Working Up a Sweat

The Zoo Crew is spinning "Working Up a Sweat" from Alice Cooper’s 1973 album Muscle of Love, a track that captures the raw, gritty essence of the original Alice Cooper band’s final studio effort. This song, with its pulsing rhythm and suggestive lyrics, is a pub-rock anthem about physical desire, described as a “bona fide five alarmer” that leaves listeners feeling the heat. According to a 2024 deluxe edition review on SickthingsUK, the alternate mix of "Working Up a Sweat" on the second disc of the reissue strips away horns and big background vocals, presenting a rawer take that highlights the band’s live energy, with some fans noting it feels like a performance straight from a sweaty honky-tonk. The album’s booklet, as mentioned in a SickthingsUK forum post, reveals a tidbit about guitarist Mick Mashbir’s acoustic work on the track, adding a layer of intrigue for Zoo Freaks digging into the song’s production.

Another piece of trivia comes from the song’s context within Muscle of Love, which was a departure from the theatricality of earlier albums like Billion Dollar Babies. In a handwritten note included with a Metal Blade Records reissue, Alice Cooper himself described the album as a shot of adrenaline, with "Working Up a Sweat" fitting that high-energy vibe. However, some fans, like those on Brutally Honest Rock Album Reviews, felt the track was a weaker link, suggesting it could’ve been swapped for something punchier. Despite mixed reviews, the song’s inclusion in live sets, as noted by Cooper in a WelcomeToMyNightmare fan site, proves its enduring appeal for getting audiences moving.

Alice Cooper, born Vincent Damon Furnier on February 4, 1948, in Detroit, Michigan, started his musical journey in Phoenix, Arizona, where he formed a band with high school friends in the mid-1960s. Initially called the Earwigs, then the Spiders, and later the Nazz, the group settled on the name Alice Cooper in 1968, inspired by a Ouija board session that conjured the name of a supposed 17th-century witch. According to AXS TV, their early albums, Pretties for You and Easy Action, were dark and eccentric but gained little traction. The breakthrough came with 1971’s Love It to Death, featuring the hit “I’m Eighteen,” which peaked at number 21. Cooper’s theatrical shock rock, blending horror movie aesthetics, vaudeville, and garage rock, earned him the title “The Godfather of Shock Rock.” His stage shows, complete with guillotines, fake blood, and snakes, captivated audiences and set the stage for a career spanning over five decades.

After Muscle of Love, the original band split, and Furnier, legally adopting the name Alice Cooper, went solo with 1975’s Welcome to My Nightmare, a Top Ten hit. His ability to evolve, from the gritty 1970s sound to 1980s hair metal with albums like Trash, kept him relevant. Cooper’s influence is evident in artists like KISS, who cited his Billion Dollar Babies tour as inspiration, per SickthingsUK. Today, he continues to tour and release music, with 2023’s Road showcasing his enduring energy.

Zoo Freaks can connect with Alice Cooper through his official website, Facebook, Instagram, and X accounts, where he shares tour updates, throwback photos, and witty posts, like one on April 14, 2025, about spinning tracks on Alice’s Attic radio show. Fan communities thrive on sites like SickthingsUK, a treasure trove of news and trivia, and WelcomeToMyNightmare, which showcases fan collections. On Facebook, groups like Alice Cooper Fans and Alice Cooper Fan Club unite devotees sharing stories, rare photos, and concert experiences, keeping the shock rock spirit alive.