Maps of Music

The Last Temptation (1994)

Where the lyrics of The Last Temptation take you, and where it was really made.

Epic did not finance a tour for The Last Temptation, so Cooper did not perform the album at release; four of its songs only entered his setlists in 1995.

Key places

Hollywood studio behind most of the album (1994)

Recording site Serenity West Recording — Discogs credits this Hollywood studio for tracks 1, 6, 7 and 10, and also for tracks 5, 8 and 9. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Santa Monica studio for tracks 1-4, 6, 7 and 10 (1994)

Recording site Sony Music Studios — Discogs credits this Santa Monica studio for tracks 1, 6, 7 and 10, and for tracks 2 to 4. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Sherman Oaks studio for tracks 2 to 4 (1994)

Recording site Record One — Discogs credits this studio for tracks 2 to 4. The point uses the city center of Sherman Oaks, not the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Phoenix studio for extra recording on track 3 (1994)

Recording site Chaton Studios — Discogs notes additional recording for track 3 at this Phoenix studio. The point uses the city center of Phoenix. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

North Hollywood studio for tracks 5, 8 and 9 (1994)

Recording site Devonshire Sound Studios — Discogs credits this North Hollywood studio for tracks 5, 8 and 9 together with Music Grinder Studios. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• The Last Temptation: thirteenth solo and twentieth studio album overall by American rock singer Alice Cooper
• Released July 12, 1994 by Epic Records
• Concept album centered on a boy named Steven, also the protagonist of Cooper's earlier work Welcome to My Nightmare
• A mysterious showman with apparent supernatural abilities tries to persuade Steven to join his traveling show, The Theater of the Real - The Grand-est Guignol!
• Full storyline told in a three-part comic book written by Neil Gaiman and drawn by Michael Zulli
• The first comic part accompanied the recording; in the comic the Showman is depicted as Cooper himself
• Pages from the comic appear in the Lost in America music video

Background

• Album brings back collaborations with high-profile guests
• Chris Cornell of Soundgarden co-wrote and sings on two songs
• Dan Wexler of Phoenix metallers Icon co-wrote four songs, including the single Lost in America, and plays guitar on it
• Derek Sherinian of Dream Theater plays keyboards
• Produced by Andy Wallace, Don Fleming, Duane Baron and John Purdell

Recording

• Mixed at Quantum Studios, Jersey City, NJ and Soundtrack Facility, NYC
• Tracks 1, 6, 7 and 10 recorded at Music Grinder Studios, Hollywood and Sony Recording Studios, Santa Monica
• Tracks 2 to 4 recorded at Record One Studios, Sherman Oaks and Sony Recording Studios, Santa Monica
• Additional recording for track 3 at Chaton Studios, Phoenix
• Tracks 5, 8 and 9 recorded at Devonshire Studios, North Hollywood and Music Grinder Studios
• Mastered at Masterdisk, NYC

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · fr.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Alice Cooper originated in Phoenix, Arizona in 1964 as a band formed by Vincent Damon Furnier, Glen Buxton, Michael Bruce, Dennis Dunaway and Neal Smith.
• The group first performed as the Earwigs and later renamed themselves the Spiders and then Nazz.
• In 1968 the band adopted the name Alice Cooper, which was later also the new legal name of Furnier.

Members

• The classic lineup consisted of Furnier (lead vocals), Buxton (lead guitar), Bruce (rhythm guitar), Dunaway (bass) and Smith (drums).
• Furnier legally changed his name to Alice Cooper after the band disbanded in 1975.

Career

• The band released seven studio albums from 1969 to 1973, including Love It to Death, Killer, School's Out and Billion Dollar Babies.
• The band is known as a pioneer of shock rock, using theatrical stage shows with props and illusions.
• As a solo artist he released Welcome to My Nightmare in 1975 and has released 30 studio albums in total.
• The original band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011.
• Cooper is considered by music journalists and peers to be 'The Godfather of Shock Rock'.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• AllMusic critic Barry Weber wrote that by 1994 the hair band fad that had fueled Cooper's return was dead, and Cooper was aware of its downfall
• Weber noted the album sounds almost nothing like its two predecessors, 1989's Trash and 1991's Hey Stoopid
• Weber called the album far surpassing anything Cooper recorded in almost 20 years and unquestionably some of his best work

Records

• Billboard 200: peaked at number 68 on 30 July 1994 and stayed on the chart for 3 weeks
• Released July 12, 1994 by Epic Records
• Epic did not finance a tour, so Cooper did not tour the album at release
• Four songs, It's Me, Lost in America, Cleansed by Fire and Sideshow, were added to his setlist from his first Monsters of Rock appearance in September 1995

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · fr.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Epic did not finance a tour, so Cooper did not tour the album when it was released.
• Four songs were added to his setlist from his first Monsters of Rock circuit appearance in September 1995; It's Me was dropped after four performances.
• The comic was originally published by Marvel Comics and later reprinted by Dark Horse Comics as a trade paperback.
• Pages from the comic appear in the Lost in America music video, and music videos were also made for It's Me.
• The comic's first part accompanied the recording, so the story and the album were released as one package.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · fr.wikipedia.org

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