# Alice Cooper - Where do I start? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 26, 2010, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alice-cooper-where-do-i-start/565404 "2010-12-26T03:19:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alice-cooper-where-do-i-start/565404/21 "2011-01-06T19:34:42Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Where’s the Doper who wrangles boa’s for an Alice tribute band? Isn’t that **faithfool**? I am sure she’ll have a POV… > > I’ll add my voice to Nightmare… That’s **zoogirl** who’s in a tribute band. I’m just an over-the-top obsessed fangirl. Sorry I’d missed this for so long. > [@Daddypants](#): > > Alice has been making music for 40 years, so where do I start? Can anyone recommend one or two studio records from each decade, or a multi-decade compilation? If we go by decade, I’ll also recommend **Billion Dollar Babies** and the under appreciated **Muscle of Love** for the 70s. If you want a taste of what Alice was up to in the late 80s, there’s the megahit **Trash** and it’s follow-up, **Hey Stoopid** (it’s really '91, but doesn’t feel like it). In the 90s, I was blown away by **The Last Temptation** (not a bad song on it) and another vote for **Brutal Planet** , if you don’t mind the overt Christian themes. Last of all, the 00s, gets you a nice couple of ‘garage rock’ sounding albums, so any of those will do. All have his great sense of humor. > [@banjoDavid](#): > > Billion Dollar Baby, by Bob Greene. published by Atheneum in 1974. > > Greene was a Chicago newspaper columnist, got to know Alice, AKA Vince, and went on the road with the original band as they were self-destructing. > > Excellent writing, and a great story. > > Enjoy > David This is true that it’s a great story, but very hard to find and even harder to shell out about $150.00 for. If you can read it online, I’d say go for it. Otherwise, kick around [sick things uk](http://www.sickthingsuk.co.uk/) for all your Alice needs. It’s very comprehensive and has a message board for questions too. Finally, Alice may not be the same without the original band. But he’s still major-league kick-ass. A lot of his solo work has been brilliant. Don’t discount the baby with the bath water. There’s plenty of good stuff to look for (like his ode to playing Santa in _No Man’s Land_ or being a cross-dresser in _The Saga of Jesse Jane_, just to name two) if you are so inclined. So give it a whirl. I’m sure there’s a bunch you’ll like. Good luck! faithfool, resident sick thing ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alice-cooper-where-do-i-start/565404/22 "2011-01-06T19:42:15Z")
I really love _Hey Stoopid_. An underrated album, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alice-cooper-where-do-i-start/565404/23 "2011-01-06T19:57:35Z")
> [@faithfool](#): > > Finally, Alice may not be the same without the original band. But he’s still major-league kick-ass. I’ve only seen videos of the original Alice Cooper band, so I can’t say how good they were in person. But the group he put together for the 2009 _Theatre of Death_ tour was one of the tightest, most rocking outfits I’ve ever seen. (Even if Kerri Kelli did get his guitar stuck in the stage netting and had to play it hanging up over his head!) ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alice-cooper-where-do-i-start/565404/24 "2011-01-06T21:48:31Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Start with _Welcome to My Nightmare_. ^^^ What he said ---
**Author:** ![fifty-six](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@fifty-six](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fifty-six)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alice-cooper-where-do-i-start/565404/25 "2011-01-07T06:56:45Z")
_Welcome to My Nightmare_ is one of my favorite albums of all time. Billion and Killer are amazing as well. I do think that _From the Inside_ needs another nod though. A fantastic piece of work. I love concept albums ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alice-cooper-where-do-i-start/565404/26 "2011-01-07T10:11:15Z")
I may be on my own here, but my two favourite albums are _Easy Action_ and _Love It To Death_. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alice-cooper-where-do-i-start/565404/27 "2011-01-07T12:44:43Z")
_School’s Out_ is an almost perfect album. ---
**Author:** ![LateComer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5ac83/32.png) [@LateComer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LateComer)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alice-cooper-where-do-i-start/565404/28 "2011-01-07T16:10:34Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Go play golf with him. And be sure to bring up the name of a great lake state so he can explain the native American origin of its name. ---
**Author:** ![Nunzio\_Tavulari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Nunzio\_Tavulari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nunzio_Tavulari)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alice-cooper-where-do-i-start/565404/29 "2011-01-09T05:04:14Z")
> [@River\_Hippie](#): > > My favorites in order: > > 1. **Love It To Death** 1971 > 2. **Killer** 1971 > 3. **School’s Out** 1972 > 4. **Billion Dollar Babies** 1973 > > \*\*Welcome To My Nightmare \*\*is acceptable but he/they ceased to exist for me after that. I second River Hippie. Those four, in that order. I disagree with other’s assessment of Welcome To My Nightmare. Once he went solo, it was all over. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alice-cooper-where-do-i-start/565404.md?page=1)