of time with gay marriage et all. It is very important to recognize this. Change takes time and as time moves on there will be relatively few apart from the God Squad that cares. I don't see your life as a joke and I think it is pathetic what Trump is doing re the military. I also think it's atrocious how some people have treated Jazz from the show My Name Is Jazz.

Anyway, you should probably keep digging Alice and don't sweat the small stuff.
Last edited by pitkin88 on Tue Aug 29, 2017 11:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Thoughts On And Ranking The New Album

Post by pitkin88 » Tue Aug 29, 2017 11:43 pm

Swinger wrote:
Okay, that does make me a bit sad. I saw the headline of the article earlier but didn't want to read it because I was afraid of what he had to say, and yeah it does make me sad. I don't think he's malicious or condeming, more that he just can't understand it and thinks it's absurd - he says "I'm just talking about the series of events, not the morality of it." - but it seems like he can't take transpeople seriously and I was hoping that he would know better. (and it's sad to see him use Caitlyns deadname so casually)


As I said it will take time for views and attitudes to change. Also Alice is back in the Christian flock so it's half expected.

From what I have seen of Bruce and Caitlyn they are both horrible people. Caitlyn seems to know almost nothing about LGBT. Clueless and closet Trump supporter.

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Re: Thoughts On And Ranking The New Album

Post by mr.barlow » Tue Aug 29, 2017 11:48 pm

If you are comfortable with who you are then who the hell cares what anyone thinks. The problem in today's society is that it has lost it's sense of humor. Everyone takes themselves too seriously and is so easily offended or disrespected.

I'm a middle aged white guy. Do I give a rat's ass when black rappers call me "cracker" and other derogatory terms? No--I can care less--in fact I find it funny!

I'm Polish too---do I get offended at every Polish joke? No--I laugh right along!

My point is--relax--just be who you are. Comedy is comedy--it's not meant to be taken to heart. I'm afraid now we are witnessing the beginning of the death of humor. Everyone is too sensitive--or self-important--to understand that a joke is a joke--and nothing more!

mr.barlow

Re: Thoughts On And Ranking The New Album

Post by mr.barlow » Tue Aug 29, 2017 11:50 pm

pitkin88 wrote:
Swinger wrote:
Okay, that does make me a bit sad. I saw the headline of the article earlier but didn't want to read it because I was afraid of what he had to say, and yeah it does make me sad. I don't think he's malicious or condeming, more that he just can't understand it and thinks it's absurd - he says "I'm just talking about the series of events, not the morality of it." - but it seems like he can't take transpeople seriously and I was hoping that he would know better. (and it's sad to see him use Caitlyns deadname so casually)


As I said it will take time for views and attitudes to change. Also Alice is back in the Christian flock so it's half expected.

From what I have seen of Bruce and Caitlyn they are both horrible people. Caitlyn seems to know almost nothing about LGBT. Clueless and closet Trump supporter.
Both Bruce and Caitlyn are publicity whores and money making machines. Trump or no Trump it's all about the MONEY!

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Re: Thoughts On And Ranking The New Album

Post by darkmenace » Wed Aug 30, 2017 5:53 am

I too was concerned that GAG might turn out to be a mistake for Alice if he turned up the comedy aspect too much. The song would have been in danger of having a mocking tone. As it stands I think he straddles the lines of humor and genuine compassion perfectly. Many of the main lyrics are about self-acceptance and being yourself. For a man his age who is a Christian the lyrics are pretty impressive and in some ways bold. How many other classic rock artists dare to take on such a topic?

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Re: Thoughts On And Ranking The New Album

Post by dadascot » Wed Aug 30, 2017 7:24 am

I work with the transgender community in Scotland and have played the song to quite a few of them, and they all loved it. One of them is going to use it in her drag act! They look at the lyrics as rejoicing in their identity. I genuinely believe that it is an uplifting song expressing positivity and diversity.

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