Great Rock Albums of 1980: Alice Cooper- Flush the Fashion

 

Back in 1980, this was the one album I was always intending to buy but never got around to actually doing so. It was there on the music counter of my PX for a number of months so I ask myself now, “Why did I never buy it?” The funny thing is that I have no answer to that question especially as “Flush the Fashion” was the follow up to my all time favourite Alice Cooper album “From the Inside.” Maybe the reason is that except for it being at the PX, I don’t remember anyone outside mentioning the album at all and therefore didn’t take the chance. Having now finally listened to it, I can say that I regret that decision somewhat.

The early 1980s were dark days for Alice. He was heavily into drink and drugs and this was one of the albums he doesn’t even remember recording. His career had been on the wane before that as many of his albums, except for “From the Inside,” lacked that punch that was so in your face with his earlier albums. Saying that, he did have some Top 40 success during the late 70s.

“Flush the Fashion” was Alice Cooper’s attempt to go more new wave. Like The Ramones, all of the songs, with exception of “Pain,” are all well under the four minute mark and quite a few of those are less than three. But I must say, when I listened to the album, I do say that I liked it. “Clones” is a fantastic song and some others like “Model Citizen,” “Talk Talk” and “Aspirin Damage” are all very good songs. Unlike the more progressive sound from his previous album, this one has a more straight forward hard rock feel to it and it works on many levels. Still it’s not quite as good as that previous album or any of his more classic material.

Track Listing:

1. Talk Talk

2. Clones

3. Pain

4. Leather Boots

5. Aspirin Damage

6. Nuclear Infected

7. Grim Facts

8. Model Citizen

9. Dance Yourself to Death

10. Headlines

Alice Cooper

Alice Cooper- lead vocals

Davey Johnstone- guitar

Fred Mandel- keyboards, guitar

Dennis Conway- drums

John Cooker Lopresti- bass

Howard Kaylan- backing vocals

Mark Volman- backing vocals

Keith Allison- backing vocals

Joe Pizzulo- backing vocals

Ricky Tierney- backing vocals

For Alice, “Flush the Fashion” was the beginning of a steep descent into near oblivion, which would only end a few more years down the line. I agree that he wasn’t at the top of his game when he recorded it but when you listen to it, you can definitely imagine how good his albums were when he was at the top of his game.

Next post: Queen- The Game

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Great Rock Albums of 1978: Alice Cooper- From the Inside

If I could call any album from 1978, my favourite for that year, it would have to be this one. “From the Inside” by the legendary Alice Cooper was one of the first albums that I can say that had me rocking to the rafters. Me and this album went through a lot of things together and I can identify with many of the songs on it personally. It got me through my military days, although I was more fortunate than the topic in the song “Jackknife Johnny.” Living among the gambling scene of Atlantic City, I could definitely identify with “Wish I Was Born in Beverly Hills” and for the three years between my discharge from the military and going to England, I really did feel I was on the inside looking out.  “From the Inside” and I rode many miles together and no one could have done it better than Alice Cooper.

It’s not uncommon knowledge that Alice Cooper got the inspiration for the album when he was admitted to a sanitarium for his alcoholism. Every song is based on people he knew there, so insanity is the running theme of the entire album. However, Alice being the genius that he is, was able to put those feelings down to some good music and make it all come alive. I know he had great help from Elton John’s song writer Bernie Taupin and I give him the credit he deserves here, but it was Alice who performed and lived these songs.

Track Listing:

1. From the Inside

2. Wish I was Born in Beverly Hills

3. The Quiet Room

4. Nurse Rosetta

5. Millie and Billie

6. Serious

7. How You Gonna See Me Now

8. For Veronica’s Sake

9. Jackknife Johnny

10. Inmates (We’re All Crazy)

• Alice Cooper – vocals
• Dick Wagner – guitar
• Steve Lukather – guitar
• Rick Nielsen – guitar
• Davey Johnstone – guitar
• Jefferson Kewley – guitar
• Jay Graydon – guitar, synthesizer programming
• Kenny Passarelli – bass
• David Hungate – bass
• John Pierce – bass
• Dee Murray – bass
• Lee Sklar – bass
• Rick Schlosser – drums
• Dennis Conway – drums
• Michael Ricciardella – drums
• Jim Keltner – percussion
• David Foster – keyboards
• Fred Mandel – keyboards
• Robbie King – keyboards
• Steve Porcaro – synthesizer programming
• Marcy Levy – vocals

 

When I first introduced 1978, I said that in that year, the gods of rock were busy at their anvils forging a genre called heavy metal. I still believe this to be the case and I further believe that when they were doing this, they had a copy of this album on their home entertainment centres to give them their inspiration. One song they would have definitely taken note of from this album was the single “How You Gonna See Me Now.” This was the first true power ballad in the very sense of the word. The other tracks make this a true rocking bang your head album, great with a few beers.

Next post: REO Speedwagon- You Can Tune a Piano But You Can’t Tuna Fish

To buy Rock And Roll Children, go to www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle