Music review: Alice Cooper – 鈥楻oad鈥�
He first eagerly welcomed us to his nightmare back in 1975. Now, Alice Cooper offers his fans a glimpse of life on the road with his latest release simply titled 鈥淩oad.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 Alice鈥� kicks things off with an informal introduction from the master of ceremonies about what he has been doing for over the last 50 years as Cooper announces, 鈥淚 accept your adoration and I revel in your fear/But it鈥檚 your imagination that has brought you here/So here鈥檚 the revelation and let me make it clear/That I am your creation and now I disappear.鈥�
鈥淲elcome to the Show鈥� illustrates the transformation of Vincent Damon Furnier from the Motor City into the Godfather of Shock Rock when declaring, 鈥淵ou know the act, you know the dream/You know exactly when to scream.鈥�
I鈥檝e personally witnessed at least seven Cooper concerts and can testify to the superb showmanship displayed during each exhilarating performance. The 75-year-old Cooper still sounds as sinister as ever and his band is spectacular as always.
The new recording is filled with plenty of hard-driving rock that features Cooper鈥檚 tongue-in-cheek wit on tracks like 鈥淒ead Don鈥檛 Dance,鈥� 鈥淕o Away,鈥� 鈥淲hite Line Frankenstein鈥� and 鈥淏ig Boots.鈥�
鈥淩ules of the Road鈥� outlines the ingredients for becoming a frontman that include finding a killer band and paying your dues because you only get one shot to become a star in a short amount of time.
鈥�100 More Miles鈥� documents the physical and emotional demands associated with constant touring as Cooper confesses, 鈥淚鈥檓 ragged and I鈥檓 tired/I鈥檓 shaking because I鈥檓 wired/Just finished up the final show/It鈥檚 really strange to me/I鈥檝e got no place at all to be.鈥�
The set comes full circle with Cooper covering 鈥淢agic Bus.鈥� The Pete Townshend-penned number is a great way to close things out with a touch of nostalgia.
Cooper鈥檚 colorful career has always been about the show. Fortunately, it seems like he still possesses the desire to thrill audiences all around the world when proclaiming, 鈥淎nother day, another night/Another month, another year/You know that rock will never die/As long as we don鈥檛 disappear.鈥�
We know the act. We know the dream. And we certainly know when to scream. Welcome once again to another entertaining show.