The high school portrait is more for the benefit of the parents than the sitter. It presents an image of the little darlings as bright-eyed and winsome—beacons of success to parental concern. They rarely reveal much about who these young people are, or how they might end-up. The photos mislead, in the same way that manners and politeness are often misread as a sign of weakness, when in fact the opposite is true.

Take a look at these yearbook portraits of Rock and Heavy Metal icons, there’s hardly a hint of rock ‘n’ roll rebellion, or future excess, just the appearance of wannabe Wal-Mart employees of the month.

Top row: Chester Bennington (Linkin Park), Tom Morello (RATM), Tom Araya (Slayer), Alice Cooper, Axl Rose (Guns ‘n’ Roses), Corey Taylor (Slipknot).

Middle row: Daron Malakian (SOAD), Dimebag Darrell (Pantera), Eddie Van Halen (Van Halen), Gene Simmons (Kiss), James Hetfield (Metallica), Jonathan Davis (Korn).

Bottom row: Kirk Hammett (Metallica), Kurt Cobain (Nirvana), Marilyn Manson, Slash (Guns ‘n’ Roses), Steve Tyler (Aerosmith), Zakk Wylde (BLS).
 
H/T Jonny Geller, via History in Pictures
 

 
In Bobcat Goldthwait’s delightfully violent 2011 comedy, God Bless America, Roxy, the homicidal teenager played by Tara Lynne Barr, goes off on an epic Tarantino-esque rant about the titanic greatness of Alice Cooper that begins:

“You don’t ‘like’ Alice Cooper, Frank… that’s like a Muslim saying he ‘likes’ Mohamed”

By the time she was finished, I wanted to stand up in the cinema and cheer. YES!

I love Alice Cooper, but the band, not so much the frontman with the same name. I lose interest pretty quickly after Welcome to My Nightmare, but Alice Cooper the group, well, they’re one of my top, top, top favorite acts of all time. Alice Cooper will probably never be fashionable or cool again, but fuck it, they were great and this extended clip of them on Barry Richard’s Turn On, a local Washington, DC “free form” rock show, circa, 1971, is proof of how utterly mind-bogglingly brilliant they were in their prime.

They do “I’m Eighteen” and a killer take on “Black Juju.”

If there’s ONE Alice Cooper song I’d want to see an extended vintage performance of, it would be “Black Juju,” hands down. This clip does not disappoint. Trust me, you’ll love it to death.

This material and a lot more from Barry Richards’ personal archive can be purchased on DVD as Turn-On, Groove-In, Rock Out! The Barry Richards TV Collection Vol. 1 put out by Resurrection Productions.
 

 
Alice Cooper was described as “a violent and evil influence on the nation’s youth,” when he toured Britain in 1973. The dread Cooper inspired led six Members of Parliament to petition the Prime Minister to refuse the singer permission to enter the country. The petition failed.

Then, Mary Whitehouse, doyen of minding-other people’s business, campaigned to have Alice Cooper’s records banned by the BBC. Mrs. Whitehouse also failed, and “School’s Out” went to number one in the UK charts.

The fear of Alice Cooper and his like, led many on the Right to believe the end of civilization was nigh. Hard to believe now, but back then with a 3-day-working week, nation-wide power cuts, food shortages, rising unemployment, a failing economy, and an incompetent Conservative Prime Minister, there were those amongst the Establishment who considered a “Boy’s Own” military coup over their “salmon and lamb cutlets.”

Nothing happened, and Alice Cooper successfully toured the UK. But the “pace” of touring, with its chaotic hotel-living, took a considerable tool, and Cooper became an alcoholic. By the time he returned to the U.K. in 1978, the singer was sober and seemingly “rehabilitated.”

This rare (flickering) interview from the BBC News and Current Affairs show Tonight, in December 1978, has the late Donald MacCormick quizzing Alice about the changes to his life, his new show, and album From the Inside, which was inspired by Cooper’s stay in a New York sanitarium to cure his alcoholism.
 

 
Previously on Dangerous MInds

Alice Cooper: Certificate of Insanity

Through A Glass Darkly: Malcolm Lowry, Booze, Literature and Writing

 
With thanks to NellyM!
 

 
“Alice says: Whip the one you love—get a tube for for your best friend too!”
 

 
Via Cherrybombed

 
The Alice Cooper Certificate of Insanity (issued by the School for the Hopelessly Insane) was a limited edition document given away free with Cooper’s album From the Inside, in 1978. Whether this was a recommendation or, a comment on the quality of the record, was never made clear. What is known is that rather like the source for Malcolm Lowry’s excellent novella Lunar Caustic, Cooper’s album was similarly inspired by the singer’s stint in a New York sanitarium for his alcoholism.

From the Inside was co-written with Elton John’s song-writing partner, Bernie Taupin.
 

 
Previously on Dangerous Minds

Through a Glass Darkly: Malcolm Lowry, Booze, Literature and Writing

 
Alice Cooper’s pretty awful attempt at a title tune for the James Bond film, The Man With The Golden Gun, was given to Bond producers Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, but they chose instead to go with Lulu’s far more lascivious number, the raunchiest of all the Bond themes.

I think they made the right call. Some people hate the Lulu song, but it’s one of my top favorites, up there with Shirley Bassey’s “Goldfinger” and Tom Jones belting out “Thunderball.”

“The Man With The Golden Gun” would appear on the final Alice Cooper group album, 1974’s equally tired Muscle of Love.

 
Previously on Dangerous Minds:
‘Thunderball’ opening credits with the theme song that Johnny Cash submitted

 
I could hear this playing in the other side of the house on my wife’s computer. “It isn’t?”

Oh, but IT IS: Mr. Dante Fontana of Mod Cinema has posted this clip of fab German bandleader James Last and his Orchestra performing an indescribably great medley of Hawkwind’s “Silver Machine,” “Children Of The Revolution” by T-Rex and Alice Cooper’s anthem to juvenile delinquency, “Schools’ Out.”

How lucky are we that this clip exists in the world: The James fucking Last Orchestra playing a decidedly UN-IRONIC (but truly incredible) big band version of Hawkwind’s greatest hit in 1973??? I mean, for that alone, sign me up, but throw in T-Rex and Alice Cooper covers in this style, too? That’s a party. A voodoo party.

Dig the fashion-forward stripey shirt and tie combo on some of the band members. That look takes “power clashing” to a whole new level. Makes it into an art form.

This is heavenly and I think you’ll think so too!
 

 
Via Mod Cinema/WFMU

Iggy
 
Talk about yer strolling bones…

To be fair to these aging rockers, anyone, and I mean anyone over the age of 40 would look unsightly photographed this close-up.
 

John Lydon
 
More after the jump…

 
The famous “Detroit Tubeworks” bootleg is 25 minutes of seminal, early Alice Cooper footage shot at the WABX television studios in 1971. I can recall getting my eager mitts on a VHS tape of this in the late 80s and feeling like I possessed something more valuable than gold…

At 16:16 minutes in, they do an astonishing version of “Black Juju.” WHY were these degenerates ever allowed entry into cities across America? If Richard Nixon was so afraid of Timothy Leary, you’d think he’d have wanted to have Alice Cooper assassinated! Hard to believe that Alice is now a rightwing Christian after watching this clip!
 

 

 
Alice Cooper performs “Black Juju” during the Midsummer Rock Festival on June 13, 1970 at Crosley Field in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Cooper claims Pink Floyd as an early influence on his music and it certainly can be seen in this video, which has never been officially released on VHS or DVD.

At the 4 minute mark watch as Cooper gets hit by an upside-down pineapple cake.
 

 
DM readers, if you’re looking for a way to spend that Christmas money burning a hole in your pocket, I have a really good suggestion for you: Turn-On, Groove-In, Rock Out! The Barry Richards TV Collection Vol. 1 put out recently on DVD by Resurrection Productions. I don’t recommend it lightly, I recommend it very highly. It’s a great value too, with nearly three hours of primo rock-n-roll footage that had been stored in a garage for years, unseen. For a certain type of rock snob, this 2 disc set is heaven.

To be honest, I never heard of Barry Richards, but the DVDs provide instant context for his fascinating four-decade-long career in broadcasting: Richards was a well-known rock jock and concert promoter in the Washington DC metro area in the 1960s, 70s and 80s and he also hosted a number of “free form” TV shows on local UHF TV stations. This 2 disc set is packed to the gills with clips from these shows, featuring an amazing early Alice Cooper performance (they do “Black Juju,” which is THE Alice Copper song, I personally would want to see them perform live, you might agree with me), Richie Havens, Little Richard, a fantastic set from Muddy Waters, Jamul, Humble Pie, The Bob Seeger System, Crow, Rory Gallagher, The Illusion, Fats Domino/The Byrds and Tommy Bolin’s first band, Zephyr. Along with the musical performances—always live, never lip-synced—were goofy, innocent segments taped with local high school students and long forgotten acts like comedian “Uncle Dirty” and Iron Jaw Samson, a fellow who ate light-bulbs. There are also 2 hours of audio only segments with the Beatles, Flash Gordon actor Buster Crabbe, comedy troupe The Ace Trucking Company (where Fred Willard got his start) and others.

What’s so amazing about these vintage performances (aside from the music itself, of course) is the journey from the wholesome B&W 60s era segments to the more, um, decadent era of the 70s clips. It’s pretty insane to see how quickly American teenagers grew out their hair (and beards) and took up pot smoking, and that happens pretty much right before your eyes with The Barry Richards TV Collection Vol. 1. (Just as quickly, the disco era takes over and Richards goes on to Studio 78 his disco show (which is not included here).

Below is a a brief sampling of the treasure trove you’ll find on Turn-On, Groove-In, Rock Out! The Barry Richards TV Collection Vol. 1 available only from Resurrection Productions.
 

Alice Cooper
 
Here is some more of that excellent “cassette art” (as used on the Aphex Twin post just below) by the Finnish artist Sami Havia. Sami’s website is here, but these are the only other examples I could find of this style, and they’re taken from the Today And Tomorrow blog. Maybe if we ask nicely he will start making more?
 

DJ Shadow
 

2 Unlimited
 

Public Enemy
 

 
A brief history of recent pop culture, as told through various photographs of Alice Cooper and Friends.
 

Marxism: Alice and Groucho.
 

The Super Group: Alice, Keith Moon, Harry Nilsson, Marc Bolan, 1973.
 

Surrealism: Alice and Salvador Dali.
 

Popism: Alice, Ray Manzarek, and Iggy.
 
Previously on Dangerous Minds
When Alice Cooper met Colonel Sanders
 
Culled from various but special thanks to This Is Not Porn
 
More photo-history with Alice plus bonus clip, after the jump…
 

 
Alice Cooper guested on the classic BBC Radio show Desert Islands Discs in 2010, where he discussed the highs and lows of his long and successful career, and chose some of the records which best captured those moments from his past. Dear olde Auntie described Alice Cooper thus:

As a teenager he says it was British music that he tuned in to - listening to The Beatles, The Yardbirds and The Who. He realised that while rock music had many heroes, there were few villains - that was the territory he marked out for himself. He developed his trademark look - blackened eyes, straggly hair and glamorous clothes - and set about designing live shows that were gleefully gory and macabre.

While critics have described him as ‘the world’s most beloved heavy metal entertainer’, it took him a while to untangle himself from his creation. “For a long time I honestly didn’t know where I began and Alice ended. My friends at the time were Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and I was trying to keep up with them. And I realised when they all died that you didn’t have to be your character off stage.”

Alice’s selection:

The Yardbirds - “Happenings Ten Years Time Ago”
The Beach Boys - “I Get Around”
The Who - “I’m A Boy”
Laura Nyro - “Timer”
King Crimson - “21st Century Schizoid Man”
Jane’s Addiction - “Been Caught Stealing”
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band - “Work Song”
Bob Dylan - “Ballad of a Thin Man”
 
Previously on Dangerous Minds

Alice Cooper: Black Juju, 1971

 
Special Bonus Clip - Alice Cooper live showcase 1971, after the jump…
 

 
Colonel Sanders explaining to Alice Cooper that chickens can’t fly.

(via This Is Not Porn)