Dennis Dunaway's Thrilling Album: "Snakes! Guillotines! Electric Chairs!"

luvthe80s: Dennis did a great job with this book. Great stories of what went on in 1969. Just the right amount of detail.

United States on Nov 01, 2023

Mauro Alejandro Ortíz Aviña: Todo está perfecto

Mexico on Oct 18, 2023

Carl Hose: If you love the original Alice Cooper band, or even Alice Cooper now, as a solo artist, this is a well written book with a lot of insight on the composition of those early Alice Cooper albums. Great insight into the Alice Cooper band as well as the transition to Alice as a solo artist.

United States on Sep 07, 2023

Kathy Down: Dinner Dunaway has composed an intriguing, enjoyable retrospective on Alice Cooper: The Band - It’s Birth …. Its Life….. It’s Demise.
This book is a comfortable read. It’s a fun read! The insight only a band member could provide is amazing to read. For fans, like me, it is fun to remember concert experiences with the “inside look” at what went on behind the scenes! As a long time fan, I must say, “Thank you Dennis! I loved this book! It’s almost as good as having a chance to get with you, Alice, Neal, or Mike, and just chat for a time about the world of your band….. to say Thanks for all the great music and performances!”

United States on Jun 06, 2023

Jem: Came on time in good condition excellent listening

Australia on May 03, 2023

R. Slee: This a very comprehensive biog of the early Alice Cooper group - but written with some grudge about how the band were treated in 1973/4. On many pages Dennis reminds us that Alice Cooper was a group and how the rest of the band members were sidelined once fame hit. He boasts of his great memory and indeed he does seem to have amazing recall. There is perhaps too much about the very early days but the progress from the early school band to superstars is very interesting. The era from Love It To Death doesn't begin until half way through the book. The last few chapters of post Alice Cooper group are also interesting. But the lasting image of this book is of a man who feels that his contribution to the band was not appreciated enough and it's bugged him ever since.

United Kingdom on Oct 03, 2022

Fred Rayworth: I’ve been a huge fan of the Alice Cooper Group since their first album Pretties For You came out back in the day. I’ve read Michael Bruce’s book and when I heard about Dennis’s book, Snakes! Guillotines! Electric Chairs! My Adventures In The Alice Cooper Group, I couldn’t wait to read it. The thing is, I wasn’t aware it had come out so long ago! Since I discovered Dennis’s Facebook page, I became aware of this autobiography and as a devoted fan, I had to check it out.

Despite my built-in bias, I must say that this book is by far, the best autobiography I’ve ever read by anyone. Considering that I’ve read a few in my time, and some good ones, that says a lot.

The writing was outstanding with quality prose throughout. No major typos or grammatical errors, plus unlike some I’ve read, he didn’t repeat himself over and over again. The story was laid out in a logical and chronological order which made reading it a breeze. The major point being that the writing didn’t get in the way of the story.

As for the story, Dennis has a way of telling it like it is. He’s blunt, funny, profane, and despite having every reason to be bitter, he never...

United States on Jan 15, 2021

mars_poetic: I've been a fan of Alice Cooper, both the group and solo performer, since 1986 when I heard Constrictor in sixth grade. I read Me, Alice in high school, just a few years later, checked out from my local library. Those were the days, indeed. Even though that's been over twenty years ago, the stories of that book stuck with me; the talent show, the Jim Morrison seance, waking Frank Zappa up at dawn, The Cheetah, Alice's coffin, Alice Cookies, and so on. And it was nice to read those same stories from someone else, if for no other reason than to affirm their veracity. Now, while I can't attest to Mr. Dunaway's claim to near-perfect recall, I feel I can safely agree with his claim that his former, sometimes current, bandmate, has a strong penchant for the dramatic in everything he does. That's apparent from interviews alone. Based on that observation, I give Mr. Dunaway the benefit of a doubt and feel safe in assuming his telling to be the most accurate history of the band available. This is also a hell of a lot cheaper than obtaining a copy of Me, Alice, but I digress.

What else does Mr. Dunaway have to say about Mr. Cooper? Mostly really nice things. In fact, my favorite...

United States on Apr 09, 2020

Johnny Nineball: It probably helps if you were a teenage Alice Cooper freak, but I loved this book a lot. Full of great stories, particularly of the early years, which were surprisingly early. By 1964, when the Beatles were breaking in the US, Dennis Dunaway and Vincent Furnier were already forming their high school band, and were quickly sending audiences running from rooms. Remember that Alice Cooper was actually a band, not just a guy *with* a band, and here are the stories of how it came to be, how it evolved, and ultimately imploded.

The bulk of the book is focused on the rise to fame, and if I have a criticism it's that I'd have liked more details about the time at the top and how it fell apart, a bit more gossip about how and why their old pal Vincent/Alice ditched them without warning and never looked back. If he had to focus on one era I'm glad it was the early years and the rise to fame, but I'd have happily read this book for another 200 pages so I wish he'd have stretched it all out more. Reading it, the pace seems to change all of a sudden once they're famous. After a long struggle suddenly they're at the top and boom it's dissension and solo projects and it's all over, and I...

United Kingdom on Jul 27, 2015

The Gospel: It never ceases to amaze me how it's always the bass player who persists in "bigging up" his part, or hanging on to past glories, or resurrecting a band that's had its day. As fanatical as I am about the original Alice Cooper records, it's never been the bass playing that I've remembered. In fact, the only bass line that comes to mind is the (admittedly VERY good!) intro to "Gutter Cat". In short, a song is nothing without the melody and chords. (I don't even care about the lyrics). The bass, and likewise the drums, can enhance a performance certainly, but there has to be a "song" there in the first place. Any "arrangement" is worthless without.

For that reason, Michael Bruce, whether people like it or not, was the TRUE talent of the old Alice band. Without him, they wouldn't have made it. So when I read in this book that he suggested he got more songwriting royalties, it was a no brainer! I'm glad other band members realised that too, but not our Dennis. Oh no. He thought he deserved this and that.... for what? Having a "concept" that led to a song idea? I'm sorry, but "concepts" don't get people singing, playing air guitar and headbanging, do they?

Even his lyrics...

United Kingdom on Jul 12, 2015