Burning Our Bed

Zoo Freaks, get ready for some wild trivia about Burning Our Bed, the soulful ballad from Alice Cooper’s 1991 album Hey Stoopid, now spinning on THE ZOO! This track, a slow and melancholic departure from Cooper’s usual shock-rock anthems, features the legendary guitarist Joe Satriani, whose fretwork adds a soaring, emotional depth to the song’s tale of love gone wrong. In a 1991 interview with Hard N’ Heavy, Cooper described the song as a deliberate nod to classic power ballads, aiming to capture the raw heartache of a relationship crumbling, with lyrics like “I’m burning our bed, like a phoenix it rises” painting a vivid picture of destruction and rebirth. The song was released as a B-side to the Feed My Frankenstein single in the UK and Australia, often paired with tracks from Cooper’s 1989 album Trash, and its inclusion in the 1992 film Wayne’s World promotional materials helped cement its place in Cooper’s early ’90s resurgence. A rare European CD single of Burning Our Bed, featuring live versions of School’s Out and Love’s A Loaded Gun recorded at Electric Lady Studios, became a collector’s item, with its cover showing Cooper staring into a mirror—a haunting visual for the song’s introspective vibe.

While specific social media posts about Burning Our Bed are scarce, Cooper’s assistant Brian Renfield once shared in a fan Q&A on the SickthingsUK fan site that the song’s acoustic-heavy arrangement was almost scrapped for a heavier rock version, but Satriani’s input kept it mellow, preserving its emotional punch. Fans on the Alice Cooper Fans Worldwide Facebook group often cite the track as an underrated gem, with one user in a 2023 post calling it “the ultimate breakup song for anyone who’s ever wanted to torch their past.” The song’s production, helmed by Peter Collins, who also worked with Rush, leaned into a polished ’90s sound, which some critics, like those at Louder Than War, noted as “cheesy” but effective for ballad lovers. Its massive, string-laden vibe makes it a standout for Zoo Freaks craving something soulful yet rebellious.

Now, let’s dive into how Alice Cooper, born Vincent Damon Furnier, kicked off his legendary career. Hailing from Detroit, Michigan, Furnier formed his first band in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1964, initially called the Earwigs, with high school pals Glen Buxton, Michael Bruce, Dennis Dunaway, and Neal Smith. Inspired by acts like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, they started as a parody act for a school talent show, miming instruments before learning to play for real as The Spiders. By 1968, they’d renamed themselves Alice Cooper—Furnier later debunked the Ouija board origin story as an urban legend in a 2009 BBC Radio 2 interview, saying the name was chosen for its wholesome contrast to their shocking performances. Their big break came after a chaotic 1968 gig at the Cheetah club in Venice, California, where their abrasive sound cleared the room, catching the eye of manager Shep Gordon. Gordon set them up with Frank Zappa, who signed them to Straight Records after they showed up at his house at 7 a.m. for an audition, mistakenly thinking that’s what he meant. This led to their 1969 debut album, Pretties for You, and the rest is shock-rock history.

Cooper’s theatrical blend of horror, vaudeville, and garage rock earned him the title “The Godfather of Shock Rock,” with stage shows featuring guillotines, fake blood, and boa constrictors. His solo career took off in 1975 with Welcome to My Nightmare after the original band split, and he’s since sold over 50 million records, with hits like School’s Out and Poison. Zoo Freaks can keep up with Cooper’s latest antics on his official website, alicecooper.com, where you’ll find tour dates and merch. Follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and X for updates, where he often shares throwbacks and tour snippets—recent X posts hyped his 2025 tour with Rob Zombie. For deeper dives, check out the fan-run WelcomeToMyNightmare.co.uk or join the Alice Cooper Fans Worldwide group to connect with fellow freaks. Spin on, Zoo Crew!