Brazil '74

Alice Cooper co-founder and Hall Of Fame inductee Dennis Dunaway answers your questions!

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Marcelocooper
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Brazil '74

Post by Marcelocooper » Wed Aug 25, 2021 2:52 pm

Hello Dennis! I've been reading this session from day one, thinks about a good question to make. First, thanks for doing this. You certainly are the nicest guy on earth, and I can't think of anyone else that would take the time to talk to their fans like you. I can't believe how long ago that was, but you showed me how much you put yourself upfront for your audience in '09, as a young boy from Brazil going to New Jersey to met the one and only ACG, nervous and unknown to what to expect. But you, more than anyone, came talk to me when things were a little calmer, told me stories and made me feel at home. Just like now you do for all of us. This kind of thing make me proud to be a fan and dedicate so much time to appreciate your music and you guys as human beings.

I was going to ask about the Brazillian show in 74, and the last post about the "Shakespeare Cabaret" got me thinking about it even more.

1- This was obviously the last show in many many years. Since the band was already feeling in '73 that Alice was being presented as a solo act, did you kind of know or sense it would be the last, or one of the last, chances to play together and essentially mark the end of the ACG?

2- To the best of my knowledge, this show was booked after the Muscle of Love tour had ended, so the band had a "break" from touring, recording and being together. Did it affect the feeling of being left out even more?

3- At that time Brazil was unexplored by any other artist, did you know how huge you were here, and did you have any idea that would turn out to be the biggest indoor audience ever?

4- In Alice's book Golf Monster he says one of the times he was in South America he was presented a wild snake to use on the show. As a it is very much of my interest, the other times he came down here he didn't use a snake on stage, so my guess would be that was the time this would have passed, if it's true. Do you know anything about this incident?


Thanks again, keep on rocking!
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Dreary
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Re: Brazil '74

Post by Dreary » Wed Aug 25, 2021 3:49 pm

1. We had no idea that it was our last show. At that point, Alice going solo still seemed like an impossibility to me. We were best friends that had started the band from nothing and, along with our other friends, built it to the glittery top of the rock pile. We were on the verge of signing a new record contract and fully expected to finally be able to do even more spectacular shows.

2. Yes, there was a much needed break from each other. It was brief and we were always writing songs and brainstorming what the band would do next. It was like a working vacation.

3. Everybody, including the Brazilian authorities, were completely surprised by the massive crowds in Sao Paulo. Even the policemen with the guns barely had any control. We had played lots of big shows and festivals but that was beyond our wildest dreams.

4. I don't remember the snake incident. I do know that we only brought a couple of props and did a barebones show that was refreshingly focused on the music. I also know that our amplifiers never made it back to America.

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steven_crayn
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Re: Brazil '74

Post by steven_crayn » Mon Aug 30, 2021 1:27 pm

The record breaking São Paulo show was filmed, the plan was for it to be broadcast on TV in Brazil for 2 weeks after the show.

The tour promoter for Alice Cooper in Brazil 1974 was Peter Shanaberg, in conjunction with Marcos Lazaro of Uni Marco.

For 14 days prior to the concerts in São Paulo, 15 30 second spots adverting the show, were broadcast daily on TV Globo on a trade out basis, for the video trade out rights for the Anhembi performance.

The agreement allowed the station to air the show only in Brazil for 2 weeks after the event, and could not advertise the show taping prior to the performance.

I believe the military in Brazil either destroyed the tapes, or they are sitting in a vault!

TV Globo in 1974.

https://youtu.be/75i53IBG7sw
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