Lace And Whiskey
During Alice’s period of heavy addiction of drinking, partying and watching tv came “Lace And Whiskey”. Alice creates a new character who’s a detective from the 1930’s called Maurice Escargot (Alice’s answer to Inspector Clouseau). I believe Alice was getting tired of the Alice Cooper character and wanted to separate himself from Alice. Using Maurice Escargot was another character Alice tried to introduce as a film noir concept album with tracks like “Lace And Whiskey”, “It’s Hot Tonight”. It also could be seen as part autobiographical “Road Rats”, “I Never Wrote Those Songs”. “Lace And Whiskey” included Alice’s third hit ballad “You And Me”. Alice still gives us humor with “King of The Silver Screen” and cover song from 1956 “Ubangi Stomp” which he does his Elvis impression. I think “Crazy Little Child” from “Muscle of Love” could of fit into this album.
The musicians again are the same since “Welcome To My Nightmare” with Alice’s co-writer Dick Wagner and Producer Bob Ezrin.
It’s not one of my favorite Alice albums but has a few gems in it like”It’s Hot Tonight” title track “Lace And Whiskey” and “Road Rats” which inspired the 1980 movie “Roadie”.

Artwork: Black and white art as it follows the concept of the album film noir theme. The front shows a paperback mystery novel titled “Lace And Whiskey” by Alice Cooper on a desk with images of a gun, bullets, shot glass and bottle of Seagram V.O. which they probably didn’t have to go far in locating this prop. The back of the cover shows the back of the novel with reviews, a track list not in order and missing “King of The Silver Screen”. The book shows a small picture of the author Alice sitting behind a typewriter. On the desk next to the book is an open box of ammo, lace, and rosary beads near the bottom. The inside sleeve on one side shows the credits and track list typewritten on paper and an ashtray in upper top right corner. The other side shows a full size picture of Detective Maurice Escargot in his office loading his pistol while in his mouth is an unlit cigarette. A bottle of Seagram's V.O. is open on his desk behind him.