Easy Action is the second studio album by Alice Cooper, released by Straight Records in March 1970. The title comes from a line in the musical film West Side Story, which was one of the band's favorite films. As with Pretties for You, the band's debut from the previous year, Easy Action was neither a commercial nor critical success. Singles include Shoe Salesman and Return of the Spiders.
Drummer Neal Smith later said of the record producer David Briggs, "David hated our music and us. I recall the term that he used, referring to our music, was 'Psychedelic Shit'. I think Easy Action sounded too dry, more like a TV or radio commercial and he did not help with song arrangement or positive input in any way." [1]. None of Easy Action’s songs have ever been performed live by Cooper since the tour in support of their third album Love It to Death; in fact, only "Return of the Spiders" was performed on the tour for that album.
A small number of early U.S. copies were pressed on the blue Bizarre Records label. These copies carry the same catalog number WS-1845 and album cover as the regular Straight Records release.
Though perhaps seen as being a looked over work in terms of later releases, Easy Action tracks "Mr. & Misdemeanor" and "Refrigerator Heaven" were both later included in the well-received compilation album The Life and Crimes of Alice Cooper. "Refrigerator Heaven" was also included in the Warner Bros. compilation album Zapped, which was a single LP (all the other Warner Bros. compilations of that time were either 2 or 3-disc sets) showcasing acts signed and/or produced by Frank Zappa. The closing track "Lay Down And Die, Goodbye," which was originally written and recorded as a demo by the band when it was called Nazz, begins with a sample of Tom Smothers saying "You are the only censor; if you don't like what I'm saying, you have a choice: you can turn me off". This is followed by an instrumental jam and finishes with the chorus from the demo. (The last part of the song is listed on the Science Fiction album as "I've Written Home to Mother," while the instrumental jam section is listed as "For Alice" or "An Instrumental."
Production
Alice cooper Shoe Salesman en español - Artista: Alice cooper Album: Easy Action Cancion: Shoe Salesman Subtitulado en ingles y español.
According to Alice Cooper's band manager, Shep Gordon, the band's record label wouldn't use the production tapes from producer David Briggs. Instead, the label opted to use the band's rehearsal tapes in the final cut of the album.
Reception
The staff of Rolling Stone did not like the album, stating that "there's nothing nearly that interesting†and that "the pretty stuff sounds like something Walt Disney had the good sense to leave in the can". Robert Christgau, in The Village Voice, rated it a C, explaining that it has "its pseudo-decadent and -psychedelic charms, [...] only not as many". He also stated that it contains "tuneless singing, tuneless playing, tuneless tunes, and pseudo-musique concrete."
Legacy
Allmusic's Joe Viglione feels that the album "might be the perfect picture of an evolving Alice Cooper Group." And that it "gives evidence that Cooper has more of a voice than he got credit for." He concludes by saying: "That this band could run the gamut from [Frank] Zappa to [David] Bowie, and perhaps inspired both, makes Easy Action a good study and entertaining record."
Track listing
All songs written by Alice Cooper, Glen Buxton, Michael Bruce, Dennis Dunaway and Neal Smith.
Side One
- "Mr. & Misdemeanor" â€" 3:05
- "Shoe Salesman" â€" 2:38
- "Still No Air" â€" 2:32
- "Below Your Means" â€" 6:41
Side Two
- "Return of the Spiders" â€" 4:33
- "Laughing at Me" â€" 2:12
- "Refrigerator Heaven" â€" 1:54
- "Beautiful Flyaway" â€" 3:02
- "Lay Down and Die, Goodbye" â€" 7:36
Personnel
- Alice Cooper band
- Alice Cooper â€" vocals
- Glen Buxton â€" lead guitar
- Michael Bruce â€" rhythm guitar, piano, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Below Your Means" and "Beautiful Flyaway"
- Dennis Dunaway â€" bass guitar, backing vocals
- Neal Smith â€" drums, backing vocals
with:
- David Briggs â€" piano on "Shoe Salesman"
External links
- Easy Action at MusicBrainz (list of releases)
References
