Music review: Alice Cooper – 鈥楧etroit Stories鈥�
I was first introduced to the theatrical genius of Alice Cooper after purchasing 鈥淭he Alice Cooper Show鈥� back in 1977 with live versions of 鈥淯nder My Wheels,鈥� 鈥淚鈥檓 Eighteen,鈥� 鈥淏illion Dollar Babies鈥� and 鈥淪chool鈥檚 Out.鈥�
I was hooked after just one listen.
Only Cooper could make his nightmares this entertaining on stage with a little help from a guillotine, menacing black widow spider, boa constrictor, electric chair, straitjacket, baby dolls and fake blood.
Forty-four years later, Cooper is still up to his old tricks with 鈥淒etroit Stories.鈥� Producer Bob Ezrin partners with Cooper yet again to oversee a stellar set of cover arrangements and new numbers that pay tribute to Cooper鈥檚 birthplace.
The original shock rocker fittingly opens the set by performing a cover of the Velvet Underground鈥檚 鈥淩ock 鈥榥鈥� Roll鈥� with guitar virtuoso Joe Bonamassa adding a little extra punch to this classic track penned by Lou Reed.
Cooper flexes his Detroit muscles by shifting into high gear with MC5鈥檚 Wayne Kramer and Grand Funk Railroad鈥檚 Mark Farner assisting Cooper in detailing an evening of reckless adventure on 鈥淕o Man Go.鈥�
Things take a sudden left turn by venturing into Partridge Family syrupy musings with a cover of Outrageous Cherry鈥檚 鈥淥ur Love Will Change the World.鈥� And just like that, you find yourself merrily singing along to the chorus with a retro vibe that has flavorings of the infectious Coca-Cola television commercials that aired when I was a kid.
Recorded by the surviving members of the original Alice Cooper band, 鈥淪ocial Debris鈥� is a statement about being a misfit in a crazy world as Cooper sings, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 commit, I just collide/I won鈥檛 submit, I鈥檒l just decide/On where to run or where to hide.鈥�
Motown is in the house with Sister Sledge and Motor City Horns doing their best to help Cooper bring in the funk on 鈥�$1,000 High Heel Shoes.鈥�
鈥淧lay it loud and fast/Make that guitar blast/Play it like today will be your last,鈥� declares Cooper with a spirited shout-out to his hometown on 鈥淒etroit City 2021.鈥� Cooper spotlights numerous Motor City artists from his glory days by announcing, 鈥淢e and Iggy were giggin鈥� with Ziggy and kickin鈥� with the MC5/Ted and Seger were burnin鈥� with the fever/And Suzi Q was sharp as a knife.鈥�
The album closes with a gritty cover of Bob Seger鈥檚 鈥淓ast Side Story.鈥� Cooper passionately relays the song鈥檚 ugly consequences of poverty and the desperation it breeds.
For over 50 years, Cooper has shocked, educated and entertained fans through a musical presence that demands to be seen as well as heard. 鈥淒etroit Stories鈥� is yet another chapter in the continuing nightmare that Cooper welcomed us to enter and still refuses to let us exit.