Lace and Whiskey
Encyclopedia
Lace and Whiskey is the 10th studio album
by Alice Cooper
, released in May 1977.
After many years of portraying a dark and sinister persona Alice Cooper decided to try something new and donned the persona of a heavy drinking comic PI
named "Maurice Escargot" - a fictional character
in the same vein as Inspector Clouseau
. Cooper is pictured as Escargot on the back cover of Lace and Whiskey, which was still a rock
-based album but was stylistically influenced by Cooper's love for 1940s and 1950s music. The album only peaked at #42 in the US.
Its lead single, "You and Me
", was an easy listening
ballad which provided Cooper with his last US top-ten single for another 12 years. "(No More) Love at Your Convenience", a disco
-inspired pop song which Cooper regards as the worst song he has ever recorded, was released as the 2nd single - it did not chart in most countries. Music videos were created for both songs, at a time well before the advent of MTV
.
Cooper's "King of the Silver Screen" tour, in support of this album, featured a stage set designed as a giant TV, with its slitted screen allowing Cooper and his dancers to jump into and out of it along to filmed choreographed sequences during songs, and had comedic mock commercials screened in between some songs. The tour only ran in the US, throughout the summers of 1977 and 1978 (renamed the "School's Out for Summer" tour in 1978). Filmed highlights from the opening night of the 1977 tour, capturing a very inebriated Cooper, were featured in the Alice Cooper and Friends
TV special. The tour's Las Vegas
concerts were recorded, resulting in the The Alice Cooper Show
live album.
It was after the completion of the 1977 tour that Cooper checked into a New York
-based Sanitarium
for his first treatment for alcoholism
.
During the initial stage of this album's era, when it was clear that Alice wasn't going to return from his new success, original Alice Cooper group members Dennis Dunaway
, Neal Smith, and Michael Bruce formed a new band with Mike Marconi and Bob Dolin called "The Billion Dollar Babies". Michael Bruce sang their lead vocals.
Lace and Whiskey was digitally remastered and re-released on CD by Metal Blade Records
in 1990.
, Dick Wagner
and Bob Ezrin
, except where noted.
Side one
Side two
Singles - Billboard (North America)
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
, released in May 1977.
After many years of portraying a dark and sinister persona Alice Cooper decided to try something new and donned the persona of a heavy drinking comic PI
Detective
A detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"...
named "Maurice Escargot" - a fictional character
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the same vein as Inspector Clouseau
Inspector Clouseau
Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau is a fictional character in Blake Edwards' The Pink Panther series. In most of the films, he was played by Peter Sellers, with one film in which he was played by Alan Arkin and one in which he was played by an uncredited Roger Moore...
. Cooper is pictured as Escargot on the back cover of Lace and Whiskey, which was still a rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
-based album but was stylistically influenced by Cooper's love for 1940s and 1950s music. The album only peaked at #42 in the US.
Its lead single, "You and Me
You and Me (Alice Cooper song)
"You and Me" is a 1977 song by Alice Cooper, released in 1977 as the lead single from his album Lace and Whiskey.The song was an easy listening ballad, reaching #9 on the US singles charts in 1977...
", was an easy listening
Easy listening
Easy listening is a broad style of popular music and radio format that emerged in the 1950s, evolving out of big band music, and related to MOR music as played on many AM radio stations. It encompasses the exotica, beautiful music, light music, lounge music, ambient music, and space age pop genres...
ballad which provided Cooper with his last US top-ten single for another 12 years. "(No More) Love at Your Convenience", a disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
-inspired pop song which Cooper regards as the worst song he has ever recorded, was released as the 2nd single - it did not chart in most countries. Music videos were created for both songs, at a time well before the advent of MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
.
Cooper's "King of the Silver Screen" tour, in support of this album, featured a stage set designed as a giant TV, with its slitted screen allowing Cooper and his dancers to jump into and out of it along to filmed choreographed sequences during songs, and had comedic mock commercials screened in between some songs. The tour only ran in the US, throughout the summers of 1977 and 1978 (renamed the "School's Out for Summer" tour in 1978). Filmed highlights from the opening night of the 1977 tour, capturing a very inebriated Cooper, were featured in the Alice Cooper and Friends
Alice Cooper and Friends
Alice Cooper and Friends was a live music television special starring Alice Cooper. Broadcast in the United States in September 1977, it was released on VHS in 1978. This rare video has a running time of 52 minutes, of which 25 minutes feature Cooper...
TV special. The tour's Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
concerts were recorded, resulting in the The Alice Cooper Show
The Alice Cooper Show
The Alice Cooper Show is a live album by Alice Cooper, released by Warner Bros. in December 1977.It was recorded live in Las Vegas at the Aladdin Hotel on August 19th and 20th, 1977, during Cooper's "King Of The Silver Screen" US tour...
live album.
It was after the completion of the 1977 tour that Cooper checked into a New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
-based Sanitarium
Sanatorium
A sanatorium is a medical facility for long-term illness, most typically associated with treatment of tuberculosis before antibiotics...
for his first treatment for alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
.
During the initial stage of this album's era, when it was clear that Alice wasn't going to return from his new success, original Alice Cooper group members Dennis Dunaway
Dennis Dunaway
Dennis Dunaway was the bass guitarist for The Spiders , The Earwigs , Alice Cooper group from 1969–1974.He co-wrote such hits as "I'm Eighteen" and "School's Out"....
, Neal Smith, and Michael Bruce formed a new band with Mike Marconi and Bob Dolin called "The Billion Dollar Babies". Michael Bruce sang their lead vocals.
Lace and Whiskey was digitally remastered and re-released on CD by Metal Blade Records
Metal Blade Records
Metal Blade Records is a record label which was founded by Brian Slagel in 1982. The U.S. corporate office for Metal Blade is located in Agoura Hills, California. It also has offices in Arizona, Germany, Japan, Canada, and the UK. The label is distributed in the U.S. by Sony BMG Music...
in 1990.
Track listing
All songs written by Alice CooperAlice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
, Dick Wagner
Dick Wagner
Dick Wagner Dick Wagner Dick Wagner (born December 14, 1943, in Oelwein, Iowa is an American rock music guitarist and songwriter best known for his work with Alice Cooper, Lou Reed and KISS.-Performing career:...
and Bob Ezrin
Bob Ezrin
Robert Alan "Bob" Ezrin is a Canadian music producer and keyboardist, known for his work with artists including Alice Cooper, Kiss and Pink Floyd. He was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2004.-Biography:...
, except where noted.
Side one
- "It's Hot Tonight" – 3:21
- "Lace and Whiskey" – 3:14
- "Road Rats" – 4:51
- "Damned If You Do" – 3:14
- "You and MeYou and Me (Alice Cooper song)"You and Me" is a 1977 song by Alice Cooper, released in 1977 as the lead single from his album Lace and Whiskey.The song was an easy listening ballad, reaching #9 on the US singles charts in 1977...
" (Cooper, Wagner) – 5:07
Side two
- "King of the Silver Screen" – 5:35
- "Ubangi Stomp" (Chas Underwood) – 2:12
- "(No More) Love at Your Convenience" – 3:49
- "I Never Wrote Those Songs" – 4:34
- "My God" – 5:40
Personnel
- Alice Cooper - vocals
- Dick WagnerDick WagnerDick Wagner Dick Wagner Dick Wagner (born December 14, 1943, in Oelwein, Iowa is an American rock music guitarist and songwriter best known for his work with Alice Cooper, Lou Reed and KISS.-Performing career:...
- guitar, vocals - Steve Hunter - guitar
- Bob BabbittBob BabbittBob Babbitt is an American bassist, most famous for his work as a member of Motown Records' studio band, the Funk Brothers, from 1966–1972, as well as his tenure as part of MFSB for Philadelphia International Records afterwards. Also in 1968-1970, with Mike Campbell, Ray Monette and Andrew Smith...
- bass - Tony LevinTony LevinTony Levin is an American progressive rock musician, specializing in bass guitar, Chapman stick and upright bass ....
- bass - Prakash JohnPrakash JohnPrakash John is a Canadian rock bassist.Born in Bombay, India, John was a student at the Cathedral and John Connon School, enrolling at the age of four in 1951. He migrated to Toronto in 1960....
- bass - Allan SchwartzbergAllan SchwartzbergAllan Schwartzberg is a famous studio musician drummer, most of whose recordings were made in the 1970s. He has played on hits such as Gloria Gaynor's "Never Can Say Goodbye". He has played with KISS, James Brown and Peter Gabriel as well...
- drums - Jim GordonJim Gordon (musician)James Beck "Jim" Gordon is an American recording artist, musician and songwriter. The Grammy Award winner was one of the most requested session drummers in the late 1960s and 1970s, recording albums with many well-known musicians of the time, and was the drummer in the blues-rock supergroup Derek...
- drums - Jimmy MaelenJimmy MaelenJimmy Maelen was a percussionist in the 1960s-1980s, who worked with many artists including Roxy Music, Bryan Ferry, Peter Gabriel, James Taylor, Dire Straits, Barry Manilow, Alice Cooper and John Lennon...
- percussion - Josef Chirowski - keyboards
- Bob EzrinBob EzrinRobert Alan "Bob" Ezrin is a Canadian music producer and keyboardist, known for his work with artists including Alice Cooper, Kiss and Pink Floyd. He was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2004.-Biography:...
- keyboards - Al KooperAl KooperAl Kooper is an American songwriter, record producer and musician, known for organizing Blood, Sweat & Tears , providing studio support for Bob Dylan when he went electric in 1965, and also bringing together guitarists Mike Bloomfield and Stephen Stills to...
- piano - Allan MacMillan - piano
- Venetta Fields - vocals
- Julia Tillman Waters - vocals
- Ernie WattsErnie WattsErnest James "Ernie" Watts is an American jazz and rhythm and blues musician. He plays saxophone and flute. He might be best known for his work with Charlie Haden's Quartet West and his Grammy Awards as an instrumentalist...
- clarinet, tenor saxophone - Lorna Willard - vocals
- Julia Tillman - vocals
Charts
Album - Billboard (North America)| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Pop Albums | 42 |
Singles - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | "You and Me" | Pop Singles | 9 |