Rock Rolls On

Album review

Michael Bruce's 1983 seven song album on the Nevada based Euro Tech Records and Tapes is an interesting outing that falls short of delivering what the artist is capable of. Oh sure, there's the classic Cooper guitar bite on the opening/title track, but the vocals on this disc by David Lindenmuth and the star, Michael Bruce, miss the mark. This is the guy who co-wrote "School's Out" and "No More Mr. Nice Guy," songs that epitomize all that Alice Cooper was and still is about. Having the rhythm section from Bulldog and the Rascals, the always perfect drums of Dino Danelli and bass work of Gene Cornish, along with keyboards by David Foster, make it clear that the music is going to be top notch. But the cover of the Easybeats' Vanda & Young tune "Friday on My Mind" doesn't add anything to our memories of the original. It's a nice run through, that's all. The two best tunes on this short album are A. Quinlan's "Lucky Break" with its strong chorus, and Bruce's middle-aged rock star lament, and "In My Own Way," co-written by Bruce and R. Morris. Tougher to take is "Gina," a Michael Bruce original which maybe Mickey Thomas in his post-Jefferson band, Starship, could've had lots of fun with. Very '80s, and that is the problem here. Neal Smith of the original Alice Cooper Group co-writes "Do You Wanna Know" and "Too Young," but, really, you wouldn't know it. "Too Young" has that anthem philosophy which Cooper trademarked in "I'm 18" and "Teenage Lament '74," however it sounds too forced. If Dee Snyder or Alice guest starred, it could possibly work. Bruce seems to forget the wonderful sound he was forging on Easy Action, the album which came before Love It to Death and the Cooper group's eventual success. That sound would have really made these songs come to life. Even borrowing Punky Meadows' amplifier from the band Angel can't bring this record the rock & roll spirit it needs, that passion that Bob Ezrin's production and Alice Cooper's nastiness once so nicely complemented Michael Bruce's guitar work.

© Joe Viglione /TiVo