Drummer reacts to "Halo of Flies" by Alice Cooper

[@johnlillis1161]

Dead Babies off the same Album is a great song hell this whole fucking Album is Great

[@ScottDeBerg]

Agree. Every track tells a great story. I played the record so many times when it came out that I had to buy a 2nd copy. This would be a great album to do a full reaction to.

[@John-et9yl]

A very macabre song. Desperado is very menacing.

[@craigroberts6374]

The original Alice Cooper band was one of the greatest rock bands of all time. Talented chameleons.

[@BGM16]

True.

[@philipholmes5884]

That's right ! Alice/Mike/Dennis/Neal/Glen ... the best & only Alice Cooper for me ❤️

[@jodythomas2724]

Such an underrated album from Alice. Every song is great

[@trainman5323]

Not sure it’s underrated. I think the Alice Cooper GROUP fans think this was one of their best.

[@DoctorIvanSFN]

All in all, it's the band's best work.

[@steveneardley7541]

The band was at its height in this album.

[@astonsfan]

Alice Cooper can take you all over the place........even some places you dont want to go. They Rock!!!!

[@theguster611]

The OGs were ahead of their time musically for sure and never got the full credit they deserved back then. Each was a unique musician in their own right in particular the platinum God, DD and GB......all captured perfectly by Bob Ezrin's producing. They were always looked at visually and musically were always second. They were amazing and Alice still is.

[@DanielThompson-i7s]

Bob Ezrin said he misses making music like this because it was the only band that approached the production of songs in an orchestrial sense. In some cooper songs all the instruments are playing different parts but in perfect unison with each other. When the band listened to music together they listened to Rogers and Hammerstein and Mancini. Bob's stage name was Toronto Bob.

[@WayneHawk-h2u]

Another musical journey from early Alice Cooper is My Stars from the album School's Out. Very unique.

[@Royale_with_Cheeze]

The live version of My Stars from the Billion Dollar Babies Deluxe Edition is fire! The entire live concert on the bonus disk is great.

[@ChuckDrennen]

We ate this album up like candy.

[@Al-ir9co]

Bob Ezrin, f’ing genius! Not just with AC, but so many artists… look him up!

[@julianbarber4708]

This album was rarely off the turntable, when I was at boarding school in Germany.

[@shasta810]

"Ballad of "Dwight Fry" should be next

[@BritIronRebel]

YES! And Black Ju Ju!

[@michaelmisanthrope]

Cooper gives credit to the producer for the more sophisticated aspects of this album. 'til this day Alice is very generous in his shows and recordings towards the musicians and production workers. Note how the bassist and drummer shone towards the end of this song. Cheers. These reactions are very cool.

[@stevegans3517]

This is a great deep album cut. Alice's best stuff are tracks like this and "Killer". This track is so cinematic, like an entire film score in 8 minutes. And this was 1971.

[@L33Reacts]

It's wild this came out in 71. Absolutely wild.

[@jonhenke1504]

The guy you mentioned on the keyboards Bob Ezrin, he's the one who helped to produce Pink Floyd's album The Wall. So Mr Ezrin has been around and has worked with a lot of big groups!

[@markcorcoran482]

That bit that struck you as familiar was referencing “raindrops on roses” from The Sound of Music’s My Favorite Things.

[@Steve-nf1tg]

Try “Under my Wheels” from the same album. Or Desperado!

[@poutine57]

This takes me back to the 70's being a young teenager, listening to this with my brothers in our rec room. great stuff!

[@L33Reacts]

Glad I could take you back for a few minutes!! This was a great track.

[@poutine57]

@@L33Reacts yes

[@Will_I_am59]

Nice reaction :) My favorite Alice Cooper song, I love all the changes in it. Dennis Dunaway is a very underrated bass player. Thanks for reacting to it!

[@alexlibia8928]

Alice Cooper bands go at prog metal....and they nailed it

[@PAKiller1]

This is my favorite Alice song… the first time I saw him was for this album at Cobo Hall in Detroit in December 1971 .. in early August I will be going to Kalamazoo Michigan to see Alice for the 50th time live.. thank you for posting this

[@BlownBob]

So ahead of its time.

[@L33Reacts]

It really was. Crazy to think when this came out lol

[@paulkingartwerks7981]

Great not-so-well-known Cooper tune. Love this song.

[@spazimdam]

"That's awesome- sounds Egyptian" No doubt dude. This is my favorite Alice Cooper song, and that's saying something, because this original band had SO many killer songs! It sounds exotic and progressive and so cool. I think it was progressive rock- full of tempo and time signature changes, artful arranging, Bob Ezrin's production chops. All the members of this band were geniuses. Neal Smith was a fantastic drummer, and Glen Buxton was an utterly unique lead guitarist with his own palette of sounds, and Dennis Dunaway has to be one of the greatest rock bassists out there. And of course Alice Cooper, one of the greatest singers. This band was one of my influences for sure. I used to listen to Killer unceasingly in high school, and also Love It to Death and Billion Dollar Babies and School's Out and Muscle of Love. You should do many, many songs from this first incarnation of Alice Cooper man. Like Blue Turk and Ballad of Dwight Frye and Desperado and Second Coming and Killer and I Love the Dead and Dead Babies and Easy Action and Hard Hearted Alice. Whew! That would be a good start. Thanks for reacting to this L33!

[@ohfour-seven6228]

Absolutely love me some Alice Cooper! This album, Killer, is indeed killer. As noted below, every single song is amazing. I'd suggest, Under My Wheels, Be My Lover, Desperado and Dead Babies. Other must hear songs: Billion Dollar Babies, Elected, School's Out, Gutter Cats vs. The Jets (with music from West Side Story) and Public Animal #9. That can get you started!

[@trainman5323]

The Alice Cooper GROUP guitars had a very unique sound.

[@skibugy]

Alice Copper you saved my life do to my job and personal life i had to hear that song from the movie frozen [let it go ] several times a day for 2 years. To keep from losing my mind I started to pretend it was sung by Alice Cooper. Now I'd like to hear a cover by Alice Cooper. If your out there Alice Copper please cover that song from Frozen❤

[@A-moment-in-time554]

I played the heck out of this album when it first came out. Drove my mom absolutely crazy. Thanks mom for still allowing me to listen on our big console stereo

[@robertwatson2823]

Thanks for the reaction!! This is a great album, and this song is my favorite AC track.

[@pleasantvalleypickerca7681]

"Killer" is aptly named. It is indeed a Killer album!

[@ChromeDestiny]

One of my all time favourite Alice Cooper songs. My favourites of the early group albums are this one, Killer and Easy Action.

[@72KingDavid]

This entire album is Killer and their Love it to Death album. React to both albums. Alice still puts on the best live shows to this day. I recommend seeing him when you can.

[@MegaIronleg]

REMEMBER WHEN THIS CAME OUT, I WAS SIXTEEN 😃 SO YOU CAN IMAGINE… GREAT REACTIONS, ROCK ON 👊🖖

[@NoviJimB]

GREAT choice. This is one of my all-time favorite songs, period, and definitely my favorite by Alice. Fantastic album. They wanted to create an 'epic' song and this is what they came up with, and they succeeded. The song that follows this on the album, Desperado (not the one by the Eagles) is also one of my favorites, and a really great contrast to this. Very different. They had such a great vibe to their music back then, once they hooked up with Bob Ezrin as their producer on 'Love It To Death'. I'll never forget discovering this album. I had started listening to music when I was still three (really) and when The Beatles came along I was hooked. I listened to mostly AM radio-type stuff into the early 70's, then started discovering the heavier stuff when I was 11, in early 72. My sister bought this album and Black Sabbath 'Paranoid' that spring, and I went absolutely nuts over both of them. By late 73 I only wanted to hear heavy rock and roll for a couple of years - I started discovering all the heavier stuff that had started coming out in 67 that didn't appeal to me when I was a grade schooler, and there was still lots of great new stuff coming out at that time. Great memories of listening to the Killer album back then, and especially 'Halo Of Flies' and 'Desperado'. Still have the vinyl! And as others have suggested, you have to check out 'The Ballad Of Dwight Frye' - another mind-blowing epic, right up there with this song.

[@steveobrien9937]

My favorite Alice Cooper song.... along with I love the Dead

[@HiddenSymmetry]

@3:16 your comment that it sounds familiar is because he slips in the melody from 'My Favorite Things' from the Sound Of Music musical...I remember my brother took this album to test turntables, amps & speakers at Pecars Electronics in Detroit..a few heads were turning, not everyone was hip to Alice in '71 & my brother was cranking the equipment..

[@DoctorIvanSFN]

The Billion Dollar Babies were ahead of their time. Overshadowed by Cooper's vocals, the band was rarely recognized for their musicianship. Dennis Dunaway on bass was their secret weapon. His raga style was so damned unique. Thank you for recognizing this underrated classic track. Please visit the track "Billion Dollar Babies" for this band at their musical peak.

[@donpardo2510]

A great out of left field song choice. Alice Cooper albums from those years are all something to listen to.

[@nancymjohnson]

Coopers song from a few years ago, title track of Brutal Planet, is one of his best! I’ve only missed him in concert twice since 1975. Always the best shows. Going later this year again. One of his guitarist, Nita Strauss, is amazing. Seeing her next month. And his drummer, Glen Sobel, is jaw droppingly good!

[@DoctorIvanSFN]

Love that album... I wish that he would've continued with that sound and style in the ones which followed. So heavy.

[@mikemicrael5749]

Great choice, Linda. My favorite song by Alice Cooper. Good to see great music going through young minds.

[@phonebone81]

When you read which genres the song comes from, don't forget that Alice was a friend of Jim Morrison and enjoyed having a few drinks with him at some times. I think that left a mark on Alice Cooper ;-)) Best wishes @all and of course thanks for sharing the song @L33Reacts from Hamburg (Germany)

[@Bob.L.Shirley]

Hey, Lee! That lushness you mentioned is a trademark of a Bob Ezrin production. Check into him - you'll be surprised by everyone he's worked with. I love this album and hope you'll hear Under My Wheels at some point but there is a list of good ones on this album. I missed the Love It To Death tour but caught the boys live when Killer released. Stellar show!

[@bobcorbin3294]

Bob Ezrin would later go on to produce one of the most listened to albums of all time Pink Floyd's The Wall

[@andyjones9326]

At last .someone who listens and know what he's talking about.

[@RonaldWall-yw3hx]

Nothing will touch 60's70's music

[@Steve-nf1tg]

One of my favorite albums from back in the day! Still sounds fresh!

[@vicprovost2561]

Great deep cut, Alice is always worth listening to, especially his original Alice Cooper Group, one of the best bands of the 70s. Try the Ballad of Dwight Fry for another great, epic cut. Alice rules! Enjoy. 🎵🎸🎤🎸🎶

[@lindaulloa4786]

I was 13 when this album came out. It was the first album I ever bought. I had this and Love It To Death. They were in my opinion the band's best albums. Didn't like them as much after Billion Dollar Babies.This whole album is really good. This song is about a spy.

[@NoviJimB]

The rest of the band wanted to concentrate on the music more and Alice was wanting to concentrate more and more on the stage show. 'Muscle Of Love' had some good stuff, but wasn't as 'deep' as the previous three. Then Alice went solo. But those three albums, from Love It... through Billion $ Babies, were fantastic. Michael Bruce was one hell of a songwriter, he wrote or co-wrote most of their songs back then.

[@rickandgen]

Absolutely LOVE this album!!!!! This was my introduction to Alice, had the 8-track tape when I was 10!

[@allengator1914]

Do you remember that this was one of the songs where it faded out in the middle of the song to change tracks on the 8-Track tape?

[@rickandgen]

@@allengator1914 yes I do!

[@SteveHolst]

Back in the day this was as metal as it got. I loved it.

[@MobiusBandwidth]

I don't think any modern metal act has done better than this, even though there's plenty of awesome metal out there. these cats were the giants on who's shoulders they stand.

[@rapson672]

My fav by Alice is ' Ballad of Dwight Fry '

[@jimgreen2080]

As mentioned below, the part of the song you recognized incorporated the melody of a song from from The Sound of Music: "My Favorite Things." They were a REALLY weird band on their first two albums; they turned a corner with Love It to Death. And ... they were a KILLER band live.

[@L33Reacts]

Gotta love the REALLY weird stuff :) I'm down to hear it lol.

[@tomvenner6030]

Besides producing many Alice Cooper albums Bob Ezrin produced records for Pknk Floyd, Aerosmith, Kiss, Deep Purple and many more.qq

[@sergebrunet4218]

I missed the live premiere ! but i ll listen to it now ! it s been a while since i heard this one ! 😎

[@dsomerville5293]

This whole album is a masterpiece. That lineup is the best Alice one, the early lineup. Check out Under My Wheels and Welcome to My Nightmare. Ezrin eas also the EPIC Canadian producer of this LP and Pink Floyd Rhe Wall

[@weshoward450]

Definitely dive into some more. Lots of fan favorites, but he has tons of deep-track gems to explore too.

[@larrygranat4456]

Alice! Great! Thanks!

[@ytcai4535]

Dead Babies is an epic Alice Cooper song. Not only will it make you angry and sad with the subject matter, it will take you on an emotional journey much beyond. A must listen from this band.

[@kerryknight228]

Great album. I always loved this song the most. ✌️

[@Tarkus_]

Great song, great album! Their early proggy stuff was so awesome. That original band was fantastic.

[@L33Reacts]

I had no idea there was a band or anything like that. I just knew Alice Cooper lol. Gotta love figuring new stuff out!

[@Tarkus_]

@@L33Reacts Heh, I grew up on this stuff. I had a "Killer" poster on the wall! 🐍

[@scottlaughlin9897]

Neil Smith the Drummer was always in competition with the Who’s Keith Moon. They would call each other and brag how many pieces were in their Drum Kits.

[@ChuckDrennen]

The Coop was great! Alice Cooper and Peter Gabriel were both pioneers of theater rock.

[@mikeeckel2807]

An English musician led the way! "Screaming" Lord Sutch was doing theatrical shows in the mid-to-late 60s.

[@ChuckDrennen]

@@mikeeckel2807 So was Arthur Brown.

[@jraben1065]

Great choice Linda! A less famous Alice Cooper song, but it's awesome. I hoped L33 would react to another early Alice song, and "Halo" was my choice for the next song, so I'm happy. "Halo" is such a crazy musical journey, changing tempos, unexpected sounds, contrasting moods. This is also a very skillful band. Neal Smith is a very under-rated drummer, unique sound, and with a distinctive stage presence. Alice's next Album, "Billion Dollar Babies", L33 try "Unfinished Sweet", or 2 short songs together, like "Elected" into "Billion $ Babies".

[@Royale_with_Cheeze]

The next album was School's Out, another great album, then Billion Dollar Babies.

[@jraben1065]

Yes, your right, Schools Out was 1972. I mixed up the order in my head (long time ago,,,). I started listening to Alice with Billion $, and then whent back and got the earlier albums. Thanks for the correction.@@Royale_with_Cheeze

[@allengator1914]

This was one of the songs on the "Killer" 8-Track Tape where it faded out to change tracks before fading back in and it just ruined listening to this song in the car.

[@MobiusBandwidth]

I had, and still have that 8 track. my first rock album, thank god my brother gave (loaned?) it to me. changed my life.

[@brotherbob3569]

Their best song. Thanks

[@mariaportengen2959]

I agree 👍

[@punker-gamer-trucker-guy]

It seems like you couldn't be a band in the early '70s without having some progressive rock in you. Alice Cooper were a straight up rock and roll band but when they wanted to they can write some kick ass epics

[@daseguin]

Dude, you've GOTTA do My Stars off the School's Out album.

[@cogline]

My favorite concert video is AC - Brutally Live [2000]. You would love it He is considered the grandfather of metal

[@gregjones861]

Lee: This was a BAND, not one guy, in the early days. The album before this, Love It To Death, was the beginning of their collaboration with producer Bob Ezrin, and it produced 4 or 5 masterpieces in a row. Neal Smith started off great, got even better - just you WAIT till you hear the song Billion Dollar Babies! Every song on this album, it's predecessor and the subsequent 2 records will blow you away.

[@L33Reacts]

It's wild how time changes things Greg! I really enjoyed this. The only Alice Cooper I knew was his solo stuff lol this is way better

[@erickvermeulen9734]

Always nice, that melody snippet from The Sound of Music.... Bob Ezrin is also a great producer, including the album The Wall by Pink Floyd.

[@mariaportengen2959]

I'm glad you're listening to this song. I think this is the best number from Alice Cooper. 🎶🎶🎶👍

[@ChristopherElli-cc1ly]

Yeah. It is a great track from a great album. One of the best side 1 in hard rock history.

[@ohfour-seven6228]

Oh, and there was a part of Halo you thought sounded familiar, it's part of a song from Sound of Music, Julie Andrews actually!

[@georgeperkins4171]

It's like a 007 thing

[@neillenet291]

The alice cooper band was so underrated. They're actually getting back together for a reunion tour.

[@Royale_with_Cheeze]

I just looked up their tour news. No mention of original band. *Fresh from the success of his latest album "Road", a concept album about the thrills and spills of touring, Alice is back, accompanied as always by his long-running live band of Ryan Roxie (guitar),Chuck Garric (bass),Tommy Henriksen (guitar),Glen Sobel (drums) and Nita Strauss (guitar).*

[@neillenet291]

@WhosieWhatNow I was getting some bad information. I just went online and they were supposed to reunite for new album last year. I heard they were reuniting for a tour but who knows.

[@Royale_with_Cheeze]

​@@neillenet291 Probably best to delete the post saying they're getting back together. Gets people's hopes up unnecessarily.

[@daseguin]

They were one of the biggest bands of the early 70s.

[@cletushouse906]

Lots of people have tried to imitate him but no one has come close.

[@neilens1589]

Very proggy indeed. Apparently they were trying to do something in the vein of King Crimson. However, I hear Genesis's Trespass album (which was was released 13 months earlier than Killer) all over this track. One of my Alice favourites for sure.

[@michaelanthony3304]

check out the 2019 Live Concert "A Paranormal Evening"........ such a great band....Alice has ALWAYS had excellent bands -- "Poison" is a good song from that concert -- enjoy!

[@sharondavid-melly1498]

The classic Lord of the Flies required in school is a read one doesn't forget. Wonder if it was an inspiration. If so he does it justice 👍

[@kowindsurf1590]

under my wheels by alice cooper

[@TerryKrysinski]

Lee-- ya gotta hear this entire album,bro-- it's...KILLER!! ;-) T

[@L33Reacts]

There you go Terry!! That's how it's done 😉😀

[@TerryKrysinski]

Actually..Love It To Death, Killer, School's Out, Billion Dollar Babies, Muscle Of Love, Welcome To My Nightmare--and even his new one 'Road' are killer albums front to back. No kiddin,guy! T

[@goonbelly5841]

IMO, Killer is Alice Cooper's best album. However, many people consider Billion Dollar Babies to be their best album.

[@daseguin]

School's Out

[@tedsmith7814]

The Coop!

[@MobiusBandwidth]

for me, Killer is the most important and seminal early progressive hard rock album. brilliant start to finish, they were inspired by Yes to be more progressive, "let's try that!" XD yeah, it worked. the part you said sounded familiar, "daggers and contacts, and bright shiny limos..." he's melodically quoting "My favorite things" from Mary Poppins I think. sound of music maybe? one of those. that's the sort of thing Jazz musicians do, quote a well known song in the middle of a melody or solo. the vocal melody as this song starts is all over the road, incredibly inventive. not just some blues rock 3 note melody. Alice did a lot of great music, but Killer is his masterpiece, in my opinion.

[@jefffixesit60]

Midnight Special was great, it was how a lot of us got our first glimpse of our favorite bands. Sadly, the audio capacity of analog (NTSC) video recording sucks. Monaural, clipped at about 10kHz, muddy sounding AF, mixed for tiny speakers built into TV sets of the day. It's what we had. Lovin' what you're doing, rock on!😁

[@marceldagenais1893]

Billion dollar baby's solid album

[@bert0522]

That part that sounds familiar to you was part of an old Christmas tune. Jim

[@salsonny]

Sound of music reference, sounded familiar

[@jimgreen2080]

"What a collection of songs," you said. Yup. Tons for you to hear for the first time! Enjoy!

[@mikeeckel2807]

"I love the dead Before they're cold Bluing flesh For me to hold Cadaver eyes Upon me see... Nothing" Boy...they don't write them like that anymore.

[@patricksalfer1294]

You should listen to desperado, the whole album is extremely good

[@williamosborne6866]

Thanks for doing this deep cut - Killer is, front to back, one of my favorites. This epic, plus 2 more that sound more like "I'm 18": "Desperado: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y2Gnkn2hhbh_h9k "Under My Wheels: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e2bUoqJoqKt_hqM

[@StoneShards]

For a little more equally ancient prog rock check PLUS-The Seven Deadly Sins and Smoke Rise - The Survival Of St Joan (A Rock Opera) - 1971 - (Full Album) kzbin.info/www/bejne/opbahKuYapZgnck kzbin.info/www/bejne/opCXYX6MpNZ6g9E

[@ejohnson3837]

A.C. was very diverse.

[@StoneShards]

Buxton changed the way rock lead guitar was done. Bob Ezrin was a producer--he might pitch in with a noodle, but Michael Bruce was Alice's keyboardist...rhythm guitar...lyrics and composition.

[@jamesvomsaal]

You need to do Desperado. off this album

[@georgeperkins4171]

Muscle of love and earlier are the best albums

[@geob3963]

Alice Cooper - Billion Dollar Babies Alice Cooper - Wish You Were Here Alice Cooper - Pain Alice Cooper - No More Mr. Nice Guy Alice Cooper - You Can Go Yo Hell

[@jpirard]

Bob Ezrin has done a lot of work with Pink Floyd

[@daseguin]

Original band is the only Alice for me. Love it to Death all the way through Muscle of Love.

[@mikeeckel2807]

The original "Alice Cooper Group" was great! Their first twoalbums are kind of obscure, but very interesting, too. Oneof the better songs is "Lay Down and Die, Good-Bye."...it's kind of psychedelic.

[@gandalfshakur8235]

If you like AC's voice, he was clearly influenced by The Doors' Jim Morrison. Hit up "When the music's over". That will also blow you r mind. chEErs

[@ejohnson3837]

Alice brought out a snake in his live concerts.