Bruce, Michael (with Billy James): No More Mr. Nice Guy (book)

Here we have 'the inside story of the Alice Cooper Group, by their original guitarist' Michael Bruce, who was also a chief songwriting & arranger of the bands music as well. Along with drummer & PR Guru Billy James, the two have put together a very intimate look at the early formative years of the group before Alice decided to go out on his own, as well as the myriad of other musical project Bruce undertook in the ensuing years. Want first hand accounts of those original dealings with Frank Zappa and the Straight Records label? It's here. The behind the scenes creation of classic albums like Love It To Death, Killer, School's Out, and Billion Dollar Babies? Look no further. Even the down period, where the band struggled due to exhaustion from all the touring and the many vices, especially with lead guitarist Glenn Buxton, are described here in vivid detail. What's great to see are the recollections of the band that was formed after Alice went solo, Billion Dollar Babies, and how the hype was quickly squashed by some poor merchandising choices that basically caused the meticulously crafted first tour to explode in disaster, essentially killing the band. Not that every story has to have a sad ending however, as the final pages reveal how Alice and most of the surviving members buried the hatchet and have performed, written, and recorded together in recent years, which is a nice slice of nostalgia for everyone involved. Included in the book are a wealth of photos from Bruce's archive, making this an enjoyable, if short read.

Added: May 30th 2018
Reviewer: Pete Pardo
Score:
Related Link: Artist Facebook Page
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Language: english

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