NEAL SMITH – Platinum God – review

NEAL SMITH – Platinum God – review
Wrecking Ball Sounds

50 years on from the recording sessions that saw Alice Cooper drummer Neal Smith trying to get a solo deal, here it is on vinyl for the first time.

It came out, briefly, in 1999 on CD after some tarting up, primarily from ex Frehleys Comet guitarist Richie Scarlet but they’re long gone.

However, 2024 sees a reappearance for “Platinum God” and one, which Alice Cooper band fans will probably want to listen to.

That’s not only because drummer Neal Smith takes on vocal duties but there’s Dennis Dunaway playing bass on every track and Michael Bruce pops up on ‘Baby Please Don’t Stop’ which almost makes that a bona fide Alice Cooper band track. Mick Mashbir, who added guitars to “Billion Dollar Babies” and “Muscle of Love” also appears on that track while Mike Marconi plays guitar on all the rest. Who he? Oh, yeah, The chap who along with Smith, Dunaway and Bruce (with Bob Dolin on keys) formed the band Billion Dollar Babies for the post Alice Cooper breakup “Battle Axe” in 1977, as well as being a touring musician with the Alice Cooper band. So credentials in order.

The original sessions were produced by Jack Douglas so what you’ve got are some very fancy demos. They still sound like demos so don’t get your hopes up too high. But there was a lot of money sloshing around in the seventies, especially for an Alice Cooper alumni, so it’s not as though you’re listening to a cassette recorded in a garage. The sound is a bit flat but it’s good enough. Thing is, the songs also sound like demos. The kind of thing Smith might have rustled up on a break before taking them to the rest of the Alice Cooper band for some tarting up. There’s a reason for his two or three credits on each of the early albums. That’s how many good ideas he had per record.

So, ‘Maneater Deadly to Her Prey’ and ‘Rock n’ Roll Radio’ would have made good 1972 B-sides, even if the latter did end up on the “Battle Axe” record. Some, like ‘Baby Please Don’t Stop’ would have ended up in the bin. Oddly, the best track is the longest. All eight minutes plus of the title track. It’s a lot better than some of the songs that ended up on the Billion Dollar Babies band album. It’s a real highlight. So, for fans of the original Alice Cooper band, this record will be a must listen. The CD issue sold out sharpish and there’s only 300 of these out in the wild. The only addition to the CD issue is an unnecessary single edit of ‘Rock n’ Roll Radio’.

Limited edition release subject to 300 pressings (150 sold in the UK via Hull based Wrecking Ball Sounds and 150 via Neal Smith’s personal website.

Neal Smith

https://wreckingballsounds.store/