Synopsis
The video opens on an overturned chair as a woman dances against a vivid red backdrop. Alice Cooper then appears in full theatrical mode, performing with a cape and cane while the band plays behind him. The clip shifts between staged performance shots, balcony imagery, and scenes featuring the dancer in bondage-inspired attire. Cooper later performs on a grated platform surrounded by oversized nails, turning the song's central metaphor into a visual set piece before the video closes on one of his characteristic provocative gags.
Factoids & Trivia
- "Bed of Nails" was released in 1989 as part of Cooper's commercially successful album "Trash." The song was written by Cooper, Desmond Child, Diane Warren, and Kane Roberts.
- Kane Roberts, Cooper's former guitarist, played guitar on the studio recording. The track was produced by Desmond Child, who helped shape the polished hard-rock sound of the "Trash" era.
- Musetta Vander appears as the dancer in the video. She was later known for screen roles in films and television, including "The Cell" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."
- The clip runs for approximately five minutes and uses a deliberately theatrical visual style rather than a conventional narrative. Its red background, formal performance staging, balcony shots, and oversized nail imagery reinforce Cooper's established horror-rock persona.
- "Bed of Nails" followed "Poison" in the sequence of singles associated with "Trash." It became a notable international release, reaching No. 38 in the United Kingdom and No. 13 in Australia.
- The video was later included on "Video Trash," a home-video collection that also featured the clips for "Poison" and "House of Fire."