 American rocker Alice Cooper to perform at Melon-AX in Seoul March 29. |
Staff Reporter
American rocker Alice Cooper and popular Canadian punk rock band Sum 41 will hold concerts in Seoul for the first time.
Cooper, the 60-year old pioneer of shock rock music, will perform at the Melon-AX March 29. One of the best-known rockers of all time, Cooper combines heavy metal music with outrageous theatrics on stage.
Born as Vincent Furnier, Cooper started out with a band called Alice Cooper. They scored hit songs ``I'm Eighteen" and ``Love it to Death" in the early 1970s, and became known for their stage performances that featured guillotines and boa constrictors.
In 1974, he began his solo career and legally changed his name to Alice Cooper. He released his first solo album ``Welcome to My Nightmare" in 1975.
Throughout the years, Cooper has dabbled in various kinds of rock music, from garage rock to heavy metal to experimental rock. The last album he released was ``Dirty Diamonds" in 2005. He has released over 24 albums and toured around the world.
Rolling Stone magazine's album guide referred to Cooper as the world's most beloved heavy metal entertainer. He is not only a musician, but also an actor, radio disc jockey, restaurateur and golfing celebrity.
Last year, Cooper went on a ``Psycho Drama" concert tour in the United States and Europe. This year, he continues the tour with dates in Melbourne, Australia; Wellington, New Zealand; and Tokyo and Osaka, Japan in March.
Sum 41
Sum 41 will rock the Melon-AX on May 1, with popular songs such as ``Still Waiting" and ``The Hell Song."
Composed of members Deryck Whibley, Jason McCaslin and Steve Jocz, Sum 41 was formed in Ajax, Ontario, Canada in 1996. The group is one of the most popular punk pop bands in the world, having released five albums that sold over 10 million copies.
In 2000, Sum 41 released their first album ``Half Hour of Power," which spawned the hit songs ``Fat Lip" and ``In Too Deep."
They followed up with a second album ``Does This Look Infected?" Sum 41's songs, ``Still Waiting" and ``The Hell Song," were catchy, but it was the funny, tongue-in-cheek music videos that kept fans wanting more.
In 2004, the band released ``Chuck," which had a heavier sound. It was named after a United Nations peacekeeper who helped Sum 41 escape to safety after they were trapped in a hotel in Bukavu, Congo. The band was in Congo to film a documentary about the civil war, when fighting erupted near their hotel.
Their latest album, ``Underclass Hero," shows signs of Sum 41's growing maturity, retaining a strong punk sound while moving towards more politically motivated lyrics.
All Access is organizing both concerts. Tickets for Cooper's concert go on sale on Feb. 26, while sale of Sum 41 concert tickets will start on Feb. 28. Call (02) 3141-3488. Melon-AX is a five-minute walk from Exit 2 of Gwangnaru Subway station, Line 5.
cathy@koreatimes.co.kr
