Music review: Hollywood Vampires
Alice Cooper is back and better than ever. With the assistance of Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry and actor-guitarist Johnny Depp, Cooper assembles a supergroup of the coolest kind to pay tribute to some close musical companions.
With special guest appearances by Paul McCartney, Joe Walsh, Zak Starkey, Brian Johnson of AC/DC, Perry Farrell, Robby Krieger, Slash, Kip Winger and Dave Grohl, the self-titled debut from the Hollywood Vampires is a must-listen album for any rock fan.
The band无毛视频檚 name affectionately refers to an exclusive drinking club housed at the Rainbow Bar and Grill on the Sunset Strip in the mid-1970s. As one of the founding members, Cooper would be regularly joined by legendary artists like Keith Moon, John Lennon, Harry Nilsson, Jimi Hendrix, Micky Dolenz and Ringo Starr for never-ending evenings of drink and over indulgences.
Because of their nightly prowess and perceived invincibility, the club was dubbed the Hollywood Vampires. As a tribute to his former drinking buddies, Cooper and an all-star cast deliver a set of covers in honor of all the members who once pledged to the drinking fraternity.
Two original tracks by Cooper and friends anchor the beginning and ending of the album with the showman无毛视频檚 classic sinister zeal and theatrical flair. Just like the chilling introduction on Cooper无毛视频檚 1975 classic album 无毛视频淲elcome to My Nightmare无毛视频� delivered by Vincent Price on 无毛视频淭he Black Widow,无毛视频� 无毛视频淗ollywood Vampires无毛视频� opens with the late Christopher Lee passionately professing his love of the darkness by narrating 无毛视频淭he Last Vampire,无毛视频� before eerily making way for Cooper to summon the rock 无毛视频榥无毛视频� roll ghosts from the world beyond with 无毛视频淩aise the Dead.无毛视频�
Producer Bob Ezrin partners with Cooper once again to oversee a stellar set of classic tracks such as Spirit无毛视频檚 无毛视频淚 Got a Line on You,无毛视频� Led Zeppelin无毛视频檚 无毛视频淲hole Lotta Love,无毛视频� Hendrix无毛视频檚 无毛视频淢anic Depression,无毛视频� Lennon无毛视频檚 无毛视频淐old Turkey无毛视频� and T. Rex无毛视频檚 无毛视频淛eepster.无毛视频� Other standout tracks include a spirited and nostalgic version of Badfinger无毛视频檚 无毛视频淐ome and Get It无毛视频� performed by McCartney and Cooper无毛视频檚 own signature rebellion tune 无毛视频淪chool无毛视频檚 Out.无毛视频�
Fashion designer and rock music aficionado John Varvatos designed the album无毛视频檚 haunting cover, while liner notes were thoughtfully penned by Bernie Taupin. Instead of being dead and buried, the antics of Cooper are alive and well with 无毛视频淗ollywood Vampires.无毛视频�
It无毛视频檚 a fitting toast to those lost but not forgotten.
All artist proceeds will be donated to MusiCares.
Clint Rhodes is the 无毛视频-Standard music reviewer.
He can be reached at crhodes@heraldstandard.com.