Simon Rushworth
It will be 25 years ago this summer that Alice Cooper gloriously reinvented himself for the hair metal generation with UK number two album Trash.
Spearheaded by smash lead single Poison – another number two for Alice – it saw the original shock rocker join forces with songwriter supreme Desmond Child and a hot of big-name guests.
Trash‘s list of co-writing credits and guest appearances reads like a Who’s Who of 80s rock with Jon Bon Jovi, Joan Jett, Joe Perry and Steve Lukather just a handful of those rock n roll heroes who made this record so special.
If Poison was the shot in the arm Alice needed after a fallow mid-80s period then another three singles were released from his hit-laden 12th post-Alice Cooper band long player.
Jett claimed a co-writing credit with Child on House Of Fire while Diane Warren and former Cooper guitarist Kane Roberts contributed to Bed Of Nails. Solo artist and singer songwriter Bruce Roberts hooked up with Alice and Andy Goldmark to pen ballad Only My Heart Talking.
Trash spawned a year-long global arena tour as Cooper was suddenly cool again. Mixing Top Of The Pops turns with festival spots, the Detroit star enjoyed his most successful period of critical and commercial acclaim since his 70s heyday.
To celebrate a landmark release in the Coop’s staggering career, HNE Recordings, via Cherry Red, have remastered and repackaged Trash featuring two bonus tracks and a brand new Malcolm Dome essay.
Released alongside follow-ups Hey Stoopid and The Last Temptation, the Trash reissue captures Alice at his glammed-up, chart-busting best as the king of reinvention maintained his relevance in the face of pop metal’s pre-grunge charge.
The full track listing of the Trash reissue is as follows:
1. Poison
2. Spark In The Dark
3. House Of Fire
4. Why Trust You
5. Only My Heart Talkin’
6. Bed Of Nails
7. This Maniac’s In Love With You
8. Trash
9. Hell Is Living Without You
10. I’m Your Gun
11. Only My Heart Talkin’ (Radio Edit) BONUS TRACK
12. I Got A Line On You BONUS TRACK
For full details on the latest Alice Cooper reissues from the HNE stable click here