Well, as often happens, I get into (or pick up) an album, and some of the names and associations lead to further records and bands to look into. I previously posted on the debut from NWOBHM band MORE, which featured singer Paul Mario Day (RIP), who went on to a few other bands of note, but it is guitarist Laurie Mansworth, who left after the first album and soon put together a new band. AIRRACE would be Mansworth’s new band, and over a few decades the band put out 3 albums.
The first AIRRACE album, Shaft Of Light, came out in 1984 and was the debut of drummer Jason Bonham, who’s connection to Led Zeppelin manager Peter Grant helped the band land a record signing. Bonham left after that to join VIRGINIA WOLF, before forming his own band BONHAM. The band also included keyboard player Toby Sadler (ex White Spirit, and pre Samson), singer Keith Murrell, and bass player Jim Reid. The debut was produced by Beau Hill (who at that point, had produced Ratt’s Out Of The Cellar), Anyway, that album got great reviews. It had a lighter 80s AOR production sound to it. It did feature the single “I Don’t Care”, as well as rockers like “Promise To Call” and “Not Really Me” . After Bonham left, the band seemed to fade away, with Murrell joining MAMA’S BOYS for a bit, and Mansworth going on to various other things, most notably producing THE TREATMENT. In 2009 Rock Candy released a 25th anniversary edition of Shaft Of Light, with bonus tracks. This anniversary edition lead to the band reforming for shows and eventually a new album.
Mansworth, Murrell, and Reid returned for Back To The Start was released in 2011, joined by Chris Williams (keyboards), Dean Howard (guitar), and Simon Dawson (ex Outfield; now Iron Maiden’s drummer). Back To The Start was a better sounding and more hard rocking release, with guitars more up front, and a much more lively production. Still had that 80s appeal, with the keyboards and the backing vocals reminiscent of Journey. Back To The Start is a fairly solid listen beginning to end, with standout tracks being opener “Keep On Going”, “So Long”, “Call Me Anytime”, and the riff driven “Enough Of Your Loving”. Well worth checking out, but not easy to find, as this only got a CD release on Frontiers (Italy), as well as a Japanese release. Here’s hoping someone reissues this one (yes, I need one).
Laurie Mansworth put together a new line-up for the third AIRRACE album, 2018’s Untold Stories, which included singer Adam Payne, drummer Dhani Mansworth (The Treatment), and bass player Rocky Newton (MSG, Lionheart). Since 2019 Laurie has put together a new band ‘MANSWORTH’, and from what I read they were recording an album.
In continuing my gradual revisit/review of the Alice Cooper catalogue, I occasionally still take this one out. I gotta say, there was a time when I first got this one in the mid 80s that I played the heck out of it. And in revisiting it now, I still have a soft-spot for this record. Easy Action was the band’s 2nd album, released in 1970. It was their 2nd for Straight Records, produced by David Briggs (best known for his work with Neil Young), and was an improvement on the band’s 1968 debut Pretties For You. Alice Cooper were still a ways off from the cleverly written and produced hits (w/ Bob Ezrin), Easy Action was definitely a more appealing sound, and with songs and arrangements that were a step up from the debut. A few songs fit into a more mainstream format, with a harder rocking sound, guitars turned up, Alice with more attitude in his vocals, and gone are some of the really short tunes, sound effects….
“The production of course was a little bit better, and anything we ever recorded we thought was gonna be a hit album, and we had David Briggs… I don’t even know how David Briggs got involved in producing the album, but obviously if you’re doing Neil Young in one session and Alice Cooper in the other, he really didn’t give a rat’s ass about our music”. – Neal Smith, 2024
“Shoe Salesman” was the album’ single, and it’s a memorable Beatles’ influenced, lighter tracks; to me it is one of the standout songs on EasyAction. The other standout (for me) is “Below Your Means”, one of 2 tracks here with Michael Bruce on vocals, and featuring some lengthy cool guitar exchanges, blends, and tone, not to mention the changes in the song. A very underrated gem in the AC catalogue.
Although there’s still some odd stuff here, there’s a certain early charm and something memorable about cuts like “Still No Air” (this includes the phrase “easy action”, and a snippet of West Side Story), “Laughing At Me”, and “Beautiful Flyaway”, like these were on to something. Fan favorites were the hard rock of “Return Of The Spiders”, featuring Neal Smith’s (B-side to “Shoe Salesman”, and dedicated to Gene Vincent whom the band opened for in Toronto), “Mr And Misdemeanor”, and the lengthy closing piece (largely instrumental) “Lay Down and Die, Goodbye” (a much lengthier and heavier psychedelic reworking of a song released as a single when the band went by the name ‘Nazz‘). “Lay Down And Die, Goodbye” featured the spoken lines “You are the only censor, If you don’t like what I say, you have a choice – you can turn me off”, this was taken from from a tape of Tommy Smothers (Smothers Brothers), which Briggs had, and the band felt was “oddly appropriate”, according to Michael Bruce. Also included is “Refrigerator Heaven”, not sure what this is about, but Alice would reference the it years later in his solo hit “Cold Ethyl”.
The album cover design is one of my favorites in the band’s catalogue, with the front and back photos (being opposite), and the black and white bandmember photos inside the gatefold sleeve taken by Lorrie Sullivan, who went on to work on numerous major band releases (and promo pics) throughout the 70s (Grand Funk, Joe Walsh, The Eagles, Warren Zevon, etc…)
Easy Action, despite it’s improvements and steps towards the band that would break out with a huge hit and million selling album a year later, was a commercial flop! While Pretties For You just dented the US charts, Easy Action didn’t even manage that, selling significantly less. But the band’s reputation (live show) and persistence to get producer Jack Richardson (w/ Bob Ezrin) involved would eventually pay off.
“I loved The Beatles because they wrote such simple songs, which is a really tough thing to do. I got all the Pink Floyd stuff out of my head and tried to write this three-chord ballad with a simple melody. I’ve always thought if you can break the girl’s heart by the second verse, it’s a hit.” – Alice Cooper, 2010 Metro
” I liked “Lay Down and Die, Goodbye” because it contained a free-form sound collage that was disturbing. I would have been happy if the whole album was like that.” – Dennis Dunaway , 2012
“Matter of fact, on the song ‘Lay Down And Die, Goodbye,’ he said “Oh well we’ll put on this psychedelic shit now.” So you know, he wasn’t enthusiastic or cared about it from the standpoint of it was just a gig for him to get through, record it, get it down, and get on with his life. So from that standpoint there was not chemistry in the production of it, although there was still some great music, great songs… I think ‘Return Of The Spiders’ is one of the songs to me that stands out other than ‘Lay Down And Die Goodbye’,…” – Neal Smith, 2024
“I sang ‘Below Your Means’ and ‘Beautiful Flyaway’ – the latter was a kind of meditation song, sort of my attempt at being George Harrison”. – Michael Bruce, from No More Mr Nice Guy.
“Easy Action was a great album, it was my idea to stand backwards because I had the longest hair in the band for the album cover, and so every band has a front picture of it. We always try to do something different obviously as any fan knows for our album covers, but with that one, I said let’s just turn around and Zappa liked the idea and so we went with that one”. – Neal Smith 2024
“Michael is singing and playing piano on “Beautiful Flyaway.” David Briggs played piano on “Shoe Salesman” which was one of the welcome few times he seemed to care about the sessions.” – Dennis Dunaway, 2012
From the press at the time:
That second album from way-out Alice Cooper, “Easy Action,” will be out this month. Group will perform in the party sequence of Frank Perry’s “Diary Of A Mad Housewife,” now filming in New York, and then wind up an Eastern concert tour. – Cash Box — March 21, 1970
ALICE COOPER/Easy Action. Warner Bros. WS 1845 (S) One of the most unusual live groups, Alice Cooper, in their second straight album, convey much of the power they possess. The extended “Lay Down and Die, Goodbye” with it’s many changes is among the many interesting cuts as is the powerful “Return of the Spiders” and “Refrigerator Heaven.” “Below Your Means” is another good longer number, sharp instrumentally. This album can go even higher than Alice Cooper’s first set, which was a chart item. – Billboard, 04-11-70
EASY ACTION – ALICE COOPER-Warner Bros. WS 1845. Alice Cooper, five guys who seem to be going for the hermaphrodite look, play in a more specific groove – now rock. Their lyrics contain put-downs and put-ons of different sorts and will help them get attention where the folks can’t see them strut their stuff. – Record World, 04-18-70
(March Delights) – Alice Cooper is flinging that dead chicken at us again, this time by way of Easy Action (WS 1845), as strange an album as a Frank Zappa discovery on Straight Records could make, as expected.- RW-1970-03-21
EASY ACTION -Alice Cooper, Warner Bros WS 1845 - Heavy, heavy – but it gets very interesting the deeper you listen. Group currently on U.S. Canada tour which should add potential. They’re a word of mouth group and will find much favor with free formers. – RPM-1970-06-13
Alice Cooper, Easy Action (Straight): A very freaky-looking group that has been panned by many. They’re not too bad at all. There are enough original ideas here to satisfy anyone; unfortunately, their execution often falls flat from half-hearted repetition. – Montreal Star, May 9 1970
Another Straight Records release is Alice Cooper’s LP, “Easy Action” gives them an even firmer hold on that proverbial ladder than they already have. This is an extremely good hard rock group who’s antics on stage are fantastic, but although they add to the group’s success, on record you can only enjoy the ability they have as musicians, and they most assuredly hold their own in that department.. From “Mr. and Misdemeanor” on side one, until “Beautiful Flyaway”, which concludes, the LP prevalent. They seem to be an unusually versatile group, and from what I have heard of their stage antics, they should be as good to see in person as they are to listen to. Listening to them is a pleasure indeed. – Lexington Herald-Leader, April 19 1970
Outsider Rock 