March 3, 1973 - DRAMA

surrounded the Alice Cooper camp this week on the eve of the band's gigantic 60-date tour of America-the largest tour ever undertaken by a rock band.

4 Reason was that lead guitarist Glen Buxton. was still not fully recovered from a serious stomach ailment. Buxton has spent several weeks in hospital since falling ill just before Christmas.

So the Cooper band have had to hire guitarist Mick Mashbir, a close friend of the band, from Phoenix, Arizona.

For the last few days Mashbir has been studying Buxton's role in what must be the most extraordinary show to ever take the road. The tour - provisionally 60 dates in 90 days-kicks off in Rochester, NY, on March 5, and ends at Madi-son Square Garden, New York City, on June 3.

A troop of clowns, and other "bizarre " figures will take to the road with Alice. Including road managers, aids, and the group, the road party comes to more than 40 people.

Alice has hit 13 in the MM chart with his new single "Hello Hurray," and the new album Billion Dollar Babies" is set for release next week.