No More Mr Nice Guy: The Inside Story of the Alice Cooper Group

by Michael Bruce, Billy James

"Better to remember the good days via those magnificent early records, those mid-period hits, and this likeable volume of memoirs."-"Record Collector"

"Original guitarist Michael Bruce's book successfully attempts to buy back credit where it was never given."-"Mojo"

Michael Bruce was guitarist and keyboard player with America's ghoulish rock vaudevillians-the Alice Cooper group. As the melody man within the group's ranks he helped to write many of their classic early seventies tracks. Hit singles like "School's Out" and "Elected" were teenage pop anthems that perfectly encapsulated the decadent spirit of the times, while the band's love for theatrics ran the gamut of mock electrocutions, hangings and guillotinings, creating a larger-than-life personality of singer Alice Cooper.

"No More Mr Nice Guy" follows the group on a journey from Arizona garage band, through years of being "the band you loved to hate," culminating in their eventual rise to worldwide stardom. Michael Bruce opens the lid on his years with the group, revealing the truth behind the publicity stunts, the dead babies, the drinking, the executions and, of course, the rock 'n' roll.

Genres: Music, Biography

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Michael Owen Bruce (born March 16, 1948) is an American rock musician, best known as a member of Alice Cooper.

Reviews

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best Alice Cooper songs ever written were written by Mike Bruce. His guitar playing was really sick, too. This is a pretty decent book about Alice Cooper (the band) with some cool stuff about the Motor City rock scene circa 1968 and the freaky Frank Zappa-fied Sunset Strip club scene, too.

Ironically, though, unlike the book title, Bruce really is a Mr. Nice Guy and won't tell you anything terribly mean or gossipy. I have too much respect for him to say this book is a little weak, but so what? There's some good photographs of the band before and after the fall, and what's written is just jake.

[Ritchie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My copy was given to me by Michael Bruce. (Thanks, Mike!) I wish someone would put together the definitive Alice Cooper Group story, with input from everyone. Until then, Mike's book, along with Alice's, will have to do.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish he dished more. I like my books chock filled with gossip. I felt like he was a little detached.

[Tom Schulte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short and sweet - an honest appraisal of the rise and decline of the original Alice Cooper Group by a man on the inside and key songwriter: Michael Bruce

[Paul Addis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Guitarist of original group gives his story.