Flush The Fashion Timeline

TIMELINE 13 Flush The Fashion

The Early '80s

A few comments...

Alice 1980 saw Alice searching for a new character and musical style following his first brush with rehab. With the dawn of the new decade he seemed to have lost touch with his audience and while concert attendences were still good, album sales were falling fast. 'Flush The Fashion' attempted to tap into the current fad of post-punk/new wave with the electro-pop of Clones (We're All)', which was a minor hit, but that would be the last one for some years. Album reviews were often scathing and the fans were wishing for a return to the glories of old.

On top of that Alice changed his image from the gothic horror of the 70's, to what was at the time described as the 'widow twanky' look, a reference to the British theatre pantomime dames and their pancake makeup and chopstick hairdos. The classic Alice was gone. Alice even appeared on album covers in normal clothes with short hair. Actually his hair was just tied back.

Brian Nelson (April 1996): "Alice did NOT cut his hair for the early 80s tours. He had it tied back. He often would let it down at the end of a show with a coy smile asking the audience, "Aren't you glad I didn't cut it?"

In interviews and on stage he was still a performer and entertain as good as ever, but to the average rock fan on the street, he looked like he had fallen to the traditional rock'n'roll evils of drink and drugs.

This did not mean the early eighties albums were bad. All had their moments and 'Dada' especially is a much overlooked classic hailed by some fans as one of his best. But Alice was clearly adrift, looking for a new direction to take. It wasn't until 1986 and 'Constrictor' that he found that direction and while that album and 'Raise Your Fist and Yell' brought Alice back to the forefront of rock, many fans still prefer the more original, imaginative early 80's albums to the cheese metal that would follow.

Brian Nelson (April 1996): "[The] ballads were big hits but Alice got a lot of flack from the rockers that it wasn't cool. That's why none of those albums from the 80s had ballads. Alice often said that he wanted a sticker put on the album covers that said: Featuring: No Ballads!"

The period 1980-1983, is a time when Alice kept a pretty low profile. He fell of the wagon briefly and returned to the alcohol after a sip of Sheryl`s wine at dinner, and there were rumours of the use of other stimulants during this period, but whether this is true or not is open to speculation. We do know that Alice cleaned up for good around 1984 and that he has been "clean" ever since.

1980

Feb-March `80 Recording sessions for Flush The Fashion at Cherokee Studios, LA

March `80 Clones recorded for 'Pink Lady And Jeff'

March `80 Glen Buxton appears with Shrapnel in New York

Rolling Stone:
When a young New York punk band called Shrapnel returned to it's old high school in Red Bank, New Jersey, recently to play a gig for old time's sake, it brought along a very special guest - Glen Buxton, guitarist extrordinaire with the original Alice Cooper band.

"We played in the cafeteria," chuckles Buxton, who met Shrapnel about eighteen months ago while hanging out in the New York punk circuit. "I mean, it really took me back, boy, right back to Cortez High where Alice, Dennis Dunaway [the Cooper band's bassist] and me started out. I know exactly what the trip is."

Unfortunately, the school officials apparently didn't. By the time Buxton came on-stage to sit in on Shrapnel's version of "School's Out," it was eleven p.m. - curfew time. "They flipped the lights on," says Buxton. "It was like, 'Study hall is open again.' Anyway, I started 'School's Out,' and they went over and started pullin' plugs. First they pulled the PA, figured that would do it. But the kids were on their feet, and the whole audience started singing the words, man. Isn't that cool? I couldn't believe it. After the gig we all went over to the lead-guitar player's house, and his mother put out salami and stuff."

Buxton had semi-retired from music after the Cooper band folded. "My health went," he says. "I was drinkin' a lot. I was in the hospital on the critical list for a couple of weeks - my pancreas. You can imagine how much I was drinkin'. I mean, I taught Alice how to drink. But I'm outta that head now."

Now he's writing songs with his wife, Susan, and casually planning a comeback, inspired by the energy of the local punk scene. "I'm thirty-two years old," he notes. "School's been out along time for me."

Glen also guested with another band which featured an ex-member of the Dead Boys.

Spring `80 Roadie released

April 2nd `80 Clones single released

April 4th `80 'Pink Lady and Jeff' aired on NBC

April 28th `80 Flush The Fashion released

May `80 Roadie soundtrack released

June 4th `80 (or June 21st on an Itinerary) El Paso, TX Coliseum

Show recorded and broadcast on Supergroups In Concert by Westwood One. However the broadcast is only partially from El Paso with many of the tracks simply being lifted from 'The Alice Cooper Show' album

June 6th `80 Phoenix,AZ

June 7th `80 Las Vegas, NV ?

June 8th '80 Bakersfield, CA Civic Auditorium (poster)

June 9th `80 Riverside, CA Ben H Lewis Hall (w/ 20/20) [Poster]

June 10th `80 San Diego, CA SDSU Open Air Amphitheatre [Ticket]

June 13th `80 San Francisco, CA

June 14th `80 Concord, CA Concord Pavilion (w/ Bram Tchaikovsky)

June 17th `80 Los Angeles, CA Greek Theatre

June 18th `80 Los Angeles, CA Greek Theatre

Before the tour Alice had tried to get some old White House Guard uniforms that came up for sale. Alice wanted them for band costumes for the tour. The costumes instead went to marching band from some school so apparently Alice flew out a couple of those band members to throw balloons out during "School's Out" at an LA show.

June 20th `80 San Antonio, TX

June 21st `80 Fort Worth, TX Will Rogers Auditorium OR El Paso, TX, County Coliseum (Itinerary)

June 22nd `80 Houston, TX, Jeppesen Stadium (University Of Houston) - Outdoor Daylight Show

June 23rd '80 McAllan, TX, Villa Real concert Hall (Itinerary)

June 24th '80 Corpus Christi, TX, Memorial Coliseum (Itinerary)

June 25th `80 Beaumont, TX Beaumont Civic Centre [Ticket1] [Ticket2] [Ticket3] (Itinerary)

June 26th `80 New Orleans, LA

June 27th '80 Birmingham, AL, Boutwell Auditorium (Itinerary)

June 28th '80 Johnson City, TN, Freedom Hall (Itinerary)

June 29th `80 Indianapolis, IN, Indiana Civic Center (w/ Billy Squire. Bram Tchaikovsky schedualed but canceled at last minute) (ticket/eyewitness) (Itinerary)

July 2nd `80 Biloxi, MS OR Duluth, MN, Duluth Arena (Itinerary)

July 3rd `80 (or June 27th on Itinerary) Birmingham, AL Boutwell Auditorium (w/ Bram Tchaikovsky)(Confirmed eye witness) OR Minneapolis, MN, Met Center (Itinerary)

July 5th `80 Nashville, TN

(July 5th `80 Neal Smith Flying Tigers at Nite Owl II, Norwalk CT)

July 6th `80 Kansas City MO, Municiple Auditorium (Itinerary and recording) or Atlanta, GA (advert) [Ticket]

July 9th `80 New York, NY Palladium

July 10th `80 Detroit, MI Joe Louis Arena (w/ Billy Squier or maybe Joe Perry Project, Spider)

(July 10th `80, Neal Smith Flying Tigers at Great Gildersleeves, NYC)

July 11th `80 Dallas TX Reunions Arena [Ticket] (Itinerary)

(July 11th-12th `80, Neal Smith Flying Tigers at Great American Saloon, New Haven CT)

July 12th `80 Providence, RI (w/ Billy Squier, Bram Tchaikovsky)(Poster for San Antonio Convention Centre Summer Jam `80 exists for this date showing Black Sabbath, Blue Oyster Cult, Alice Cooper, Riot, Shakin' Street but sources say Alice canceled)
OR San Antonio, TX, Hemisphere Arena (Itinerary)

July 13th `80 Houston, Robinson Stadium (w/ Black Sabbath, Blue Oyster Cult, Riot, Shakin' Street)(Confirmed by Ticket and review) [Ticket]

July 13th '80 Baton Rouge, LO, Riverside Centroplex [Ticket]

(Sources say July 14th `80 Show scheduled for San Antonio, TX Convention Centre (w/ Blue Oyster Cult, Riot) but source says Alice canceled at the last minute, see also 12th July)- also an advert has Springfield, MA

(July 15th-16th `80 - Possibly NYC) - 15th most logical. Review in Record Mirror but no date info.

July 16th `80 Miami, FL Sunrise Theatre

July 17th `80 West Palm Beach, FL, Auditorium (ticket) OR Jacksonville, FL (advert)

July 18th `80 St. Petersburg, FL

(July 18th-19th `80 Neal Smith Flying Tigers at Brave Hall, South Windsor, CT)

July 19th `80 Fort Myers, Florida

July 20th `80 Miami, FL, Lee County Civic Center

July 24th `80 Dayton, OH [Ticket] [Ticket]OR Cincinnati, OH (advert which has Dayton for 26th)

July 25th `80 Cleveland, OH (on T-shirt and poss. Advert) or poss. Indianapolis, IN (advert) Coliseum (w/ Billy Squier)

(July 25th `80 Neal Smith Flying Tigers at Gemini II, Yorktown Heights, New York)

(July 26th `80 Neal Smith Flying Tigers at Surfside, Fairfield, CT)

July 26th '80 Dayton, OH (advert)

July 26th `80 Charlesvoix, MI Castle Farms Music Centre, (w/ Bram Tchaikovsky & Billy Squier)

Show stopped after 5 songs due to crowd problems. Restarts a while later.

July 27th `80 Cleveland, OH Richfield, Front Row Theater (eye witness)

July 30th `80 Kalamazoo, Wings Stadium [Ticket]

July 31st `80 Green Bay, WI

August 1st `80 West Allis, WI (Milwaukee) State Fair Park [Ticket] Could originally have been Edwardsville, IL – Missisipi River Festival according to an itinery.

August 2nd `80 Chicago, IL Civic Arena (ticket) - possibly changed from Omaha

August 3rd `80 Edwardsville, IL Mississippi River Festival (poster)

August 6th `80 Saginaw, MI Civic Center (or Kansas City, MO, Municipal Auditorium)

August 7th `80 Louisville, KY State Fairgrounds (8,000 attend, part of Kentucky State Fair)(W/ Billy Squier) [Ticket] (more info courtesy of Hunter Goatley)

August 8th `80 Detroit, MI Joe Louis Arena (Moved from Cobo Arena) [Ticket]

August 9th '80 Detroit, MI Joe Louis Arena

August 12th `80 Petersburgh, MI

August 13th `80 Chicago, IL Chicagofest

(August 14th `80 Saginaw, MI (advert) or 6th August)

August 15th '80 New York City, NY Palladium (Advert) or Kalamazoo, MI (advert))(w/ Bram Tchaikovsky and/or Billy Squier)

August 16th '80 New York City, NY Palladium (Advert) [Ticket] (w/ Bram Tchaikovsky and/or Billy Squier)

August 17th '80 New York City, NY Palladium (or Omaha, NE - advert)

August 19th `80 Toronto, Ontario C.N.E. Stadium (w/ Zon) [Ticket]

Canceled due to Alice's bronchial asthma; riot ensues

A riot happen in Toronto CNE on the 'Flush The Fashion' 1980 tour. Just before going on stage Alice suffered the worst asthma attack he had had in years. The show was canceled and the fans went crazy. It all made the television news and front page of the newspapers the following day.

Toronto Star Wednesday August 20 1980:

The Canadian Rock Festival at the Canadian National Exhibition was cancelled today after thousands of rioting rock fans tried to wreck the Grandstand last night. They bombarded 268 policemen with bottles, chains and other missles during a 30-minute rampage that will cost at least $175,000 to repair.
Furious because headliner Alice Cooper's performance was cancelled after they had waited an hour and a half, they tore out 200 seats welded to steel posts and bolted to concrete. They heaved scores of metal chairs on stage. They didn't brain anybody, but they ruined a public address system and an expensive set of drums. They ripped out steel turnstiles, smashed windows in ticket booths and the Grandstand restaurant, and damages several cars outside the stadium. All Metro's available policemem raced to the CNE to help the 25 officers on duty.

Police used folding chairs as shields against flying bottles and hunks of broken seats, and they used their nightsticks freely in driving more than 13,000 fans from the Grandstand. Twelve members of the audience went to hospital with injuries ranging from cuts to broken limbs. Five policemen and a security officer recieved minor injuries. Police reported 31 arresets on charges of assulting police, causing a disturbance, causing public mischief, being drunk and possessing drugs.
CNE officals cancelled the rock festival scheduled for this afternoon and evening because the seats couldn't be replaced in time and they were afraid of trouble from people with tickets for them. Howard Tate, assistant general manager, promised a refund for last night's and today's concerts to anyone who mails a ticket stub, name and address to the treasurer, Canadian National Exhibition.
All other performances scheduled for the Grandstand, including rock star Burton Cumming's show tomorrow, will go on, Tate said.
Many fans blamed the CNE management for the riot. They claimed anger grew to the explosion point because officials stalled announcing the cancellation until police reinforcements began arriving. But Tate blamed Alice Cooper.

"Band didn't play" He said the grotesque singer - who was plain Vincent Furnier until he adopted a women's name, make-up and wild stage stunts- didn't notify anyone he was too sick to appear.
Zon, a Toronto band warmed up the crowd from 8 p.m. until about 9p.m. Then the fans had to wait.The mood grew ugly as obvious confusiion backstage led to conflicting announcements of what was wrong.
" It was 9:45 when I first heard that he was sick," Tate said. "I recommended to the general manager behind the stage that they start without Cooper, hoping he would show up. But his band didn't play."
Fifteen minutes later, Cooper's lead guitarist announced there had been a delay getting his luggage through customs. After another 25 minutes he announced Cooper was very ill and had been taken to a hospital by ambulance. The fans exploded, despite publis address assurances that they'd get their money back. "I've never seen anything like that in my 19 years with the Ex," said Tate. "We tried to reach Cooper last night and this morning, but we still don't know where he is, what happened to him or what sort of illness he's supposed to have."

Cooper's road manager Damion Bragdon, said last night Cooper had become ill in New York and missed two flights to Toronto.
When he did arrive at 6:30, "he looked awful and he was burning up from fever. I would not put such a human being on stage. He was so sick he could hardly stand up."
Bragdon said Cooper was examined by a doctor after he arrived at the downtown Holiday Inn and "he's been in his room ever since." The hotel had confirmed Cooper had arrived, but said he paid his bill and checked out a few hours later.
Bragdon denied all rumors that Cooper has fallen off the wagon after treatment for alcoholism two years ago: "There was abosolutely no drugs,no booze and no heroin involved. He's just a very sick man."

August 20th `80 Minneapolis, MN (Postponed until 25th October (ticket)?)

August 21st `80 Rapid City, IA

August 22nd `80 Denver, CO

August 23rd `80 Oklahoma City, OK

(August 25th `80 Minneapolis, MN Event Center )

11th September 1980 - 17 September 1980 – may have been canceled Mexico dates, according to itinerary

October 24th `80 Arizona State Fair, Phoenix Memorial Coliseum (Ma and Pa Coopers Mini Tour)

(October 25th '80 Minneapolis, MN Event Center possible rescheduled of postponed show)

Oct `80 Neal Smith and Dennis Dunaway working with Flying Tigers

November 28th `80 Monterey, Mexico (Cuidad) University of Monterey University Stadium