Billion Dollar Babies by Alice Cooper | Classic Rock Review Billion Dollar Babies by Alice Cooper Band Share this article Buy Billion Dollar Babies The Alice Cooper Band reached their commercial peak with 1973’s Billion Dollar Babies. This sixth Alice Cooper album, produced by Bob Ezrin, refined some of the basic rock grit of earlier work with the theatrical glam of the now famous (or infamous) live shows. The album’s title derives from the surprise the band felt about their massive success following their two 1971 albums and 1972’s School’s Out. They literally went from living together in a basement to one of the top rock acts in two years. The band’s leader Alice Cooper wrote the bulk of the album’s lyrics, some of which touched on very controversial subjects for shock value. The album was first recorded at a mansion the band purchased called the “Galecie Estate” in Greenwich, Connecticut. Ezrin used various methods to achieve certain effects, including using a greenhouse with a marble floor as an echo chamber.

The group completed the album at Morgan Studios in London, where the sessions became “party central” with many famous guests such as Harry Nillson, Rich Grech, Marc Bolan, and Keith Moon stopping in, but all were too inebriated to contribute musically. Band guitarist Glen Buxton also struggled with substance abuse at the time and two session guitarists were needed to be brought in to finish his parts. After the album was released, the band embarked on a massive tour that included 64 concerts in 59 cities in less than three months, which broke many U.S. box office records. These live performances featured Cooper doing skits that included tearing apart baby dolls and attacking mannequins while using several stage props and effects which required a crew of 40 to 50 people and used about 1 tons of equipment. This stagecraft all came with a cost as the tour, originally estimated to bring in $20 million, barely cleared $5 million.

Dennis Dunaway – Bass, Vocals Guitars Neal Smith – Drums Although the majority of the music on Billion Dollar Babies was composed by guitarist/keyboardist Michael Bruce, the opener “Hello Hooray” was written by singer/songwriter Rolf Kempf and was actually originally recorded by Judy Collins. This is a true show tune with soaring vocal melodies, a Bowie-esque rock arrangement, and a climatic coda section, which truly separates Alice Cooper from any of his shock rock successors like Marilyn Manson. “Raped and Freezin'” is an upbeat rock song with a temperament much lighter than the lyrical content. The lyrics tell of someone chased through the desert in Mexico and the arrangement attempts a Mexican-flavored end section, but fall just a bit short. The sparse lyrics of “Elected” are nicely supplemented by energetic and entertaining music. This effect-laden song is actually a remake of an earlier band track called “Reflected” and the lyrics take the form of a campaign speech. Drummer Neal Smith provides stomping drum beats and Ezrin adds a cinematic touch with brass arrangements that complement the well crafted guitar riffs.

The title song “Billion Dollar Babies” is riff driven and keeps Cooper keep his hard rock cred with guest Donovan providing background vocals. “Unfinished Sweet” contains some strong sound effects with the simple guitar riffs and vocals which mimic the primary riff along with a movie-like middle section with many more effects. The second side begins with the satirical “No More Mr. Nice Guy”, a clever story song about the sheer outrage over Cooper’s stage antics. The music is upbeat and melodic with singalong chorus and a doo wop-tinged backing. The song was a Top 40 hit in the U.S. and Top 10 hit in the U.K. The album peaks with “Generation Landslide”, a unique gem which starts with blue-grassy acoustic riff before switching to a drum-marched infused verse with a throbbing bass line by Dennis Dunaway. Although not released as a single, the song became a live staple and fan favorite throughout Cooper’s career. The rest of the album is dedicated to pure theatrics. “Sick Things” is a doomy and melodramatic tune dedicated to the band’s fan base with strong horn arrangements by Ezrin above a simple bass line.

“Mary Ann” is a rare ballad where Bruce’s distant-sounding pianos offer sharp contrast to Cooper’s near-sounding vocals. “I Love the Dead” is, the most controversial song of Cooper’s career to that point with an overt theme that unabashedly promotes necrophilia. Although it was no doubt manufactured just for this shock effect, it may be a bit much for those who cherish some sliver of taste in rock and roll. Billion Dollar Babies reached the top of the album charts on both sides of the Atlantic and would be the peak of the Alice Cooper Group. But just when it appeared like this hard rock band was about to step into the top echelon, tensions between the members led to a split after just one more album, Muscle of Love. Alice Cooper continued as a solo artist for decades to come while Bruce, Dunaway, and Smith went on to form a new group which took its name from this album, Billion Dollar Babies. ~ Part of Classic Rock Review’s celebration of the 40th anniversary of 1973 albums.

Spotlight: Alice Cooper – Billion Dollar Babies | Audio Fidelity Spotlight: Alice Cooper – Billion Dollar Babies Error message Notice: Undefined index: text_processing in _text_sanitize() (line 321 of /home/audiofid/public_html/modules/field/modules/text/text.module). Submitted by ernie on March 19, 2014 If I had a list of Uncle G's Top Twenty-Five All-Time Favorite Rock Albums, then Alice Cooper's 1973 hit album Billion Dollar Babies would certainly be towards the top of it. Here's an album that as a teen gave me my own identity. Out of everyone in my inner circle of friends back then, it was I that was into Alice Cooper. Instead of getting turned on, I turned on others. My introduction to Alice Cooper was their 1972 hit song ‘School's Out’. What's not to love about getting rid of teachers and text books? Check it out, age-wise I was barely out of my single digits. Due to lyrics I identified with and a steady rock beat, I'm like a pat of butter on freshly baked bread. My mind is open and I'm absorbing all I can.

By the Winter of '73, the album Billion Dollar Babies by the group Alice Cooper is in my record collection. It was purchased for me by adults who later on pretended to be repulsed because I was a fan of Alice Cooper's music. I’ve remained a listener, pressing on after the band’s demise and until after Alice's third solo effort Lace & Whiskey came out. If I played Alice Cooper after that, it was original band material only. Alice's solo records, I really didn't begin to appreciate except Welcome To My Nightmare in which I consider to this day, one of his best efforts, until he released Trash (1989). After that, I re-evaluated my opinion of what Alice has done since splitting with the original group. From his debut solo record Welcome To My Nightmare (1975), to the year 2014, there are more pluses than minuses. The man known as Alice Cooper is considered an elder statesman in heavy metal nowadays. Age wise, is well into his sixties and to this day is still more than capable of teaching the younger bands how to rock out as well as putting on one of the highest energy metal shows being offered.

There is an occasional ballad thrown in the set list, which is more than welcome seeing how some of his best known songs are just that, ballads. Classics like Only Women Bleed, or I Never Cry. Alice Cooper is currently in the process of releasing a cover / tribute album, and performing shows with Aerosmith and Motley Crew. Not to mention this is right off the heels of charting an original band reunion of sorts with a studio album again produced by the legendary Bob Ezrin called Welcome 2 My Nightmare (2011). Alice Cooper's Billion Dollar Babies (1974) album, and the original band’s last album together Muscle Of Love (1974), is what seriously caught my attention. These records got the repeat plays at social functions. At least the ones I attended. For the record, Uncle G thinks anything in the original band’s catalog is worth having, especially the stuff they did for Warner Brothers. I fell into the albums Billion Dollar Babies and Muscle Of Love likely because they were new at the time when I was seriously focused. I can still remember Alice making the promotional rounds for Billion Dollar Babies on TV.

One such time had Alice performing ‘Sick Things’ on a drama / mystery program called The Snoop Sisters. A show about two old tough broads solving crime, Alice was perfectly cast as the leader of a cult. It definitely motivated me to play the album more. And yes, first it was wax in which I played on an early 1970's record box. This was modified with the original speakers being disconnected, and then the player being hooked up with better speakers and separated on each side of a bedroom I shared with two older cousins (one in which was a pothead). Why this even matters is that this ended up being one of my first lessons in what stereo really was, and how different sounds were heard from each speaker. Remember, I first grew up with mono. In the song ‘Elected’, Alice's vocals mainly come out of one side (left), while the bands actual music, comes out the other (right). The music could sometimes overpower the vocals. So another lesson learned early on; it was important where and how the speakers were located, as well as how the the balance button on the stereo receiver was set.

Next comes the wonderful world of headphones and a company whose headphones I absolutely fell in love called Sennheiser. Now I could hear every detail. Over the decades, the record player was replaced by better and better stereos. Sound was important to me. I grew up when transistor radios were all the rage. A rock song filled with different sounds, all coming out of this shitty little speaker. Two words, fuck that. I purchased Alice Cooper – Billion Dollar Babies after first having it on wax, cassette, 8-track, and now I have three different versions on CD, with one being the new SACD mastered by a man with a reputation for being the best at what he does in today’s music world, Mr. Steve Hoffman. Self confession, I'm NOT a committed one-hundred percent audiophiliac. Due to having too much on my plate as a rule, when I have the free time, I come close. I don't like to be anal...not as a rule. Sometimes I think they go hand in hand. I'm glad the purists are out there.

Needed for archival reasons the most, so many good recordings that now sounded dated, only because they were mastered at a time when technology was at it's best for being in the twentieth century. My review here might sound slanted a bit. I admit to being an old time Alice Cooper listener, and also to digging better sounding stereo equipment. I’m still dragging my feet in MP3 Land. The only thing I feel should be compressed is waste products, not music. MP3 music brings back the memories of transistor radios with a crappy speaker (broadcast in wonderful mono). I know the words and music to Alice Cooper's Billion Dollar Babies by heart. I also probably know more then the average Sick Thing when it comes to the band Alice Cooper, and the original bands music catalog. I’ve never seen myself as a fanatic though. My association with Sick Things (fans of Alice Cooper) has gone from rather well to horribly wrong. In all that time, I had a few entertaining moments meeting members of the original group and hanging out with them for a spell. I’ve conducted / coordinated interviews with Michael Bruce and Neal Smith. I also did a beer and a cigarette run for Glen Buxton (RIP).

I'd like to meet Dennis Dunaway and Alice (formerly Vincent Damon Furnier) one day. So, before you are my credentials for reviewing this SACD. A story that needed to be told, especially if you the reader were so inclined as to like and follow up after reading by buying if you have not already, this new SACD. For the record, the Alice Cooper band sixth studio album, Billion Dollar Babies, was a team Alice project. All involved from Shep Gordon in management, to the albums producer Bob Ezrin, deserve credit in this being as successful as it was. Plus some additional musicians that played shall we say, a tad under the radar, and contributed to the best of their abilities, such as Donovan, Steve Hunter, Dick Wagner, and the much underrated talents of Mick Mashbir and Bob Dolin, who went on a few years later to form a band called Billion Dollar Babies, with original Cooper members Bruce, Dunaway, and Smith. They did one album called Battle Axe. It would be wonderful if Steve Hoffman could re-master Cooper’s Muscle Of Love and the band Billion Dollar Babies Battle Axe in the same way. Anyway, the BIG secret at the time was that lead guitarist was having health issues.

Explains the other hands in the BDB project. All that mattered was the end result, with everyone being a team player focused on making the best Alice Cooper record they could. In a imagined That Metal Show showdown, Billion Dollar Babies would surely be a contender as one of Alice's best, with or without the original band. Comparison: I enter as exhibit A the original Billion Dollars Babies CD that Warner Brothers first offered. Exhibit B is the Rhino 2001 two CD re-mastered version. Exhibit C is the new SACD put out just recently by Audio Fidelity. Exhibit A has been played in the presence of Glen Buxton, Michael Bruce, and Neal Smith without them saying anything bad about the audio. All discs are in near mint or mint condition. The Uncle G Music Collection is kept up nicely and stored in a dry and cool place. Playback of each disc was done on a real home stereo (Sony – Phillips) and on a Blu-ray player (was lunch time and the living room was more convenient having a meal in then our home office). I would like to make clear...NEVER ONE TIME...was any of these versions of Billion Dollar Babies heard via a computer.

Am sure the iTunes version is cool and all, but that's not really what this is about. First off, it's considered an honor that a company like Audio Fidelity would be interested in re-issuing any CD. I see it as a way to properly preserve and recreate with newer technology what was not available at the time. In my mind, there is no improving the work Bob Ezrin or all those that helped make this brilliant album did. What Steve Hoffman and Audio Fidelity materialized forty years after the Billion Dollars Babies release, let’s find out. Uncle G reviews Alice Cooper – Billion Dollar Babies (2014 Audio Fidelity) The first thing I did was listen to the Warner Brothers CD of Alice Cooper – Billion Dollar Babies. My earliest comparison would be that of the CD to the memories of the Billion Dollar Babies album I grew up listening to. The CD had its advantages. No flipping the album over from Side A to Side B. No skipping anywhere. The stereo mix was the same as I remembered from the album. No difference in clarity that I could remember. I took care of my turntables and records.

Back in the 80's / 90's my home stereo was made up of either Pioneer or Kenwood equipment. I admit, more convenient to have on Compact Disc. Seems to play / sound the same each and every time. The original released CD to the Rhino version, I found interesting. Of course, the Rhino edition is presented LOUDER. The re-mastering process isn't bass-friendly all the time. That can be evident on the albums closing number, ‘I Love The Dead’. The plus side is a fuller sound in parts, especially in the piano lead homage to transvestites, a show-tune called ‘Mary Ann’. Wake the kids and gather the folks from the hood, it's Hybrid SACD Time!! First off, I took care in opening it. Artwork from the album is re-created, and much to my surprise and approval, so is the BILLION Dollar bill that came inside the album that I of course, taped to my teenaged self’s bedroom wall. The one included today is suitable for framing. My SACD was numbered; “Limited Edition 1101.” I took pictures, I was so impressed.

Pressing the play button, the first song on Billion Dollar Babies ‘Hello Hooray’ begins to play. My hand reaches for the volume knob. I turn it up from 2 to 3, and then 4. No distortion. It's not as much in the red as Rhino's re-mastering job. At this point, I have all three versions of BDB in separate CD trays and can pause and play from any of the three, at any time. It's obvious the SACD is superior and that's just hearing the first song. The second track ‘Raped and Freezin' proves it more. Keyboards in the background are clearer after the 2 minute mark, as is Alice's vocals all throughout. Track three is ‘Elected’. Alice's vocals mostly come out the left speaker and the music mostly on the right. Listening in any format, it was always due to a placement of speakers as to if I could clearly make out every lyric, and even the political banter at the end. It's all good here on the SACD release. Remember we have two vital ingredients to Alice Cooper; audio and visual. Every word Alice sings is important, for they paint a visual in which the music helps to project.

These songs are like tiny plays. It's theater for the mind. Some might have labeled Alice Cooper art rock because of this, but most just saw them as a hard rock act, even when touring with a guillotine and an electric chair as props. Not exactly the same as Deep Purple being a real hard rock act. KISS was Alice on steroids times four. And what drama they ended up being. I noticed when all three CDs were in my players that I had three different total times on display. The Rhino / Warner Archives comes in at 41:05 – original Warner Brothers version at 41:08, and the new SACD leads the pack at 41:14. I asked myself why that was. Easy explanation concerning the extra five seconds between original BDB and the Steve Hoffman mastered one. The Hybrid SACD version kept in the studio banter found before the song, ‘Billion Dollar Babies’. It goes something like this: “OK I need one more. Tape four Dolby version.” Could it be Mr. Ezrin in the control booth? I LIKE rarities, and it sure does sound RARE, for it didn't appear on the BDB album I had as a teenager.

Don't know why it was included here on the hybrid SACD, but as a purist, I don't really dig it being there. So much for a perfect 5 star review. The song itself sounds GREAT!! It's a real hard-rocking drum song, and Alice Cooper's drummer Neal Smith simply smokes on this one. I CRANKED the volume up listening to it. When I listen to Alice Cooper, so do my neighbors. I can report no other audio ID surprises. I feel weird bitching, but it is what it is. I’m just not used to that being inserted before hearing Neal's drum intro after the lapse of silence in-between songs. Maybe I’m a tad anal? Because of the type of record this is, I feel it ruins the atmosphere that the songs played before this one set up. The mind should be fully focused, and it kills the concentration. Saying that I must point out that it's easily re-established once the number starts up. ‘No More Mr. Nice Guy’ gives me the opportunity to say that without the song writing ability of Michael Bruce, the successful writing team of Bruce / Cooper would not have ever existed.

Michael Bruce's real talent is to write music that remains in your head long after the song had stopped playing. Alice knew / knows how to make a song his own by creating words and phrases his onstage character could react to. And here's how you got one hit composition after another. The same formula is used on Welcome 2 My Nightmare with the newest Bruce / Cooper composition (with the additional help of Bob Ezrin) being ‘When Hell Comes Home’. This is the FIRST a Alice Cooper record charted in the Top 25 since Trash. Congratulations to all involved. Also worth mentioning in the song ‘No More Mr. Nice Guy’ is Dennis Dunaway's bass and how clear one can hear his playing, not only on this song but throughout the whole SACD release. Dennis' bass work is simply superb. Explains why he was consistently at the top of the best bass player polls in those 1970 rock magazines year in and year out. ‘Generation Landslide’ is the next song and sounds as crisp as I’ve ever heard it. Followed by The Cooper's heartfelt appreciation to their fans, a rather darker number called ‘Sick Things’.

Pay attention, for the work of Glen Buxton can be heard, as can be said on the albums closer ‘I Love The Dead’. Minor contributions but important ones nevertheless. Would be Glen's last time working on a Cooper project. Dude's really no where to be found on the originals band next, and last Alice Cooper album, Muscle Of Love. For the louder I played this CD, the clearer the music became. Enjoyed it to its last lyric and closing note. Rating: Using the one to five star rating system, Uncle G gives Alice Cooper – Billion Dollar Babies (2014 Audio Fidelity) – mastered by Steve Hoffman, 4.75 stars. It's perfect in every way except well...you know (see above). Billion Dollar Babies - 必应 Sign in Billion Dollar Babies "Billion Dollar Babies" is a popular 1973 single by rock group Alice Cooper, taken from the album Billion Dollar Babies. It was released in July 1973, months after the album had been released. The track is a duet between Alice Cooper and Donovan, who provides the falsetto vocals.

BMI lists the composers of "Billion Dollar Babies" as Alice Cooper, Michael Bruce and Reggie Vinson (a session guitarist who had worked with the Alice Cooper band previously.). Some sources list the composers as Cooper, Bruce, drummer Neal Smith, and "R. Reggi ... (展开) e," the latter being an allusion to Vinson's nickname "Rockin' Reggie Vinson.". The chorus has the same melody as The Hollies' 1966 song "Tell Me to My Face." Billion Dollar Babies also became the name of a band which descended from the Alice Cooper band that recorded the song. The Billion Dollar Babies album was one of the last recorded by the Alice Cooper band, before singer Alice Cooper went solo. Legal complications ensued; all five Alice Cooper band members had shared ownership of the band's name. The original band never again recorded under the name Alice Cooper, but former Alice Cooper Band members Michael Bruce, Dennis Dunaway, and Neal Smith, along with additions Bob Dolin, Stu Daye and Mike Marconi, recorded as Billion Dollar Babies. . The band Billion Dollar Babies only released one album, 1977's Battle Axe, before disbanding.

Billion Dollar Babies Recording and production Drummer Neal Smith has said that the album can be traced back to the song "Caught in a Dream" from the album Love It to Death. The first recording sessions for the album took place in Greenwich, Connecticut in a mansion called the Galecie Estate. To achieve certain vocal sounds and echos, microphones were run through rooms of various sizes and a greenhouse. Others sessions were held at Morgan Studios in London, where singer Donovan contributed to the album by singing on its title track. The album was produced by Bob Ezrin with Gerry Lyon as assistant in New York, Connecticut and London. Guitarists Glen Buxton and Michael Bruce both used Gibson SGs for the album. Two more guitarists, Dick Wagner and Steve Hunter, were also featured on the album to help cover for Buxton who at the time was suffering from pancreatitis. A Quadraphonic mix of the album was released on both 8-Track and reel-to-reel format, as well as vinyl. This features radically different mixes of all of the songs, including different vocal tracks ("Raped And Freezin'"), unfaded endings ("Generation Landslide"), and editing ("I Love The Dead").

Alice's lead vocals are more upfront in the mix than the stereo mix. This mix of the album has remained unreleased in any digital format; much to the chagrin of die-hard Alice Cooper Group fans. Billion Dollar Babies Lyrical themes and subjects The album's title comes from the fact that Alice Cooper and the band were surprised about their success. Cooper related: "How could we, this band that two years ago was living in the Chambers Brothers' basement in Watts, be the Number one band in the world, with people throwing money at us." The title was also later used as the name of the group Neal Smith, Dennis Dunaway, and Michael Bruce formed after Alice Cooper band had split up. Cooper says "The whole idea behind the Billion Dollar Babies album was exploiting the idea that people do have sick perversions." Alice Cooper, who wrote the majority of the album's lyrics, cited Chuck Berry as a key influence on his writing. "Hello Hooray", the album's opening track, was written by Canadian singer/songwriter Rolf Kempf and was previously recorded by Judy Collins.

The band wanted their version of the song to sound like "Alice Cooper meets Cabaret." The album's third track, "Elected", is a rewrite of an earlier song by the band entitled "Reflected". "Raped and Freezin'" has been called a "hilarious and gorgeously catchy" take on the idea of sexual harassment by PopMatters's Jason Thompson "Unfinished Sweet" is about visiting a dentist with sound effects recorded by Gerry Lyon. The title track was co-written by Reggie Vinson (credited on original pressings of the album as "R. Reggie," i.e., "Rockin' Reggie Vinson"), who had played guitar on and performed vocals for School's Out. Donovan described the song as a "horror story song". The album's closing track, "I Love the Dead", is a tongue-in-cheek song about necrophilia. Billion Dollar Babies Touring After the album was released, the band embarked on a tour which broke the United States box office records previously held by the Rolling Stones and included a scheduled 64 concerts in 59 cities in 90 days.

The gross revenue of the tour was anticipated to be close to $20 million, but only about $4 million was achieved. Cooper hired magician James Randi to design effects for the show, and Randi traveled with the tour to supervise and coordinate the effects. Randi even played a role in the stage show as "The Executioner". The live performances featured Cooper wearing a costume with fake blood stains at the crotch, tearing apart baby dolls, attacking mannequins, and being decapitated by a guillotine. Cooper has said that the mutilation of the dolls symbolize child neglect. Between 40 and 50 people were employed and 26,000 pounds of equipment were used.

In preparation for the tour, two semi-trailer trucks carried a wide variety of props including a dentists drill, four whips, a surgical table, six hatchets, 33,000 program books, 300 baby dolls, 22,000 sparklers, 58 mannequins, 280 spare light bulbs, 1,000 patches, 6,000 mirror parts, 14 bubble machines, 28 gallons of bubble juice, and 250,000 packages of bubble bath. Billion Dollar Babies Reception and influence Billion Dollar Babies was commercially more successful than Cooper's previous albums; it went to No. 1 in both the United Kingdom and United States. The album's singles "Elected", "Hello Hooray", "Billion Dollar Babies", and "No More Mr. Nice Guy", all became hits on the Billboard Hot 100. In March 1973 the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America and in 1986, it went platinum.

In a contemporary review for Creem magazine, Robert Christgau said that Billion Dollar Babies is Cooper's "most consistent album", even though it lacks a song as strong as "School's Out". In a retrospective review, AllMusic's Greg Prato awarded the album four and a half out of five stars and called it "one of Cooper's very best; it remains one of rock's all-time, quintessential classics." Jason Thompson of popmatters praised the album, saying it was "arguably the original Alice Cooper Group's best album." However, The Rolling Stone Album Guide (2004) was less positive about the album, giving it two and a half stars and criticizing songs like "I Love the Dead" for being "predictable". Daniel Bukszpan, the author of The Encyclopedia of Heavy Metal, called it a "classic" and "arguably the original band's finest offering." In 2005, Billion Dollar Babies was ranked number 283 in Rock Hard magazine's book of The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time. Chris Cornell of Soundgarden stated that it was one of his favorite records.

In an interview with SPIN Magazine in 1989, he commented that: “When I was in junior high, every Friday the teachers would let the kids play their favorite records. I brought in Billion Dollar Babies [Alice Cooper, 1973] and they wouldn’t let me play it. They never vetoed anyone’s choice before. It was then I knew that rock’n’roll could scare the fuck out of certain people.” The Norwegian group Turbonegro made a song called "Zillion Dollar Sadist" as a tribute to Billion Dollar Babies. David Byrne of Talking Heads has said that the album inspired him to write the song, "Psycho Killer". Swiss industrial black metal group Samael did a cover of the song "I Love the Dead" on their Rebellion EP. Billion Dollar Babies References ^ a b c d Prato, Greg. "allmusic (((Billion Dollar Babies > Overview)))". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 August 2010. ^ Neill, Andrew; Kent, Matthew (2009). Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere: The Complete Chronicle of THE WHO 1958-1978. Sterling Publishing. p.219.

ISBN1-4027-6691-2. ^ a b c d e Hall, Russell. "Alice Cooper’s Billion Dollar Babies: Gibson’s Classic Album of the Month". Gibson Guitar Corporation. Retrieved 2 August 2010. ^ Stanton, Scott (2003). The Tombstone Tourist: Musicians. Pocket Books. p.296. ISBN0-7434-6330-7. ^ Dansby, Andrew. "Alice Cooper ready to bring mayhem to Houston". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 3 August 2010. ^ a b Henderson, Alex. "allmusic (((The Billion Dollar Babies > Overview)))". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 August 2010. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "BBB" defined multiple times with different content (see the help page). ^ Morgan, Jeffrey. "CREEM ONLINE: Marilyn Manson — The Golden Age Of Grotesque". Creem. Retrieved 3 August 2010. ^ Cooper, Alice; Zimmerman, Kent; Zimmerman, Keith (2007).

Alice Cooper, Golf Monster: A Rock 'n' Roller's Life and 12 Steps to Becoming a Golf Addict. Crown Publishers. p.100. ISBN978-0-307-38291-7. ^ a b c d Thompson, Jason. "Alice Cooper: Billion Dollar Babies – PopMatters Music Review". PopMatters. Retrieved 2 August 2010. ^ Fishwick, Marshall William; Browne, Ray Broadus (1987). The God Pumpers: Religion in the Electronic Age. Bowling Green State University Popular Press. p.150. ISBN0-87972-400-5. ^ Bowe, Brian J. "CREEM ONLINE: Donovan – Molten Truths". Creem. Retrieved 14 August 2010. ^ Waksman, Steve (2009). This Ain't the Summer of Love: Conflict and Crossover in Heavy Metal and Punk. University of California Press. p.70. ISBN978-0-520-25310-0.

^ a b c d Konow, Daivd (2002). Bang Your Head: The Rise and Fall of Heavy Metal. p.41. ISBN0-609-80732-3. ^ Pevere, Geoff (August 8, 2014). "An Honest Liar: An expose of trickery". The Globe and Mail. ^ Curtis, James M. (1987). Rock Eras: Interpretations of Music and Society, 1954–1984. Bowling Green State University Popular Press. p.257. ISBN0-87972-368-8. ^ Campbell, Mary (22 June 1975). "Alice Wants To Be Establishment". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. ^ Sippel, John (29 September 1973). "Travel Costs Acts $20–30 Mil Yearly". Billboard. ^ a b Christgau, Robert (August 1973). "The Christgau Consumer Guide". Creem. Retrieved April 27, 2014.

^ a b Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon & Schuster. p.12. ISBN0-7432-0169-8. ^ a b c d e "allmusic (((Alice Cooper > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles)))". AllMusic. Retrieved 13 August 2010. ^ "RIAA – Gold & Platinum". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 14 August 2010. ^ Bukszpan, Daniel; James Dio, Ronnie (2003). The Encyclopedia of Heavy Metal. Barnes & Noble Publishing Inc. p.40. ISBN0-7607-4218-9. ^ [...], Rock Hard (Hrsg.). [Red.: Michael Rensen. Mitarb.: Götz Kühnemund] (2005). Best of Rock & Metal die 500 stärksten Scheiben aller Zeiten. Königswinter: Heel. p.99. ISBN3-89880-517-4.

^ Corcoran, Michael (December 1989). "Northwest of Hell". Spin. pp.41–43. ^ Begrand, Adrien. "Turbonegro: Ass Cobra / Apocalypse Dudes – PopMatters Music Review". PopMatters. Retrieved 1 August 2010. ^ Jackson, Blair. "Classic Tracks: Talking Heads' "Psycho Killer"". Mix. Retrieved 13 August 2010. ^ Prato, Greg. "allmusic (((Billion Dollar Babies Deluxe Edition > Overview)))". AllMusic. Retrieved 13 August 2010. ^ a b "allmusic (((Billion Dollar Babies > Credits)))". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 August 2010. ^ "charts.de". Retrieved 1 June 2013. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2001 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Alice Cooper – Billion Dollar Babies". Music Canada. ^ "American album certifications – Alice Cooper – Billion Dollar Babies". Recording Industry Association of America.

If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH Early Days On The Road | Tour Dates | Alice Cooper eChive Early Days On The Road Spend The Night with Alice Cooper If you know of a concert appearance by Alice that is missing from this collection of dates, please contact me with the details. I'm also always looking for scans of ticket stubs and posters... Special thanks to Karl Speck, Brian Mcfadden, Steve Wall, Stephan Wendal, Lance hall, Adam Joffrain, James Cosper, Steve Maclennan, Ron Pesch, Mark Marovitch, Christophe Crompin, Mike Elder and everyone else that I'm shamefully forgetting to mention who has helped over the years. Early Days On The Road (1964 - 1968) Performing As The Earwigs 1964 - 1965 The Earwigs formed in the early to middle part of 1964 to play a Letterman Talent Show at Cortex High School in Phoenix, Arizona. The band simply mimed to a Beatles tape.

The band are most commonly known to have consisted of Vincent Furnier, Dennis Dunaway, John Speer, John Tatum, Glen Buxton. SickThingsUK has discovered that there were actually two Letterman performances. The first, where they mimed to the Beatles tape, was a disaster and they came in last. Peter Williams played drums on this occasion and left the band after this appearance, to be replaced by John Tatum. Only Glen and John Tantum could play at this point, the rest of the band still had to learn. In a Cortez High School newspaper report dated 16th October 1964 the rest of band had only just recently learn to play their instruments. The band performed in bright yellow jackets with black turtle neck sweaters. Songs Performed Unknown; but it can be assumed it was British Invasion bands that were of interest to the band at this point. 1964 Unknown ??: USA - Phoenix Star Club, Phoenix, Arizona Performing As The Spiders 1966 - 1967 At this point the band still consisted of Vincent Furnier, Dennis Dunaway, John Speer, John Tatum, Glen Buxton.

Although John Tatum left in the Summer of '66 and was replaced by Michael Bruce. The band recorded two single in the year that they were known as The Spiders. Why Don't You Love Me / Hitch Hike featuring the first line-up, and Don't Blow Your Mind / No Price Tag which was recorded with the second line-up; both singles are needless to say, very sought after. Of interest to those with shallow pockets, the Don't Blow Your Mind single was recently re-released by the Garage Greats, and Why Don't You Love Me was released as a 4-track single in 1998 by Sundazed. The band would perform with a big spider web as their backdrop. Songs Performed The band are still playing cover songs, but are starting to write their own material as well. SickthingsUK states that the following songs were being played by the band at this point: Lil' Red Rooster, Love that Dirty Water, Hey Mona!, Midnight Hour, Louie Louie, Route 66, Stormy Monday, 19th Nervous Breakdown, I'm a Man and Love Potion Number 9.

There are also bootleg recordings in circulation, either as demos or live, which include the following songs: Dear Dad (originally by Chuck Berry), I'm Cryin' (originally by The Animals), Surprise Suprise (originally by The Rolling Stones), Oh Baby (We Got A Good Thing Going) (originally by The Rolling Stones), As Tears Go By (originally by The Rolling Stones), Baby Lets Wait (orginally by The Rascals), Talk Talk, Cheatin', I'm A Man, Smokestack Lightning, I Need You, Down The Road A Piece (originally by The Rolling Stones), Where You From (an original number, later to be known as Below Your Means), and Stop, Look and Listen (an original number). 1966 August ??: USA - Albuquerque, New Mexico Performing As The Nazz 1967 - 1968 At this point the band still consisted of Vincent Furnier, Dennis Dunaway, John Speer, Michael Bruce, Glen Buxton. Although John Speer was to leave in late '67 to be replaced by Neal Smith.

This line-up would remain until 1974, although additonal musicians were brought in to help out when Glen was experiencing problems. The name The Nazz was taken from the Yardbirds song called "The Nazz Are Blue". The name was changed in early 1968 when Todd Rundgeon's band of the same name started to gain some attention. The band recorded one single as The Nazz, Wonder Who's Loving Her Now / Lay Down And Die Goodbye which was released in 1967; another much sought after single. Songs Performed: More original material flowing in to the sets... a lot of material that would eventually show up on Pretties For You and Easy Action. 1967 August ??: USA - Cheetah, Los Angeles, California Date could possibly be 6th, 13th, 20th, or the 27th Tour Materials Performing As Alice Cooper 1968-1974 At this point the band were now a cohesive unit, and there were no more changes to the bands official line-up.

This would remain until early in 1974 when Alice Cooper the group disbanded to do their own projects and take some time off, never to return. The bands first gig as Alice Cooper was advertised as The Nazz, between the time the poster had been printed and the show was due to start, the band had changed its name. Their last gig as the Alice Cooper group was on 8th April 1974, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Songs Performed: Unknown for sure, but at this point it's likely to be Pretties For You set list that is being performed. 1968 March Alice Cooper releases Billion Dollar Babies | World History Project Feb 25 1973 Alice Cooper releases Billion Dollar Babies Billion Dollar Babies is an album by American hard rock band Alice Cooper, released in 1973. The album became the best selling Alice Cooper record at the time of its release, hit number one on the album charts in both the United States and the United Kingdom, and went on to be certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.

The album was heavily praised by such critics as Robert Christgau, Greg Prato of allmusic, and Jason Thompson of popmatters, but Rolling Stone gave the album only two and a half stars. Songs were recorded in both the state of Connecticut and London, England. Lyrics cover topics and themes such as necrophilia, the fear of dentists, horror, and a comedic take on sexual harassment. Source: Wikipedia Added by: John Related Topics Alice Cooper: Billion Dollar Babies - Music on Google Play ( 66) Description Billion Dollar Babies is the sixth studio album by American rock band Alice Cooper, released in 1973. The album became the best selling Alice Cooper record at the time of its release, hit number one on the album charts in both the United States and the United Kingdom, and went on to be certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The album was well received by such critics as Robert Christgau, Greg Prato of AllMusic, and Jason Thompson of popmatters, but Rolling Stone gave the album only two and a half stars. Songs were recorded in both the state of Connecticut and London, England.

Lyrics cover topics and themes such as necrophilia, the fear of dentists, horror, and sexual harassment. SickthingsUK - THE Unofficial Alice Cooper Site Warner Bros/Suzy (Light Green Label) Slightly different front cover, different back cover The Cover The baby in the cover pictures was a girl by the name of Lola Pfeiffer. She was the daughter of Carolyn Pfeiffer who handled Alice's PR in the UK. The baby died a few years later from a disease. David Bailey took the photographs for 'Billion Dollar Babies'. He is one of the most famous photographers in the world. The band ran into problems with some of the photos on the sleeve. There is a law in the US which requires FBI approval on reproduction of photos of United States currency. Dennis Dunaway tells a story about the photo shoot. Apparently the band borrowed exactly one million dollars for the shoot and sent it down in an armored car with their own security. When the money was counted up at the end of the shoot, $10 dollars was missing and he says "Glen just couldn`t resist" although others say it was eventually found in a light fitting.

The Album Rolf Kempf, who wrote 'Hello Hooray', is a Canadian songwriter. The song was originally performed by Judy Collins. Legend has it that it was Rolling Stone [Magazine] that inspired Alice to write "No More Mr. Nice Guy" (Renfield, April 1996) In 'Elected', where did the announcer breaks come from? Were they actual campaign announcements or was the effect created by someone specifically for the song. If so, who provides the radio man's voice? Good question. This is addressed in the Circus bio. When they came up with the idea to record an announcer, they wanted to get the actual guy. Check it out: Walter Winchell (1897-1972). Irreverent, opinionated, controversial, and audacious -- all these describe the radio personality of newspaper columnist Walter Wenches. Whether they loved him or hated him, millions of people listened to his 15-minute broadcasts from New York City on Sunday nights from 1932 until the early 1950s.

After he left radio he was the unseen narrator of the television series The Untouchables from 1959 until 1963. Above all, Winchell was a New Yorker: he knew the city, its personalities, its theater, its clubs, and its crime as well as anyone could. Winchell's rapid-fire delivery of news items opened with the tapping of telegraph keys and "Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. North and South America and all ships at sea, let's go to press -- FLASH!" In 1965 he retired to Los Angeles, Calif., where he died on Feb. 20, 1972. Interestingly, they went to go hire him for the album and found out he was dead. Check out the date he died. Right around the same time 'Elected' was recorded. (Renfield, October 1996) Alice has stated that 'Mary Ann' was written about infamous UK moral crusader Mary Whitehouse. But it was originally rather different: "The song "Maryanne" was originally written as a Vietnam protest song!

The lyrics went something like this:"Uncle Sam, I'm really sad about you, indeed I am, I just can't be around you, Uncle Sam I thought you were...a man." ( Michael Bruce on the phone to a Sickthing, March 1997) 'Elected' had its roots in 'Reflected' on ' Pretties For You '. During the London sessions for 'Billion Dollar Babies', there was a famous 'superstar jam' session which featured the band with Keith Moon (drums), Rick Grech (bass), Marc Bolan (guitar), Donovan and Harry Nilsson(vocals). Contrary to popular belief, none of the songs were Alice Cooper songs or soon-to-be Alice Cooper songs. It was the group of them just goofing around with songs and getting drunk (much to Bob Ezrin's disappointment, who had hoped to capture something useable on tape). Some of it is jamming to old standards (ex. Elvis tunes) with improvised and sometimes crude lyrical changes. Is there any recording of that historical event? Yes, but none of it is coherent enough to include on the box set .

(Renfield, September 1996) Marc Bolan did not play on the record. One evening at the studio (Morgan Studios, Nov` 73) in London, he came by with Rick Gretch (Blind Faith). Mike Bruce and Dennis Dunaway had left for the day. I was waiting to do some overdubs. I asked Marc if he wanted to jam, and his eyes lit up. Neal was still here. I started playing a riff with a "Bang a Gong"( Marc's BIG hit) vibe. Rick Gretch picked up the bass and we were off. After about an hour Alice, Keith Moon and Harry Neilson showed up quite, shall we say, Happy! They started to sing along. Bob Ezrin got very excited. Super group jams were very big at that time. He had the tape rolling. Well Keith Moon started singing "I blew a dog"" . Ezrin freaked out and tossed everyone out. I have never been credited with starting that jam or even playing .. but there ya go.

(Mick Mashbir, June 1998) The "drunken jam" is also mentioned in the book 'Marc Bolan:The Rise and Fall of a 20th Century Superstar' by Mark Paytress. "...............Marc had begun sitting in on sessions with other musicians. A London jam with Alice Cooper the previous October featuring Nilsson, Keith Moon, Flo & Eddie and bassist Rick Grech was high spirited, but according to Alice, comprised little more than some 'old Elvis songs, and a half hour version of Coconuts - a dirty version'. None of it was releasable." The second voice on 'Billion Dollar Babies' is Donovan . In concert, Michael Bruce sang Donovan's lines. 'No More Mr Nice Guy' was actually written around the time of ' Killer ' but wasn`t considered in line with the theme for either that album or ' School`s Out '. The main verse and structure of 'Sick Things' is remarkably similar to a piece of music used in the film 'IF..' featuring Clockwork Orange star Malcolm McDowell. The Choral piece is called "Sanctus" from "Missa Luba, An African Mass" and the backing and vocal line at one point are almost identical.

A promotional LP called Versierschijf Volume 1 was released on Scandecor records in 1973 in Holland and features an interview with the band around 72-73. One side has the interview and one side has the story of Alice Cooper in Dutch with funny (well, funny at the time) effects. The LP came with a poster and features an oversized label with a hole in the vinyl so you could hang the LP on the wall once you were finished listening to it (obviously Scandecor realized no one was going to listen to the LP twice). The intention was to release a series of Versierschijven, but this idea didn't quite make it and the Cooper one is the only one released. (Freek Kinkelaar, Netherlands) Billion Dollar Babies 2001 Reissue This new addition of the album (Warner Archives/Rhino 8122-79791-2) featured deluxe packaging and a bonus disc of live tracks from the same shows as were recorded for 'Good To See You Again. Alice Cooper'. It was also issued on DVD-Audio(also with some of the live tracks).

The DVD version uses the original Quadraphonic mixes and has some extra features. These features will play on a DVD-Audio player only: "Elected" music video - No big deal since we have this on Prime Cuts. Audio Interview With Alice: "Hear Alice comment on the concept and making of the Billion Dollar Babies album, the tour, the politics of the time, the real Alice vs. the stage persona, and other revealing insights from the father of 'shock rock.'" - It would have been nice to hear this. Photo Gallery And Lyrics - I would love to see what photos are in there. The packaging contains the same liner notes and photos as the remastered CD.

The bonus/live tracks on the CD are: Hello Hooray (Houston `73) Billion Dollar Babies (Houston `73) Elected (Houston `73) I`m Eighteen (Houston `73) Raped and Freezin' (Houston `73) No More Mr Nice Guy (Houston `73) My Stars (Houston `73) I Love The Dead (Houston `73) Coal Black Model T (a early version of Slick Black Limo) Son Of Billion Dollar Babies (Generation Landslide Outtake) Slick Black Limousine (Venues are suggested, not definitive. These are not the exact same versions that are in the film. The film tracks appear to be 1 from Dallas, 2 from Houston, 3-9 from Dallas, 10-11 from Houston with the final School's Out and Under My Wheels(not on CD) from Dallas. The Nixon skit at the end of the movie is likely to have been filmed at Madison Square Garden) It`s also worth mentioning that while many sources say Glen Buxton was unwell during the tour and was turned down in the live mix, three guitars are clearly heard during the remixed live disc.

The Tour The 'Billion Dollar Babies' tour started out as a project called 'Alice At The Palace'. It was going to be a Broadway type production, choreographed by 'Follies' star Michael Bennet, at the Palace Theatre but the Palace pulled out. They changed the venue a 1700 seater Broadway Theatre for five day in mid-February 1972 but that was canceled too, according to Joe Greenberg , because too many ticket requests were received to make it feasible. He said that without any advertising, they had received 33,000 requests for tickets and couldn't guarantee security if irate fans descended on the Theatre. In the end the 'Billion Dollar Babies' US tour began instead. The 'Alice At The Palace' idea continued to be talked about for a few years to come but never happened. (Source: Newspaper Report) The tour didn't get outside of America but Alice did do a promotional trip in early '74 which included interviews on 'The Old Grey Whistle Test', Radio One, and Radio Luxembourg. Nixon was portrayed by a famous Nixon look-a-like. He used the stage name 'Richard Dixon'.

(Renfield, July 1995) This was also the tour on which Alice wore those famous leopard skin boots. Rock Scene - September 1973 (their typos): ..Especially on boys like Roger Manzeur (who will call himself Flash) and David Carter who are members of ZOOOM, a "glitter/teenybopper/top forty" band who idolize the likes of Alice . . . Bowie . . . all that. They were in silver from top to toe, and they're in Atlanta "getting it together" as it were. They made Alice a present of the most spectacularly grotesque pair of thigh high leopard skin six inch high heeled platform boots ever worn by man, woman or child. Alice if course, is THRILLED - he goes right into the bathroom of his suite (already crowded with people) to try them on with denims, and comes out smiling. "Aren't these HORRIBLE???", he grins, tremendously pleased. "These are STAGE. Tomorrow night for sure, ON STAGE with THESE boots!" Everyone smiles - the boots certainly are a splendid example of bad taste.

Alice, all dressed up in his new footwear, is now ready to hit the local spot for some serious drinking. Limousines are collected, the entourage assembles, we are off to party. The next night Alice gets ready in the dressing room of the Omni Arena. He applies black lipstick and fake blood to his white leotard and tights . . . smudging it in real good and then ripping his clothes in shreds here and there. "I refuse to go on unless my clothes are dirty," he says seriously. And of course, it is the Debut Of The Boots. Al Kooper comes in to say hello and stares at the boots. Alice practices walking around in them and stands next to Neil Smith. He is almost as tall as Neil. Almost. Billion Dollar Babies Spring Tour 1973 In addition to the band members, the tour also featured: Under My Wheels God Bless America - Kate Smith impersonator on tape 'Unfinished Sweet' saw the start of the real theatrics with Alice starting on a silver dentists tab le and Cindy Smith appearing dressed as a giant tooth which Alice proceeded to brush with a giant toothbrush before seeming to sexually assault the poor tooth.

Returning to the table, The Amazing Randi appears dressed as a crazed dentist with a giant dentists drill and proceeds to use it on Alice who rows around in mock-agony. 'No More Mr Nice Guy' follows before the stage is plunged into darkness. Lasers cut through the smoke as Mussorsky's 'Night On Bald Mountain' blasted over the P.A. Strobe lights flashed as plastic body parts were placed around the stage by the road crew ready for part two of the show, piling the limbs and torsos up and using them to hit each other in some macabre nightmare. Alice reappeared in black leather outfit with the Snake for 'Sick Things' before the slow bass intro to 'Dead Babies' raised the level again, Alice molesting dolls and torsos at the stage front to the open mouthed astonishment of the audience. He spat on them, caressed them. 'I Love The Dead' began with Alice as the cloth covered Guillotine was wheeled out with Randi as the hooded executioner. Alice placed his neck on the block (Michael Bruce continued singing while Alice mimed) and Randi pulled the rope, bringing down the blade to leave Alice twitching on the platform.

The music switched to a tape as the band came down from there platforms and Randi pulled out the severed head and held it aloft. The Lights went out as 'Night On Bald Mountain' again echoed through the hall. Show over, Alice punished for his crimes. Of course they were all back a few minutes later for 'School`s Out' with Alice in the now traditional top hat, tails and cane as balloons burst and fake money fell. He also had an armful of posters which which he teased the audience. Alice grew to fear this part of the show, always waiting for someone from the audience to grab him and pull him down. He talked to the audience though, goading them on to greater zeal and declaring the famous quote "You`re All Crazier Then I Am". And then it was over. Kate Smith`s version of 'God Bless America' played and the band took their bows. A some shows a Richard Nixon (Santa Claus on the Muscle Of Love Holiday Tour) walked on stage only to be beaten up by the band and carried off while still smiling and flashing peace signs.

(Report based on work by Andy Michael) Alice Cooper | New Music And Songs | Alice Cooper About Alice Cooper Originally, there was a band called Alice Cooper led by a singer named Vincent Damon Furnier. Under his direction, Alice Cooper pioneered a grandly theatrical and violent brand of heavy metal that was designed to shock. Drawing equally from horror movies, vaudeville, heavy metal, and garage rock, the group created a stage show that featured electric chairs, guillotines, fake blood, and huge boa constrictors, all coordinated by the heavily made-up Furnier. By that time, Furnier had adopted the name for his androgynous on-stage personality. While the visuals were extremely important to the group's impact, the band's music was nearly as distinctive. Driven by raw, simple riffs and melodies that derived from '60s guitar pop as well as show tunes, it was rock & roll at its most basic and catchy, even when the band ventured into psychedelia and art rock.

After the original group broke up and Furnier began a solo career as Alice Cooper, his actual music lost most of its theatrical flourishes, becoming straightforward heavy metal, yet his stage show retained all of the trademark props that made him the king of shock rock. Furnier formed his first group, the Earwigs, as an Arizona teenager in the early '60s. Changing the band's name to the Spiders in 1965, the group was eventually called the Nazz (not to be confused with Todd Rundgren's band of the same name). The Spiders and the Nazz both released local singles that were moderately popular. In 1968, after discovering there was another band with the same name, the group changed its name to Alice Cooper. According to band legend, the name came to Furnier during a Ouija board session, where he was told he was the reincarnation of a 17th century witch of the same name. Comprised of vocalist Furnier -- who would soon begin calling himself Alice Cooper -- guitarist Mike Bruce, guitarist Glen Buxton, bassist Dennis Dunaway, and drummer Neal Smith, the group moved to California in 1968.

There, the group met Shep Gordon, who became their manager, and Frank Zappa, who signed Alice Cooper to his Straight Records imprint. Alice Cooper released their first album, Pretties for You, in 1969. Easy Action followed early in 1970, yet it failed to chart. The group's reputation in Los Angeles was slowly shrinking, so the band moved to Furnier's hometown of Detroit. For the next year, the group refined their bizarre stage show. Late in 1970, the group's contract was transferred to Straight's distributor Warner Bros., and they began recording their third album with producer Bob Ezrin. With Ezrin's assistance, Alice Cooper developed their classic heavy metal crunch on 1971's Love It to Death, which featured the number 21 hit single "Eighteen"; the album peaked at number 35 and went gold. The success enabled the group to develop a more impressive, elaborate live show, which made them highly popular concert attractions across the U.S. and eventually the U.K. Killer, released late in 1971, was another gold album.

Released in the summer of 1972, School's Out was Alice Cooper's breakthrough record, peaking at number two and selling over a million copies. The title song became a Top Ten hit in the U.S. and a number one single in the U.K. Billion Dollar Babies, released the following year, was the group's biggest hit, reaching number one in both America and Britain; the album's first single, "No More Mr. Nice Guy," became a Top Ten hit in Britain, peaking at number 25 in the U.S. Muscle of Love appeared late in 1973, yet it failed to capitalize on the success of Billion Dollar Babies. After Muscle of Love, Furnier and the rest of Alice Cooper parted ways to pursue other projects. Having officially changed his name to Alice Cooper, Furnier embarked on a similarly theatrical solo career; the rest of the band released one unsuccessful album under the name Billion Dollar Babies, while Mike Bruce and Neal Smith both recorded solo albums that were never issued. In the fall of 1974, a compilation of Alice Cooper's five Warner albums, entitled Alice Cooper's Greatest Hits, became a Top Ten hit.

For his first solo album, Welcome to My Nightmare, Cooper hired Lou Reed's backing band from Rock 'N' Roll Animal -- guitarists Dick Wagner and Steve Hunter, bassist Prakash John, keyboardist Joseph Chrowski, and drummer Penti Glan -- as his supporting group. Released in the spring of 1975, the record was similar to his previous work and it became a Top Ten hit in America, launching the hit acoustic ballad "Only Women Bleed." Its success put an end to any idea of reconvening Alice Cooper the band. Its follow-up, 1976's Alice Cooper Goes to Hell, was another hit, going gold in the U.S. After Alice Cooper Goes to Hell, Cooper's career began to slip, partially due to changing trends and partially due to his alcoholism. Cooper entered rehabilitation in 1978, writing an album about his treatment called From the Inside (1978) with Bernie Taupin, Elton John's lyricist. During the early '80s, Cooper continued to release albums and tour, yet he was no longer as popular as he was during his early-'70s heyday.

Cooper made a successful comeback in the late '80s, sparked by his appearances in horror films and a series of pop-metal bands that paid musical homage to his classic early records and concerts. Constrictor, released in 1986, began his comeback, but it was 1989's Trash that returned Cooper to the spotlight. Produced by the proven hitmaker Desmond Child, Trash featured guest appearances by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, and most of Aerosmith; the record became a Top Ten hit in Britain and peaked at number 20 in the U.S., going platinum. "Poison," a midtempo rocker featured on the album, became Cooper's first Top Ten single since 1977. After the release of Trash, he continued to star in the occasional film, tour, and record, although he wasn't able to retain the audience recaptured with Trash. Still, 1991's Hey Stoopid and 1994's The Last Temptation were generally solid, professional efforts that helped Cooper settle into a comfortable cult status without damaging the critical goodwill surrounding his '70s output.

After a live album, 1997's Fistful of Alice, Cooper returned on the smaller Spitfire label in 2000 with Brutal Planet and Dragontown a year later. The Eyes of Alice Cooper appeared in 2003 and found Alice and company playing a more stripped-down brand of near-garage rock. Dirty Diamonds from 2005 was nearly as raw and hit the streets around the same time Alice premiered his syndicated radio show, Nights with Alice Cooper. Three years later he returned with Along Came a Spider, a concept album that told the story of a spider-obsessed serial killer. In 2010, he released the live album Theatre of Death, along with a download-only EP of redone Cooper classics titled Alice Does Alice. 2011's Welcome 2 My Nightmare, a sequel to his 1975, conceptual classic of the same name (minus the 2), was recorded with longtime co-conspirator Bob Ezrin, and featured 14 brand new cuts that spanned multiple genres and relied on the talents of a host of previous members of the Alice Cooper band (including Steve Hunter), as well as a guest spot from pop superstar Ke$ha.

~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi

Question: Who released an album in 1973 called Billion Dollar Babies?
Answer: Alice Cooper