▄█████▄ ░█████▄ ▄████▄░█▄ ░█▄ ▄█████▄ ███▄██ ▄██ ▄█▄ ▄██████ ▄█▄ ▄███ ░████░██▀████▓ ▀██ ▄██░▀█████ ████ ███▓ ██████▓██ ▓███████ ███▓░▀█▀████ ███▓ ███▓ ▓███░ ██ ██▄ ▄██▓██ ▓███▓██░ ▓███░███░███████████▄ ███░███░ ███░ ▄███ ███ ▄█▀░ ████████░██ █████████▄ ▓██░███ ███▓█████████ ███████ ███ ███░ ███████ ███▓ ░██ ██ ██████▓ ░██ ▀██ ███░███▓██████ ███▓███ ███ ███ ████████░███░ ███ ██▄ ██▓███░ ██▄ ██░██▓ ███ ▀▀████ ███░███ ███ ███ ███▓░███████░ ███ ███▓██ ███ ███▓██▓██░ ███ ▓████ ███ ███ ▓██▓ ███ ███░ ▓██████ ███ ▓████ ▓██▄ ▓████████ ███ ▓███ ███ ███ ███░███ ███ ░██████ ███ ░████ ░███ ███▓███▓ ███ ░███ ███ ███ ██▓███ ███ ███▓██ ███ ███ ▓██▄ ███░███░ ███ ███ ███ ███ ░█████ ███ ██▓░██▄ ███ ▓█▀ ▓██▄ ███ ██░ ███ ██▓ ███ ███ ░███▀ ░█▀ ██░ ██ ░█▀ ░███▄ ▀ ▀ ▓█▀ ███░ ░█▀ ██▀ ██░ ▄██▀ ░█▄ ▄███▀ ░██ ░ ██ ▓░ ▓░ ██░ ▓█░ ░█▀ ▀█░ ░█▓ ░ ██ ██ Artist: Alice Cooper ██ ██ ▓ █░░ ■█ Album: Hey Stoopid █■ ░░█ ■ █▓▀ █ Year: 2013 █ ▀▓█ ░ █ ▓ Rel. Date: 2014-05-20 ▓ █ ▒ ▒ Genre: Hard Rock ▒ ▒ █▄ ░ Label: Hear No Evil Recordings / Cherry Red ░ ▄█ ░ █▄ ░ Source: CD ░ ▄█ ░ █▓ Type: Reissue ▓█ ░ ▓ █ Quality: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo █ ░ ▓ ▓ █ █ ░ ▓ ▄ ■ ■ ▓ ■ ░█ █░ ▀ █ ò A worldwide chart smash, Alice CooperÆs 19th █ █ studio record, ôHey Stoopidö built on the huge █ █ success of the previous heavy hitter, 1989Æs █ █ ôTrashö. █ █ ò Joined by Alice on vocals & harmonica, drummer █ █ Mickey Curry, guitarist Stef Burns and bassist █ █ Hugh McDonald are a cavalcade of special guests, █ █ including highly influential guitar wizards Joe █ █ Satriani, Vinnie Moore and Steve Vai, Guns NÆ █ █ RosesÆ Slash, Motley CrueÆs Nikki Sixx & Mick Mars █ █ (who co-write one track, æDie For YouÆ), plus the █ █ legendary Ozzy Osbourne providing backing vocals █ █ on the albumÆs title track. Elvira, Mistress of █ █ the Dark provides the spoken word part on æFeed My █ █ FrankensteinÆ. █ █ ò ôHey Stoopidö was produced by Peter Collins, █ █ famed for his work with Rush, Queensyrche and Air █ █ Supply, among many others. █ █ ò Bonus tracks are the Beba Edit of æHey StoopidÆ, █ █ plus non-album tracks æIt Rained All NightÆ and a █ █ cover of Jimi HendrixÆs classic, æFireÆ. █ █ ò The album featured three hit singles; the title █ █ track, the self explanatory æLoveÆs A Loaded GunÆ █ █ and æFeed My FrankensteinÆ. The latter was █ █ performed in the 1992 comedy movie ôWayneÆs █ █ Worldö, in which Alice also starred. █ █ █ █ There are iconic, landmark albums which help to █ █ define an artist and a career. Certainly one can █ █ pinpoint the album ôTrashö, released in 1989, as █ █ helping to resurrect Alice Cooper as a major █ █ commercial force. So, given the vagaries and usual █ █ conservatism of most record labels, managements █ █ and even musicians, youÆd have expected Alice █ █ Cooper, with the full co-operation and approbation █ █ of everyone around him to have decided to keep █ █ intact the team that had helped to make ôTrashö █ █ such a major triumph. But not a bit of it. █ █ Instead, Alice made significant changes, the most █ █ far-reaching of which was the replacement of █ █ Desmond Child, the producer and his main █ █ songwriting partner on ôTrashö. █ █ ôI canÆt now recall exactly what happened,ö says █ █ Alice, ôbut it must have been a scheduling problem █ █ with Desmond. He was probably committed to working █ █ with Bon Jovi or Aerosmith, and we were anxious to █ █ go straight back into the studio as soon as we █ █ could. If Desmond had been available, then weÆd █ █ have certainly worked with him again. Things went █ █ so well on ôTrashö that it would have been the █ █ logical thing to do.ö █ █ Peter Collins, an Englishman who had previously █ █ worked with Rush, Nik Kershaw and Queensryche, █ █ among others in the past, was the man chosen to █ █ produce to new album. █ █ ôI liked what he had done, and the ways things █ █ worked out it was the perfect choice. Peter has a █ █ way of ensuring things are relaxed and fun in the █ █ studio, but heÆs also very methodical and makes █ █ sure things get done properly. He had the ability █ █ to take an idea I might have vaguely in my head, █ █ and make it work technically. He was also very █ █ patient, so if I listened back to something and █ █ felt we should alter one note then that would █ █ never phase him. HeÆd go ahead and do it. I had a █ █ great time with Peter, and would always work with █ █ him again.ö █ █ Despite his virtual absence this time, Child does █ █ get co-writing credits on two songs, namely æMight █ █ As Well Be On MarsÆ and æDangerous TonightÆ. █ █ ôI also worked with my old guitarist Dick Wagner █ █ on that first song, and I can honestly say for me █ █ itÆs the best track we ever wrote together. █ █ ThereÆs just something about it that came together █ █ almost on its own, and this stands out for me as a █ █ brilliant representation of what the two of us █ █ could achieve. █ █ ôFor me, æDangerous TonightÆ is the best song ever █ █ written about vampiresà bar none. It captures what █ █ vampires are all about, and has a very special █ █ vibe. ItÆs not scary, but is really cool. But I █ █ did want something scary on this album, which is █ █ why I did æWind-Up ToyÆ, and brought back the █ █ character of Steven (who originally featured on █ █ the ôWelcome To My Nightmareö and ôAlice Cooper █ █ Goes To Hellö albums in 1975 and 1976, █ █ respectively). He brought a disturbing edge to █ █ this song that I was keen to bring out.ö █ █ StevenÆs locked away in a lunatic asylum, where █ █ his only friends are insects, rats and his toys. █ █ ItÆs certainly a charismatically uncomfortable █ █ song. There are two other major songwriters █ █ involved on this album, namely Jack Ponti (who was █ █ involved in composing the aforementioned æWind-Up █ █ ToyÆ) and Jim Vallance. They both came into this █ █ project with established reputations, and each in █ █ their own right brought something new to the Alice █ █ Cooper canon. █ █ ôJack Ponti had sent me demos of songs, and when I █ █ played them I was impressed that he had a great █ █ grasp on getting the hook right for a song. To me, █ █ as long as there is a clear hook and a song title, █ █ then I can do the rest in terms of getting the █ █ lyrics done. I liked what Jack did, and I spent █ █ quite a bit of time with him in New Jersey working █ █ on song ideas. █ █ ôWhen you have been in this business for as long █ █ as I have, then you quickly get to know the names █ █ of the hottest songwriters around, and Jim █ █ Vallance was certainly someone people talked of as █ █ being among the best writers around. HeÆd done a █ █ lot of work with Bryan Adams, of course. The way █ █ we worked together was that IÆd fly up to █ █ Vancouver where Jim lived, and weÆd literally put █ █ aside a four-hour block and see what we came out █ █ with. It was his preferred method, and certainly █ █ got results for us.ö █ █ While there was a clear theme to ôTrashö, this █ █ time around Alice didnÆt want to be grounded and █ █ restricted in the same way. █ █ ôOn ôTrashö, the theme was really Sunset █ █ Boulevard. But with ôHey Stoopidö, I didnÆt feel █ █ the same need to have a theme linking all of the █ █ songs. And the first song I actually wrote was the █ █ title track. █ █ ôAt the time, there had been a spate of teenage █ █ suicides in California, and it got me thinking █ █ about what you might say to your best friend if █ █ you found out they were thinking of committing █ █ suicide. The chances are you would call them █ █ æstoopidÆ for thinking about taking such action. █ █ ThatÆs the way youÆd talk to a friend, and try to █ █ persuade them how crazy it is to think about █ █ suicide, and it went from there. This was my open █ █ letter to all the teens who thought suicide was a █ █ good way out, and I got their attention by yelling █ █ ôHey Stoopidö at them!ö █ █ Interestingly, Ozzy Osbourne guests on this █ █ vigorously anti-suicide song, which somehow was █ █ appropriate for the time. █ █ ôOzzy had just fought this law suit brought █ █ against him for the song æSuicide SolutionÆ.ö The █ █ parents of two Ozzy fans, who claimed the kids had █ █ tried to kill themselves because the songÆs lyrics █ █ openly encouraged suicide, had unsuccessfully sued █ █ the then former Black Sabbath frontman, ôSo to █ █ have him on this song, which was clearly totally █ █ against the idea of suicide made a lot of sense.ö █ █ Ozzy was just one of a number of top guests, █ █ mostly guitarists, who appeared on the album, █ █ adding an extra cachet to the final sound and █ █ style. █ █ ôWhat happened was that we went to Bearsville █ █ Studios in Woodstock to do the basic tracks, and █ █ once we had those down, we went down to LA where █ █ the fun could start. By that I mean that we could █ █ think of all those great musicians whom we could █ █ get into the studio to play on a track. It was █ █ always a totally spontaneous thing. Just a case of █ █ sitting there and thinking, whoÆd be right to play █ █ on this song? And because we were in LA, it was a █ █ lot easier to get people down to the studio.ö █ █ One of the biggest coups Alice brought off was to █ █ get Steve Vai and Joe Satriani to play together on █ █ the song æFeed My FrankensteinÆ. █ █ ôFor me, it was like having the chance to get Jeff █ █ Beck and Jimmy Page to play together û a real █ █ moment of history. But people kept telling me that █ █ IÆd never pull it off. They said the problem was █ █ that Joe had given Steve guitar lessons, so there █ █ was no way the two would agree to appear on the █ █ same track, but I didnÆt listen to those █ █ negatives. I called up and asked them, and they █ █ were both really happy to do it! That was great.ö █ █ Slash played on the title track, and Alice used █ █ his knowledge of the guitarist to ensure the best █ █ possible performance was captured for the album. █ █ ôI told the studio engineer to roll the tapes as █ █ soon as Slash started to play. DonÆt wait until he █ █ tells you heÆs ready. Just get the recording going █ █ from the first rehearsal. You see, I know with █ █ someone like Slash sometimes the best take will be █ █ one that he regards as more than a run-through, █ █ and if you miss that moment, then it never comes █ █ back. Slash is the sort who will do take after █ █ take after take, but nothing can match what he █ █ does at the beginning, when the vibe and energy █ █ are right. And what you hear on the album was what █ █ Slash thought was a rehearsal, but the engineer █ █ captured it, and it is killer.ö █ █ ôThis session with Alice was my first studio █ █ ôsessionö, as it were,ö adds Slash. ôI was very █ █ excited to have been asked by Alice to do it. The █ █ actual recording was pretty fast. Alice encouraged █ █ me to just do my thing. Which, in itself was very █ █ flattering. It was a fun, no pressure, positive █ █ experience. Especially, as I really dug the song, █ █ and Alice was so laid back and cool.ö █ █ Another guitarist featured was Vinnie Moore, then █ █ regarded as one of the hottest young virtuosos on █ █ the scene. He played on the songs æHurricane █ █ YearsÆ and æDirty DreamsÆ, and recalls the █ █ sessions with great satisfaction and delight. █ █ ôAlice was having some guitarists do guest spots █ █ on the record, and I was asked to play on two █ █ songs. Some rough mixes were sent to me in advance █ █ so that I could learn the songs. They were █ █ recorded at Bearsville Studios , which was about █ █ three or four hours from where I lived. I drove █ █ there the night before the session with a couple █ █ of guitars and an amp head. I believe it was █ █ February 1991, and it was very cold and snowy. █ █ When I first met Alice at the studio as they were █ █ recording keyboards that night, and he was playing █ █ an invented game with one of the band members that █ █ they called ôscud ballö. It was ping-pong, but █ █ they had added a glass to the centre of each side █ █ of the table, and you got extra points if you █ █ could get the ball into the glass. The term æscudÆ █ █ came of course from the Scud Missile, which we █ █ were all hearing too much about on the news at the █ █ time. █ █ ôThe recording went very smoothly and was quick. I █ █ think I finished in about four hours. I laid down █ █ two rhythm guitars and solos for each song. I █ █ remember playing the rhythm straight through for █ █ æDirty DreamsÆ in one pass. At the end of it, █ █ Alice said, æItÆs obvious you know the song, you █ █ played it perfectly. but itÆs too perfect, can you █ █ do it again and play it more sleazy?Æ He wanted a █ █ little more rawness, and for it to be more █ █ æloosey-gooseyÆ. So we went for it again with that █ █ approach, which was definitely right for the song. █ █ Sometimes when you know you are going to be double █ █ tracking a rhythm, you play it in a straight way. █ █ Peter Collins was producing, and told me to just █ █ go for whatever popped into my head on the first █ █ rhythm, and that we would worry about doubling it █ █ after. This allowed me to be more free with the █ █ part. Everyone would give an opinion here or █ █ there, but their approach was that they wanted all █ █ the guys who were guesting on the record to do █ █ their own thing, so they didnÆt try to guide me █ █ too much. They wanted me to bring my own energy. █ █ ôThe session was short and sweet. Afterwards we █ █ all went out to dinner, and then I drove home in █ █ the evening. it was definitely a little █ █ nerve-wracking and a bit surreal to be sitting in █ █ the studio working on tunes with Alice Cooper. But █ █ I felt fairly comfortable because he was such a █ █ normal and nice guy. A couple months later I was █ █ asked to join the band, and ended up doing the █ █ U.S. tour with them.ö █ █ The album was released in July 1991. It got to █ █ number four in the UK charts, and number 47 in █ █ America. And three singles, æHey StoopidÆ, æLoveÆs █ █ A Loaded GunÆ and æFeed My FrankensteinÆ, were all █ █ Top 40 hits in Britain. And Alice still has a lot █ █ of affection for this album. ôYou know, it has █ █ some of the best songs I have ever written. And █ █ for that reason alone, itÆs an album I still █ █ love.ö █ █ █ █ Malcolm Dome █ █ London, UK, July 2013 █ ▓ ▓ ▒ ▒ ░ 1. Hey Stoopid 4:34 ░ ░ 2. Love's a Loaded Gun 4:11 ░ ░ 3. Snakebite 4:33 ░ ░ 4. Burning Our Bed 4:33 ░ ░ 5. Dangerous Tonight 4:43 ░ ░ 6. Might as Well Be on Mars 7:10 ░ ░ 7. Feed My Frankenstein 4:44 ░ ░ 8. Hurricane Years 3:58 ░ ░ 9. Little by Little 4:35 ░ ░ 10. Die for You 4:16 ░ ░ 11. Dirty Dreams 3:29 ░ ░ 12. Wind-Up Toy 5:29 ░ ░ 13. Hey Stoopid (Beba Edit) (Bonus Track) 3:57 ░ ░ 14. Fire (Jimi Hendrix cover) (Bonus Track) 3:03 ░ ░ 15. It Rained All Night (Single B-Side) 3:53 ░ ░ (Bonus Track) ░ ░ 67:08 ░ ░ ▒ ▒ ▓ █ ░ ▓ ░ ■ █▄ ░ ██ ▀█▄░ ▄▄▄▄▄ ▓ ░ ▄▄▄▄▄ ░▄██░ ░ ▀████▓█▄▄█████████▓░ ███ ███▓░ █████████▄▄██████▀ ▓ ▓▀▓ ▒███████▀▀ ▀████████▒ ░████████▀ ▀▀███████░▓▀▓ ■ ░ ▄█░█▀▀▄████▄▓ ▀█▀ █▓░ ▒▓█ ▀█▀ ▄████▄ ▀███▄░ ▄█▀░ ░███▀▀▀███▄ ▀█▒ ██▓ ██ ▓█▀ ▄███▀▀▀███░ ▀█░ █▀ ▓██▓ ▄███ ▀█▓ ████ ▒█▀ ▓███▄ ▓██▓ ▀█▓ █▀ ▓██░ ▒██████▓ ▀█ █▓ █▀ ▓██████▒ ░██▓ ▀█ ▒ ▄██ ░███ ▓███▓ ▀░██░▀ ▓███░ ███ ██▄ ▒ ░█▀ ███ ▄▀ ███▄ ▓████▒ ▄███▀▄ ███ ▀█░ ▓█▀ ▄██▄█▀ ░ ██████████████ ▀█▄ ██▄ ▀█▓ █▀ ████▀█▄▓░▄█ ▀██████▀ █▄▓░▄█▀█▄██ ▀█▓ ░ ▄ ██▀ ▀████▀ ▀█▓▀██ ▀████▀ ▀███ ▄ ▒ █░█▓ ██░ █░ █ ░██ ▀██▒█ ███░ ▒█░ ▄ ▓ ▒ ░█▒ ▓███ ░ ▓██ ░ ██▓ ██░ ░██ █▒ ░ ░█ ▀█ █▀ ▓ ░ ░