Alice Cooper – Old School [Box set]

“Old School” is a 4 disc collection that spans the ten years of the Alice Cooper Group and includes a whole host of goodies spread over the four discs. This Special Edition is in its self a cut down version of the original sold-out Old School: 1964–1974 super deluxe box set released in 2011. Contained within the 4 discs are demos, pre-production and rehearsal recordings of classic Alice Cooper Group tracks, radio spots, interview anecdotes, plus a full live show captured on the 1971 Killer tour – Live in St Louis – and a 60-page yearbook charting the career of Alice Cooper complete with many rare photos

While it may be a condensed version of the collection released last year, it’s still an impressive collection, and at just under £25 it’s extremely good value. You can buy it from Amazon click here

It’s great to hear some of the real early classic Alice Cooper tracks such as “I’m eighteen” or “Schools out” in their earliest forms. They are a lot rawer and show the songs in their original intended format, it’s just the recordings that show their age due to the lack of more modern recording techniques and production quality that we have grown accustomed too over the years since these tracks were recorded. The interviews and other extra bits are all great to hear too and help define the emerging legend that Alice Cooper would become.

It’s a great collection for die hard Alice Cooper fans, who want to have everything and hear where the legend was born, but if your preferred Alice Cooper is the more polished “Trash” and “Hey Stoopid” kind of Cooper then this collection is maybe not for you unless you wish to find out where it all began all those years ago.

TRACKLISTING:

DISC 1: TREASURES ONE

1. No Price Tag – Spiders (1966)
2. Nobody Likes Me – Pretties For You Demo (1969)
3. On A Train Trip (Sing Low Sweet Cheerio) – Pretties For You Demo (1969)
4. Reflected Pretties For You – Demo (1969)
5. Easy Action Version Two – Radio Ad (1970)
6. Mr And Misdemeanor – Chicago Underground (1970)
7. Fields Of Regret – Chicago Underground (1970)
8. I’m Eighteen – Chicago Underground (1970)
9. Love It To Death – Radio Ad (1971)
10. I’m Eighteen – Love It To Death Pre-production (1971)
11. Be My Lover – Killer Demos (1971)
12. Killer – Killer Demo (1971)
13. Halo Of Flies – Killer Demo (1971)
14. Tornado Warning (Desperado) – Killer Demo (1971)
15. Killer – Radio Ad (1971)
16. Is It My Body – Seattle Live (1971)

DISC 2: TREASURES TWO
1. Akron Rubber Bowl Ad – Radio Ad (1972)
2. School’s Out Mar Y Sol – Puerto Rico (1972)
3. Kids Session School’s Out – Kids Session (1972)
4. Outtakes/Luney Tune – School’s Out Pre-production (1972)
5. Outtakes/My Stars – School’s Out Pre-production (1972)
6. School’s Out – School’s Out Demo (1972)
7. Under My Wheels – Live at Madison Square Garden (1973)
8. Teenage Lament ’74 – Muscle of Love Demos & Rehearsals (1973)
9. Never Been Sold Before – Muscle of Love Demos and Rehearsals (1973)
10.Working Up A Sweat – Muscle of Love Demos and Rehearsals (1973)
11. Muscle Of Love Muscle of Love – Pre-production (1973)
12. Teenage Lament ’74 – Muscle of Love – Pre-production (1973)
13. Muscle Of Love – Radio Ad (1974)
14. Good To See You – Alice Cooper Radio Ad (1974)
15. Muscle Of Love – Rio (1974)
16. Greatest Hits – Radio Ad (1974)

DISC 3: IN THEIR OWN WORDS

Alice Cooper Interview Disc

DISC 4: BOOTLEG CD – Killer Live St Louis 1971

1. Intro
2. Be My Lover (Intro)
3. Be My Lover
4. You Drive Me Nervous
5. Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
6. I’m Eighteen
7. Halo Of Flies
8. Is It My Body
9. Dead Babies
10. Killer
11. Long Way To Go
12. Under My Wheels

 

About Neil Henderson

The other half of the Scottish duo :) Failing miserably at keeping Sheila in line ;)