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comparing ACG to Alice solo in terms of rating enjoyment
Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 5:40 pm
by recoop
Lets say that ACG group output is rated at 100 (not a %),what would you rate Alice solo at. Figure can be less or more than 100 and gives a means of comparing what each of us thinks (or those who want to participate). I know there is a large difference in no of albums etc.
For me if ACG is 100 then Alice solo is 60.
Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 6:35 pm
by Draugen
99.99%
Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 7:13 pm
by Marcelocooper
100%. To me they're both the same in quality. Of course Alice solo had a bad time in the 80's, but I like both eras the same.
Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 7:55 pm
by While Heaven Wept
Don't think i could put a number on it, i enjoy both periods for different reasons.
If i was honest though, i probably listen to more ACG than solo in terms of ratios.
Re: comparing ACG to Alice solo in terms of rating enjoyment
Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 9:28 pm
by mattcoddington
recoop wrote:Lets say that ACG group output is rated at 100 (not a %),what would you rate Alice solo at. Figure can be less or more than 100 and gives a means of comparing what each of us thinks (or those who want to participate). I know there is a large difference in no of albums etc.
For me if ACG is 100 then Alice solo is 60.
18 gazillion trillion.
no comparison.
Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 10:11 pm
by Baz
63
Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 10:41 pm
by Malchik
I like em both.
Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 10:53 pm
by Darren
I myself don't know if I can give it a number.
There was a certain vibe that came from those acg records that has never been duplicated. The attitude and the sound, fit together perfectly. I thought muscle of love was underrated. And would have been VERY curious to hear what direction the group would have been on had they stayed together. Commercial? for lack of a better word. Or would it have been a bit more...underground?
The most important record Alice has ever made was WTMN. Alice had NO choice but to succeed on that one because it was the first record without the group. Alice proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he could exist on his own and solidified himself in the annals of rock history as one of the biggest acts on the face of the earth.
I love Alices solo years. But they are not as consistent as those acg records. There are many reasons and factors for that I think that don't make a difference either way.
The thing about Alice going solo is that we were treated to many different music styles that we would not have been possible otherwise. While many have said that Constrictor and RYFAY were not among Alice's best work there is no denying the fact that having Kane Roberts and company for that record put Alice RIGHT BACK into the game. No questions asked, Alice had the attention of the world and IMMEDIATELY proved he was a contender even though the albums didn't hit #1. People KNEW he could play with the best of them. Metal was what saved rnr in the eighties I heard Alice say...and by thowing himself into the mix as he did...he was immediately accepted. That is rare. The stones woulden't dare do a metal record...but Alice could.
At the end of the day...Alice kicks ass. The acg was crucial for Alice to even have a solo career. I respect both the Alice Cooper the band as well as the man himself.
Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 11:03 pm
by kosciuskouk
Baz wrote:63
Did you realise that matches your age Baz!!
......on balance of what i listen too would be the same (100-100).......but would be about 100/75 at best on quality!
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 12:48 am
by jacknifejohnny
When i play each new album, i think, Alice is back with a bang, then when i go and play an ACG album, i realize sadly, there is no comparisan. IMO.
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 7:13 am
by Maurice
Darren wrote: I myself don't know if I can give it a number.
There was a certain vibe that came from those acg records that has never been duplicated. The attitude and the sound, fit together perfectly. I thought muscle of love was underrated. And would have been VERY curious to hear what direction the group would have been on had they stayed together. Commercial? for lack of a better word. Or would it have been a bit more...underground?
The most important record Alice has ever made was WTMN. Alice had NO choice but to succeed on that one because it was the first record without the group. Alice proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he could exist on his own and solidified himself in the annals of rock history as one of the biggest acts on the face of the earth.
I love Alices solo years. But they are not as consistent as those acg records. There are many reasons and factors for that I think that don't make a difference either way.
The thing about Alice going solo is that we were treated to many different music styles that we would not have been possible otherwise. While many have said that Constrictor and RYFAY were not among Alice's best work there is no denying the fact that having Kane Roberts and company for that record put Alice RIGHT BACK into the game. No questions asked, Alice had the attention of the world and IMMEDIATELY proved he was a contender even though the albums didn't hit #1. People KNEW he could play with the best of them. Metal was what saved rnr in the eighties I heard Alice say...and by thowing himself into the mix as he did...he was immediately accepted. That is rare. The stones woulden't dare do a metal record...but Alice could.
At the end of the day...Alice kicks ass. The acg was crucial for Alice to even have a solo career. I respect both the Alice Cooper the band as well as the man himself.
This is a good post, and made good fair reading imho.
Extracting enjoyment from 22 Alice Cooper (solo) albums - including 4 live; compared with 7 Group albums (excluding Greatest Hits).
Personally speaking the 7 reduce to 5 - (no Bob Ezrin y'see)
Makes the question a 'No Brainer' to me; but those are the only certain figures I could put to the question. Enjoyment and entertainment is possible from all, but the numbers speak for themselves, don't they.
Alice Cooper kept it going for all of them and - and since the passing of James Brown - he should (by now) have earned himself the title of 'Hardest Working Man in Show Business' - or 'Rock'n'roll' at the very least!
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 7:35 am
by Gunner
Hmmm, it's a tough one. After listening to the latest opus (where to detect it to be Alice Cooper can only in the vocal and lyrics) and the fact that every album since Brutal Planet has been a little less good than the previous effort, I would immediately jump to the conclusion that ACG is better. HOWEVER, if you were to ask me to pick my top 10 Alice Cooper tracks then they would almost ALL come from his solo work, so what's the explanation there? Well, this may sound illogical, but I think nobody does Alice Cooper like Alice Cooper (if you know what I mean) and certain songs from albums like From The Inside, Flush The Fashion, Dada, etc etc are so Cooperesque that I have to say that his solo career wins.
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 9:03 am
by Jumping Jack
ACG clearly wrote great songs.
Current group is better live due as much to sobriety as anything.
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 12:45 pm
by glamprincess
While I enjoy much of Alice's solo work, especially Welcome to My Nightmare, I consider the years 1971-1973 to be the period when Alice Cooper ruled the world. I think it was during 1971-1973 that Alice Cooper had the best music and when the band was the most exciting and dangerous group in the world. So, ACG period wins it for me.
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 3:11 pm
by Gunner
A agree with the last post about the ACG period being the most exciting for sure!!! Very new and exciting it was, very scary in some ways for the mere 7yr old I was when I discovered this outfit.
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 3:24 pm
by steven_crayn
It is unfair to compare Alice solo as he has done more albums than as part of the original group, all the original group albums aside from Pretties and Easy Action were great for me (though I think Easy Action was very good)
Alice solo has further to fall, as he has done so much work, by the law of averages he is going to find it hard to match that first great solo album, and I would put Welcome To My Nightmare up with anything he did with the original group.
Think From The Inside is a great album.
I also think in years to come a lot of people will look back at ACAS as being a great album even though it has divided fans on here.
ACG 100
Alice Solo 75
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 3:45 pm
by mattcoddington
sure, alice's old band wrote some great songs, but alice cooper has been at his best from 86 to the present.
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 3:55 pm
by steven_crayn
mattcoddington wrote:sure, alice's old band wrote some great songs, but alice cooper has been at his best from 86 to the present.
Some great songs!
MANY great albums!
Alice live has been consistently great since 86 but the albums from 86 onwards can't match the stuff from 1971-1973 or Alice's best solo work of the 1970's
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 5:22 pm
by daytripper63
Now this I can agree on. Its very hard to label somethings. Alice Cooper covers a large area. I will always favor the Group for 1970 to 1973. Even though I truly love many earlier tracks as well. The early 70's was their best known time. And they were big.
But I really love Alice the Solo Artist.
Welcome To My Nightmare was so good after worrying about the break-up. And then after Lace And Whiskey came out , I was reassured that Alice could do this on his own. It has also gave Alice the freedom to express himself in such albums as Dada and Flush.
I'm very happy with the musicians he has teamed up with to have this catalog of music. Alice has managed to consintantly stay in the music industry So I would say his Solo carrier is just as sucessfull as the Groups. I also give him a 100.
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 9:46 pm
by cooperrocks
I am probably in the minority but I actually slightly prefer Alice's solo stuff as a collective whole to the ACG material. Yes, albums like Love It To Death and Killer were awesome great, but I always thought Muscle of Love was a fairly weak album, and I thought School's Out was average. Just my opinion.
Concerning Alice's solo career, I consider WTMN and From the Inside two of his finest albums and I think Dada is a masterpiece. I may be the only one but I really liked Raise Your Fist and Yell and I think Hey Stoopid is a really solid album as well. You can make an argument that The Last Temptation may be Alice's best album ever or certainly one of his best and I think Brutal Planet is another masterpiece. The only solo album I never developed an affection for was Zipper Catches Skin.