Old School Uncool

Anything Alice Cooper or AC band related goes here

Moderators: Devon, Gorehound, Si, SickThings, Shoesalesman

Saint&Sinner
Fashion Flusher
Fashion Flusher
Posts: 675
Joined: Sun Sep 13, 2015 12:59 pm

Re: Old School Uncool

Post by Saint&Sinner » Wed Jun 10, 2020 12:23 am

Is the shadow supposed to look like a d**k?
exactly what i thought!!! (maybe we just have dirty minds...... hahaha) im not bothered by the cover, nothing wrong with sexy ladies (or sexy blokes if that is your thing) i kinda like that neal hasnt gone all super serious and seems to be having fun. I need to get the 80s album deadringer still which i gather some of this is from?

User avatar
patrick
Fashion Flusher
Fashion Flusher
Posts: 547
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2012 6:38 pm

Re: Old School Uncool

Post by patrick » Wed Jun 10, 2020 6:27 am

I'm with Pitkin on this: rather embarrassing for a guy of that age. (of course, one could have simular ideas when looking for instance at the clip for Doom and Gloom (RS): trying to be ageless ??
you really wouldn't understand..

del
Fashion Flusher
Fashion Flusher
Posts: 611
Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2011 4:22 pm
Location: Glasgow

Re: Old School Uncool

Post by del » Wed Jun 10, 2020 7:46 am

Dennis and Reggies track was uncomfortable to listen to. Didn't enjoy it at all despite trying hard. Michael's sample tracks left me completely cold and Born Screamer should never have happened. Appreciate that it's trying to capture an era but Neal's album cover caps a bad sequence for me. If I was 16 again I'd probably have laughed out loud when I saw the shadow. I'm not and I didn't.

All rather sad really.

iansmith
Trash
Trash
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Nov 08, 2017 1:18 pm

Neal Smith new album 'Pop 85-96'

Post by iansmith » Wed Jun 10, 2020 11:04 am

Hi folks, for anyone wanting to hear Neal's new album, :clap: I've just found it on Deezer

User avatar
Si
Dada God
Dada God
Posts: 4363
Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 5:47 am
Location: London
Contact:

Re: Neal Smith new album 'Pop 85-96'

Post by Si » Wed Jun 10, 2020 11:40 am

iansmith wrote:
Wed Jun 10, 2020 11:04 am
Hi folks, for anyone wanting to hear Neal's new album, :clap: I've just found it on Deezer
On Spotify as well

concolz
Dada God
Dada God
Posts: 1842
Joined: Wed Aug 21, 2013 7:07 am

Re: Old School Uncool

Post by concolz » Wed Jun 10, 2020 12:14 pm

It's dire stuff from all three of them. Neal Smith's is particularly awful; dreadful cover too.

Maaki
Killer
Killer
Posts: 235
Joined: Mon Dec 10, 2012 7:32 pm

Re: Old School Uncool

Post by Maaki » Wed Jun 10, 2020 3:18 pm

Pop 85-96 sounds britpop to me. Some of it can be all at some times, but none of this was all that good. The cover might be an attempted joke to make funny of those times. I must agree that it is a massive miss, though.

I am a bit surprised about the reaction to the way the guys age. They are getting older and not everyone will age like Sean Connery. Also they are rockers so while it is a bit gringy at times, what are they supposed to sing about instead of girls? Dentures wheelchairs and Viagra? I don't find it any more weird than all the old school rockers in their 60's and 70's singing about their generation breaking free.

User avatar
Logan
Humanary Stew
Humanary Stew
Posts: 58
Joined: Fri May 15, 2020 7:48 pm
Location: Boston, MA

Re: Old School Uncool

Post by Logan » Wed Jun 10, 2020 11:04 pm

I actually like "Pop 85-96" I've been listening to it on Spotify. It's better than any of the Killsmith releases. Out of the original band solo records "Battle Axe" is my favorite that I still listen to quite a bit. More than any other solos.

mr.barlow

Re: Old School Uncool

Post by mr.barlow » Thu Jun 11, 2020 2:28 am

And I thought the cover of W2MN was awful. This is a whole new level of awful!

mr.barlow

Re: Old School Uncool

Post by mr.barlow » Thu Jun 11, 2020 2:32 am

Alice is the same age and from the same original group and he gave us Paranormal (which by the way I now find to be a damn good album).

This album might beat the movie he appeared in----just beyond awful!

User avatar
patrick
Fashion Flusher
Fashion Flusher
Posts: 547
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2012 6:38 pm

Re: Old School Uncool

Post by patrick » Thu Jun 11, 2020 5:44 am

Maaki wrote:
Wed Jun 10, 2020 3:18 pm


Iwhat are they supposed to sing about instead of girls? Dentures wheelchairs and Viagra? I don't find it any more weird than all the old school rockers in their 60's and 70's singing about their generation breaking free.
Paranormal and even W2MNM2 are good answers to your question imo.
you really wouldn't understand..

del
Fashion Flusher
Fashion Flusher
Posts: 611
Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2011 4:22 pm
Location: Glasgow

Re: Old School Uncool

Post by del » Thu Jun 11, 2020 6:02 am

patrick wrote:
Thu Jun 11, 2020 5:44 am
Maaki wrote:
Wed Jun 10, 2020 3:18 pm


Iwhat are they supposed to sing about instead of girls? Dentures wheelchairs and Viagra? I don't find it any more weird than all the old school rockers in their 60's and 70's singing about their generation breaking free.
Paranormal and even W2MNM2 are good answers to your question imo.
Couldn't agree more.

Where does this leave the argument for more reunion activity? Where is the creative force? Cue debate...

Maaki
Killer
Killer
Posts: 235
Joined: Mon Dec 10, 2012 7:32 pm

Re: Old School Uncool

Post by Maaki » Thu Jun 11, 2020 7:23 am

Oh, I like Paranormal as well and great many other records by guys that are no spring chicken.

I simply meant that for _some_ older rockers it might not be quite that easy to realize how sleezy and borderline criminal it sounds when they sing about sweet sixteens. They have been doing that all their lives. Sex and the other thing and rock'n'roll, after all. The guys mentioned here are not the only ones, by far. We all get older with the baggage we are picking up along the way.

It doesn't make it any less gringe worthy. I just think it is almost inevitable that some people will keep going there, no matter their age. The age they might not be completely ok with either, by the way. Not all rockers have Alice's qualities including but not limited to iq, wisdom, manners and general level headedness and being in peace with themselves and the World.

Ted Sallis
Billion Dollar Baby
Billion Dollar Baby
Posts: 472
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2009 1:43 pm

Re: Old School Uncool

Post by Ted Sallis » Thu Jun 11, 2020 5:36 pm

Logan wrote:
Wed Jun 10, 2020 11:04 pm
Out of the original band solo records "Battle Axe" is my favorite that I still listen to quite a bit. More than any other solos.
I haven't heard Neal's new release yet, but taking into account everything I have heard from the ACG's solo endeavours I certainly agree with the above comment. IMHO only the 2 songs Alice sang for the 'Flash Fearless vs. The Zorg Women' album come close to the quality of the Battle Axe album.

Ted

jacknifejohnny
Billion Dollar Baby
Billion Dollar Baby
Posts: 451
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2006 5:44 pm
Location: florida, u.s.a.

Re: Old School Uncool

Post by jacknifejohnny » Thu Jun 11, 2020 7:41 pm

Thought Dennis’s “Bones From The Yard” was as good as anything Alice has released since “Brutal Planet”

PFOLGORE
Humanary Stew
Humanary Stew
Posts: 55
Joined: Thu Oct 15, 2015 8:12 pm

Re: Old School Uncool

Post by PFOLGORE » Fri Jun 12, 2020 6:33 am

Artistically only Michael made an earnest attempt to move on in his own direction and he failed. You listen to his solo compositions and you wonder if it is really the same guy who wrote “Caught in a Dream”. Collectively, with Alice Cooper they had some chemistry. Individually, even in their prime they were modest talents. I don’ think back in the late 70s anyone was calling them to do session work. For the last 40 years there has not been any growth and they still seem to default back to the back to what worked for them in the 70s. I think their still have not come to terms with the fact that they will never be part of Alice Cooper in a significant way again.

nurserozetta
Billion Dollar Baby
Billion Dollar Baby
Posts: 251
Joined: Sat Jun 25, 2005 4:18 am
Location: Sydney

Re: Old School Uncool

Post by nurserozetta » Fri Jun 12, 2020 7:41 am

This stuff from Neal is plain disappointing - almost unlistenable - just like most of his Killsmith albums , Michaels solo work is no better - Dennis has at least put out Bones from the yard which I thought was an excellent album, but none of it matches Alice's solo work sorry . Having said that I love Battle Axe and I think I'm one of the few who love Deadringer . I'd much prefer to listen to Roxies & Tommy's solo stuff and definitely Beasto than the OGs solo work sorry - As for Pop Songs album cover - appalling ! Looks like a 70s Ktel album

mr.barlow

Re: Old School Uncool

Post by mr.barlow » Fri Jun 12, 2020 12:18 pm

PFOLGORE wrote:
Fri Jun 12, 2020 6:33 am
Artistically only Michael made an earnest attempt to move on in his own direction and he failed. You listen to his solo compositions and you wonder if it is really the same guy who wrote “Caught in a Dream”. Collectively, with Alice Cooper they had some chemistry. Individually, even in their prime they were modest talents. I don’ think back in the late 70s anyone was calling them to do session work. For the last 40 years there has not been any growth and they still seem to default back to the back to what worked for them in the 70s. I think their still have not come to terms with the fact that they will never be part of Alice Cooper in a significant way again.
The reason there is such a difference in the writing from these guys from the original group and after is Bob Ezrin.

It makes me wonder how much of the classic songs he actually had a hand in writing and went uncredited.

There is a reason Alice stuck and still sticks with him. The original band members have openly stated how much of a hand Ezrin had in the development in the songs. It's my opinion that it was a lot more than "development", it was more like actual songwriting.

In looking at the collective output from all of the guys post 1974 it's very obvious. However, Dennis has released the best stuff since then and is a decent songwriter. "Fireball" is a good recent example, but again it was Ezrin who made a few minor changes and made it a fantastic song.

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

Re: Old School Uncool

Post by Daggers & Contracts » Fri Jun 12, 2020 10:43 pm

From what I recall reading - somewhere through time...
The Band had "Worms" of songs, small little things that had to be rearranged & put into a cohesive song. Putting pieces in a puzzle (Interesting that puzzles of Album Covers are being released). Ezrin could hear the "Big Picture" & make "Hit's" plus create a concept around them that had a thread of a story.
I've Got The Answers To All Of Your Questions...

del
Fashion Flusher
Fashion Flusher
Posts: 611
Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2011 4:22 pm
Location: Glasgow

Re: Old School Uncool

Post by del » Sat Jun 13, 2020 7:09 am

mr.barlow wrote:
Fri Jun 12, 2020 12:18 pm
PFOLGORE wrote:
Fri Jun 12, 2020 6:33 am
Artistically only Michael made an earnest attempt to move on in his own direction and he failed. You listen to his solo compositions and you wonder if it is really the same guy who wrote “Caught in a Dream”. Collectively, with Alice Cooper they had some chemistry. Individually, even in their prime they were modest talents. I don’ think back in the late 70s anyone was calling them to do session work. For the last 40 years there has not been any growth and they still seem to default back to the back to what worked for them in the 70s. I think their still have not come to terms with the fact that they will never be part of Alice Cooper in a significant way again.
The reason there is such a difference in the writing from these guys from the original group and after is Bob Ezrin.

It makes me wonder how much of the classic songs he actually had a hand in writing and went uncredited.

There is a reason Alice stuck and still sticks with him. The original band members have openly stated how much of a hand Ezrin had in the development in the songs. It's my opinion that it was a lot more than "development", it was more like actual songwriting.

In looking at the collective output from all of the guys post 1974 it's very obvious. However, Dennis has released the best stuff since then and is a decent songwriter. "Fireball" is a good recent example, but again it was Ezrin who made a few minor changes and made it a fantastic song.
Agree to a point, particularly about Fireball. However, there are also plenty of non Bob Ezrin albums to compare as well and I'd say the vast majority of it is well ahead of what the other guys have put out. Perhaps it's a mixture of Alice having better ideas and being able to surround himself with better producers all the time, except for ACAS..

Post Reply