Zipper Catches Skin is the seventh solo and overall fourteenth studio album by American rock singer Alice Cooper, released on August 25, 1982, by Warner Bros. Records.
Background and recording
The album was co-produced by bassist Erik Scott alongside Cooper, who blended new wave and pop rock music into his hard rock style in an attempt to keep up with changing musical trends.
At the time, Cooper described Zipper Catches Skin as "totally kill. Real hardcore. The stuff that I do has always been a lot like that. In fact, I invented a couple of songs that were remakes of other songs, just for the purpose of attacking clichés. There are no clichés on this album, and I did that for a specific reason. Rock and roll right now is jammed with clichés." Cooper described the photograph of him on the album's back cover as "very Haggar slacks. I look good. I look like a GQ ad, only I'm zipping up my pants and you can see definite pain on my face."
Long-time Cooper guitarist Dick Wagner, who left halfway through the recording sessions, described Zipper Catches Skin as "the off to the races speedy album" and a "drug induced nightmare". Cooper stated "I wrote them, recorded them and toured them and I don't remember much of any of that", though he actually toured only Special Forces, the tour for which ended in February 1982. There was no tour to promote Zipper Catches Skin, and none of its songs have ever been played live.
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Despite "I Am the Future" being featured in the crime thriller film Class of 1984 (1982) as its theme song, and the Waitresses' lead vocalist Patty Donahue appearing on the single "I Like Girls", Zipper Catches Skin failed to chart in most countries, including in the U.S. where it became Cooper's first studio album to not dent the Billboard Top 200 since Easy Action (1970).
Musicians
- Alice Cooper – vocals, synthesizer
- Dick Wagner – guitar
- Mike Pinera – guitar
- Erik Scott – bass
- Jan Uvena – drums, percussion
- John Nitzinger – guitar
- Billy Steele – guitar
- Duane Hitchings – synthesizer
- Craig Krampf – percussion
- Frannie Golde – backing vocals
- Joanne Harris – backing vocals
- Flo & Eddie – backing vocals
- Patty Donahue – guest vocals and "sarcasm" on "I Like Girls"
Charts
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