Super Duper Alice Cooper

You have to hand it to the boys at Banger Films, because these guys know how to make a great rock documentary.  The boys have tackled the world of hard rock and metal with a Headbanger's Journey as well as with Metal Evolution.  They also have also produced solid docs on Rush and Iron Maiden.  Their latest project to tackle is a documentary on the Godfather of Glam, Alice Cooper.  Each film these guys do, is a little different from the last, so be prepared for another solid experience.

Super Duper Alice Cooper dives into the transformation of Vince Furnier to Alice Cooper.  It is a Jekyll and Hyde story, in which a straight laced young man, from Phoenix, turns in to a rock n roll madman.  The film takes you all the way back, to the early days of Vince's career.  It chronicles from his first band, The Earwigs, all of the way up to the rise and fall of Alice Cooper.  It is a wild journey that shows how the excesses of drugs and alcohol, can come close to destroying one's life. 

The film is full of rare archived footage and still photography, which narrated by Alice and and other key people in his life.  I like how the film dove into the breakup of the Alice Cooper Band and how Alice, with the help of Bob Ezrin, was able to move forward, after the split.  Alice succeeded, after the band broke, but in the end fell victim to drugs and alcohol.  It wasn't until he conquered his demons, that he got his career back on track. 

The movie ends, as Alice is making his comeback into the rock world.  I really like that they touched on his comeback and his relationship with ex-guitarist Kane Roberts.  They were a solid team.  It is ashame their partnership didn't last longer.  Super Duper is a solid film from start to finish, which kept me wanting more.  An in depth look into one of the godfathers of glam and stage theatrics.

 

Bottom Line:  Another solid rock doc from Banger films.  The rise and fall and resurrection of Alice Cooper.  A classic tale, of a man than lived to the excess of life but was able to wake up before his demons took his life.  A must for all Alice fans.

-Ragman is wondering if there will be a part 2.    

Update on Wednesday, August 6, 2014 at 11:23PM by Genghis

Click to embiggen and gaze upon one of the hottest female guitarists in the world. I demand it!The one downside here: This Blu-Ray isn't from the current tour lineup so I can see Nita Strauss on guitar. Rowrrr. *sigh*

- Genghis actually has it pretty bad for most of The Iron Maidens guitarists...

The Relapse Symphony - Shadows

Don't cry, hon. With a lick o' paint and some plants, this place'll look cozy for sure.Perhaps the most interesting thing about The Relapse Symphony is that they not only resist easy categorization, but actually think of themselves as constantly evolving, exhibiting no fear of venturing outside of their comfort zone if it means making better music. And it's that sort of pioneering attitude from which legends are born.

So, are The Relapse Symphony legends in the making? Maybe not. But their new album Shadows is definitely worth a listen to anyone who wants to know what's next in metal. The lines between genres are blurring more and more with each passing generation, and bands like The Relapse Symphony are at the forefront of a sound that hearkens back to pop/glam metal, where much more emphasis is put on melody and harmony than crunch and boom. What I find most interesting is the idea that it's metal reaching across to the pop world instead of the other way around. Could you imagine a pop star like Kelly Clarkson doing even one song on one album with, say, Scar Symmetry backing her (in my head, it sounds fucking awesome, come to think of it)?

In any case, I like that not only are there bands like The Relapse Symphone around to prove metal the relevant and innovative music genre that fans already know it is, but they don't play it like a gimmick. I honestly get a similar feeling to what people must have thought when Queen came on the scene with their operatic bombast, straining what people thought rock music was supposed to be. I can't say whether The Relapse Symphony will reach that level of musical reverence, but it's this kind of ballsy experimentation that keeps metal moving forward. 

The Bottom Line: The Relapse Symphony is a band for 21st century; a group that not only acknowledges everything that's come before it, but proudly mixes those influences together into whatever shape feels right at the moment - as long as it rocks. I'll be watching to see where their imaginations take them next.

- Genghis would probably feel more than a little out of place at one of this band's shows...

Podcast #175: Axe

These New York cats keep sounding better with every album they release, so check 'em out.Why can't we all just get along? Surely this thought pops into a metalhead's mind whenever his/her favorite guitarist leaves a band. Let's face it: this has been going on for decades - generally happening in bands featuring the lead singer's name (e.g. Dio, Ozzy, Dokken, etc...) But what drives that wedge between the lead singer and the guitarist? Join Genghis & Ragman as they discuss this phenomenon. Next, the boys round up Martyrd guitarist Michael Andreas for a one on one, as Mike discusses the band's latest single, Faceless, as well as their upcoming new album.

DVD of the Show: Dio - Live in London (Hammersmith Apollo 1993)

Beer of the Show: Black Forest Chocolate Cherry Porter (Harpoon Brewery)
	Appearance: 3.5 Aroma: 3.5 Palate: 3.5 Taste: 4.0 Overall: 3.5	"This nicely balanced dessert beer has a sophisticated flavor profile that minimizes the bite of its nearly 10% ABV. Nice work!"

2nd Beer of the Show: Lenin's Revenge (Buffalo Bayou Brewing Company)

Featured Tracks: Winger - Queen Babylon; Dio - Strange Highways; Eat the Gun - At the End of the Day; Sebastian Bach - Gun to a Knife Fight; Winger - Tin Soldier; Whitesnake - All Out of Luck; Black Country Communion - Afterglow; Gus G - My Will Be Done; Martyrd - Pain of Reason and Faceless

Ragman's Classic of the Show: Lion - Powerlove

Genghis' Pick of the Show: EZO - House of 1,000 Pleasures

Ragman's Pick of the Show: The Intersphere - The Ghost of a Chance

Genghis' Pick of the Show: Prong - Come to Realize

- Ragman is back in the saddle again...

Podcast #175: Axe

Batmetal

I know it's vacation around the Nightmare Studios campus, but I had to share this awesome video of Batman rocking the shit out of an audience starved for superhero metal. Aren't you?

Then enjoy - and get those HORNS UP!

- Genghis loves metal and comics, so...you know...

Vacation time again...

We're in July, so you know the drill. We don't intend to stop posting, but don't be surprised that we get a little distracted from the site by doing our family thing.

With any luck, we'll catch some shows and let you know what sort of shenanigans are going on with respect to the podcast and such. But we hope our fans have fun and we'll do the same.

In the meantime, you might keep an eye on Twitter or Facebook for the latest TRTR info, cool?

HORNS UP!

- Genghis can't wait to relax and drink more beer...