Saturday, October 31, 2009

Happy Halloween From Alice Cooper





Welcome to My Nightmare is a concept album by Alice Cooper, released in 1975. This was Alice Cooper's first solo album (all previous Alice Cooper releases were band efforts). The cover artwork was created by Drew Struzan. Rolling Stone would later rank it as one of the "Top 100 Album Covers Of All Time"

Welcome to My Nightmare is a concept album. The songs, heard in sequence, form a journey through the nightmares of a child named Steven.

Steven appears for the first time on the concept album Welcome To My Nightmare. The listener understands that Steven is/or has the mind of a young boy, maybe around 8 years old. The album is a journey through Steven's mind, which is severely damaged. He lives in a constant nightmare and we are guided through this nightmare, by The Curator (played by Vincent Price). In the first song on the album, the title track, we are introduced to the nightmare. On the second song, “Devils Food”, Steven is trapped in a spider's web and is about to be eaten by The Black Widow. The spider and the web (and the whole nightmare) are only in his mind, some sort of mental disease, so Steven thinks he has to obey The Black Widow, to get away alive. Steven says:

“These words he speaks are true. We're all humanary stew, if we don't pledge allegiance to… The Black Widow”

The next song on the album is called "Some Folks," and reading between the lines, one can understand that the song is about how Steven enjoys killing women and possibly doing things to their dead bodies;

“Some folks love to see red/ Some folks never talk about it/ Some folks crave a blue lady/ Some folks know and still they doubt it.”

And then we learn of Steven’s abuse of his wife. The song “Only Women Bleed” tells us this. We once again learn of Steven’s lust for the dead, in the song “Cold Ethyl” where it’s clear that Steven is doing things to a woman’s (Ethyl’s) corpse. The next thing that is revealed to the listener is of Steven’s childhood and how he became the psycho killer we now know. In “Years Ago” we understand that Steven was alone as a child, and maybe that he feels rejected by friends and adults. The song “Steven” shows his transformation from an innocent child to a murderer.

“I don't want to feel you die, but if that's the way that God has planned you/ I'll put pennies on your eyes and it will go away, see?/ You've only lived a minute of your life/ I must be dreaming, please stop screaming”

Obviously some one has died. Maybe it’s Steven’s young mother, maybe his baby brother or, most likely, it’s the young Steven – the innocent. In the end of the previous song, “Years Ago” we hear the child-Steven talking to himself, as an old man:

“ - I'm a little boy (young Steven) - No, I'm a great big man (old man Steven) - No, let's be a little boy. For a little while longer. Maybe an hour? (young Steven) - No, Steven. We have to go back now (old man Steven) “

These lines support the theory that it is in fact the young Steven – Steven’s childhood and innocence – that has died. So who is he telling to stop screaming (“I must be dreaming, please stop screaming”)? It could be Steven who is screaming, because he is grief-stricken that his childhood has died. And he is in fact, pleading with himself to stop screaming. Another interpretation of this could be that it’s again, the child Steven, that is screaming – the childhood’s death-rattle. There is also a third possibility that it is the Curator that is screaming. The refrain to the song “Steven” goes like this:

“Steven!/ Steven! I hear my name! Steven! Is someone calling me? I hear my name! Steven! That icy breath it whispers screams of pain!”

The voice that chants “Steven! Steven!” is probably his wife, as he is killing her. This means that Steven could be beseeching her to stop screaming. After we have taken part of Steven’s transformation, he wakes up. Until now, we are unsure if the nightmare is a real nightmare (just a bad dream) or in fact part of Steven’s mental disease. But in the song “The Awakening” we understand that during the nightmare, Steven has killed his wife.

“Getting up from my easy chair looking for my wife/ Following a trail of crimson spots that lead into the night/ Suddenly I realize/ I see it all through real eyes/ These crimson spots are dripping from my hand/ And, ooh, it makes me feel like a man”

From this we can draw the conclusion that the nightmare occurred when Steven was sleepwalking but not knowing what was real or what was his imagination, he abused his wife during “Only Women Bleed”, did things to her corpse during “Cold Ethyl” and then sat down in his easy chair, “waking up” and at first thinking that everything was a bad dream. But then he realizes what he has done. As a result of this he escapes into drinking alcohol, which takes place in "Escape":

“Escape/ I get out when I can/ Escape/ Anytime I can/ Let’s all escape/ I'm crying in my beer/ C'mon let's escape/ Just get me out of here”

Welcome to My Nightmare inspired the Alice Cooper: The Nightmare TV special and a worldwide concert tour in 1975, and the Welcome To My Nightmare concert film in 1976.

Steven=Alice Theory

Some Alice Cooper fans believe that Steven is actually the same person as Alice Cooper. To understand this, one must understand the Alice Cooper persona. Alice has always talked about his stage persona in third person, and by this he is pointing out that the person he is on stage is not the same person he is in real life. To make it easier we can call the off-stage person Vincent Furnier (which was Alice’s real name until he legally changed it in 1974), and the stage person Alice Cooper. When Vincent was an alcoholic he had difficulties separating himself from Alice. He thought he had to be Alice and behave like him, even off stage. This problem is similar to that Steven has. Vincent Furnier (off stage Alice) is represented by the innocent child-Steven, while Alice Cooper is represented by the adult madman-Steven. This theory supports the idea that Steven appears on Dada. Taking in mind that Steven is Alice, brings a new perspective to the story of The Last Temptation. The story could be a metaphor for when Alice Cooper was “cured” from his alcoholism, and became a Christian in the early 80’s. Vincent Furnier’s temptation was alcohol (and behind all temptation lurks the Devil) and when he started to believe in God, he defeated his alcoholism (and thus the Devil). So, Alice is Steven, his alcoholism is The Showman, and they both get saved by the same one: God.

The inside cover of the Along Came A Spider album has two photos - both are of Alice as a child but one has him with the Alice makeup on and Steven written underneath. This again shows the possibility of Steve being Alice. track 11 of "Welcome To My Nightmare", "Escape", reinforces this theory between Steven=Alice and could also be what inspired both photos; "Paint on my cruel or happy face and hide me behind it."

This is rock and roll macabre, at it's finest!

Track listing

1. "Welcome to My Nightmare" (Alice Cooper, Dick Wagner) – 5:19

2. "Devil's Food" (Cooper, Bob Ezrin, Kelly Jay) – 3:38

3. "The Black Widow" (Cooper, Wagner, Ezrin) – 3:37 (with Vincent Price)

4."Some Folks" (Cooper, Ezrin, Alan Gordon) – 4:19

5."Only Women Bleed" (Cooper, Wagner) – 5:49

6."Department of Youth" (Cooper, Wagner, Ezrin) – 3:18

7."Cold Ethyl" (Cooper, Ezrin) – 2:51

8."Years Ago" (Cooper, Wagner) – 2:51

9."Steven" (Cooper, Ezrin) – 5:52

10. "The Awakening" (Cooper, Wagner, Ezrin) – 2:25

11. "Escape" (Cooper, Mark Anthony, Kim Fowley) – 3:20



Thx to Shawn at http://www.isontheair.blogspot.com/

Music News & Notes


TEMPLE OF BLOOD’s “Prepare for the Judgement of Mankind” to see vinyl release

TEMPLE OF BLOOD announced today that they have struck a deal with Open Grave Records for the release of their 2006 album, “Prepare for the Judgement of Mankind” to be released on vinyl. The CD version of the album has long been out of print, but still in high demand on websites like Amazon and Ebay, and a lot of times goes for a high dollar amount.

The vinyl release will be limited to 300 copies. More details are to follow in the near future. Look for a release in early 2010.

Track listing is as follows:

1. Destruction of the Twin Cities
2. Conviction
3. Return to Eden
4. Spiritual Warfare
5. Trampling the Serpent
6. Seeking the Truth
7. Legion of the Crypts
8. The Ultimate Sacrifice
9. Realm of Insufferable Burning (The Horrors of Hell)
10. Deliver Us From Evil (Cover version of DEADLY BLESSING song featuring guest vocals by Ski)

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Art Review | 'Who Shot Rock & Roll'Every Picture Tells a Story, Don’t It?

By KEN JOHNSON

Rock ’n’ roll and photography need each other — or, at least, rock musicians need photographers. You can’t be a star if you don’t have an image. But what makes a good rock photograph is something to ponder, and “Who Shot Rock & Roll: A Photographic History, 1955 to the Present” at the Brooklyn Museum offers an excellent opportunity to do so.

Organized by the photography historian Gail Buckland, the exhibition presents more than 175 images by 105 photographers, and includes album cover art, candid snapshots, publicity portraits and pictures of live performances.

Leaving aside aesthetic issues, it is hard to say what makes a high-quality rock photograph. So much depends on what you bring to it. For many viewers Richard Avedon’s pellucid black-and-white portraits of the Beatles in 1967 will resonate differently from David LaChappelle’s garishly colorful 1999 picture of the white hip-hop star Eminem sitting naked but holding a strategically placed stick of dynamite with a sparkling fuse.

Read The Rest Of This Article Here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/30/arts/design/30rock.html


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Arsis Reveals New Album "Starve For The Devil" Artwork


Virginia’s melodic/technical death metal band Arsis has revealed the artwork by Mark Riddick for their upcoming "Starve For The Devil" album. The artwork can be viewed at this location. "Starve For The Devil" is set to be released in North America on February 9th, 2010. The music for "Starve For The Devil" was recorded with producer Zeuss (Municipal Waste, Agnostic Front, Hatebreed) at Planet Z Studios in Massachusetts.

The track listing for the album will be as follows:

1. Forced To Rock
2. A March For The Sick
3. From Soulless To Shattered (Art In Dying)
4. Beyond Forlorn
5. The Ten Of Swords
6. Closer To Cold
7. Sick Perfection
8. Half Past Corpse O'Clock
9. Escape Artist
10. Sable Rising

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Metallica Putting More Songs On Guitar Hero Wii

Metallica has issued the following update about the remaining songs from their album "Death Magnetic" becoming available for the Wii edition of Guitar Hero:

"If you've been playing Guitar Hero on the Wii, you may have noticed that we were short a few songs when it came to ‘Death Magnetic’ - well no more! Our friends at Guitar Hero have been working long and hard with Nintendo so that Wii fans can now play the eight ‘Death Magnetic’ songs not previously available for that gaming system.

"Starting November 24, additional tracks from ‘Death Magnetic’ will be available as downloadable singles for 200 Wii points each. If you're keeping score, that would be ‘All Nightmare Long’, ‘That Was Just Your Life’, ‘The Day That Never Comes’, ‘The Judas Kiss’, ‘The End Of The Line’, ‘The Unforgiven III’, ‘Suicide & Redemption J.H.’ and ‘Suicide & Redemption K.H.’ Enjoy!"

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Slayer Streaming Entire New Album Online

Slayer are currently streaming their entire new album "World Painted Blood" via their MySpace page. http://www.myspace.com/Slayer

"World Painted Blood" will be released on Tuesday, November 3rd in North America and Monday, November 2nd to the rest of the world.

The "World Painted Blood" track listing is as follows:

1. World Painted Blood
2. Unit 731
3. Snuff
4. Beauty Through Order
5. Hate Worldwide
6. Public Display Of Dismemberment
7. Human Strain
8. Americon
9. Psychopathy Red
10. Playing With Dolls
11. Not Of This God

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Rob Zombie Comments On Roadrunner Signing

In a sudden and unexpected move, multi-platinum hard rock artist Rob Zombie has inked a new worldwide deal with Roadrunner Records through its Loud & Proud imprint.

This shocking announcement came as Zombie exits his former label of eighteen years, where he sold fifteen million records as a solo artist and with his former band White Zombie. Zombie’s new album, "Hellbilly Deluxe 2," previously set for release on 11/17 will now be released by Roadrunner / Loud & Proud Records in early 2010.

“It certainly wasn’t an easy decision to make after all this time, but it had to be done,” states Zombie. “I love this new record and wanted to surround myself with an excited new group of people who can reignite my enthusiasm for working within a hard rock record label. Roadrunner seems to be the perfect place.”

“Roadrunner is thrilled to be involved with Rob Zombie on a worldwide basis as he is a multiple-threat artist whom we’ve admired for many years,” said Roadrunner president Jonas Nachsin.

Tom Lipsky, founder and president of Loud & Proud echoed Nachsin’s sentiment, “Rob Zombie hits hard on Hellbilly Deluxe 2 and the fans expect nothing less. We are excited about the monster mayhem that he is certain to create!”

The first single from the new album, “What?” recently launched at all rock radio formats and is quickly climbing the charts. This latest album marks the follow-up to 1998’s triple platinum "Hellbilly Deluxe."

The track listing is as follows:

1. Jesus Frankenstein
2. Sick Bubblegum
3. What?
4. Mars Needs Women
5. Werewolf, Baby!
6. Virgin Witch
7. Death and Destiny Inside The Dream Factory
8. Burn
9. Cease to Exist
10. Werewolf Women of the SS
11. The Man Who Laughs

In support of this release, Zombie kicked off his first headline tour since 2007 in Phoenix, AZ on October 29th. Shows in Las Vegas, NV on the 30th, and a very special Halloween event on October 31st in Hollywood, CA are set to follow. Zombie will be accompanied by his longtime band mates - guitarist John 5, bassist Piggy D and drummer Tommy Clufetos.

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OVERKILL – SIGNS W/ NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS

New Jersey thrash metal veterans OVERKILL have inked a multi-album deal with Nuclear Blast Records. The band’s new CD, “Ironbound” — which is described as a true “thrasher-piece” — is scheduled for release on January 29, 2010.

“Good to be with a label that understands what OVERKILL are about and what metal is about in 2010; exciting!” singer Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth said in a statement.

Added Nuclear Blast A&R representative Jaap Wagemaker: “Growing up with classics such as ‘Feel The Fire’, ‘Taking Over’ and ‘The Years Of Decay’ and seeing the band countless times playing live, it is sure to say that one of our favorite bands of all time has finally found their home at the powerhouse that Nuclear Blast is today! We are very much looking forward to start working with OVERKILL and are eager to release their new album, ‘Ironbound’, to the masses! A new album on which they have returned to their old-school thrash roots!”

“Ironbound” track listing:

01. The Green And Black
02. Ironbound
03. Bring Me The Night
04. The Goal Is Your Soul
05. Give A Little
06. Endless War
07. The Head And Heart
08. In Vain
09. Killing For A Living
10. The SRC

* Limited digipak
* CD Jewelcase
* LP (180g vinyl) in gatefold
* LP (180g green vinyl) in gatefold (Nuclear Blast Mailorder exclusive)
* Strictly limited mailorder edition

The band is already working on a new European tour for 2010.

On May 12, Megaforce Records reissued two classic OVERKILL albums on colored vinyl.

* “Feel The Fire” on red/orange marbled vinyl
* “Fuck You And Then Some” (first time on vinyl!!) which is a double LP set — one LP on regular black vinyl and the other on black/yellow marbled vinyl with a big fat middle finger etched into side D.

Both albums are limited to 500 hand-numbered copies

OVERKILL has tapped PAIN/HYPOCRISY mainman Peter TÃĪgtgren to mix the band’s new album.

Since 2010 is the 25th anniversary of the release of the debut OVERKILL album, “Feel The Fire”, there are lots of plans for next year, including U.S. and European tours.

OVERKILL’s second DVD, “Live at Wacken Open Air 2007″, came out in February 2008 via Bodog Music. The 50-minute disc was shot during the band’s headline set at the festival in front of an audience of 40,000, and features songs that span OVERKILL’s 28-year career, including “Walk Through Fire” from the group’s latest disc “Immortalis”, “Rotten to the Core”, “Elimination”, “Fuck You”, “In Union We Stand”, “Necroshine”, “Skull and Bones”, “Old School” and “Wrecking Crew”

This Date In Music History-October 31

Birthdays:

Tom Paxton (1937)
Otis Williams - Temptations (1941)
Rik Kenton - Roxy Music (1945)
Russ Ballard - Argent (1947)
Tony Bowers - Simply Red (1956)
Larry Mullen Jr.- U2 (1961)
Mikkey Dee - Motorhead (1963)
Johnny Marr - Smiths (1963)
Colm O'Ciosoig - My Bloody Valentine (1964)
Annabella Lwin - Bow Wow Wow (1965)
Adam Horovitz (a.k.a. King Ad Rock) - Beastie Boys (1966)
Adam Schlesinger - Fountains of Wayne (1967)
Vanilla Ice (real name Robert Van Winkle) (1968)
Malin Berggren - Ace Of Base (1970)
Frank Anthony Iero - My Chemical Romance (1981)


They Are Missed:

UK DJ Roger Scott died of cancer in 1990 (age 46). Scott was one of the most respected broadcasters in the UK, working on Capital Radio for 15 years and then BBC Radio 1. Working as a presenter at the Montreal station 1470 CFOX, Scott sang on "Give Peace a Chance," recorded by John Lennon and Yoko Ono during their "Bed-in" for peace at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Canada.

Born today in 1952, Bernard Edwards, producer and member of Chic. Produced ABC, Power Station and Rod Stewart. Edwards died on April 18, 1996.


History:

Pianist Johnnie Johnson hired 26 year old Chuck Berry as a guitarist in his band in 1952. While playing evening gigs in the St. Louis area, Berry kept his day job as a hairdresser for the next three years.

The Flamingos cut "I Only Have Eyes For You" in 1958.

The Quarry Men decided to change their name to Johnny and the Moondogs in 1959. The band were in Liverpool auditioning for the Carrol Levis show. The Quarry Men featured John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison.

In 1963, the Beatles returned to London from Sweden and were greeted by hundreds of screaming fans and a mob of photographers and journalists. Television host Ed Sullivan was at Heathrow as The Beatles arrived, and was struck by the sight of Beatlemania in full swing; he decided to look into getting this group to appear on his US television program.

Joan Baez came onstage to sing three songs at a New York Bob Dylan concert in 1964.

Barbra Streisand started a five-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1964 with "People."

The Supremes started a four week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1964 with "Baby Love," the group's second of five consecutive US #1's. The group were formally known as the five piece group The Primettes.

Ray Charles was arrested by Logan Airport customs officials in Boston in 1964 and charged with possession of heroin. This was his third drug charge, following incidents in 1958 and 1961. Charles avoided prison after kicking the habit in a clinic in Los Angeles, but spent a year on parole in 1966.

Rolling Stone Brian Jones was sentenced to nine months in jail in 1967 after being convicted of drug possession.

Iggy and the Stooges made their live debut in 1967 when they played at a Halloween party in Michigan.

Former Mamas and the Papas singer Michelle Phillips married actor Dennis Hopper in 1970. They divorced 8 days later.

Led Zeppelin started a four week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1970 with "Led Zeppelin III," the bands second US chart topper.

Cheap Trick made their live debut at Charlotte's Web in Rockford, Illinois in 1974.

Led Zeppelin launched their record label Swan Song in 1974. Named after an unreleased Zeppelin instrumental track.

Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" was released in England in 1975.



Elvis Presley's last recording session was held in the Jungle Room at Graceland in 1976.

Seminal grunge rockers Green River split up in 1987. Members will go on to form Mudhoney and Pearl Jam.

In 1989, the very first MTV unplugged show was recorded in New York, featuring UK band Squeeze, the program was aired on Nov 26, 1989.

During a gig in Seattle, Washington in 1990, Billy Idol dumped 600 dead fish in Faith No More's dressing room. They responded by walking on stage, naked during Idol's set.

Blind Melon lead singer Shannon Hoon was arrested in 1993 after stripping off his clothes and urinating into the audience during a concert in Vancouver, Canada.

Rapper Tupac Shakur was arrested in 1993 for allegedly shooting two off-duty Atlanta policemen during a late night argument.

Alice in Chains released "Alice in Chains" as a vinyl edition in 1995. It was not available on CD or cassette until November 7, 1995

Rumored that he will committed suicide on Halloween in 1996, Marilyn Manson survived the night. Of course the rumor helps spike sales of “Antichrist Superstar.”

Kiss began their "Psycho Circus" tour at Dodger Stadium in 1998. Video monitors broadcast the show in 3-D.

In 1999, EMI records announced that it was planning to stop paying for some of its artists to release singles. The label said that anyone who sold less than 80,000 copies would be discouraged from releasing a single.

Jane's Addiction played a surprise "flash mob" gig outside London's Brixton Academy immediately after their Halloween show in 2003. Fans were invited to the karaoke-styled set via text message.

On the final night of her Farewell tour in 2003, Cher was named the year's biggest touring female by Billboard. She grossed $145 million and drew 2.2 million fans to over 200 concerts.

Rod Stewart was at #1 on the US album chart in 2004 with ‘Stardust’ his third US #1 album since 1971.

In 2005, the white suit worn by John Lennon on the cover of the Beatles' Abbey Road album sold for $118,000 at an auction in Las Vegas. And an Austin Princess hearse driven by the late star in the documentary Imagine sold for $150,000. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the items went to Amnesty International.

Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons of KISS served as the grand marshals for New York's Village Halloween Parade in 2006. They ride on a KISS float in full costume and makeup.

Who else? Alice Cooper hosts The Monstrous Munster Mash, an eight-hour marathon of the '60s sitcom on WGN America cable network in 2008. "I grew up on The Munsters," says Cooper. And at midnight, WGN premieres Alice Cooper's Along Came A Spider, a 30-minute special featuring music videos and clips from the album of the same name.