Zipper Catches Skin Era

Background

Zipper Catches Skin is the 14th 'Alice Cooper' studio album and was released in 1982. As with the preceding Flush The Fashion and Special Forces, 'Zipper' is a contemporary, punk-infused, offering recorded during the height of Alice's drug abuse. The result is a collection of short, sharp, unique tracks ranging from the excellent, to the obscure, to the hilarious.

 

Zipper is arguably the best of the lot though, with the swashbuckling Zorro’s Ascent, Make That Money, the underappreciated anthem I Am The Future (which featured in the film Class Of 1984), Adaptable (Anything for You) and Tag, You're It all catching the ear. There is also the nonsensical masterpiece that is No Baloney Homosapiens, Alice's personal ode to E.T.!

 

Mediocrity is present, however, in the somewhat underwhelming I Like Girls, Remarkably Insincere and I Better Be Good. There is also the plain weird I'm Alive (That Was the Day My Dead Pet Returned to Save My Life)!

 

Zipper was a massive commercial failure, but is rightfully now appreciated by many fans and critics as a misunderstood 'Blackout' period gem.

Zipper Catches Skin Album Cover

Zipper Catches Skin 12" Promotional Vinyl Album

1982, Warner Brothers, 1-23719

This USA 12" promotional vinyl album comes in a simple card sleeve and features the lyrics to the tracks spread across the front. 'ALICE COOPER' is lightly printed at the top with the album title highlighted in red and underlined by a splash of blood (presumably, from an unfortunate incident!). Also provided on the front cover, but somewhat difficult to make out, is a gold 'LENT FOR PROMOTIONAL USE ONLY...' stamp, which was also used on promotional copies of the Dada album. On the rear of the sleeve is an unusual image of Alice in shirt and tie with short hair, who appears to be reaching down in pain towards his zipper! Also provided on the back are track listings and credits, as no inner sleeve was produced for this album.

 

The disc features cream Warner Brother labels, which are identical to USA stock copies (i.e. the gold stamp on the front is the only way to differentiate promotional copies from stock copies).

 

Discogs Link: Click Here

Zipper Catches Skin 12" Vinyl Album

1982, Warner Brothers, 1-23719

This USA vinyl version of Zipper Catches Skin is identical to the above promotional copy only that it does not feature the gold stamp on the front.

 

Discogs Link: Click Here

Zipper Catches Skin 12" Vinyl Album

2018, Rhino Entertainment, 603497860746

This European 140 gram vinyl re-issue of Zipper Catches Skin is almost identical to the original release (above) only that it now has a nice translucent 'Clear / Black Swirl' effect vinyl and associated hype sticker on the front of the sleeve. The disc features the familiar Warner Bros labels and was limited to 4,600 copies worldwide.

 

Discogs Link: Click Here

Zipper Catches Skin Cassette Album

1982, Warner Brothers, 23719-4

This USA cassette version of Zipper Catches Skin features a simple J-card containing abridged artwork, track listings and credits. Inside is a white tape with printed additional track listings. 

 

Discogs Link: Click Here

Zipper Catches Skin Cassette Album

1982, Warner Brothers, K 457 021

 

This French / German cassette version of Zipper Catches Skin features a simple J-card containing abridged artwork, track listings and credits. Inside is a black tape with grey stickers.  

 

Discogs Link: Click Here

Zipper Catches Skin CD Album

1999, Warner Brothers, 7599-23719-2

This European CD version of Zipper Catches Skin comes in a jewel case and features a 12-page booklet containing track listings, lyrics and credits.

 

Discogs Link: Click Here

NOTE: A further CD copy of this album is included in 'The Studio Albums 1969-1983' boxset and can be seen here.

I Am The Future 7" Vinyl Single

1982, Warner Brothers, K15004

This UK 7" vinyl single features cream Warner Brothers labels and includes the remix version of I Am The Future (which featured in the film Class Of 1984) on Side A and Zorro's Ascent on Side B (both from the Zipper Catches Skin album).

 

Discogs Link: Click Here

I Am The Future 7" Vinyl Single

1982, Warner Brothers, WB 15004

This German 7" vinyl single features cream Warner Brothers labels, comes in a paper sleeve, and includes I Am The Future on Side A and Zorro's Ascent on Side B (both from the Zipper Catches Skin album).

 

The front of the sleeve features artwork from the Class Of 1984 (or Die Klasse Von 1984) film that the song features in and on the back is promotional material for other artists of the time. Interestingly, the name of the track on the sleeve is incorrectly stated as 'I'm The Future' on the front of the sleeve, whereas the correct title is provided on the label.  

 

Discogs Link: Click Here

I Am The Future 7" Promotional Vinyl Single

1982, Warner Brothers, W 15004

This Italian 7" promotional vinyl single features cream Warner Brothers labels, comes in a paper sleeve, and includes I Am The Future on Side A and Zorro's Ascent on Side B (both from the Zipper Catches Skin album).

 

The front of the sleeve features the same artwork as the German version (above) only that it is now transposed and on the back are track listings and promotional material for the Zipper Catches Skin album. The incorrectly stated track title on the front of the German version is now corrected.  

 

The sleeve has 'OMAGGIO VENDITA VIETATA' (i.e. 'GIVEAWAY PROHIBITED SALE') punched into it.

 

Discogs Link: Click Here

I Am The Future 7" Promotional Vinyl Single

1982, Warner Brothers, 929868-7

This French 7" promotional vinyl single features white Warner Brothers labels, comes in a paper sleeve, and includes I Am The Future on Side A and I Like Girls on Side B (both from the Zipper Catches Skin album).

 

The front of the sleeve features a unique black-and-white image of Alice with arms folded and on the back is promotional material for the Zipper Catches Skin album.

 

The sleeve has 'VENTE INTERDITE ENCHANTILLON GRATUIT' (i.e. 'SALE PROHIBITED FREE SAMPLE') stamped on the front together with further stamps for the radio station 'Mega West'.

 

Discogs Link: Click Here

I Am The Future 7" Vinyl Single

1982, Warner Brothers, WAR 15004

This Portuguese 7" vinyl single features cream Warner Brothers labels, comes in a paper sleeve, and includes I Am The Future on Side A and Zorro's Ascent on Side B (both from the Zipper Catches Skin album).

 

The front of the sleeve features unique film reel-style images of Alice with arms folded and on the back are track listings and credits.

 

Discogs Link: Click Here

I Am The Future 7" Vinyl Single

1982, Warner Brothers, 15004

This Spanish 7" vinyl single features cream Warner Brothers labels, comes in a paper sleeve, and includes I Am The Future on Side A and Zorro's Ascent on Side B (both from the Zipper Catches Skin album).

 

The front of the sleeve features the same image of Alice in shirt and tie as included on the rear of the Zipper Catches Skin vinyl album (above) and on the back are track listings, credits and promotional material for the Zipper Catches Skin album.

 

Discogs Link: Click Here

I Like Girls 7" Promotional Vinyl Single

1982, Warner Brothers, 7-29928

This USA 7" promotional vinyl single features white Warner Brothers labels, comes in a Warner / Reprise paper sleeve, and includes Mono and Stereo versions of I Like Girls on Sides A and B respectively. This was a common feature of promotional singles at the time, as it enabled radio stations to play songs on both AM (Mono) and FM (Stereo) stations. The labels state 'PROMOTION NOT FOR SALE'.

 

Discogs Link: Click Here

I Like Girls 7" Vinyl Single

1982, Warner Brothers, 7-29928

This USA 7" vinyl single features cream Warner Brothers labels and includes I Like Girls on Side A and Zorro's Ascent on Side B (both from the Zipper Catches Skin album).

 

Discogs Link: Click Here

I Like Girls 12" Promotional Vinyl Single

1982, Warner Brothers, PRO-A-1059

This USA 12" promotional vinyl single features cream Warner Brothers labels, a card sleeve and includes the album version of I Like Girls on both Side A and B. The sleeve simple text on the front and is blank on the back.

 

The labels state 'PROMOTIONAL COPY NOT FOR SALE'.

 

Discogs Link: Click Here

For the Dada era Click Here.