Now Spinning 4/27/20: Alice Cooper- "Live from the Astroturf",2018

Alice Cooper is one of my all time favorites. I was first introduced by a family friend, and my first memory of hearing him came from watching the iconic "Wayne's World." His live shows are some of the best on Earth. He is 72 years old and still is one of the most energetic performers I've ever witnessed. I have been able to see him three times, and each time I leave more and more shocked. He moves around the stage gracefully, is 110% dedicated to his theatrics, and surprisingly still sounds pretty good (for a 72 yr old rockstar who has overcome addiction). Not only can he put on a killer show, but all of his material is incredible. Evident in his discography is his progression as an artist, person, and entertainer. His early stuff (with the original Alice Cooper band) is more straightforward rock n roll. You can vividly hear their influences. Once he become a solo act, still using the stage name of Alice Cooper, he evolved into a story teller. His albums became more theatrical, conceptual, and meaningful. These are where my favorite albums lie. One thing is for sure, the man behind the iconic face paint is a highly intelligent, religious, unique, charitable, professional golfer.

This particular album was released on Record Store Day Black Friday 2018. It is one of 12 color variants (a beautiful candy grape/pink). It was a live performance Alice and his original band (minus Glen Buxton) recorded in Dallas, Texas at Good Records. The full album release was preceded by a pink 7" record release, also part of Record Store Day Black Friday 2017 (which I'm also lucky enough to have). The atmosphere of the show sounds authentic, intimate, and lively. The band sounds great, Alice sounds good vocally, and the chosen tracks are crowd pleasers.

I do not play this record as much as It deserves to be played. It is incredible, both in the recording and packaging. The sleeve itself is a minimalistic black and white reflective gatefold, and includes a large fold out poster, 16 page booklet, and OBI strip with band member "playing cards". Alice Cooper is a living legend, and I'm extremely happy to own this piece of history.

Cheers