The first two albums Alice Cooper cut for Straight Records went largely unnoticed, but when Warner Bros. bought the Zappa-affiliated label, the band got a second chance and made the most of it.

Released 50 years ago this month, Love It To Death introduced the group to producer Bob Ezrin, with whom they'd make a string of hits, and the collection perfects the quintet's full-throttle hard rock attack. The songwriting also reaches a new peak, with such highlights as “Is It My Body,” “Caught in a Dream” and “I'm Eighteen.”

It became a Top 40 single that provided inspiration to both the Ramones and the Sex Pistols. Those anthems (and a spectacular stage show) made Love It To Death Alice Cooper's first big success, and the album would eventually go platinum.

Dive back into the darkness and give Love It To Death another spin in honour of its half-century,

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Check out the range of classic Alice Cooper albums on CD and vinyl here.