The part played by Mr J Greenberg-copy of an open letter
Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2017 2:00 pm
An Open Letter to Shep Gordon, Alice Cooper and whoever else is interested,
It recently came to my attention that there is a movie being made called “The Dali and the Cooper”---about the “Incredible true story of Alice Cooper’s encounter with Salvador Dalí in NY in 1973.” David Suchet is going to play Salvador Dali, Noel Fielding is going to play Alice Cooper and Paul Kaye as Shep Gordon (Alice’s co-manager at the time). This is great news, however my father, Joe Greenberg, who was also the manager of Alice Cooper during that time (Co-Founder of Alive Entertainment and business partners with Shep Gordon) is not mentioned anywhere. This is extremely hurtful for many reasons and I would love to set the record straight.
A few years ago, Shep Gordon was the subject of a Documentary called “Supermensch.” The film was produced by Mike Myers (actor) and Shep was described as “The Hollywood insider who spent his life making other people famous.” If you watched the “Documentary” you would think that Shep alone managed Alice Cooper and helped him achieve superstardom. The only time that my father was mentioned at all was after the closing credits---Shep put up a credit “Thanking Joe Greenberg.” So if you stayed in the theater long enough you would see it, however most people don’t stay at a movie after the credits are off the screen. I don’t think a true “Supermensch” would take all the credit for doing something when they had a partner. However, here is the truth.
My dad and Shep were best friends and roommates at The University of Buffalo. My dad left Buffalo in 1966, began making money by selling college kids vacation trips to Puerto Rico and by allegedly selling marijuana. He even sent Shep marijuana to sell to his friends. In 1967 they both moved out to Hollywood not all certain what they wanted to do with their lives. They accidentally stumbled upon the Holywood Landmark Hotel, checked in and set up shop. One night at a store, they met Cindy Smith Dunaway a very charismatic and beautiful woman who told them that her brother (Neal Smith) was in a band called Alice Cooper and the band needed representation. My dad informed her that he was in the music business (he wasn’t) and that he and his roommate Shep would manage the band. They really had no idea what they were doing but had nothing to lose. It was the 60’s, and anything was possible.
My dad and Shep raised money to support the band by selling marijuana, partnering a headshop, selling bootlegs and whatever else they could…. and they actually struck gold with the group. Together they got them signed by Frank Zappa and Warner Bros. Entertainment and Alice Cooper went from walking the entire audience at a free Show in Venice, CA to selling out Stadiums around the world. My dad has a million stories about those days. Some of these include how he had to personally beg Bill Graham to work with the band, to crashing music festivals like the Newport Rock Festival that they weren’t booked at, to losing the snake in a Hotel. Also my dad arranged the meeting with Salvador Dali who produced the Alice Cooper Hologram. When my dad and Shep managed the band they had their biggest commercial success. This took place from 1967-1974 and included their classic Hits “School’s Out”, “No More Mr. Nice Guy”, “I’m 18”, “Elected”, “Under My Wheels,” “Billion Dollar Babies” and many others while developing an incredible live show that morphed into a new genre of music called “Shock Rock.”
The partnership ended amicably in 1974. Drugs and addiction were affecting the band (who also broke up) as well as my father. It was an amazing ride but it was time for him to get off. However those were some of his most treasured memories and proudest accomplishments. He loved the band and being in the music business. He loved being part of making history. His 12 Gold and Platinum Records still hang on his wall and he loves when people ask about them.
Unfortunately, history is now being re-written and my father is being left out of all of it. He was left out of the “Behind The Music” Special on VH1, edited out of their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Speech when they specifically thanked him and completely left out of “Supemensch.” He couldn’t wait to watch each of these events only to be left extremely disappointed. So now there is a movie being developed about Alice Cooper and Salvador Dali and my dad was at each and every one of their interactions, yet no one has contacted him. Please do the right thing and include him in the story that he helped you live.
Kind Regards,
Adam Greenberg PKA Adam Hunter
It recently came to my attention that there is a movie being made called “The Dali and the Cooper”---about the “Incredible true story of Alice Cooper’s encounter with Salvador Dalí in NY in 1973.” David Suchet is going to play Salvador Dali, Noel Fielding is going to play Alice Cooper and Paul Kaye as Shep Gordon (Alice’s co-manager at the time). This is great news, however my father, Joe Greenberg, who was also the manager of Alice Cooper during that time (Co-Founder of Alive Entertainment and business partners with Shep Gordon) is not mentioned anywhere. This is extremely hurtful for many reasons and I would love to set the record straight.
A few years ago, Shep Gordon was the subject of a Documentary called “Supermensch.” The film was produced by Mike Myers (actor) and Shep was described as “The Hollywood insider who spent his life making other people famous.” If you watched the “Documentary” you would think that Shep alone managed Alice Cooper and helped him achieve superstardom. The only time that my father was mentioned at all was after the closing credits---Shep put up a credit “Thanking Joe Greenberg.” So if you stayed in the theater long enough you would see it, however most people don’t stay at a movie after the credits are off the screen. I don’t think a true “Supermensch” would take all the credit for doing something when they had a partner. However, here is the truth.
My dad and Shep were best friends and roommates at The University of Buffalo. My dad left Buffalo in 1966, began making money by selling college kids vacation trips to Puerto Rico and by allegedly selling marijuana. He even sent Shep marijuana to sell to his friends. In 1967 they both moved out to Hollywood not all certain what they wanted to do with their lives. They accidentally stumbled upon the Holywood Landmark Hotel, checked in and set up shop. One night at a store, they met Cindy Smith Dunaway a very charismatic and beautiful woman who told them that her brother (Neal Smith) was in a band called Alice Cooper and the band needed representation. My dad informed her that he was in the music business (he wasn’t) and that he and his roommate Shep would manage the band. They really had no idea what they were doing but had nothing to lose. It was the 60’s, and anything was possible.
My dad and Shep raised money to support the band by selling marijuana, partnering a headshop, selling bootlegs and whatever else they could…. and they actually struck gold with the group. Together they got them signed by Frank Zappa and Warner Bros. Entertainment and Alice Cooper went from walking the entire audience at a free Show in Venice, CA to selling out Stadiums around the world. My dad has a million stories about those days. Some of these include how he had to personally beg Bill Graham to work with the band, to crashing music festivals like the Newport Rock Festival that they weren’t booked at, to losing the snake in a Hotel. Also my dad arranged the meeting with Salvador Dali who produced the Alice Cooper Hologram. When my dad and Shep managed the band they had their biggest commercial success. This took place from 1967-1974 and included their classic Hits “School’s Out”, “No More Mr. Nice Guy”, “I’m 18”, “Elected”, “Under My Wheels,” “Billion Dollar Babies” and many others while developing an incredible live show that morphed into a new genre of music called “Shock Rock.”
The partnership ended amicably in 1974. Drugs and addiction were affecting the band (who also broke up) as well as my father. It was an amazing ride but it was time for him to get off. However those were some of his most treasured memories and proudest accomplishments. He loved the band and being in the music business. He loved being part of making history. His 12 Gold and Platinum Records still hang on his wall and he loves when people ask about them.
Unfortunately, history is now being re-written and my father is being left out of all of it. He was left out of the “Behind The Music” Special on VH1, edited out of their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Speech when they specifically thanked him and completely left out of “Supemensch.” He couldn’t wait to watch each of these events only to be left extremely disappointed. So now there is a movie being developed about Alice Cooper and Salvador Dali and my dad was at each and every one of their interactions, yet no one has contacted him. Please do the right thing and include him in the story that he helped you live.
Kind Regards,
Adam Greenberg PKA Adam Hunter