Snakes! Guillotines! Electric Chairs!

My Adventures in The Alice Cooper Group

By: Dennis Dunaway, Chris Hodenfield

Narrated by: Dennis Dunaway

As the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame says, "Before the world heard of KISS, the New York Dolls, Marilyn Manson, or Ozzy Osbourne, there was Alice Cooper, the original shock-rock band."

When Alice Cooper became the stuff of legend in the early '70s, their shows were monuments of fun and invention. Riding on a string of hits like "I'm 18" and "School's Out", they became America's highest-grossing act, producing four platinum albums and hitting number one on the US and UK charts with Billion Dollar Babies in 1973. Their utterly original performance style and look, known as shock rock, was swiftly copied by countless bands.

Dennis Dunaway, the bassist and cosongwriter for the band, tells a story just as over-the-top crazy as their (in)famous shows. As teenagers in Phoenix, Dennis Dunaway and lead singer Vince Furnier, who would later change his name to Alice Cooper, formed a hard-knuckles band that played prisons, cowboy bars, and teen clubs. Their journey took them from Hollywood to the ferocious Detroit music scene, along the way adding new dimensions of rock theater. From struggling for recognition to topping the charts, the Alice Cooper group was entertaining, outrageous, and one of a kind.

Snakes! Guillotines! Electric Chairs! is the riveting account of the band's creation in the '60s and strange glory in the '70s and the legendary characters they met along the way.

©2015 Dennis Dunaway and Chris Hodenfield (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

A Fabulous Rendering of a Criminally Underrated Group

Dennis lays it all out there for the reader. You get a vivid glimpse in to one of the biggest bands of the early '70s. His perspective is crucial for anyone who is a fan of the original band known simply as Alice Cooper. Dennis takes you from the early school days of bunch of friends looking to have some fun to a group of musicians who took their craft seriously but not themselves. Along the way, you are treated to stories of impoverished conditions, crazy parties, negative reactions to their creative output and the groups rise to fame. Finally, there is an explanation of how the biggest band in the world at the time dissolved to obscurity. This book was one of the best rock books written and I believe that even a person who isn't an Alice Cooper Group fan would enjoy it.

A Wild Ride !!

Loved hearing about the crazy early days and the creativity behind the group
Refreshing to hear about the band members and not just one person

A Rock Bio That Should Be Blueprinted..So Lovely

Dennis Dunaway rocks it as reader and eyewitness to the greatest show on earth that also made your grandma want to faint. All your favorite albums are here. It is so great to hear the stories behind the creation of Halo of Flies, Black Juju, and the hits, too. You know we had a lot of them while we listened, and we hear about all their hijinks and fun on the road wirh the intonation of Dennis. Frankly, it helped having the book and audio after all those fun times. Come join the party.

An entirely WICKED book!

I love this book! I've read this book many times. I was around when this stuff all happened. I can remember some of it but I never understood all of this stuff. I like this so much I never feel like I'm wasting time when I read it!

Nicely Done!

This book spoke from the heart. Dennis gave an enlightening and realistic perspective on the history and progression of Alice Cooper. The good times and the bad and the ultimate achievement of making it into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Great Job Dennis. Congratulations!