Alice Cooper Group Live Album?

[ReGorLaTroy]

Greetings Net Boys and Net Girls,

I was just listening to the Billion Dollar Babies Deluxe Edition and really enjoying the live bonus tracks.

I got to thinking and wondering why there has never been an official live album released by the original Alice Cooper Group.

I have a live show from the Los Angeles Forum from 11 May 1973...the band sounds great.

Think of all the bands that put out live albums in the 70s that were huge albums commercially.

(Rush All the World's a Stage; Kiss Alive!; Queen Live Killers; Ted Nugent Double Live Gonzo; Aerosmith Live Bootleg; Cheap Trick At Budokan; Thin Lizzy Live and Dangerous; etc.)

Just curious, any thoughts or ideas out there in cyber-space?

~Peace, Love, Coop,

RGLT

[A_MichaelUK]

>I got to thinking and wondering why there has never been an official live album released by the original Alice Cooper Group.

The very item you're discussing has practically an entire show on it. Also, you seem to be not aware of the new "Old School" box - set, either. However, if you mean a concert recording that would have come out while the band was still in existence, then that's probably because no - one expected them to break up when they did.

[ReGorLaTroy]

>I got to thinking and wondering why there has never been an official live album released by the original Alice Cooper Group.

The very item you're discussing has practically an entire show on it. Also, you seem to be not aware of the new "Old School" box - set which was recently released.

Thanks A_MichaelUK,

I guess, I was wondering why there was never a live album released back in the day.

~Cheers, RGLT

[ReGorLaTroy]

However, if you mean a concert recording that would have come out while the band was still in existence, then that's probably because no - one expected them to break up when they did.

A_MichaelUK,

Yeah, that's what I meant, when the band was still together.

Your response makes a lot of sense and is most likely the case, thanks again.

~Cheers, RGLT

[Toronto Bob]

I would of loved a super glossy, totally redubbed deluxe double live album from the ACG taken from the MoL tour with all kinds of goodies included in the package. I say redubbed because if you listen to board tapes of the B$B tour , the songs aren't as strong as their studio counterparts, and the hallmark of the great double live rock lp is that the songs actually sound better on the live record (see KISS Alive, Double Live Gonzo, All the World's a Stage). They would of also had to borrow some material from other tours as that pre-recorded I Love the Dead part and the Night on Bald Mountain would not have been good inclusions.

Buying time when a band hits a rough patch usually comes in two forms i) a live album or ii) a greatest hits package. I guess they opted for the latter. Made perfect business sense but I definitely would of preferred the former.

Fantasy track list would of gone something like this....

Side 1
Hello Hooray
B$B
Be My Lover
I'm Eighteen
Raped & Freezin'
NMMNG

Side 2
Big Apple Dreamin'
Muscle of Love
Hard Hearted Alice
My Stars

Side 3
Is It My Body/My Very Own
Halo of Flies

Side 4
Dead Babies
Killer
Long Way to Go
School's Out

Then press it on some green and pink splatter vinyl - would have been a real attention grabber.

[Gunner]

I think Andy is right in what he implies, I think a live album would have happened had they not split up, it may well have been the next record after MOL, because as you say, 'double lives' were all the rage at the time.

Talking of live Alice albums, I have been disppointed in the two official releases and tend to think either you go to see Alice live or hear him studio becuase his vocal is best studio and his shows are best seen. Just my opinion.

[Marcelocooper]

I love fistfull of alice. Actually, I think his voice is great on that album!

[While Heaven Wept]

I really like the Montreux and Theatre Of Death cds.

And yeah, Fistful was really cool too. The worst has gotta be the 1977 live show

[recoop]

Yep, I havent listened to the Alice Cooper show in years..I have heard great stuff on you tube recently from the BDB Xmas tour/MOL tour..worth trawling round you tube to find these ones..playing good/voice great..

[recoop]

http://youtu.be/ZkZA6oWQ9cE

re my last post..for those too tired or lazy..as an example here is big apple dreamin live..nice heavy sound..enjoy..

[James1981]

I love fistful of alice. I remember getting a copy of the japan version with the extra tracks but this particular copy just had a plain white label with japanese fistful handwritten on it. My partner was very suspicious of what it was at first!!! As for the Alice Cooper show live i know im in the minority here but i love it. I only wish they had released it as a double album.

[mestreech]

http://youtu.be/ZkZA6oWQ9cE

re my last post..for those too tired or lazy..as an example here is big apple dreamin live..nice heavy sound..enjoy..

nice , wish there is a better quality.

[Gunner]

Yeah, I suppose Fistful is OK sound-wise, it's hardly Alice in a classic live scenario though is it? A rather low-key 'dressed down' affair, and I wouldn't be suprised if it had overdubbs. It's OK.....'ish. The studio track at the end is the highlight for me by far!!

I'm not a big fan of live albums to be honest, I've never really understood what they are about really - just a bunch of songs not recorded and played as well as studio with some cheering in between. They don't make you feel like you were there or capture the excitement of a live gig. I think they were meant to be some sort of 'live capture' pre 'video age'. I don't think they have the same relevance today.

However, that's not to say an ACG one wouldn't be relevant or desirable at all, on the contrary.

[SickThings]

I'm not a big fan of live albums to be honest, I've never really understood what they are about really - just a bunch of songs not recorded and played as well as studio with some cheering in between. They don't make you feel like you were there or capture the excitement of a live gig. I think they were meant to be some sort of 'live capture' pre 'video age'. I don't think they have the same relevance today.

Sometimes live performances are played better than the studio; depends on the band, the players, etc.

As for making you feel you're there, the best of them manage that. KISS Alive! (though largely overdubbed) sure made my friends and me feel like we were at a show when we first discovered it! Same with Ted Nugent's Double Live Gonzo! (a friend who saw Ted in '78 just recently told me how disappointing his first Ted concert was after he'd been sold on seeing Ted by listening to Gonzo!).

Hunter

[alan1958]

Agree about Is " Is anyone Home " ... And live albums in general .... But grab a pair of good heaphones , and blast " Slade Alive " ...... That's the point of live albums right there ...: no overdubs .:::: and you DO feel you are there .

[RemarkablyInsincere]

Often times the songs are played differently live so having the live show is often cool.

And sometimes songs turn out better live than they did in the studio.

Either way, I love having live shows to document the various tours. It's interesting to hear the way the songs have been played differently over the years.

St. Louis 1971 is a good example of what a live version has to offer over the studio recordings.

Alice Cooper has never had a definitive live album like some other bands have. I don't particularly care for "The Alice Cooper Show" or "Fistful of Alice".

I like some of the material that's been released recenlty (BDB deluxe, boxset, etc) as they're more authentic documents of the lives shows at those points in times. I also like the recent Concert Live and Simfy releases for the same reasons.

[mestreech]

Agree about Is " Is anyone Home " ... And live albums in general .... But grab a pair of good heaphones , and blast " Slade Alive " ...... That's the point of live albums right there ...: no overdubs .:::: and you DO feel you are there .

Yes! Slade alive is an excellent album. Play it LOUD!!

[steven_crayn]

Double live albums in the 70s and the three best for me were Purple's Made In Japan, Zep's Song Remains The Same and UFO's Strangers In The Night.

[recoop]

Crikey, Made in Japan was bloody excellent..owned it twice on vinyl..lent it twice..must have been good never got them back!..real energy on that album..will be looking in bargain cd bins now..for me a live albums gotta have that energy otherwise it sounds like going thro the motions..add one of my faves"get your yayas out"..the stones

[Gunner]

Yeah, the 70's was the era of double live albums wasn't it?

Toyko Tapes, Aerosmith Live Bootleg, Angel - Live without a net, Live Killers - Queen, Song remains the same, Journey - Captured etc etc etc. So much in vogue they were, it seemed bizzarre when AC/DC, Priest and Cooper released single live albums.