Back in the 80’s when I first became an Alice Cooper fan, like any other die hard dork fan, I had to have EVERYTHING that I could get my grubby mitts on. I remember picking up a bootlegged VHS tape copy of Alice Cooper, The Nightmare which was his made for TV special. Aired on ABC in the U.S., “Alice Cooper: The Nightmare” showcases every song from the legendary “Welcome To My Nightmare” album, which had just been released at the time. With Cooper taking on the role of Steven, and Vincent Price serving as The Spirit Of The Nightmare, this special was a unique introduction to his new album, drawing fans even further into the dark fantasy.
Can you even fucking imagine that there was a time when a major television station gave Alice Cooper his own “special” staring none other than Vincent Price himself? I remember planting my fat ass with a pizza and a rootbeer in front of my TV and watching that damn VHS tape until it literally broke.
Over the years The Nightmare would resurface in various bootleg forms (thanks, Ebay) but finally, after nearly 40 years, The Nightmare is getting a proper release. Not only that, but along with it is going to the legendary and long sought after Welcome to My Nightmare concert film. That’s right. A double DVD set of awesome. Better start behaving and getting that shit added to your Christmas list.
Alice Cooper’s “Welcome To My Nightmare Special Edition” DVD will be released on September 8 via Eagle Rock Entertainment. The DVD features the 1975 TV special “Alice Cooper: The Nightmare”, now available on DVD for the first time, along with the 1976 “Welcome To My Nightmare” concert film. Melding horror, theater, and rock music, Alice Cooper’s “Welcome To My Nightmare” was a stage show the likes of which was never seen before. Hits and classics songs like “School’s Out”, “Only Women Bleed”, “Billion Dollar Babies”, “Welcome To My Nightmare”, “No More Mr. Nice Guy”, “I’m Eighteen” and “Department Of Youth” were backdropped with giant spiders, skeletons, a cyclops, and the voice of horror royalty Vincent Price. This groundbreaking theatrical presentation scintillated, horrified, and thrilled audiences, delivering an experience unlike any concerts at the time. He truly brought spectators into a living (or unliving) nightmare, and they loved every minute of it.
The combination of the “Welcome To My Nightmare” concert film and “Alice Cooper: The Nightmare” TV special demonstrates the true genius of Alice Cooper. He is beyond music, and beyond horror — Alice Cooper is an experience, who continues to frighten and thrill audiences to this day.
Track listing
“Welcome To My Nightmare”:
01. The Awakening
02. Welcome To My Nightmare
03. Years Ago
04. No More Mr. Nice Guy
05. I’m Eighteen
06. Some Folks
07. Cold Ethyl
08. Only Women Bleed
09. Billion Dollar Babies
10. Devil’s Food
11. The Black Widow
12. Steven
13. Escape
14. School’s Out
15. Department Of Youth
“The Nightmare”:
01. Welcome To My Nightmare
02. Devil’s Food
03. Some Folks
04. Only Women Bleed
05. Cold Ethyl
06. The Black Widow
07. Years Ago
08. Department Of Youth
09. Years Ago (Reprise)
10. Steven
11. The Awakening
12. Ballad Of Dwight Fry
13. Escape
14. The Awakening (Reprise)
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