265. Alice Cooper - School's Out (1972)
















Track Listing

1. School's Out
2. Luney Tune
3. Gutter Cat Vs. The Jets
4. Street Fight
5. Blue Turk
6. My Stars
7. Public Animal #9
8. Alma Mater
9. Grande Finale

Review

Once there was a terrible high-speed colision between Iggy Pop and Slade at Sunnydale California, and out of the wreckage came Alice Cooper glorious incarnation of what is at the same time bad and actually pretty good. This album is a very fine example of that, it shouldn't work, the concept is puerile, the guy isn't that great a singer and no one is particularly talented in the album. The lyrics are as over the top as you can get as well.

Yet, surprisingly it works as an album. It has the famous School's Out as the opener, but it doesn't get any worse throughout, some of the songs are actually pretty great, like the West Side Story inspired Gutter Cat Vs. The Jets or Blue Turk. And then you scratch your head... and finally you understand, the join the stomp of something like Slade to the feral quality of the Stooges, while having moments of delicate music, like in the previously mentioned Blue Turk.

Of course they are not as good as The Stooges, there is a disaffection lacking and it is too theatrical to feel real, but they are better than Slade because there is some integrity to the music here. Cooper's theatrics really come through here and they work really well for an album. One problem with the album is that it sometimes follows the concept to a fault, that seems to be the problem with many concept albums. Still you should listen to it, get it from Amazon UK or US.

Track Highlights

1. Blue Turk
2. School's Out
3. Gutter Cat Vs. The Jets
4. Alma Mater

Final Grade

8/10

Trivia

From Wikipedia:

The original album cover (designed by Craig Braun) had the sleeve opening in the manner of an old school desk. The vinyl record inside was wrapped in a pair of girl's panties.

After conquering his alcoholism, Cooper became a noted golf enthusiast, participating in several Pro-Am competitions. He has appeared in commercials for Callaway Golf equipment. He reportedly has a 5 handicap and plays 6 days a week. Since 1997, he has hosted an annual golf competition, the Alice Cooper Celebrity AM Golf Tournament. All proceeds from the event go to Cooper's charity, the Solid Rock Foundation. In August 2006, he participated in the Northern Rock All Stars Cup event - a celebrity version of the Ryder Cup, for chari

And he's a born again Christian... I'd rather he stayed drunk.

Alice Cooper in one of his most dignified performances of School's Out: