Alice Cooper

Originally released on LP in 1975 and reissued on CD in 2002, Welcome to My Nightmare is, quite simply, a shock rock masterpiece. It is also a conceptual effort that, like other Alice Cooper releases of the '70s, generated some controversy. Often described as the arena rock equivalent of a horror movie, this album didn't offend those who understood where Cooper was coming from. His fans realized that gems like "Cold Ethyl" and the spooky title song weren't really promoting evil; Alice Cooper is merely a character, and Welcome to My Nightmare gives listeners a guided tour of the character's dark, twisted mind. Arguably, this reissue is arena rock's version of a Bela Lugosi or Vincent Price film; in fact, Price himself makes a guest appearance on "The Black Widow," a creepy number that pays tribute to a very deadly spider. But for all of the album's dark subject matter, Cooper is surprisingly sensitive and tender on the ballad "Only Women Bleed." A major pop hit, the song really struck a chord with female listeners and was covered by everyone from Carmen McRae to Lita Ford to Etta James. Nonetheless, Cooper was still controversial in 1975, and fundamentalist ministers kept insisting that he was taking America straight to hell. Produced by Bob Ezrin, Nightmare marked the first time that Cooper was billed as a solo artist -- and without the Alice Cooper Band he became slicker, more polished, and less gritty. Nonetheless, this album is conceptually brilliant. Thanks to Rhino, Nightmare now has 14 tracks instead of 11; hardcore collectors will be glad to know that Rhino has added alternate takes of "Cold Ethyl," "Devil's Food," and "The Awakening." But even those who aren't hardcore collectors should obtain Welcome to My Nightmare, which remains a textbook example of mid-'70s shock rock. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide