KISS/Alice Cooper... More Than Coincidence?
By: Stephen Christian

Have you ever really stopped and taken a look at how many things that KISS has in common with Alice Cooper, not top mention things that they just plain stole from him? I'm sure there are other examples I haven't taken into account yet (please submit them if I missed them), so here's what I have noticed:

Alice Cooper (the band) doesn't find any success in L.A., so they head out to Detroit where they explode. KISS finds the same success in Detroit several years later when they are a fledgling band.

Alice Cooper isn't really given the recognition they deserve until they are hooked up with Bob Ezrin, who then produces the band and turns things around. KISS hasn't really been taken seriously, so they decide that they need a somewhat serious and slightly "experimental" production that differed from what they had done previously on their other records. Enter Bob Ezrin and their biggest album to date (ever if they keep turning out rehashed Destroyer records like 'Recycled Circus').

If you look back at some of the early costumes of Alice himself ('70-'71), you'll notice where Ace Frehley got his '73-'74 boots with the lightning bolts up the side of the boot all the way up the leg. Also where Paul Stanley got his 'Destroyer' outfit. Alice even had the silver sparkles! If you have any doubt, check out the Alice Cooper 'Behind The Music'.

Alice had makeup AND theatrics before ANYONE! ANYONE! Yes, before David Bowie, before the New York Dolls and yes, even KISS. Hell, even before Motley Crue. "People had never seen theatrics and makeup in a rock band before" - Vince Neil (Motley Crue), Behind The Music, 1999. Hey Vince, you know that Alice song you covered on the Alice tribute? That song was originally written when you were still in grade school ya little panzy! Alice had you beat by at least a dozen years. Gimme a break!

On the 'Welcome To My Nightmare' album (1975), Alice used Dick Wagner as a guitar player on the album... the same guy that Gene Simmons was quoted as saying KISS used on 'Detroyer' in 1976 when, according to Gene, Ace had to "leave for a card game..."

Kim Fowley, who co-wrote "Escape" on WTMN, also co-wrote "King Of The Night Time World" and "Do You Love Me" on Destroyer in 1976.

Alice Cooper (the band) released 'Killer' in 1971. KISS released an import only compilation called 'Killers' in 1982. Not a real big coincidence, but kind of strange nonetheless.

Alice (solo) releases 'The Last Temptation' in 1994. It is based on a traveling carnival theme. Paul Stanley reportedly never misses Alice when he plays L.A., and reportedly "takes notes". Whether it is mental or physically standing with a notepad (I doubt it), this comes from two highly reliable sources who have seen him at every L.A. show. The next studio album that KISS release with the original band is the much anticipated (but highly overrated and underdeflated 'Psycho Circus'. Strangely enough, it has a circus (also known as a carnival) theme to it. Maybe that's where they were originally going to go with 'Carnival Of Souls'...

And finally, this I heard from a highly reliable source. I can't prove this, so take it for what it's worth. Gene told this "source" several years back in a discussion regarding KISS' success, "We tried to rip off the Beatles.. .but it didn't work (refering to the Wicked Lester project/album). We ripped off Alice... and it worked." I'm told that he would never recall the conversation, much less 'fess up to the comment.

Oh yes. Let's not forget the 'Dreamin'/'Eighteen' lawsuit that was settled out of court quietly this year. That is one of the BIGGEST rip offs of a tune I've ever heard. I'll never forget when I received a bootleg cassette of 'Psycho Circus' a few months before it's release, and I thought they were updating and doing their own version of 'Eighteen' until the words came in. Then the song continues, and it still sounds incredibly similar to the tune penned by the Alice Cooper band. Kind of makes you wonder...

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