Pre ACG/Early ACG songs, etc...

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

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Pre ACG/Early ACG songs, etc...

Post by Coopenstein » Sat Sep 18, 2021 4:29 am

Hello Dennis!
Thanks for taking the time to read and reply to us fans here. Very much appreciated!

I was thinking about old songs that didn't fit onto any of the original Alice Cooper albums...
I think "The Sound Of A" is one of the best "new" songs Alice has released, so thanks a lot for remembering that and bringing the song to Alice's attention. (And thanks for bringing "I Hate You" - the coolest track on "Detroit Stories"!) There are some other old song titles I'd like You to comment on if possible...? Most fans know of "Nobody Likes Me", "Call It Evil" and Neal's "Baby Please Don't Stop" since long ago, and You recently mentioned "School's Back In". But there are others...

* "Frontal Lobotomy" - very little info on this, except it is said to be written by You and GB? Any more info to share? From which album era? Style?

* "Hello, Is Anyone Home?" - said to be written by Dunaway/Buxton/Cooper/Bruce. Can You remember anything about it?

* In the recent Chris Sutton book, there is a mention of a song You wrote called "Bring Up The Light" - can You tell us more about that song, besides Mike "getting inspired" by it...?

* In the mid 90's, Michael Bruce recorded a song called "Come With Us Now" with Ant-Bee. It is credited to all ACG members and said to have been performed during the early band days. Do You remember anything about it?

* In his band Virgin, GB also played an old ACG-related song. The title was "Down And Out(s)", and it is said to have been written by GB and Alice during the band days. Do You know anything about it?

* I have seen a picture of an old sheet music with a song named "Dress" and it's mentioned here on Sick Things as well. The song is credited to Alice Cooper (supposedly referring to the band). Brian Nelson had the sheet music, and thought the song originated from the early band days. Do You remember anything about that title?

* Just read Your reply in the thread "Everything's Orange", where you mention "Maybe Yes, Maybe No", which I had never heard about before. Are there any other germs/songs from the late Nazz/early ACG days that You recall... For instance, I have heard of numbers called "Turn The Page" and "Help Me Out", as well as the "Animal Pyjamas" part of "Don't Blow Your Mind" LIVE. (Plus Mr Machine and Uncle Sam, that later became Woman Machine and Mary Ann, right?)

* There's an old recording going by the name "LA Rehearsals 1968". It has the rare songs "Girl You're Still Nowhere" and "Stop, Look And Listen", which I understand are originals from the Nazz days? Any other unreleased/unrecorded songs from that era...?

All the best from Sweden,
Chris
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Re: Pre ACG/Early ACG songs, etc...

Post by Babysquid » Sun Sep 19, 2021 4:38 pm

Could “Stop, Look and Listen” have been a cover of the garage classic?

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Re: Pre ACG/Early ACG songs, etc...

Post by Dreary » Mon Sep 20, 2021 4:24 am

Oh Boy. I can find time to answer a question or two but these lists seem like a homework assignments.
Okay, here goes.

"Frontal Lobotomy" is what Glen called a scorching riff he had come up with. He and I worked on it at the Galesi Estate.
When the rest of the guys heard what we had done, they started suggesting changes and the song morphed into "Never Been Sold Before" and Glen's killer riff wasn't even used.

"Hello, Is Anyone Home?" sounds like a working title. I would have to hear it in order to tell you if it ever became a real song.

The Love It To Death album cover was dark on the front and white on the back because our initial concept was to have one side of positive songs and one side of dark songs. I wrote "Black Juju" for the dark side and "Bring Up The Light" for the positive side, but Neal didn't want to do two long songs on the same album.

I would have to hear "Come With Us Now" "Down And Out(s)" and "Dress" in order to tell you anything about them. I don't recall those titles. Nor do I remember "Turn The Page" and "Help Me Out" although the title "Uncle Sam" sounds vaguely familiar. Yes, "Mr. Machine" became "Woman Machine."

I think "Girl, You're Still Nowhere" became "Still No Air".

I wrote "Stop, Look and Listen" in response to the audiences walking out of our shows in our days. Neal was known for his amazing rendition of "Wipe Out" (even though I was making fun of him for it and his sister Cindy yelled at me). so I decided to write a song with a similar drum beat. For some unclear reason, the band changed the title to "Return Of The Spiders" but I've always thought my original title was much stronger.

Oh, that was the final question? Whew!

I really do appreciate the questions. I just don't have the time to dig up all of the answers.

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Re: Pre ACG/Early ACG songs, etc...

Post by Ted Sallis » Mon Sep 20, 2021 6:41 pm

Dreary wrote:
Mon Sep 20, 2021 4:24 am
"Frontal Lobotomy" is what Glen called a scorching riff he had come up with. He and I worked on it at the Galesi Estate.
When the rest of the guys heard what we had done, they started suggesting changes and the song morphed into "Never Been Sold Before" and Glen's killer riff wasn't even used.
Thanks again Dennis for all of the time and effort you are putting in here to answer all of our questions - much appreciated. To follow up your response to the question regarding "Frontal Lobotomy", thanks for that info. The demo for Never Been Sold Before (it's on the Old School box set) differs significantly from the finished song on the Muscle of Love album; I'm wondering if the riff featured on the demo is the same/similar to the riff Glen came up with or is it something different?

No rush in trying to answer my question; whenever you have time to reply is fine.

Ted

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Re: Pre ACG/Early ACG songs, etc...

Post by Dreary » Mon Sep 20, 2021 9:35 pm

Ted Sallis wrote:
Mon Sep 20, 2021 6:41 pm
Dreary wrote:
Mon Sep 20, 2021 4:24 am
"Frontal Lobotomy" is what Glen called a scorching riff he had come up with. He and I worked on it at the Galesi Estate.
When the rest of the guys heard what we had done, they started suggesting changes and the song morphed into "Never Been Sold Before" and Glen's killer riff wasn't even used.
Thanks again Dennis for all of the time and effort you are putting in here to answer all of our questions - much appreciated. To follow up your response to the question regarding "Frontal Lobotomy", thanks for that info. The demo for Never Been Sold Before (it's on the Old School box set) differs significantly from the finished song on the Muscle of Love album; I'm wondering if the riff featured on the demo is the same/similar to the riff Glen came up with or is it something different?

No rush in trying to answer my question; whenever you have time to reply is fine.

Ted
Without taking the time to dig out my Old School box set, I'll say that there are bootleg demos on youtube that have Glen's riff.

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Re: Pre ACG/Early ACG songs, etc...

Post by Coopenstein » Fri Sep 24, 2021 11:49 am

Hello!
And thank You so very much for the replies Dennis. Great to get Your memories/input on those rare old songs.
Sorry about the bringing You the feeling of "homework". I just thought it was better to collect all the questions around the same subject, than scatter them in several different threads...

> "Frontal Lobotomy" / morphed into "Never Been Sold Before" and Glen's killer riff wasn't even used.

Very interesting. So, might this riff/name have been around as far back as the BDB or even School's Out era, since Glen wasn't as involved in the MOL recordings as on previous albums?


> I would have to hear "Come With Us Now" "Down And Out(s)" and "Dress" in order to tell you anything about them. I
> don't recall those titles. Nor do I remember "Turn The Page" and "Help Me Out" although the title "Uncle Sam" sounds > vaguely familiar. Yes, "Mr. Machine" became "Woman Machine."

I will try to dig them up and send them...
Although there are no known recordings of "Dress". (Same with "Hello Is Anyone Home?".)
I believe "Uncle Sam" was written by Mike, as some sort of protest song/anti Vietnam song.

> I wrote "Stop, Look and Listen" in response to the audiences walking out of our shows in our days. / For some
> unclear reason, the band changed the title to "Return Of The Spiders" but I've always thought my original title was
> much stronger.

I agree. Great, energetic song in any case.

> Oh, that was the final question? Whew!
> I really do appreciate the questions. I just don't have the time to dig up all of the answers.

Don't worry, You passed the "test". A+
I never expect to get replies on everything, but really do appreciate anything that You can reveal...
Again - thanks!
Bits N Pieces, Coopenstein Inc.

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Re: Pre ACG/Early ACG songs, etc...

Post by Dreary » Sat Oct 02, 2021 2:59 pm

Coopenstein wrote:
Fri Sep 24, 2021 11:49 am
Hello!
And thank You so very much for the replies Dennis. Great to get Your memories/input on those rare old songs.
Sorry about the bringing You the feeling of "homework". I just thought it was better to collect all the questions around the same subject, than scatter them in several different threads...

DD - I should have added a smiley face after my comment about it feeling like homework.

> "Frontal Lobotomy" / morphed into "Never Been Sold Before" and Glen's killer riff wasn't even used.

Very interesting. So, might this riff/name have been around as far back as the BDB or even School's Out era, since Glen wasn't as involved in the MOL recordings as on previous albums?

DD - Yes, GB came up with the "Frontal Lobotomy" riff during the B$B songwriting/rehearsals at the Galesi Estate.

> I would have to hear "Come With Us Now" "Down And Out(s)" and "Dress" in order to tell you anything about them. I
> don't recall those titles. Nor do I remember "Turn The Page" and "Help Me Out" although the title "Uncle Sam" sounds > vaguely familiar. Yes, "Mr. Machine" became "Woman Machine."

I will try to dig them up and send them...
Although there are no known recordings of "Dress". (Same with "Hello Is Anyone Home?".)
I believe "Uncle Sam" was written by Mike, as some sort of protest song/anti Vietnam song.

DD - Yes, "Uncle Sam" was about the draft for Vietnam. I'm not sure, but I think we wound up using the song with other lyrics.

> I wrote "Stop, Look and Listen" in response to the audiences walking out of our shows in our days. / For some
> unclear reason, the band changed the title to "Return Of The Spiders" but I've always thought my original title was
> much stronger.

I agree. Great, energetic song in any case.

> Oh, that was the final question? Whew!
> I really do appreciate the questions. I just don't have the time to dig up all of the answers.

Don't worry, You passed the "test". A+

DD - My first A+ outside of Art Class! Not bad since I was only able to answer a few of your questions.

I never expect to get replies on everything, but really do appreciate anything that You can reveal...
Again - thanks!

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