Woman Machine

Zoo Freaks, get ready to groove with the Zoo Crew as we spin "Woman Machine" by Alice Cooper from the 1973 album Muscle of Love. This track is a wild, sci-fi flavored gem with a cheeky, chauvinistic edge. In a 1973 interview with Circus magazine, Cooper described it as a nod to a female robot, likening it to Julie Newmar’s character from the 1960s TV show My Living Doll, capable of anything with a quick “change of tubes.” The song’s roots go back to the band’s early days, making it a road-tested number by the time it hit the studio. Cooper explained it’s about a futuristic woman who never tires, with lyrics like “She’ll do your work in half the time, never sick and can’t go blind.” It’s a playful, provocative closer to an album that dives into urban sex habits, as Cooper noted during the recording sessions.

Despite its catchy, funk-infused rock vibe, “Woman Machine” has never been performed live, a rarity among Muscle of Love tracks, according to Wikipedia. The song’s recording came during a turbulent time for the band, with tensions high after parting ways with longtime producer Bob Ezrin over a dispute about its arrangement, as bassist Dennis Dunaway revealed in a 2011 interview. Michael Bruce stood firm on keeping the song’s structure, leading to Jack Richardson and Jack Douglas stepping in as co-producers. The track also features additional musicians like Dick Wagner and Mick Mashbir on guitar, filling in for Glen Buxton, who was absent due to personal struggles, though listed in the credits to maintain the band’s image, per drummer Neal Smith.

Alice Cooper, born Vincent Damon Furnier on February 4, 1948, in Detroit, Michigan, kicked off his musical journey in Phoenix, Arizona, where he formed a band called the Earwigs at 17. As detailed on Britannica, the group evolved into The Spiders, then The Nazz, before settling on Alice Cooper in 1968, a name Furnier claimed was inspired by a Ouija board session suggesting he was a reincarnated 17th-century witch. The band, including Furnier, Michael Bruce, Glen Buxton, Dennis Dunaway, and Neal Smith, moved to California, where they caught the eye of Frank Zappa, who signed them to Straight Records. Their first two albums, Pretties for You (1969) and Easy Action (1970), flopped, but relocating to Detroit and working with producer Bob Ezrin on Love It to Death (1971) brought their breakthrough hit “I’m Eighteen.”

Cooper’s theatrical shock rock style, blending horror, vaudeville, and garage rock, earned him the title “Godfather of Shock Rock.” His stage shows, featuring guillotines, fake blood, and boa constrictors, shocked audiences and built a cult following. After Muscle of Love, the original band split, and Furnier legally became Alice Cooper, launching a solo career with Welcome to My Nightmare (1975). His career spans over five decades, with hits like “School’s Out” and “No More Mr. Nice Guy,” and he remains a cultural icon, as noted on IMDb.

Connect with Alice Cooper on his official website, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Fans can dive deeper at SickthingsUK, an unofficial fan site packed with news and archives, or Alice Cooper eChive for detailed discographies and gigographies. Join the conversation on Facebook groups like Alice Cooper Fans, where Zoo Freaks can share their love for the shock rock legend.