Ghoulish Rock

One of my all-time 70s rock hero is Alice Cooper. Wow, it was quite some time ago already…in fact, his work spanned four decades. Alice Cooper’s shock rock is just simple hard rock with punchy guitar riffs, sometimes nice sounding rhythms & melodies with oh yes, cool lyrics. His shows were pretty grand theatre style, violent and designed to shock. Probably drawing inspirations from horror movies, his concerts features snakes, electric chairs, gullotines, dripping blood, boa constrictors and damn heavy make-up.

I reckon parents back then did fathom… what their children (growing up in the 70s & 80s) like about this creepy rock singer with his simple loud music. I like Alice’s songs. Hits like “School’s Out” – a hit single on sheer adolescent rebellion, “I’m 18”, “Under My Wheels”, “No More Mr Nice Guy”, “Freedom”, “Poison” etc. Alice also introduced to the world – Kane Roberts. The hunky Rambo-like metal guitarist with those machine-gun guitar. It was Out-Out-Outrageous!

Back in the 80s, I remember going to the Attic CD shop at Centrepoint to buy my “Constrictor” and “Raise Your Fist and Yell” records. The musical interest started to wane till Alice Cooper released “Trash” in 1989. My word, it was superb and this album sure as hell revitalised Alice’s career. It was one great pop metal release meeting all mainstream requirements.

Alice Cooper sure did some masterpieces in his 70s heydays. “Killer” is perhaps one of the greatest rock albums of all time. No kidding. My wish for now… more shock rock from this beloved great stage entertainer. So scary, with all the thrills and spills. Yes, all the snakes, blood… everything…and there is news that his new album is in the works.