What if...an alternate ACG reality

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

Moderators: Si, SickThings, Shoesalesman, Dreary

Post Reply
Lazarus
Trash
Trash
Posts: 42
Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 1:04 pm

What if...an alternate ACG reality

Post by Lazarus » Sun Oct 24, 2021 2:41 pm

Dennis:

A little thought experiment here. Let's say that Ezrin passed on the ACG, but by some circumstance, fate allowed the group to record a self-produced third album. What kind of an album do you think it would have been?

The ACG had already moved into a more commercial vein with Easy Action (although given how esoteric Pretties For You is, perhaps that was inevitable!). "Shoe Salesman" could easily have been a pop hit of the day. Still, EA included the lengthy, experimental rethinking of "Lay Down and Die, Goodbye." Michael Bruce was still taking the occasional lead vocal.The Alice character was emerging. Absent Ezrin's influence, the band would have continued to evolve. But into what?

I assume this mythical, Ezrin-less third album would have featured the original, full-length version of "Eighteen" with its laid-back opening, and also it would have included the bluesy "Goin' to the Boneyard" middle section of "Is It My Body." I would guess that "Black Juju" would be there, most likely in an even longer form. What else? Perhaps some material that wound up on Killer? Or maybe things that never did get released, like "Bring Up the Light" or "Skeleton Barn Dance?"

As always, Dennis, thanks for making yourself approachable for fan inquiries. DD's Secret Dungeon is a treasure trove of information!

Lazarus
Trash
Trash
Posts: 42
Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 1:04 pm

Re: What if...an alternate ACG reality

Post by Lazarus » Sun Oct 24, 2021 2:50 pm

Oh, wow...
I posted this and almost immediately afterward saw that a similar thread was started on another forum:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10251

ACG fans think alike, I guess!

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

Re: What if...an alternate ACG reality

Post by Ted Sallis » Sun Oct 24, 2021 5:16 pm

^^ Yes, ACG fans do think alike...and to that end, I just came into this Forum to confirm that "Bring Up the Light" was the other song Dennis wrote for LITD, as I wanted to add that info. to my comment in the similar thread in the other Forum.

You hypothesize in your first post above about how some material that wound up on Killer might have been part of LITD w/o BE. You Drive Me Nervous is a song that apparently was written well before it was released as it took a long time to be worked up to album quality. Perhaps an earlier 'work-in-progress' version of YDMN could have been included on the ACG's 3rd album.

Ted

User avatar
Dreary
Fashion Flusher
Fashion Flusher
Posts: 573
Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2011 3:46 am

Re: What if...an alternate ACG reality

Post by Dreary » Mon Oct 25, 2021 5:30 pm

Pretties and Easy Action were recorded under contract to Bizarre who didn't want to spend any money on session time.
Love It To Death not only had a decent budget via Warner Bros. but we had our very own rehearsal space, which made a world of difference.
"Caught In A Dream" was recorded the way that Michael wrote it. He had become a much better song writer before we met Bob.
"Black Juju" was recorded exactly the way I wrote it. That song was intended as a vehicle for the development of the dark Alice character that began with "Fields of Regret." I wrote "Bring Up The Light" as the positive yin-yang contrast to "Juju" so I was disappointed that it didn't make the album, even though, I had to agree that two lengthy songs might have been too much for one album.
Had we recorded the longer version of "Eighteen" it might have gotten FM radio play.
Add "Ballad of Dwight Fry" and combine that with the reputation and image we had nurtured, and I'd say we had the goods to make a successful album on our own.

Would "Nervous" have made the cut? If so, I doubt that it would have been nearly as good without Bob. Same with "Second Coming."

Am I glad that we connected with Bob Ezrin? Absolutely!

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

Re: What if...an alternate ACG reality

Post by Daggers & Contracts » Tue Oct 26, 2021 12:29 am

Dreary wrote:
Mon Oct 25, 2021 5:30 pm
Pretties and Easy Action were recorded under contract to Bizarre who didn't want to spend any money on session time.
Love It To Death not only had a decent budget via Warner Bros. but we had our very own rehearsal space, which made a world of difference.
"Caught In A Dream" was recorded the way that Michael wrote it. He had become a much better song writer before we met Bob.
"Black Juju" was recorded exactly the way I wrote it. That song was intended as a vehicle for the development of the dark Alice character that began with "Fields of Regret." I wrote "Bring Up The Light" as the positive yin-yang contrast to "Juju" so I was disappointed that it didn't make the album, even though, I had to agree that two lengthy songs might have been too much for one album.
Had we recorded the longer version of "Eighteen" it might have gotten FM radio play.
Add "Ballad of Dwight Fry" and combine that with the reputation and image we had nurtured, and I'd say we had the goods to make a successful album on our own.

Would "Nervous" have made the cut? If so, I doubt that it would have been nearly as good without Bob. Same with "Second Coming."

Am I glad that we connected with Bob Ezrin? Absolutely!
Thanks for the props to Bob Ezrin.
ACG, Kiss, Pink Floyd - Gold if not Platinum Lp's!
An objective ear (or an unobjective ear) can make or break an artist.
I've Got The Answers To All Of Your Questions...

Lazarus
Trash
Trash
Posts: 42
Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 1:04 pm

Re: What if...an alternate ACG reality

Post by Lazarus » Fri Oct 29, 2021 4:59 pm

Thanks, Dennis! :alice:

Babysquid
Fashion Flusher
Fashion Flusher
Posts: 543
Joined: Mon Aug 11, 2014 10:13 am

Re: What if...an alternate ACG reality

Post by Babysquid » Tue Nov 02, 2021 3:48 am

Dreary wrote:
Mon Oct 25, 2021 5:30 pm
Pretties and Easy Action were recorded under contract to Bizarre who didn't want to spend any money on session time.
Love It To Death not only had a decent budget via Warner Bros. but we had our very own rehearsal space, which made a world of difference.
"Caught In A Dream" was recorded the way that Michael wrote it. He had become a much better song writer before we met Bob.
"Black Juju" was recorded exactly the way I wrote it.
As I said in the other thread, listening to the Chicago Underground gig it’s apparent how far along the arrangements of certain songs were already by the time you met Bob.

Post Reply