Alice Cooper

Biography

Alice Cooper, born Vincent Damon Furnier on February 4, 1948, in Detroit, Michigan, is an American rock singer, songwriter, and musician considered by many to be "The Godfather of Shock Rock". His career spans over five decades, marked by a theatrical brand of hard rock featuring horror movie elements, vaudeville, and garage rock. His stage shows are legendary for their use of props like guillotines, electric chairs, fake blood, and boa constrictors.

The Alice Cooper Group

Furnier's musical journey began in high school in Phoenix, Arizona, where he formed a band called the Earwigs with his cross-country teammates. After several name changes, including The Spiders and The Nazz, the band settled on the name Alice Cooper in 1968. The original lineup included Furnier on vocals, Glen Buxton on lead guitar, Michael Bruce on rhythm guitar, Dennis Dunaway on bass, and Neal Smith on drums. They were discovered by Frank Zappa, who signed them to his record label.

The band's early albums, "Pretties for You" (1969) and "Easy Action" (1970), had a psychedelic rock sound and were not commercially successful. Their breakthrough came with their third album, "Love It to Death" (1971), produced by Bob Ezrin, which featured the hit single "I'm Eighteen". This was followed by a string of successful albums including "Killer" (1971), the chart-topping "School's Out" (1972), and their most commercially successful album, "Billion Dollar Babies" (1973). The band's last studio album together was "Muscle of Love" (1973).

Solo Career

In 1974, Furnier legally changed his name to Alice Cooper and embarked on a solo career. His first solo album, "Welcome to My Nightmare" (1975), was a concept album and a commercial success. He continued to release albums throughout the 1970s, including "Alice Cooper Goes to Hell" (1976). The late 1970s and early 1980s were marked by struggles with alcoholism, which he overcame after hospitalization.

Cooper made a successful comeback in the late 1980s with the albums "Constrictor" (1986) and "Trash" (1989), the latter of which featured the hit single "Poison". He has continued to release albums and tour regularly, maintaining his status as a cultural icon. His later notable albums include "Hey Stoopid" (1991), "The Last Temptation" (1994), "Dragontown" (2001), "Dirty Diamonds" (2005), and "Detroit Stories" (2021).

Legacy

Musical Style and Influence

Alice Cooper is credited with pioneering "shock rock," a subgenre of rock music that incorporates horror-themed theatrics into live performances. His music is primarily categorized as hard rock, but he has experimented with various styles including glam rock, heavy metal, new wave, and industrial rock. He has influenced numerous artists, including Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson, who have adopted his theatrical approach to rock music.

Accolades

In 2011, the original Alice Cooper band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Cooper has also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2003 and a Living Legend Award at the Classic Rock & Roll Honour Awards in 2006. With a career that has seen him sell over 50 million records, he remains a significant and influential figure in the world of rock and roll.