Alice Cooper’s Original Bassist Releases Book About Band’s Rise to Fame
Back before Alice Cooper was known only as one man, it was the name of an entire band.
And that band’s bassist was Dennis Dunaway, who co-wrote Alice Cooper (in terms of either the band or the man) hits like “School’s Out” and played on iconic albums like Billion Dollar Babies.
Dunaway has now released his story of the band’s formation and his time in the shock-rock group, which included its early 1970s rise to fame. His autobiography’s title happily references the band’s stage theatrics: SNAKES! GUILLOTINES! ELECTRIC CHAIRS! My Adventures in the Alice Cooper Group.
Dunaway and Vincent Furnier (now known as Alice Cooper) began playing in a band together as teenagers in Phoenix, and according to quotes for the book, Cooper still considers Dunaway a friend. Alice Cooper Group producer Bob Ezrin also calls Dunaway’s version of the band’s story “one of the most colorful, insightful and entertaining.”
Still involved in the music business, Dunaway now plays with the band Blue Coupe, featuring former members of Blue Oyster Cult.
Here’s Dunaway a “few” years ago, in a 1972 performance:
SNAKES! GUILLOTINES! ELECTRIC CHAIRS! My Adventures in the Alice Cooper Group, co-authored with Chris Hodenfield, is available in hardcover and Kindle editions.
I’m a big fan of Alice Cooper. Went to every concert from Killer to Welcome to My Nightmare and had all of the albums (now mp3’s). I pre ordered this book on my Kindle and read it in no time flat. Dennis goes through great detail about the history of the band starting from when he and Vince were in school together. This is a great I am, you’ll want to purchase this book. The movie Super Dooper Alice Cooper is excellent also. Vince (Alice Cooper) tells some revealing truths in it.
I use to love this song when school let out , even though it was made 10 years after I graduated high school.