Alice Cooper classic album re-releases are a reminder of his controversial times

With a reminder of his shocking stage act and calls for Alice Cooper to be banned, two of his early classic albums are about to be released in deluxe versions with some great extras.

Although Cooper was already an established artist in the U.S. with big-hitting albums, it was the release of "School's Out" as a single, combined with the media sensationalizing his unusual stage act, which made him notorious in the U.K. 

The single soared to No.1 in the U.K. in 1972 with its rebellious tone. It became an anthem for many teenagers at school that year. "School's Out" was an accessible heavy rock song played on chart radio. As one of those teenagers then, we sang it loud and loved it.

There were protests and petitions that year to the BBC to ban the video of the single. The following year, the U.K. government a failed appeal tried to ban Cooper from entering the country for a tour. A macabre stage show, including mock executions and chopping up bloodied baby dolls, wasn't winning him any establishment friends. However, they did let him into the U.K.

Two deluxe album releases are great Alice Cooper reminders

All of that comes flooding back to mind, and perhaps to turntables, CD players, and speakers, as two of his albums of the early 1970s are re-released on June 9. They will be re-released in attractive deluxe packages with new live performances, remastered tracks, and rare recordings. 

Killer was originally released in 1971, and this new version will also feature a live concert from the Mar Y Sol Pop Festival in Puerto Rico on April 2, 1972. The re-release of 1972's School's Out will include a rare live performance from Miami on May 27, 1972. 

As you'd expect, the deluxe albums include a few other features and extras, such as original covers and booklets with commentary on the recordings by band members and music writers. They are both available as double CDs and on vinyl as triple LPs. The complete track listings are detailed on Alice.Cooper.com so you can see what's included.

And if you can't wait until the release on June 9, you can hear a previously unreleased live version of "Be My Lover" from School's Out streamed online.

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