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"Killer" by Alice Cooper
By Webjockey Flur
View the Rifflist, hear the clips: "Killer"
Part glam and part garage, Alice Cooper's 1971 album "Killer" helped create an image and sound Cooper still rides over twenty-five years later. Released less than a year before his breakout single, "School''s Out," the early 70''s were the most creatively lush for Cooper, as the androgynous self-proclaimed sadist has turned in recent years to golf (possibly an equally sadistic endeavor).
That a track like the opener "Under My Wheels" has stood the test of time proves Cooper held more appeal than an elaborate stage show. However, a symbiotic relationship exists between the live performance and the categorization of Cooper as hard rock.
While songs like "Dead Babies" have Cooper drive the stake through the heart of a Cabbage Patch Doll onstage, other tracks off the album could stand alone as classic rock n' roll once removed from context. "Be My Lover" with its harmonized choruses and tambourines is about as far from evil as can be.
So for those who hate on Alice Cooper for creating a template that''s been ripped off by shock rockers, give "Killer" a listen. You might be surprised.
If you like this album, check out David Bowie's "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust," T. Rex's "Electric Warrior," and Rob Zombie's "Hellbilly Deluxe."
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