Vincent Damen Furnier
a.k.a. Alice Cooper
b. February 4, 1048
"The Godfather of Shock Rock"
American singer and songwriter
Other ventures - Philanthropy, Film actor, Radio DJ with classic rock show, Alice's Attic
Years active - 1964-Present
Genres considered - Hard Rock, Shock Rock, Glam Rock, Heavy Metal
Known for theatrical stage shows and elements of horror films, vaudeville, and garage rock to create a macabre brand of rock meant to shock audiences.
"...the artist who first introduced horror imagery to rock'n'roll..."
"...most beloved heavy metal entertainer..." - The Rolling Stone Album Guide
- Career -
1960s ... 1970-1974 ... 1975-1979 ... 1980s ... 1990s
2000s ... 2010s ... 2020s
Alice Cooper (a.k.a. the Alice Cooper Band)
- Formed in Phoenix, Arizona in 1964
- Including Furnier, Glen Buxton (guitar), Michael Bruce (guitar), Dennis Dunaway (bass), and Neal Smith (drums)
- 7 albums between 1969 and 1973
- Disbanded in 1975
- Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011
Furnier legally changed his name to Alice Cooper in 1975.
Debut solo album - Welcome to My Nightmare (1975)
Most noted songs as a solo artist include "Only Women Bleed," "You and Me," and "Poison"
In 1977, Cooper was admitted into a rehabilitation sanitarium for severe alcoholism.
Upon release, Cooper was inspired by his experience for the album, From the Inside.
- 1980s
Highlight take aways
The 1980s for Alice Cooper's recordings were defined by him as "blackout albums" as he had no recollection of them due to increased cocaine addiction.
Flush the Fashion (1980) ... Special Forces (1981) ... Zipper Catches Skin (1982) ... DaDa (1983) - commercial decline, latter two failed to chart, Flush the Fashion was a substantial detour from recognized style
In 1983, Alice Cooper was hospitalized a second time for alcoholism but found his Christian faith to recover and has since been sober.
- Return to music
Highlight take aways
Constrictor ... Noted fan favorite, "Teenage Frankenstein" ... The Nightmare Returns Tour/The Nightmare Returns concert video (1987), released on DVD in 2006 ... "Cooper's violent, twisted onstage fantasies to a new generation" - Rolling Stone
Raise Your Fist and Yell (1987) ... Promotional tour influenced by slasher movies of the time ... Controversial in Europe ... Banned by England's PM ("...goes beyond the bounds of entertainment..."') ... Some segments of the show removed in Germany
Point of ? - Alice Cooper had two nearly fatal accidents during separate show rehearsals. I will not say how in this post and never on Set List. The matter is sensitive, harmful, and disturbing.
- 1990s
Highlight take aways
The Last Temptation (1994)
- Themes - Faith, temptation, alienation, and frustrations of modern life
- Created with a three-part comic book series by Neil Gaiman
A Fistful of Alice (1997)
Live album
- 2000s
Highlight take aways
Brutal Planet (2000)
- Horror-filled heavy metal & industrial rock
- Theme - Dystopian post-apocalyptic future
- Brutally Live concert DVD
- Radio show on air as of January 2004
- Features classic rock, Cooper's personal stories about life as a rock icon, and interviews with established rock artists
- Broadcast on 100 stations in the U.S. and Canada as well as internationally
Along Came a Spider (2008)
Make of this what you will
In this time, Alice Cooper received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (2003). He received an honorary doctorate from Grand Canyon University (2004).
In 2005, Alice Cooper was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame.
Classic Rock Roll of Honor Awards - Living Legend Award, 2006
Mojo magazine - Hero Award, 2007
Scream Awards - Rock Immortal Award, 2007
- 2010s
Highlight take aways
The Alice Cooper Band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011 by fellow horror-rocker Rob Zombie. (Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper were to tour in early 2010 under the title Gruesome Twosome Tour.)
Kerrang! Icon Award (2011)
Cooper opened for Motley Crue's final tour
Paranormal (2017)
- Contributions from Larry Mullen Jr. (drums, U2), Billy Gibbons (guitar, ZZ Top), Roger Glover (bass, Deep Purple), Tommy Denander and Tommy Henriksen on most of the guitars
- 2020s
Highlight take aways
Detroit Stories (2021)
- Themes - Shock rock standards, nostalgia reflecting traditional hard rock in Detroit (where Alice Cooper was born)
- Detroit Stories is Alice Cooper's 21st solo album.
The Alice Cooper Band reunited for the recording and release of The Revenge of Alice Cooper (July 2025).
Cooper's influences - the Yardbirds, the Beatles, the Who, the Rolling Stones
Cooper performed a cover of "My Generation" during the Brutal Planet tour of 2000.
Rob Zombie is noted to be influenced by Alice Cooper's costume presentation.
The Flaming Lips are known to be fans.
Contributions from Dave Mustaine, Roger Daltrey, Ronnie James Dio, Slash, Bruce Dickinson, Steve Jones, and others
June 2005 interview with Australian ABC TV's Enough Rope
Topics included "horrors of acute alcoholism and subsequent cure, being a Christian, and his social and work relationship with his family"
Stevie Ray Vaughn Award at the fourth annual MusiCares MAP Fund benefit concert (Los Angeles, 2008) - in recognition of Alice Cooper's help with addicts during the recovery process
(Marriage & Relationships, Alcohol & Other Drugs, Religion, Politics, Sports, In Pop Culture)
International Band of the Year, Bravo magazine, 1972 Win
Grammy Awards - 5 Nominations
NME Awards - 2 Wins
Kerrang! Awards - 3 Wins
Detroit Music Awards Foundation - 3 Nominations
Live from the Astroturf, Alice Cooper (film) - 2019
Phoenix Film Festival Award Win
Dallas International Film Festival Award Win
WorldFest - Houston International Film Festival Award Win
Northeast Mountain Film Festival Win
Madrid International Film Festival - 3 Nominations
Lifetime Achievement
- Foundations Forum, 1994
- Motor City Music Awards, 1996
Living Legend, International Horror Guild Awards, 2001
(Refer to Awards & Nominations for the full list of accolades.)
If not to forget, Alice Cooper has sold over 50 million albums worldwide.
My research yielded more than the briefs shared here. This was by intent. I glossed over most of what I read and opted out of.
Alice Cooper once made a belief statement that his Christian faith, in essence, saved him from alcohol and drug addiction. This notion was not around early on, coming about after his second recovery admission.
He does not agree with mingling politics and music, or at least rock music. One of his greatest social stances is against transgender ("a fad").
His key to a successful and lasting marriage is consistent dating with his spouse.
He refuses to be beaten out by Mick Jagger in terms of longevity (who is six years older than Alice Cooper). In other words, he has no intention of stepping down from music any time soon. Age is not an option.
And then there is the elephant in the room - horror, visions of death, slashers, serial killers, blood, black, innate and paralyzing fear, and somehow music praised by major trade publications. Iconic stage performance with props and hell themes.
Some years ago, I had a disturbing nightmare that left me thinking I was in hell as the content described my vision of what hell could be in waking hours. I have been crippled with debilitating mania, depression, and anger for close to a month and having very little restorative sleep due to nightmares of varying content but very clear in message - I am in hell. Due to mental health reasons, I cannot go into detail as it is sensitive and disturbing; sharing would just force me to relive what I can recall.
There is passion in music, joy in sharing, eagerness to record, pride in release and tour with response anticipation. Genre interest varies with every individual. There is interest in multiple genres, subgenres, or one specific genre. I am all for multiple genres. Set List proves that point.
Yet music driven by horror and its inspiration, regardless of entertainment purposes, can be suggestive to the wrong person stumbling across the music artist.
A person might read this post and follow the links in interest or intrigue. A person might read the finer details and think okay or wow. The wrong person might read this post and the links via Wikipedia and think hmm in a concerning way. I am not the wrong person and I can easily dismiss Alice Cooper by just saying his music isn't for me. Yet, what if the wrong person is easily sueded and thrown from the disturbing descriptions they read?
To those who read this post - I am not judgmental. If you love or like Alice Cooper's music and stage persona, that's great! If you pass on his music and stage persona, just move on. If you are the wrong person...walk away early.
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