Glen Buxton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Glen Buxton
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Glen Edward Buxton |
| Born | November 10, 1947 Akron, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | October 19, 1997 (aged 49) Mason City, Iowa, U.S. |
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| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Guitar |
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Glen Edward Buxton (born November 10, 1947 – died October 19, 1997) was an American guitarist. He was the lead guitarist for the famous rock band Alice Cooper. In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine named him one of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time." In 2011, Glen Buxton was honored and added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the original Alice Cooper band.
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Early Life
Glen Buxton was born in Akron, Ohio, in 1947. Later, he moved to Phoenix, Arizona, and went to Cortez High School. At school, Glen helped with the school paper called the Tip Sheet. He was the photographer. His friends, Dennis Dunaway and Vince Furnier, also worked on the paper.
In 1964, Glen started his first rock band called The Earwigs at Cortez High School. The band included his friends Dennis Dunaway, Vincent Furnier, John Tatum, and John Speer. When they first started, Glen was the only one who knew how to play an instrument. He taught the other band members how to play.
The band became popular in their local area. In 1965, they changed their name to The Spiders. Later, in 1967, they changed it again to The Nazz.
Forming Alice Cooper
Between 1966 and 1967, John Tatum and John Speer left the band. Michael Bruce joined as a rhythm guitarist and keyboard player. Neal Smith became their new drummer.
In 1968, the band changed their name one last time to Alice Cooper. They did this to avoid confusion with another band called Nazz. The Alice Cooper band played their first show with the new name on March 20, 1968.
His Music and Legacy
Glen Buxton helped write many hit songs for Alice Cooper. These include "School's Out", "I'm Eighteen", and "Elected". He was the lead guitarist on seven albums by Alice Cooper. One of these was the very popular album Billion Dollar Babies.
For the 1973 album Muscle of Love, Glen was credited as a songwriter for four songs. However, he did not play guitar on this album. This was due to some personal challenges he was facing at the time. Other guitar players, like Dick Wagner and Mick Mashbir, helped out instead.
Alice Cooper himself has said that Glen Buxton was "one of the great rock guitar players of all time." He also mentioned that Glen was excellent at creating unique guitar riffs. These riffs were often "weird, but catchy," making the songs special.
After Alice Cooper
After his time with Alice Cooper, Glen Buxton kept a low profile. In the late 1970s and 1980s, he played occasional shows with bands like Shrapnel and Virgin.
In the 1990s, Glen lived in Clarion, Iowa. He continued to play music with local artists there. In 1994, he started a band called Buxton-Flynn with his friend, Michael Flynn. They played concerts in southern Minnesota and northern Iowa.
Later Life and Passing
Glen Buxton passed away on October 19, 1997, at the age of 49. He died from complications related to pneumonia in a hospital in Mason City, Iowa.
Just before he passed, Glen had spent time with two of his old bandmates from Alice Cooper, Michael Bruce and Neal Smith. They performed together on a radio show and at a concert in Houston in October 1997. Glen is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Clarion, Iowa.
Music He Played On
With Alice Cooper
- Pretties for You (1969)
- Easy Action (1970)
- Love It to Death (1971)
- Killer (1971)
- School's Out (1972)
- Billion Dollar Babies (1973)
- Muscle of Love (1973) (He wrote songs for this album but did not play guitar on it.)
Other Music
- Lunar Muzik (1997) (with Ant-Bee)
See also
In Spanish: Glen Buxton para niños
