The End Of An Era | Reviewing Alice Cooper's "Muscle of Love"

Check my "Alice Cooper Review Playlist" here: • An Overlooked Album I ...
Listen to the album here: • Muscle of Love

[@CaretakerWanted]

While I don't care for this album, that doesn't mean you shouldn't. 28 albums can surely pertain to someone's taste. Thoughts on "Muscle of Love"? Do you like it or dislike it? Let me know. Take care, guys!

[@luvittodeath7031]

Although I like the songs before this more, I like the production more than BDB personally.

[@stuartmazzeo2516]

In the 70s porn was shipped in brown paper wrapping. That fact makes "Muscle Of Love" (with protein stain) as good a cover as B.D.B. , SCHOOL'S OUT or KILLER.

[@jazzpunk]

Agree. The production (sound of the LP) of MOL is better than BDB. This album does "only Gold". Good one. Mick Masbir & Dick Wagner took over for the ailing GB.

[@MarkCox21125150]

Long time Alice fan - its in my top 2, the other being Love it to Death.

[@ShawnShipstad]

I was born in 1961 in L.A. I recall buying it the day it cam out and still love the cd.

[@CaretakerWanted]

Nice!

[@stuartmazzeo2516]

In the 70s porn was shipped in brown paper wrapping. That fact makes "Muscle Of Love" (and it's protein stain) as great a cover as B.D.B. , Schools Out or Killer.

[@CaretakerWanted]

Lol, my phone only shows a sneak peak of a comment, so it was just “in the 70s p0rn…” and I was like “wait what??” Haha.

[@MrLive2win]

I loved the album because it was Neal, Dennis, Michael, Alice and Glen. Standouts to me were Woman Machine, HH Alice, Crazy Little Child ( Neal Smith hated that song) title song Muscle Of Love ( loved that wicked hurricane bass sound by Dennis) and Working Up A Sweat. Loved It To Death 2.

[@CaretakerWanted]

Working Up A Sweat is still a standout track for me as well. Thanks for the comment : )

[@MrLive2win]

Remember The Coop!!!!!!@@CaretakerWanted

[@alicefreefans]

As time goes by, I love this album as much as BDB. Because this album is Alice Cooper Group as it is. In other words, Alice Cooper Group without Bob Ezrin. I think BDB is half created by Bob Ezrin and studio musicians (Dick Wagner & Steve Hunter -uncredited), in that sense, this album is more interesting. Mick Mashbir played a lot on this album, but he was their friend. This album is flawed but you can love it.

[@CaretakerWanted]

Nice. I'm glad you like it!

[@jeffreybiscoe6]

I always liked it I think it aged better than the others except for maybe schools out. At 58 it makes more sense as a whole album . On babys I skip over stuff and do on killer too MOL tolerate whole LP.

[@edmundwynne8021]

just an observation...is the "paper journal" you show a single sheet of paper with graphics on each side? In 1974 it was a book cover for my Algebra 1 book. There are printed folding instructions right underneath Glenn Buxton's photo.

[@CaretakerWanted]

I believe you are correct that it’s a book cover!

[@BeeKay5150]

This takes second on my Alice Cooper group list. Love it to Death takes number one, but there's just something about this album that keeps me coming back. Big Apple Dreamin', Never Been Sold Before, the title track, a lot of good stuff here.

[@CaretakerWanted]

It's grown on me a little bit. Trust in that I know I'm in the minority in which this album does not do a whole lot for me. But I love hearing about people who enjoy it!

[@AKTIONAVANTGARDE]

"Teenage Lament" is next to "Shoe Sales Man" (1970) my favorite song ever 😂 I love the sarcastic lyrics and the over exaggeration of being a kid in puberty. Even the guitar solo sounds like in pain. Fantastic song in my opinion.

[@ShawnShipstad]

Right on-You are cool-I love the stuff.

[@LucyOLastic]

I think it's similar to School's Out in effect. That album was rather flat after the brilliant "Killer." (bar the title track) I think it's like taking a step sideways, and feels quite nostalgic at times. I think they needed time to reflect on things, especially on the crazy schedule they had. They do seem to loosen up and noodle a bit. It's a contrast to the tight arrangements on Killer. There is a palpable atmosphere to MOL. I find it a good listen, and often go back to it. Like I say, a lot of commonality with School's Out. The jazz of Blue Turk/Crazy Little Child and the two Neal Smith compositions Alma Mater/Teenage Lament. There was a loose concept to Schools Out, and I think the same of MOL. After BDB the band wanted to go back to basics, after the self parody and showbiz that characterised that album. I like "Hard Hearted Alice" especially for the doomy chords that close the song which sound reminiscent of "Killer." That band packed in so much in 2 years since Love It To Death, it's hard to imagine what they could have done next as a group, especially without Glen.

[@giles7662]

I think the violin at the end of Big apple Dreamin' is meant to be someone playing in the subway of New York...busking if you will. That's what I always felt.

[@gregorytree5666]

Oh for goodness sake, this is a great album! An album true to the Alice Cooper sound. I bought this when it came out and it didn't disappoint...In fact, A C fans at the time seemed to be more disappointed with Welcome to my nightmare as that truly was the end of the A C group and a complete change in the sound we all loved. In my view Alice Cooper band or individual was never the same again..

[@CaretakerWanted]

Ha, when I saw your comment appear it was showing “Oh for goodness sake” and I was thinking “Ah, it’s either the Muscle of Love Review or an album ranking” lol

[@jeffreycox6647]

I had never considered the angle of making it onto a James Bond film could have kept the band together. "Live and Let Die" was a huge song, so it is likely "Man With the Golden Gun" would have been. Great point.

[@giles7662]

I think it was Mick Mashbir (who stood in for Glen on the BDB tour)and Dick Wagner that replace Glen on this album. There is only Woman Machine that I don't like on that album. However, it is just a bunch of good rock hard rock tunes with nothing really tying it all together as opposed to the big, grandious production rock songs with a theme and concept that was the essence of the band.

[@CaretakerWanted]

Glad you like it. With 28 albums in the discography, there's plenty for someone to appreciate.

[@giles7662]

@@CaretakerWanted , I think it is not bad at all. I like it because I tend to think early Alice is best before it became showbiz/Hollywood, hair metal/"cartoon" and now, somewhat of a self parody. However, I liked the early 80s (esp FTF and Dada) where he was more musically honest, creative and not really pampering to the masses and record company.

[@CaretakerWanted]

@@giles7662 Flush the Fashion might be the one album where every track is as good as its predecessor. Even a short song like "Leather Boots" is great. The one downside of the album is that it's very short. But, I'd take that over weak tracks any day. As I move on through the 70's, most of it will be positive. I'll have to listen to "Goes to Hell" again, but I remember the B side being pretty mediocre.

[@giles7662]

@@CaretakerWanted Yes, the 70s albums were good, but all a bit 'tamed down' for me. From The Inside is quite epic really. I am not a fan of Goes To Hell at all - the least favourite of mine from his 70s solo efforts. I also think Welcome To My Nightmare is a touch overrated myself.

[@mikenicholas885]

Really enjoyed your breakdown and attention to detail. You may have noticed the "Dean of men" on the cover. If only a person could judge an album in the context of having been there when it came out rather than through the lens of hindsight. I look forward to more of your videos.

[@CaretakerWanted]

Thanks, Mike. I've warmed up to the album since then. Wish I could love it like others do.

[@gregorylapointe4157]

I remember buying this album the day it came out and I thought it was a pretty good record. It's not as good as the previous records but still it's a good album. Dennis Dunaway did not replace Glenn Buxton, Dennis was the bass player. Dick Wagner, who played on some of their previous albums, formerly of The Frost, was a lot more prominent now, he was one of the replacements.. He also cowrote some of their songs. Hard Hearted Alice is one of my favorites.

[@andrewmacdonald3667]

In Dunaway’s memoir he mentions that Bob Richardson favoured traditional arrangements - hence their usual wild rock stylings were muted.

[@TerryKrysinski]

After the prior albums,it would've been quite the feat to even equal those. That and they rushed all of them out in a short period of time. I remembeer getting School's Out and before you even knew it, we got BDB's. MOL came only a few months later and--sure...they were pretty burned out at this point. but this said...in revisiting this one over the years, it reveals a very solid album. Not quite as good as the earlier greats,but still a very solid affair. I came to enjoy it anot more over the long years. Maybe you will to,guy..T

[@CaretakerWanted]

I couldn’t imagine the amount of stress and burnout all those bands endured throughout the 1970s. Just album after album, and tour after tour.

[@lisab6459]

It's not like I totally dislike the album, but it's not an outstanding one in my opinion. When I first listened to it, Man with the Golden Gun was the most catchy song, the others were just there somehow or I already knew them at that time (Muscle of Love and Teenage Lament '74), so their catchiness was not surprising. I also have to say that Teenage Lament was my least favorite Alice Cooper song when I started getting into his music, meanwhile I like it a little bit more. In the end the album is nice to listen to, but I usually don't feel the need to do so.

[@CaretakerWanted]

Pretty much my thoughts exactly. It's there. Don't care much for it. A couple of decent songs. In the end, it just sounds like a band that's completely fed up and uninterested. But, if people like it, then that's great.

[@jazzpunk]

"Never Been Sold Before" jumped out for me...had me from the opening guitar riff.

[@kenni123064]

I disagree with a lot of the commentary but I’m glad you gave it a review. I think Muscle Love has so much variety. I’ll start with teenage lament 74 because if you really love rock ‘n’ roll and dreamed of being a rockstar at that particular area you could really relate to the song there’s so much feeling and it’s so dreamy it’s such a great great midtempo song I love hard hearted Alice I love big Apple dreaming I love working up a sweat I love muscle love I love crazy little child there’s so much variety if you don’t know this about Alice he loved 50s and 60s music. He was also in the jazz an Elvis and the Beatles. This album to me as a masterpiece and should’ve been a much more high ranking album or high charting album than it actually was. I think Michael Bruce had a lot to do with the sound on this record. He was the master songwriter along with Alice’s lyrics as well! I love Bob Ezrin And I love everything he done with the group, but let’s face it he’s a bit of a one trick pony, so he needed to exit and let the band kinda have its way and this is the result

[@CaretakerWanted]

Man I really wish I could love this album. I have warmed up to it, and if I was to revisit this I wouldn’t be as harsh. Love hearing your opinion on it. I know I’m in the minority with my view on this album.

[@kenni123064]

@@CaretakerWanted your doing an amazing job on your album reviews and commentary! A true class act! Thank you for replying! Kenny

[@MJ-ix7wm]

I like MOL, oddly enough, because I like "Prettys for You" & "Easy Action", alot... Which, as you know, are very different.

[@CaretakerWanted]

Trust me, I know I'm in the minority. Glad you enjoy it!

[@wompishockimukquoshim1756]

I really like it especially crazy little child and working up a sweat

[@giles7662]

"Winos" on Crazy Little Child.

[@CaretakerWanted]

Thank you. I was thinking "rhinos" when I heard it (which made sense to me since "Hippo" is on the first track).

[@MaterLacrymarum]

Lots of disagreement from me here. From the cover art to the songs. I'd start by saying, they were never going to match the heights of Billion Dollar Babies, which was a high-point for their discography. It was their smash hit album, so this one was always going to less than that. This is particularly true when you consider the band wasn't getting along too well. The cover art is magnificent. It goes even further than, say, Led Zep's In Through the Out Door by presenting a bland package on the outside. It's a great concept, albeit difficult to keep in good condition. The cover and inserts tell a story on their own, aside from the music. Great stuff. As for the songs, there's nothing bad here at all. You seem to be after uptemp rockers, but by this time Alice was beyond playing bland, fast, tunes. Working Up a Sweat was the B-side to the single Teenage Lament. I think the band had more sophistication at this point, moving between styles, setting aside some histrionics, and giving us some great riffs (Big Apple Dreamin, for example). Crazy Little Child isn't so strange when you think of it in the context of School's Out and Blue Turk, and much of Side Two. Coop has played in this area before, and it's a fun revisit. But most of all, think of what happened next. Welcome to My Nightmare is another classic album that plays around with different styles, vocal approaches, and recording techniques. Muscle of Love is a stepping stone to what came next, and is a fun listen.

[@anthonyr829]

Hard Hearted Alice is my favorite from this album.

[@CaretakerWanted]

Nice!

[@beatlehmann3424]

Love it !!!

[@michaeloshea3090]

His Dad's a ghost? Coast to coast! If your going to review know the lyrics.

[@davidclancy4122]

I like this album Big Apple Dreaming and others

[@CaretakerWanted]

Thanks for sharing! I’ve warmed up to it since.

[@scmcarp]

Love your channel buddy and MOL and DADA two best AC albulm one with the band one with solo

[@CaretakerWanted]

That's awesome you enjoy this album!

[@peterschopf7373]

Totally agree with your take muscle love was the beginning of the end, I bought it and go to hell, but never a big fan of his music after billion dollar babies

[@CaretakerWanted]

Yeah no matter how many tries I give it, the album doesn’t do much for me. I have warmed up to it, but it’s still at the bottom of the album rankings for me.

[@kennymik1509]

Dude, are you takin' (with OUT the "g"....Big Apple Dreamin') mushrooms? If so, can I have some? If not, you should. Crap!!! Did someone, family member perhaps, take away your Muscle Of Love when you were a kid?

[@CaretakerWanted]

Must have took a trip to Humboldt.

[@kennymik1509]

Humboldt?!?! How in blazes did I get here...there...where am I? The guy in the trench coat...maybe it wasn't a guy ...said, "zipper catches skin". How long have I been gone...???...

[@oddkarlsen7593]

Well, music is a matter of taste...personally, this is a very underrated album. I love it, and think it reaches all up to Billion Dollar Babies....🇧🇻