Well, I started out (months ago!) compiling a Top 50 list of favorite Alice Cooper solo songs. Many Alice lists I see on Youtube (and elsewhere) tend to mix the original band and his solo recordings into one list, but for me, I see (and hear) a big difference, so I absolutely have to separate the 2. Much like I wouldn’t compile a favorite list of Black Sabbath albums and include Ozzy or Dio albums! Anyway, a good half of this list was easy to come up with, but the bottom half got a bit tougher to choose. Feel free to leave your picks in the comments.

Hey Stoopid (1991)

I like Trash when it came out, but over time it hasn’t aged well with me, being Alice’s ‘Bon Jovi’ album, and too many guests that I’m not a fan of. So, Hey Stoopid is the follow up, still in that 80s style, and with even more guest players and co-writers. BUT, gone is the Bon Jovi feel and just better songs, and a bit more bite. I also like the cover-art here. But aside from maybe 2 songs (I don’t need to hear “Feed My Frankenstein” ever again), I love all of this. Favorites being “Snakebite”, “Dangerous Tonight”, “Little By Little”, “Hurricane Years”, and “Burning Our Bed”.

The Eyes Of Alice Cooper (2003)

I’ve seen this one ranked near the bottom on many Alice Cooper album rankings on youtube, and really wonder why(?) I think this is a great album, full of Alice rockers and ballads, and humor! Not perfect (I can do without “Novocain”), but “What Do You Want From Me”, “Man Of The Year”, “Detroit City” (w/ Wayne Kramer), “Love Should Never Feel Like This”, as well as the ballads “The Song That Didn’t Rhyme” and softer “Be With You A While”, are good to outstanding by me. Alice uses his touring band here, without an excess of ‘guest’ players, so it sounds like a band album. The original CD release of this album came with 4 different eye (and circle) colors.

Welcome To My Nightmare (1975)

An easy favorite for most; it’s the album that started off Alice’s solo career (effectively marking an end to the original band). His Nightmare band featured guitarists Dick Wagner and Steve Hunter (as well as the rest of Lou Reed’s band), who would work with Alice for some years to come But the concept, theatrics, and songs here are just classic. This included the anthem “Department Of Youth”, the live favorite “Cold Ethyl”, the top 20 hit ballad ” Only Women Bleed”, a guest appearance from Vincent Price on “Black Widow”, the introduction of the (recurring) character “Steven”,… The album would be made into a TV special aired as Alice Cooper: The Nightmare. More recently a live show from this tour was released on Record Store Day, featuring Alice’s new band performing a set that included (almost) the entire album, as well as a few previous AC hits. Alice followed up this album with Alice Cooper Goes To Hell, which can be seen as a sequel…

Brutal Planet (2000)

Alice didn’t record a lot during the 90s, like many other older artists, but as he tended to do ever few albums, he switched gears, creating perhaps his most ‘metal’ album this one, released in the summer of 2000. Taking in sounds of industrial or new metal at the time, with a heavier sound, and darker lyrics,, reflecting what was currently happening in music and the world. Produced by Bob Marlette, who’s credits included Rob Zombie, Marylin Manson, Rob Halford, and many others. Loved the title track, as well as favorites “Blow Me A Kiss”, “Pick Up The Bones”, “Cold Machines”, and the ballad “Take It Like A Woman”. The follow up, Dragontown, was pretty much a sequel to Brutal Planet. I liked that one too, just not as strong IMO.

Raise Your Fist And Yell (1987)

The follow up to Alice’s comeback album Constrictor. Taking on the 80s metal sound, and inspired by current happenings (the PMRC hearings), and slasher films! The second to feature Kane Roberts as guitarist and co-writer throughout. I played this album non-stop! Not a bum track here. I can still pull this out and love it. Featured the hit “Freedom”, plus “Prince Of Darkness” (from the John Carpenter movie), and favorites like “Give The Radio Back”, “Time To Kill”, and the slasher trilogy on side 2 (“Chop, Chop, Chop”, “Gail”, “Roses On White Lace”). Saw this tour twice.

Dada (1983)

The last album in what’s been labelled Alice’s ‘blackout’ years, and his last for Warner Brothers. This, and the 1 before it sold poorly, with little promotion, and no touring. I bought this one, and the 2 before it, off the 99 cent rack at a local convenience store! But hey, these weren’t bad at all! Dada being my favorite of Alice’s early 80s 4 album run, where he changed the look and sound to fit with the times. Dada featured a fresh sound, good songs, and flow, with standouts like “Former Lee Warmer” (formerly Warner), the hilarious “I Love America”, and epic “Pass The Gun Around”, highlighted by one of Dick Wagner’s most memorable solos.

From The Inside (1978)

Following Alice’s stay at an asylum for alcoholism, he co-wrote a lot of this with Bernie Taupin (Elton John), and used members of Elton’s band, as well as the likes of Steve Lukather, David Foster… From The Inside featured the hit ballad (Alice’s 4th in a row), “How You Gonna See Me Now”, as well as memorable rockers like “Serious”, “Wish I Were Born In Beverly Hills”, and the title track, plus a few more ballads and lighter cuts. A pretty clean sounding album, featuring stories inspired by his stay in the asylum, and the effect on those around him (“For Veronica’s Sake” about his dog). A solid album. Check out the non-LP b-side “No Tricks” as well, a duet with soul singer Betty Wright.

Zipper Catches Skin (1982)

See above! I played the heck out of this one. Lots of fun rockers like “Adaptable (Anything For You)”, “Tag, You’re It”, “Zorro’s Ascent”, as well as “I Am The Future” (from Class Of ’84). “Make That Money (Scrooge’s Song)”, and the hilarious title of “I’m Alive (That Was The Day My Dead Pet Returned To Save My Life)”. Featured guitarists (and co-writers) John Nitzinger, Dick Wagner, Billy Steele, as well as Mike Pinera, and players Erik Scott (bass), and Duane Hitchings (keys), among others. Wagner later claimed there was a lot of crack cocaine use on this one, but I liked it.

Constrictor (1986)

Alice’s comeback album, after finally kicking his previous habit (cocaine), made sober, and full of energy. The first to feature new guitarist Kane Roberts, as well as a return to a hard rock guitar sound and the classic Alice image (eye make up and leather). Produced by Beau Hill and Michael Wagener, who were big at the time with many 80s metal acts. The drum sound kinda gives this a dated sound now, but at the time, I’d never thought I’d get to see Alice (being a newer fan, and Alice being out of the public eye), but I got to see this tour. Constrictor was the first Alice album in years to chart, and get any radio play. Cuts like “Teenage Frankenstein”, “Give It Up”, and “Life And Death Of The Party” were favorites. It also included “He’s Back (The Man Behind The Mask)”, from Friday The 13th: Part VI (Jason Lives).

The Last Temptation (1994)

This last spot was the toughest for me to decide on… The Last Temptation was an Alice Cooper concept album, a series of morality plays….Anyway, the full story was explained over a series of comics by Neil Gaiman and Michael Zulli. The Last Temptation opened with “Sideshow”, and followed on with excellent rockier cuts like “Nothing’s Free”, “Bad Place Alone”, the title track, the single “Lost In America”, and lighter songs such as “Stolen Prayer” (co-written with Chris Cornell) and favorite “It’s Me” (co-written with Tommy Shaw and Jack Blades). The album featured guitarist Stef Burns (Y & T), as well as Derek Sherinian (keys), among others, as we as guest Dan Wexler (Icon) who co-wrote a number of songs, and played guitar on one. There was no tour for this album, but eventually a few songs were worked in to the live show. The 90s were a tough time to be an Alice fan!

And then…..Paranormal, Lace and Whiskey, Goes To Hell, Dirty Diamonds, Flush The Fashion, Trash, Along Came A Spider, Special Forces, Welcome 2 My Nightmare, Detroit Stories, Road,