Dennis Dunaway is an American musician, best known as the original bass guitarist for Alice Cooper. He co-wrote some of the band's most notable songs, including "I'm Eighteen" and "School's Out".
Career
Dunaway's first bass was a short-scaleAirline. This was used on Alice Cooper's debut album Pretties for You. The band's sophomore album, Easy Action, featured Dunaway playing a short-scale Höfner. Later, Dunaway procured a Gibson EB-0 short scale bass, modified with a Fender Precision Bass split pickup in the treble position, that he spray painted green and called "the frog". He can be seen with it on the back cover of the Love it to Death album. Dunaway used this bass exclusively in the making of the original Alice Cooper group's first three albums. It currently is on loan to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Dunaway would later switch to a Fender Jazz bass. 'Billion Dollar Babies' was the name of the band founded by Michael Bruce, Mike Marconi, Dennis Dunaway, Bob Dolin, and Neal Smith after they split from Alice Cooper in 1974. This band was embroiled in a legal suit over the usage of the name. They only released one album, 1977's Battle Axe, before disbanding. Dennis is married to Cindy Dunaway, Alice Cooper's original costume designer who helped create the Shock Rock fashion style. Cindy is the sister of original Alice Cooper drummer Neal Smith. Their oldest daughter, Renée Dunaway, is also a musician and fronts the band Jetsetter, while their youngest daughter Chelsea Dunaway, is a singer/songwriter, makeup artist and jewelry designer. Renee and Chelsea are members of the musical comedy trio Jestrock. Dennis performs on Alice Cooper's Welcome 2 My Nightmare. On July 1, 2010 when talking about the newly retitled album, Welcome 2 My Nightmare, Alice said in a Radio Metal interview: "We’ll put some of the original people on it and add some new people, I’m very happy with working with Bob again." Other names mentioned were: Slash, Neal Smith, Dennis Dunaway, Steven Hunter and Dick Wagner. Dunaway and Smith wrote two songs and perform, along with Michael Bruce, on three tracks on the album, released in September, 2011. That same year, Dunaway and his former Alice Cooper band mates were inducted into the Rock and RollHall of Fame, in the "Performer Category". Dennis currently plays live with his bands, Blue Coupe which also comprises Joe and Albert Bouchard of Blue Oyster Cult fame and 5th Avenue Vampires. Blue Coupe's most recent single "You ", written by John Elwood Cook, can be heard on ITunes or Pledgemusic. Dennis released his memoirs Snakes! Guillotines! Electric Chairs! in June 2015. The book has been penned with Rolling Stone writer, Chris Hodenfield.
