Back Covers

Back Covers: Alice Cooper-Constrictor (1986)

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Alice Cooper really came onto my radar back in 1986 when the Coop released the video The Man Behind The Mask which was the tune that was plugging the Friday The  13th  horror movies that seemed to come out every 6 months back then. 

I didn’t care for the movie but the song intrigued me as MuchMusic actually had it on their rotation at the time.  

Cooper I knew had released many albums before this one but he was off of my radar and the movie tune piqued my curiosity so much so that when Alice released his Constrictor album I was onboard.

For many in 86, Constrictor was the return of Alice for me it was my introduction to the music of Coop. I bought a few new releases on cassette tape that year and Constrictor was one of them. Love the cover for it.

It was a good listen in the Walkman at the time when riding my bike around or walking to school. The production was handled by Beau Hill who I knew from seeing his name on the back of the records he produced for RATT.

Even the song titles are 1986. Thrill My Gorilla or how about Trick Bag.  Need I say more? Kane Roberts the Rambo looking dude on Guitar did a bunch of co-writes with Alice on this album and look who is slapping Da Bass. The one and only KIP WINGER!

Yep, before the Winger song “17” went up the charts a few years later in 89 Kip was learning the ropes with the Coop! A pretty good education in rock don’t you think?

A few months back I posted a BackCovers post on Mellencamp’s Scarecrow album that had all the lyrics printed on the back cover which I thought was a brilliant move as I had no idea until I picked up  Scarecrow used on vinyl last year.

Coop follows that path as well. It looks like a continuation of the front cover which would have made a pretty cool gatefold.

Constrictor albeit its tinny sound on the production is a fun listen in 2020. Good on the Coop whose career took off back in 86 and is still going strong in 2020!

 

 

 

 

35 thoughts on “Back Covers: Alice Cooper-Constrictor (1986)”

  1. It is a pretty cool Back Cover.

    Love the lyrics in The World Needs Guts about the person crying because their best friend is splattered against a wall and that maniac butcher trying to hack his balls. It’s the Alice I like.

    And Mr Deke, can you please have a read in the bottom left corner from the movie The Man Behind The Mask is from. Pssst.. it’s not a Freddy Kruger movie.
    Lol.

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  2. Raise Your Fist and Yell was the stronger record. Constrictor I like better than I used to. “World Needs Guts” is awesome. “Thrill My Gorilla” is embarrassing. I like “Man Behind the Mask” too, it’s more DaDa speed. They’re both way better than Trash.

    I liked Kane in First Blood Part II, though the original is the classic. Part II is a fun action flick.

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      1. It’s like Constrictor only heavier and with better production. That one is all Michael Wagener instead of Beau Hill (Ladano’s favorite producer). Better lyrics on side two of RYFIY, which is sort of a horror mini-concept suite. Gets thrashy there. Look up “Roses on White Lace”.

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    1. What is with you guys selling your picture discs? lol, Cool one to own as the front cover was pretty damn fine.
      I dunno Scott, it’s a decent enough spin so if you come across it and the price is right to buy it go for it.
      I read Mikey’s review and he gave it a 2.5/5 which is fair.

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  5. I didn’t sell my picture disc Deke! I don’t have one to sell!. I didn’t really appreciate him much back then. I liked the Trash album, but never explored anything else until years later. Now my collection is growing. Still missing this one though. Sounds like I need the picture disc…no, I’ll probably just sell it once I get it.

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  6. I’d imagine Coop would be a terrific mentor!
    I think the back cover lyrics are a nice touch too – and I can’t say I had this one, but I can remember enjoying many a tape on my walkman on the way to school!

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      2. Wow you saw that Crue supposed Farewell tour twice. Crazy. Last time I seen em was June 1990.
        Great live show. No ballads played until the encore.

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  9. So funny, this is when Coop came onto my radar too. I saw a news report on TV about “Alice Cooper’s comeback” and I didn’t care, didn’t know who he was, but then I heard The Man Behind the Mask.

    Anyway the reason this is funny is because last week I wrote up the story of my first Alice Cooper. Except I did it in the form of review, a new style I’m working on.

    Fun listen, I agree, but far from critical. This was one of the very last that I bought to finish my collection.

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    1. When I finished mine I went and read your review and you gave it a 2.5/5 which was fair. This was my discovery so when I seen that fella had this one in the pile I had to get it.

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  10. I had listened to his older stuff because of cousins I had when I was younger but when I heard Teenage Frankenstein and I was back into him again…The dude is cool.

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  11. Interesting guy he is. I have a friend who served him in a cafe…in Oshawa! Cooper played the new hockey arena there (I must admit I thought the project was a waste of money for a minor league hockey team but its brought in Elton, Mellencamp, Cooper, plus a whole lot of Canuck acts that you’d think would’ve skipped the city in favor of Toronto so nearby) and wandered into a little cafe pre-show. I’m sure Cooper himself must always giggle that he can walk down the street a block away from his concert in his street clothes and go almost unnoticed.
    He also plays a role in the book ‘OneRed Paperclip’… cool book btw. About a Canadian guy who takes one red paperclip and eventually trades up to a house in Saskatchewan ! A day golfing with Alice in Phoenix was one of the things he traded for along the way…

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    1. Great stuff Dave
      Thanks for sharing that stuff
      Thunder Bay has a old beaten up gardens and many acts have played here but Canadian.
      AC/DC played here in July 1980 a week before Back In Black came out never can back lol
      Rush as well last played here 77 or 78
      Triumph back in 80

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    2. I saw Priest w/ Saxon in Oshawa arena a few years back. a great show, but we were half way back on the side, not nearly as exciting as 2nd row the previous night in London.

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      1. Now that’s a great show!
        Saxon never comes around so good call on seeing them
        The big show for me was Maiden in Vancouver we were about 30 feet back on the floor in front of Harris and the Gers aerobic workout lol
        Great show

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  12. i got in to AC when he wasn’t around , so I was super excited when this album came out! loved it then, it’s still a fun listen, tho it could’ve used real drums. Saw him on this tour in Hamilton.

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