The AOR 45's v The Black Out 45's

Anything Alice Cooper or AC band related goes here

Moderators: Devon, Gorehound, Si, SickThings, Shoesalesman

mr.barlow

Re: The AOR 45's v The Black Out 45's

Post by mr.barlow » Mon Jun 03, 2019 10:28 pm

I thought that was a David Bowie album!

mr.barlow

Re: The AOR 45's v The Black Out 45's

Post by mr.barlow » Mon Jun 03, 2019 10:37 pm

>>>>You and Me: unlistenable. Pure cheese. 100% velveeta. Barry Manilow territory. Cardboard lyrics and syrupy strings. Was no one watching the shop when this was recorded?


That's why I love this song. It's pure 1970s era cheese. Pure kitsch. It could almost be a parody of Manilow, The Carpenters, etc. I can see Alice in his Hugh Hefner smoking jacket sitting down next to Sheryl with a bowl of popcorn and laughing at Johnny Carson in the tv.

I'll have to go back to Wagner's book and read his comments about the song. I'm quite certain it was at the insistence of WB that they include another sappy ballad (this one was the pinnacle of it).

The lyric " what I am is what I am" always brought to mind Popeye! I wonder if Alice ever considered dressing up as Popeye for this song during the "King Of The Silver Screen" tour. He could have fought the dancing chickens while dressed as Popeye!

pitkin88
Dada God
Dada God
Posts: 4478
Joined: Sat Dec 09, 2006 3:25 am
Location: calif

Re: The AOR 45's v The Black Out 45's

Post by pitkin88 » Mon Jun 03, 2019 11:27 pm

If you can post them I would like to hear what Wagner thought of those 45s. I know he hated the dancing chickens. I'm sure he liked the royalty checks.

Rhapsody of Fire
Billion Dollar Baby
Billion Dollar Baby
Posts: 498
Joined: Mon Sep 02, 2013 1:48 am

Re: The AOR 45's v The Black Out 45's

Post by Rhapsody of Fire » Tue Jun 04, 2019 2:42 am

The first time I heard that song, it was at the Muppet show. Alice dressed as a vampire singing with Lady Monster. Great tv moment.

pitkin88
Dada God
Dada God
Posts: 4478
Joined: Sat Dec 09, 2006 3:25 am
Location: calif

Re: The AOR 45's v The Black Out 45's

Post by pitkin88 » Wed Jun 05, 2019 6:30 pm

Alice on The Muppets was another misstep. It wasn't even a good episode and the image was getting even more watered down.

mr.barlow

Re: The AOR 45's v The Black Out 45's

Post by mr.barlow » Wed Jun 05, 2019 7:32 pm

I'm wouldn't say it was a misstep as it opened up him to a whole new generation of kids. To this day I think this is one of the most "famous" of the Muppet Show episodes. I think when it was on VHS only as a single show release it outsold all other episodes.

It did however further water down the image (but in fairness--that's what they were trying to do). I think the ONLY mistake they made with that episode was not including the Cyclops in with the other monsters during "School's Out". That would have been a terrific nod to Alice fans.

pitkin88
Dada God
Dada God
Posts: 4478
Joined: Sat Dec 09, 2006 3:25 am
Location: calif

Re: The AOR 45's v The Black Out 45's

Post by pitkin88 » Thu Jun 06, 2019 6:42 am

mr.barlow wrote:
Wed Jun 05, 2019 7:32 pm
I'm wouldn't say it was a misstep as it opened up him to a whole new generation of kids. To this day I think this is one of the most "famous" of the Muppet Show episodes. I think when it was on VHS only as a single show release it outsold all other episodes.

It did however further water down the image (but in fairness--that's what they were trying to do). I think the ONLY mistake they made with that episode was not including the Cyclops in with the other monsters during "School's Out". That would have been a terrific nod to Alice fans.

I have the VHS! Bought it for my kids who liked it a lot. I really dislike the re recorded songs. Schools Out is horrible. Pretty sure we had the Vincent Price episode too.

User avatar
padre_sliprat
Dada God
Dada God
Posts: 854
Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2011 6:40 pm

Re: The AOR 45's v The Black Out 45's

Post by padre_sliprat » Thu Jun 06, 2019 10:20 am

I always hated the muppets.
"He's old, the snake's got gray hair..."

User avatar
Swinger
Dada God
Dada God
Posts: 1261
Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2005 11:54 pm
Location: Sweden

Re: The AOR 45's v The Black Out 45's

Post by Swinger » Thu Jun 06, 2019 1:03 pm

pitkin88 wrote:
Mon Jun 03, 2019 8:03 pm
I Never Cry: trying to be the all around entertainer and looking for the U.S. Housewives to score another AOR hit we get this slice of puss poor hokum. While Kiss where breathing fire Alice was handing out the kleenex. Played live it just sounds out of place and slows down the show. Dud.
Except, you know, KISS got their biggest hit the same year with "Beth", also a "housewife"-hit that sounded nothing like what they'd done before, and by 77-78 were toy-merch-machine and starring in a silly Hanna-Barbera produced tv-movie as superheroes. KISS basically go soft around the same time Alice did.
"You, sir, are a demented, sick, degenerate, barbaric, naughty freako."

pitkin88
Dada God
Dada God
Posts: 4478
Joined: Sat Dec 09, 2006 3:25 am
Location: calif

Re: The AOR 45's v The Black Out 45's

Post by pitkin88 » Thu Jun 06, 2019 9:35 pm

Swinger wrote:
Thu Jun 06, 2019 1:03 pm
pitkin88 wrote:
Mon Jun 03, 2019 8:03 pm
I Never Cry: trying to be the all around entertainer and looking for the U.S. Housewives to score another AOR hit we get this slice of puss poor hokum. While Kiss where breathing fire Alice was handing out the kleenex. Played live it just sounds out of place and slows down the show. Dud.
Except, you know, KISS got their biggest hit the same year with "Beth", also a "housewife"-hit that sounded nothing like what they'd done before, and by 77-78 were toy-merch-machine and starring in a silly Hanna-Barbera produced tv-movie as superheroes. KISS basically go soft around the same time Alice did.
That's true. Ezrin played a big part in Beth. Blame Bob!

mr.barlow

Re: The AOR 45's v The Black Out 45's

Post by mr.barlow » Fri Jun 07, 2019 12:57 am

I blame the era. That period was loaded with sap and schmaltz. I'm sure in the case of Alice, Kiss and nearly every other act out there they were bending to the demands of the record company.

If I remember right it was Ezrin that added the disco tinged bass line to "Another Brick In The Wall" which resulted in that song becoming a monster hit! Once again---to tap into the popular trends at the time.

"Lace & Whiskey" has grown on me over the years and is a very uneven album but is still distinctly Alice with some great moments. "You & Me" is what it is, but the true blasphemy on the album is "No More Love At Your Convenience".

And for that song you can definitely blame Bob. Wagner basically says so in his book. The video is just as awful as the song!

User avatar
Daggers & Contracts
Dada God
Dada God
Posts: 2812
Joined: Mon Feb 04, 2013 5:47 pm
Location: 340 Sanitarium

Re: The AOR 45's v The Black Out 45's

Post by Daggers & Contracts » Fri Jun 07, 2019 2:04 am

mr.barlow wrote:
Fri Jun 07, 2019 12:57 am
I blame the era. That period was loaded with sap and schmaltz. I'm sure in the case of Alice, Kiss and nearly every other act out there they were bending to the demands of the record company.
Styx, Kansas, Nightranger, BOC & others. Who here will admit to NOT changing the station when one of their ballads came on the radio? :p
I've Got The Answers To All Of Your Questions...

pitkin88
Dada God
Dada God
Posts: 4478
Joined: Sat Dec 09, 2006 3:25 am
Location: calif

Re: The AOR 45's v The Black Out 45's

Post by pitkin88 » Fri Jun 07, 2019 8:18 am

Who would listen to a station that played that carp anyway?

Rhapsody of Fire
Billion Dollar Baby
Billion Dollar Baby
Posts: 498
Joined: Mon Sep 02, 2013 1:48 am

Re: The AOR 45's v The Black Out 45's

Post by Rhapsody of Fire » Fri Jun 07, 2019 3:01 pm

Daggers & Contracts wrote:
Fri Jun 07, 2019 2:04 am
mr.barlow wrote:
Fri Jun 07, 2019 12:57 am
I blame the era. That period was loaded with sap and schmaltz. I'm sure in the case of Alice, Kiss and nearly every other act out there they were bending to the demands of the record company.
Styx, Kansas, Nightranger, BOC & others. Who here will admit to NOT changing the station when one of their ballads came on the radio? :p
Moi.

Rhapsody of Fire
Billion Dollar Baby
Billion Dollar Baby
Posts: 498
Joined: Mon Sep 02, 2013 1:48 am

Re: The AOR 45's v The Black Out 45's

Post by Rhapsody of Fire » Fri Jun 07, 2019 3:02 pm

pitkin88 wrote:
Fri Jun 07, 2019 8:18 am
Who would listen to a station that played that carp anyway?
Moi.

Post Reply