January 13, 1973: ALICE'S BLITZ!

by MICHAEL WATTS in New York

ALICE COOPER are pulling out all the stops in the New Year with a new single, new album and a mammoth 60-date tour of America and Canada.

The single, "Hello, Hurrah," has been intended as the opening song of Alice's new act, which will go further along the line of theatricality. One of the lines is "roll up with your American dream, I'll be ready."

A slower song than "Elected" and "School's Out," it was originally treated as a ballad, but the tempo has been upped and strings and brass added to achieve a burlesque effect. It was recorded in three different places Greenwich, Connecticut (where Alice lives), the Record Plant in New York, and Morgan Studios in London, where Marc Bolan played guitar.

The song, by Rolf Kemp, was featured on a Judy Collins album. Alice is understood to have found it through his friendship with actor Stacey Keach, Judy Collins' friend. The flip is the same number with an even bigger production.

It will be released in England the last week in January and in America on January 15.

The album, "Million Dollar Babies" out in Europe the end of Febru- ary (America on February 18) has been under construction longer than any of their previous ones, and still conforms to a loose concept.

It will form the basis of their new show, which is divided into three acts of 20 to 30-minute duration to allow for a number of costume changes (there'll be a supporting act, too). "It's more theatrical than ever," says the group's office, "but without being too hard on everyone."

The tour kicks off on March 5 at Rochester in New York state and ends 57 cities later at New York Madison Square Gardens on June 3. This makes it more extensive than the Stones' rock and roll circus last summer. It may even be the biggest grossing rock tour ever in America.

- Alice Cooper Melody Maker Hello Hurrah Million Dollar Babies