This week we launch the first installment of a brand new series for the Decibel Geek podcast with Albums Unleashed. The stories behind the songs, circumstances, and creative process from a major player in an album's creation. And to start things off, we're covering Alice Cooper's DaDa album with special guest Dick Wagner.

Released in 1983, DaDa was, for all intents and purposes, dead on arrival due to being the final album in Cooper's contract with Warner Brothers as well as the out-of-the-box style of songs. Part art-rock, part esoteric/theatrical concept, DaDa's synthesizer-infused production combined with a healthy amount of humor crossed with dark subject matter left 1983 audiences confused; and they weren't the only ones.

The early 80's were a self-professed "blackout" period for Alice Cooper with the rocker going as far as saying that he barely even remembers the songwriting process or production of this album. Cooper's lack of recollection has led many die-hard Cooper fans to create their own theories as to the concept behind DaDa. Guitarist/composer Dick Wagner, a longtime collaborator of Alice's, was the principal songwriter on this album and was kind enough, while in Nashville in May of 2014, to sit down with Aaron and Chris to discuss the entire album track by track and memory by memory.

In this discussion, Wagner shares his memories of the difficult circumstances of getting Alice to come to ESP Studios in Buttonville Ontario from his Pheonix home to join he and producer Bob Ezrin in the making of DaDa. Alice's alcohol abuse hit record highs during this period and Dick shares his recollections of their songwriting and recording process that led to the songs on the album.

To stream/download this episode go to the link below:
http://www.dbgeekshow.blogspot.com/2014 ... er-ep.html

Nice man.

Genebaby wrote:Nice man.

Thanks. Let me know what you think of it.

very interesting. good work. never heard the album before.

doublev2 wrote:very interesting. good work. never heard the album before.

Thanks Dino!

I've always enjoyed "Special Forces", "Zipper catches skin" and "Dada". Alice is so funny in those albums. I wish he and Dick Wagner did one more album like these three.
Thank you for that interesting show!

Great interview! I've always enjoyed the albums from this era of Alice. Special Forces is my hands down favorite, but DaDa is a close second. Was really cool to hear the story behind the recording and writing of, since these records are mostly shrouded in mystery. Dick's idea of possibly rerecording something with heavier guitars is a great idea. The synths are a little overdone on certain tracks and drown out the riffs a bit too much. Found it interesting the one song he's not crazy about is the one on the album I can't stand.

RIP Dick Wagner