Just before performing in front of 80,000 fans at Wacken Open Air, Cooper donates $10,000 to Wacken Foundation to find 'new Alice' or 'new Lemmy'
Alice Cooper and earMUSIC are celebrating the worldwide chart success of Alice Cooper's album "Paranormal." The record was produced by long-time Cooper producer Bob Ezrin for earMUSIC, the rock label part of the Edel AG group, which markets and distributes the album worldwide through its international network.
"Paranormal" features guests as Larry Mullen of U2, who plays on nine of the 12 new songs; Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top; Deep Purple's Roger Glover; as well as a highly anticipated mini-reunion of the original Alice Cooper band members.
Media and fans worldwide have praised the album as a return to Cooper's early years rock and roll sound. Some of the chart positions achieved by the album so far are among the highest for Cooper in the past 30 years:
- Germany: No. 4 (Highest charts entry in 45 years since the classic "School's Out")
- Australia: No. 4 (highest chart entry in 39 years)
- Belgium: No. 5
- U.S.: No. 6 (Current album charts: 32 on Billboard 200, No. 1 hard music albums, No. 3 current physical)
- UK: No. 6 (highest chart entry in 23 years; No. 1 on rock and independent charts)
- Sweden: No. 6 (Highest charts entry in 28 years, since the smash hit album "Trash" in 1989)
- Finland: No. 9 (best chart entry ever; No. 1 physical album sales)
On release date, "Paranormal" climbed the iTunes rock charts to No. 1 in 12 countries and the top 5 in 20 countries.
Cooper's manager, Shep Gordon, said, "Working with the earMUSIC team made me remember the days when record companies really contributed to the work and success of an artist."
Just one day after Cooper's triumphal return at the top of the charts, the legendary rock icon took over the main stage at Wacken Open Air, the biggest metal festival of its kind, where he was greeted by over 80,000 fans.
This year's edition of Wacken was dedicated to the memory of Motorhead's Lemmy Kilmister, who had been a long-time friend of Cooper. Cooper closed his show with a joyful version of Motorhead's classic "Ace of Spades."
When asked to share his memories of Lemmy, during the festival promoter's press conference, Cooper surprised everybody by offering a donation of $10,000 to the Wacken Foundation - with one condition: The amount would be spent to give a new, talented band the chance to record in a professional studio for the first time; to one day be "the new Alice" or "the new Lemmy."
Cooper will perform with Deep Purple and Edgar Winter on Sept. 2 at the Budweiser Stage in Toronto.
