Shock Rock legend Alice Cooper will release his new album ‘Detroit Stories’ via earMUSIC on 26 February 2021, with the first track ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll’, featuring Joe Bonamassa, set to debut on 13 November 2020.
The album contains fifteen songs and there is a package which also includes a DVD film of the show ‘A Paranormal Evening At The Olympia Paris’ for the first time on video. This was the final show of Cooper’s 2017 Paranormal tour.
The album features appearances by original band members Michael Bruce, Dennis Dunaway and Neal Smith.
Speaking of Detroit, Alice told MetalTalk: “I was born here and so was the Sound and Spirit of Alice Cooper.”
Detroit was indeed the city which launched the Alice Cooper Band into the big time.
In 1970, abandoning the Los Angeles scene, Alice brought his band to Detroit where Bob Ezrin drilled the band for ten hours a day working to define their signature sound.
Alice told MetalTalk: “Detroit was Heavy Rock central then.
“You would play the Eastown and it would be Alice Cooper, Ted Nugent, the Stooges and the Who, for $4! The next weekend at the Grande it was MC5, Brownsville Station and Fleetwood Mac, or Savoy Brown or the Small Faces.
“You couldn’t be a Soft Rock band or you would get your ass kicked.
“Los Angeles had it’s sound with The Doors, Love and Buffalo Springfield. San Francisco had the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane.
“New York had The Rascals and The Velvet Underground.
“But Detroit was the birthplace of angry Hard Rock.
“After not fitting in anywhere in the US (musically or image wise) Detroit was the only place that recognised the Alice Cooper guitar driven, Hard Rock sound and our crazy stage show.
“Detroit was a haven for the outcasts.
“And when they found out I was born in East Detroit… we were home.”
Some 50 years later and Alice and Bob Ezrin have gathered some legendary local musicians in a Detroit studio to record ‘Detroit Stories’.
Bob Ezrin told us: “We recorded with Wayne Kramer [guitarist and writer from the MC5], Johnny ‘Bee’ Badanjek [drums – from the legendary Detroit Wheels], Paul Randolph [legendary Detroit jazz and R&B bassist] as well as the Motor City Horns and other local musicians
“We had musical ideas and encouragement from John Varvatos, the support of the folks at Shinola and we recorded at Rustbelt Studios in Royal Oak.
“This was Made In Detroit, for Detroit by Detroit denizens!”
‘Detroit Stories’ follows on from last years ‘Breadcrumbs’ EP and has been designed as homage to the toughest and craziest Hard Rock scene there ever was.
The album is set to feature covers including MC5’s ‘Sister Anne’ (featuring MC5’s Wayne Kramer) and Bob Seger’s ‘East Side Story’.
Alice’s version of The Velvet Underground’s ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll’ is a tribute to Detroit. Written by Lou Reed, the song was also recorded by Mitch Ryder’s Detroit in 1972, featuring drummer Johnny Bee and guitarist Steve Hunter, with Bob Ezrin producing, where they changed the “New York station” lyric to “Detroit station”.
Bee, Hunter and Ezrin are reprising their roles for ”Rock ‘N’ Roll’, adding the legendary Joe Bonamassa as a bonus.
There are some songs which also feature original band members Michael Bruce, Dennis Dunaway and Neal Smith.
Other appearances include U2’s Larry Mullen, Grand Funk Railroad’s Mark Farner, Outrageous Cherry’s Matthew Smith, a surprise guest turn by Sister Sledge, plus current Alice Cooper band member Tommy Henriksen.
Songwriting collaborators with Alice on the album include original band members Neal Smith and Dennis Dunaway, Bob Ezrin, MC5’s Wayne Kramer and current band members Tommy Henriksen, Chuck Garric, and Ryan Roxie.
‘Detroit Stories’ will be available on CD, CD+DVD Digipak, CD Box Set (including CD, Blu-ray, T-shirt, face mask, torch light and three stickers), and 2LP Gatefold on February 26th 2021 on earMUSIC.
The DVD and Blu-ray will show the incredible live performance ‘A Paranormal Evening At The Olympia Paris’ for the first time on video.
With the whole concert culture being shut down due to COVID-19, Alice Cooper felt the need to share one of his latest shows with his fans as he cannot wait to get back on the road – better than ever.
Pre-Order “Detroit Stories” here: https://alicecooper.lnk.to/DetroitStories
Pre-save the single ‘Rock ‘N’N Roll’ here: https://alicecooper.lnk.to/RocknRoll
Tracklist:
1. Rock ‘n’ Roll
2. Go Man Go (Album Version)
3. Our Love Will Change The World
4. Social Debris
5. $1000 High Heel Shoes
6. Hail Mary
7. Detroit City 2021 (Album Version)
8. Drunk And In Love
9. Independence Dave
10. I Hate You
11. Wonderful World
12. Sister Anne (Album Version)
13. Hanging On By A Thread (Don’t Give Up)
14. Shut Up And Rock
15. East Side Story (Album Version)
