Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper | |
|---|---|
 Cooper performing in Nuremberg, Germany, 2024 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Vincent Damon Furnier |
| Born | February 4, 1948 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) |
|
| Years active | 1964–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Sheryl Goddard (m. 1976) |
| Website | alicecooper |
Biography
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter, and performer, widely regarded as the pioneer of shock rock. Born Vincent Damon Furnier on February 4, 1948, in Detroit, Michigan, he moved to Phoenix, Arizona, during his childhood. Raised in a devout Christian household, Cooper initially had no plans for a musical career, but a high school talent show changed everything.
In the 1960s, Furnier formed a band called Alice Cooper, known for their dark, theatrical performances. Inspired by horror films and vaudeville, they incorporated fake blood, guillotines, snakes, and electric chairs into their stage shows—an approach that shocked conservative America but thrilled rock audiences. The band’s breakthrough came with the 1971 hit I’m Eighteen, followed by School’s Out in 1972, which became a defining anthem of youth rebellion.
By the mid-1970s, Furnier adopted the name Alice Cooper as his own and went solo, releasing Welcome to My Nightmare in 1975, a concept album that cemented his place in rock history. His style combined heavy rock with tongue-in-cheek horror, camp, and satire.
Despite struggles with alcoholism during the late ’70s and ’80s, Cooper made a strong comeback in the late ’80s with hits like Poison. He also made appearances in films and became a beloved figure in pop culture, embracing his legacy as rock’s master showman.
Offstage, Cooper is known for his love of golf, strong Christian faith, and charity work. He has been married to his wife, Sheryl Goddard, since 1976, and they have three children.
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011, Alice Cooper continues to tour and record into his seventies. With a career spanning six decades, he remains a unique force in music—equal parts horror, humour, and rock and roll.
Music (likes)
BBC's Desert Island Discs (2010)
- Happenings Ten Years Time Ago – The Yardbirds
- I Get Around – The Beach Boys
- I'm a Boy – The Who
- Timer – Laura Nyro
- 21st Century Schizoid Man (incl. Mirrors) – King Crimson
- Been Caught Stealing – Jane’s Addiction
- Work Song – The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
- Ballad of a Thin Man – Bob Dylan [1]
Literature (likes)
Miscellaneous
- Breakfast of Champions - Kurt Vonnegut [1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Alice Cooper". Desert Island Discs. 21 November 2010. BBC.