Interesting Facts About Alice Cooper

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If you think “The Godfather of Shock Rock” can no longer shock you, think again.

Famed as one of rock ‘n’ roll’s most legendary musicians, Alice Cooper pioneered the subgenre “shock rock” commanding stages with his blood, guts and gore performances that matched scenes straight out of a horror film.

But, despite the deadly snakes, guillotines and electric chairs we’ve come to expect from Alice Cooper, this heavy metal rock star may just be the kindest man in your parent’s record collection. Here are ten interesting facts you may not know about Alice Cooper.

1. He’s The Son Of A Preacher

Cooper’s onstage antics paint a far darker picture of the rock star’s church boy childhood. Born Vincent Damon Furnier in 1948, the son of Ella and Ether Furnier, preachers in the Church of Jesus Christ. Cooper himself was an active child of the Church and remains a born-again Christian who occasionally fills in as a Bible teacher at his local Sunday School.

2. He has his own Alice Cooper slot game

In 2017, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famer launched a slot game called Alice Cooper School’s Out For Summer. While the Alice Cooper slot game doesn’t feature any demonic baby dolls or scary decapitations, fans can expect plenty of the rock star’s gritty humour and horror, plus some shockingly good deals!

3. He’s An Avid Golfer

While heavy metal and sport don’t usually go hand-in-hand, the Godfather of shock rock happens to be a force to be reckoned with on the golf course. The singer reportedly plays six times a week, and his passion is clearly reflected in the title of his 2007 autobiography, Alice Cooper, Golf Monster. His love for the game has also led to the Alice Cooper Celebrity AM Golf Tournament, a charity competition. Maybe, he’ll come out with his own line of golf balls soon!

4. He Appeared On The Muppet Show

Cooper entertained/frightened kids around the world when he appeared on The Muppet Show alongside Kermit the Frog in 1978. Dressed as a vampire in an episode themed around “ghoulies and ghosties” and “four-legged beasties” Cooper, the most controversial figure in music at the time performed “Welcome To My Nightmare,” “Schools Out” and “You And Me” with his entourage of monsters. The performance is remembered as one of the greatest music moments on The Muppet Show, and Cooper has been commended for his ability to be light-hearted and fun.

5. He’s Been Running For President For Over Three Decades

It’s a peculiar world. Alice Cooper has (jokingly) run for president in every election since 1972. Over the years he’s campaign slogans have ranged from “Alice Cooper—A troubled man, for troubled times” and  “Alice Cooper—I can do nothing as well as they can do nothing.” He even re-released his 1972 single “Elected” to promote his presidential campaign in 2016 featuring the lyrics “We’re gonna rock to the rules that I make, I wanna be elected.”

6. He Owns His Own Kids Theme Ride

Living up to his thrilling reputation, Alice Cooper brought nightmares to life in 2011 when he launched his own theme park ride at Universal Studios in Los Angeles. The appropriately named “Welcome to My Nightmare” was a spooky maze featuring giant spiders, guillotines, and deadly pythons. The attraction formed part of the park’s Halloween celebrations and was a huge hit with Alice Cooper fans.

7. He Accidentally Revolutionised “Shock Rock”

Now, this might shock you—the “Godfather of Shock Rock” accidentally invented the genre in 1969, when performing at the Toronto Rock ‘n’ Roll Revival Festival. As legend has it, a fan threw a chicken onstage, and Cooper responded by throwing it back into the audience who in excitement trampled the animal. News of the incident spread like wildfire, with varying degrees of embellishment that marked the birth of shock rock.

However, in a recent tell-all “Snakes! Guillotines! Electric Chairs! My Adventures in the Alice Cooper Group”, bass player Dennis Dunaway revealed the incident was a planned onstage stunt gone horribly wrong! The chicken was actually one of the band’s two travelling pet chickens, named Larry and Pecker.

8. He Jams With Johnny Depp

Alice Cooper, Joe Perry, and Johnny Depp formed the Hollywood Vampires in 2015 to honour the music of the rock stars past away in the 70s due to excessive lifestyles. The all American rock group released a studio album in 2015 featuring Paul McCartney, AC/DC’s Brian Johnson, Dave Grohl and Joe Walsh among others.  The star-studded rock group is set to tour the UK this summer, including a performance at Wembley Stadium in London in June 2018.

9. He Was Once Keanu Reeves’ Babysitter

During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Keanu Reeves revealed that Alice Cooper was once his babysitter. Keanu Reeves was so young that he barely remembers his famous carer. Although he does oddly recall “a fake poo in the fridge.”

10. He’s Not As Tough As He Looks

Despite his powerful onstage presence and frightening face makeup, Cooper is actually a big old softy: “Put my head in a guillotine, fine, but put a needle near me and I’m passed out on the floor.” He’s also known for helping many other rock stars overcome their battles with alcohol and drug addiction. After beating his own substance abuse battles, he went on to support Megadeth’s front man, Dave Mustaine, who today considers Cooper to be his “godfather.”

Cover photo: Alice Cooper by Ralph Aversen via Flickr

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