[Influence] Alice Cooper - Billion Dollar Babies (Promo Video)

Alice Cooper, the 'Godfather of Shock Rock,' is both an undeniable precursor to bands like W.A.S.P and a participant in the glam metal genre (Trash and Hey Stoopid).

Tracks like 'Billion Dollar Babies' (1973) are part of the sonic blueprint for the glam metal explosion that happened roughly a decade later. Its themes of celebrity excess, its anthemic riffs, and theatrical vocal layering make it an ancestor to the Sunset Strip sound.

To bridge the gap, check out this killer version from the 1999 tribute album Humanary Stew, with George Lynch (Dokken) on guitar and Phil Lewis (L.A. Guns) on vocals. To my ears, hearing them tackle this Cooper classic shows how much of the genre's 'sleaze' and 'glam' owe to him.