Anybody remember him?

[uwe]

Yes, Jobriath, that was another album where the sleeve stunned me, but I never got around to buying it. Now it's being rereleased on CD.



Villified at the time as a Bowie (Ziggy era) rip-off, he should probably be a gay icon for that Rock of Ages performance here alone:



Or this here:



Right down to how his band looked - this stuff is from 1973, preceding the new wave look of bands by a good five years - this was daring stuff for an American act! Of course Jobriath aka Bruce Wayne Campbell was gay enough to make Liberace turn purple and didn't hide it either. That might have played a role in that he never lived up to the commercial promises at the time. He turned a cabaret singer under the guise of Cole Berlin and died in 1983 of AIDS.

Uwe

[TBird1958]

 Wow, I've never seen that!  Like it or not its from a much better long gone era that I sure miss. Especially when contrasted to today's rather bland efforts at show and showmanship of musicians.
Glam, like Slade, Alice Cooper and Kiss were all such big influences on me growing up........Is it really any wonder I do what I do? I love being a show, God knows I'll never impress anyone with spellbinding virtuosity!   

[Barklessdog]

I never heard of him??

But I do remember Peter Ivers Band




And the Pink Fairies
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuS2zVRJu6k&feature=related

[gweimer]

I remember the cover, and remember that he was considered a Bowie clone, as well.  The problem is that once someone lays claim to a style, followers will have a hard time succeeding, even if they are talented.  How many really good musicians jumped on the '80s metal bandwagon, only to fade into obscurity?

[Lightyear]

Talking about glam rock and new wave - does anyone here remember Alice Cooper's new wave album in the late 70's?  I had it and really liked it but I can't remember the title.  If I recall correctly he actually charted fairly well with the album.

[fur85]

Was the Alice Cooper record "Flush the Fashion"?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flush_the_Fashion

[Lightyear]

That's it!  Though I thought it did better in the charts - kind of a sell out on Alice's part though I liked it.

[uwe]

I saw him in concert around that time, I think it was the Special Forces tour, Detroit Cobo Hall, Joe Perry Project opening. He had Mike Pinera of Iron Butterfly pedigree and Nitzinger of Bloodrock pedigree with him plus a third guitarist I can't remember. The band, all dressed in battle fatigues except for Alice, attempted to look a bit like the Clash with Toyah singing. It was awkward and the old hits didn't really fit.

His new album "Along came a spider" is quite good, especially one Lennonesque (I always like Alice best when he does his Lennon impersonations) ballad.

[nofi]

i think the third guy was  muscle bound with a guitar or bass that looked like a gun. a real rambo looking guy?

and wiki says kane roberts. that sounds like the guy i'm thinking of. i think i saw a show from that tour on tv.

[gweimer]

Kane Roberts was Alice Cooper's guitarist for a while.  He always looked like Rambo.  I think Kip Winger was in the band with him at some point.  "Thrill My Gorilla" is one of my favorite Coop songs from the later years.

[uwe]

Kane Roberts was much later - that was Alice's pre-Poison (and post Special Forces/Zipper catches Skin) metal phase. That third guy back then in Cobo Hall was another late sixties, early seventies hero, who seemed an unlikely choice for Alice Cooper, but I can't remember him.

I thought that stuff with Kane Roberts pretty dreary - Alice's voice isn't really suited to yell above metal backing tracks and still cut through - he doesn't have the range for that, never had it. His voice is great within its confines and needs music to match. I like him best when he stays in the hard rock/glam/burlesque vein, with the music not too heavy, his last three albums were pretty much like that.

Uwe

[eb2]

He had Elton John's guitar player for a while. Maybe the Only Women Bleed era.

Can't say I remember the parallel Bowie, but he kind of rocked.  The effete spaceman vibe was always eh at best.  Things could and did get worse than that I suppose.

[nofi]

how about dick wagner or steve hunter. they seemed to be everywhere back then. even on aerosmith records.

[Nocturnal]

I used to love Alice's Flush the fashion album. Clones was the song I really remember from it. But a week or so ago I heard one of the songs from it on Alice's radio show. I hadn't heard anything from that album in years. I saw Alice on tour with Kane & Kip. I've heard Alice say that Kip was too much of a crybaby for rock & roll.

BTW, Smashing Pumpkins coverd "Clones" several years ago. I thought the original was better tho.

[Barklessdog]

how about dick wagner or steve hunter. they seemed to be everywhere back then. even on aerosmith records.

They were amazing guitarists, I remember them with Alice Cooper & Lou Reed live. Some iconic playing on the intro to Sweet Jane.