“KILLSMITH GOES WEST”

By Alexxis Steele

Neal Smith, drummer from the original Alice Cooper Group, started preparing for his musical career at an early age. At age 11, he was playing drums and acoustic guitar, plus added keyboards into the mix. He loves to write songs, but does not consider himself a guitar player, per se, but has made his talent and love of music work in his favor. One of the great songs he has written is from the “Love It To Death” album- “ Hallowed Be My Name”. In my recent interview with him, he told me he has built up a collection of 12 guitars, which include a “Flying V”, and a “Stratocaster”.

Originally from the Akron Ohio area, he was close friends, the late Glen Buxton, RIP. Glen was the Lead guitarist for the original Alice Cooper group, who he fondly referred to as “GB”. They formed a special bond like brothers, early on before they were ever in the band together. The Alice Cooper group ran from 1967, until it disbanded in 1974. Somewhere around 2015-2016, he received a phone call from someone in the Greenwich Connecticut area, who said he had some Glen Buxton artifacts,from when they lived at the Galesi Mansion. Neal was skeptical about it since he knew everything they had at the mansion. There was one piece of artifact that he was very interested in, The body of Glen Buxton’s blonde Gibson SG guitar, which was pictured on the back cover of “ The Love It To Death” album.The guitar was totally stripped down, no neck, hardware, or knobs, just plain wood. He knew he could round up the right people to restore Glen’s guitar back to its original state, so he contacted the guitarist he was working with on his Killsmith series,Rick Tedesco,who has a music store in Connecticut called “The Guitar Hangar.”Through his connections, they found someone in California to build the guitar from ground up. Since the guitar was 50 years old, they had to get vintage parts for it, as well as making it look older by “antiquing” it. The guy who put it together said that it was one of the most amazing guitars he played, and didn’ want to give it back. Neal used it on some recordings, with plans to use it on more in the future, and refers to it as “GB”s Ghost”. www.steelnotesmagazine.com

In 2011 he was inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame, with fellow original Alice Cooper group bandmatesDennis Dunaway, Michael Bruce, and Alice Cooper. With six gold and five platinum records to his credit, he is a living legend! In 2016,he put his signature 18 piece, custom wrapped Premier Mirror Ball drum set that he used on the 1973 Billion Dollar Babies Tour, up for auction. The Billion Dollar Babies Album, and the song is my favorite of all of the Alice Cooper group albums,along with Neal’s signature drum intro!(Followed by The Love It To Death album). I had the pleasure of meeting Neal and Alice for the first time in 1971, backstage at The Spectrum in Philadelphia, spent time hanging out at shows, and joined the festivities at their Billion Dollar Babies afterparty at The Showboat, Penns Landing, Philadelphia. Something Neal told me that I did not know about surprised me. He said that during that tour,the band was getting hate mail, was banned in alot of cities, and even had a bomb threat, so they had to have a bodyguard! I was shocked to say the least! Nevertheless, the band celebrated their 50th Anniversary of the album in March 2023, and fans are STILL going to shows and wanting to hear their music.

Neal Smith has performed and recorded with many other artists you may not be aware of like Buck Dharma of Blue Oyster Cult,The Plasmatics, Deadringer, Ant-Bee,Bruce Cameron, as BDS- Joe Bouchard, Dennis Dunaway, Smith, and The Hollywood Vampires. Starting from his first album- “Platinum God”, which he considers a Neal Smith solo album,he has recorded a series of albums,sometimes diverting to different genres,which are:

• Platinum God (Released in 1999, written 1975)

• Cinematik (2001)

• Cinematik: One Full Moon Away (2002)

• Killsmith: Sexual Savior (2008)

• Killsmith Two (2011)

• Killsmith & The Greenfire Empire (2014)

• Neal Smith Pop 85/95 (2020)

• Killsmith Goes West (2023)

The last time I saw Neal and the “original” Alice Cooper group boys was around October 2017 when they were at The Chiller Theatre Expo, in Parsippany NJ. At that time he was promoting his “Killsmith and The Greenfire Empire” cd and book, and I did a video interview with him and the boys.

In our recent Music 101 interview, I asked him what he has been up to since I last saw him. He replied that during the pandemic, he was growing his hair back long again, writing songs,traveling, getting together with Alice Cooper and Michael Bruce, doing music and playing golf. Enjoying life and trying to stay healthy rates high on his list as well.

Talking about his latest project- “Killsmith Goes West”,is the 4th album in his Killsmith series, which he dubs“Outlaw Rock”. Neal said that he goes west every winter, and says there is so much inspiration because of all the history around the Southwest and in Arizona. There are many great songs on his latest cd. One of the songs I like is called: Tequila,Tamales and a Woman.It is a western tale of guys playing cards where one guy cheats and gets shot and killed by the other guy. He tries to plead self defense, but is charged with murder, and going to get hanged. The man’s dying request is for Tequila, Tamales,and a woman, so the next day he is a happy man when he goes to the gallows. Neal said he likes the guys back in the 50’s and 60’s who were great storytellers in their songs, like Johnny Horton,Frankie Lane, and Jimmy Dean.In a recent review of Neal’s latest cd, he was complimented that his songs were great storytelling songs. Speaking of great stories, One of the titles from his latest cd was inspired by Neal asking their armed, ex-military bodyguard what he was going to do when faced with the threats to the band, how do you make the decision to use violet force or not? He said there was just one rule: When you pull it out, “ Pull it out smokin”, because if you don’t, someone else will, referring to his gun. It made a great title for a song,and is a rockin and smokin ‘one at that! There is a beautiful balad on his cd called Sunsets Of Gold, with steel guitar, fiddle, and nice harmonies that shows a different side to

Neal’s music. Here is the list of songs on his latest cd:

1. Shaughnessy Highway

2. Tequila, Tamales, And A Woman

3. Pull It Out Smokin

4. Big Wheels Rollin’ West

5. Tattooed Cowgirl

6. Coffee, Beer & Borrowed Time

7. If Jesus Was A Gunfighter

8. Evil Wind

9. Sunsets Of Gold

10. Jukebox Rose

You can purchase Neal’s current cd- “Killsmith Goes West”, which includes a free sticker on his website: www. nealsmithrocks.com All of his cds are also available,plus merch like signed drumsticks. Look for the release of his new upcoming CD in the spring, “Hard In A Rock Place”