Alice Cooper is an American Rock singer and songwriter born on February 4, 1948, and he’s been rocking out for a whopping sixty years. He’s a famous American singer, Musician, Actor, and songwriter known for his rough voice and wild stage performances. Picture this: pyrotechnics, guillotines, electric chairs, fake blood, and even reptiles and baby dolls all making appearances on stage. That’s why many people call him “The Godfather of Shock Rock.”
Back in 1964 in Phoenix, Arizona, Alice Cooper wasn’t just one person but a whole band. It all started with a group called the Earwigs, with Vincent Furnier on vocals and harmonica, Glen Buxton on lead guitar, and Dennis Dunaway on bass guitar. Later on, Michael Bruce joined on rhythm guitar, and Neal Smith took over the drums. Together, they decided to name the band “Alice Cooper,” and Vincent Furnier even adopted the name as his stage persona.
Their journey to fame wasn’t instant. Their first album, “Pretties for You,” didn’t make a huge splash in 1969. But they hit it big with the song “I’m Eighteen” and their third album, “Love It to Death,” in 1970. Their peak came in 1973 with the album Billion Dollar Babies. After the band split, Vincent Furnier legally changed his name to Alice Cooper and went solo in 1975 with the album “Welcome to My Nightmare.”
Alice Cooper isn’t just about one style of music. He’s dabbled in hard rock, glam rock, heavy metal, glam metal, new wave, art rock, and even industrial rock over the years. He’s been a huge influence on heavy metal, bringing horror into the music scene like never before. And offstage, he’s known for his humor earning him the title of the world’s most beloved heavy metal entertainer.
But Alice Cooper isn’t just about music. He’s also appeared in movies, gained fame as a golfer, opened his restaurant, and since 2004, he’s been hosting a classic rock radio show called “Alice’s Attic.” He’s a jack of all trades.
| Full Name | Vincent Damon Furnier |
| Date of Birth | February 4, 1948 |
| Place of Birth | Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Occupation | Singer, Songwriter, Musician, Actor |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.77 m) |
| Spouse | Sheryl Goddard (m. 1976) |
| Children | Calico Cooper, Darian Cooper, Laura Cooper |
| Net Worth | $50 million |
Alice Cooper’s Early Life and Education
Vincent Damon Furnier, known as Alice Cooper was born on February 4, 1948, in Detroit, Michigan. His parents were Ether Moroni Furnier and Ella Mae McCart Furnier. He was named after his uncle Vincent Collier Furnier and the writer Damon Runyon. His dad was a preacher in The Church of Jesus Christ and his grandfather Thurman Sylvester Furnier was a leader in that church.
The Furnier family lived in East Detroit, near Eastland Mall. Alice went to Kantner Elementary School and loved watching scary movies at the Eastown Theatre, where he would later perform. He also enjoyed trick-or-treating in his neighborhood on Halloween, which he took very seriously. He was involved in his church when he was 11 to 12 years old.
After dealing with some health issues as a kid, Alice and his family moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where he attended Cortez High School. In his high school yearbook, he said he wanted to sell a million records someday.
Career
In 1964, a 16-year-old named Furnier joined a talent show at Cortez High School. He formed a group with four friends: Glen Buxton, Dennis Dunaway, John Tatum, and John Speer. They called themselves the Earwigs and did funny versions of Beatles songs.
The audience loved it so they decided to become a real band. They got instruments learned to play and changed their name to the Spiders. Furnier became the lead singer Buxton played guitar Tatum played rhythm guitar Dunaway played bass and Speer played drums.
In 1966, after graduating they released a hit single called “Don’t Blow Your Mind.” They started traveling to Los Angeles for shows and renamed themselves Nazz. They changed their name again in 1968 to Alice Cooper because they needed a new name and wanted to stand out. Furnier the lead singer got his look from movies he liked.
Their lineup was Furnier Buxton, Bruce, Dunaway, and Smith. They had a unique stage show with special effects. They signed a record deal and their first album “Pretties for You” came out in 1969.
Their fame grew with albums like “Love It to Death” in 1971 and “School’s Out” in 1972. They toured a lot and their shocking performances made headlines. They released more successful albums like “Billion Dollar Babies” in 1973 but by 1974 the band was facing disagreements and took a break.
Alice Cooper continued as a solo act appearing on TV and releasing hit songs. The band’s legacy lives on, especially with their wild stage shows and catchy music.
In 1975, Alice Cooper made a comeback as a solo artist with the album “Welcome to My Nightmare.” He had to change his legal name to Alice Cooper to avoid legal issues. He mentioned that the band had run its course creatively after a decade of working together. Their manager also commented that what started as a dream became overwhelming.
The album “Welcome to My Nightmare” was a success and it led to the original band breaking up. Cooper worked with producer Bob Ezrin and other musicians for this album. The album’s hit song “Only Women Bleed” helped make it a Top 10 hit. It was a concept album based on a child’s nightmare and it included narration by horror movie star Vincent Price. Cooper’s stage performances became more theatrical with props like an 8-foot-tall Cyclops.
The success of “Welcome to My Nightmare” led Cooper to continue as a solo artist. The original band members formed a new band called “Billion Dollar Babies” and released an album in 1977. They occasionally reunited for shows including at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2011.
Alice Cooper’s solo career saw hits like “I Never Cry” and albums like “Alice Cooper Goes to Hell” and “Lace and Whiskey.” By 1977 his alcoholism had become a problem and he sought treatment after a tour. He released a live album during this time.
In 1980, Cooper’s music took a different direction with albums like “Flush the Fashion” and “Special Forces” which had a new wave sound. He struggled with alcoholism again in the mid-’80s and eventually got sober. He made a successful comeback with the album “Trash” in 1989 which included the hit song “Poison.”
The ’90s and 2000s saw Cooper continuing to release albums and tour extensively. He explored themes of faith and modern life in albums like “The Last Temptation” and “Brutal Planet.” Cooper also made appearances in films and TV shows during this time.
Overall Cooper’s career has been marked by ups and downs including struggles with alcoholism and creative shifts in his music. He remains a legendary figure in rock music known for his theatrical performances and iconic songs.
In January 2010, Cooper joined Rob Zombie on a tour called The Gruesome Twosome Tour. Later that year he appeared on “American Idol” singing “School’s Out.” Cooper also worked on music for a horror movie and started a new album called “Welcome 2 My Nightmare.”
In December 2010, Cooper’s band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They performed together at the ceremony.
Cooper performed at a benefit concert in 2011 and received an award from Kerrang! magazine. He also toured with Iron Maiden and released albums in the following years.
In 2018, Cooper played Herod in a live TV performance of Jesus Christ Superstar.
Recently Cooper released his twenty-second album Road. He’s been involved in TV shows like “No Cover” and continues to perform live. He also recorded a charity album with kid-friendly versions of his songs.
Net Worth
Alice Cooper has an estimated net worth of $50 Million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. The main source of Alice Cooper’s net worth primarily comes from his long and successful career in music, spanning several decades. He has earned substantial income from album sales, concert tours, and royalties from his songs.
Additionally, Cooper has diversified his earnings through ventures such as acting, where he has appeared in films and television shows. His influence as a pioneer of shock rock and his enduring popularity have contributed significantly to his financial success, making him a well-established figure in the entertainment industry.
Personal Life
In the early 1970s, there was a big rumor that Ken Osmond from “Leave It to Beaver” had become rock star Alice Cooper. This started when a college newspaper editor misunderstood a joke Alice made about being like a mischievous TV character. Alice later got a T-shirt to say he wasn’t that character but some people still believed the rumor.
In 2005, before a tour, Alice Cooper talked with an interviewer about his struggles with alcohol and how he got better, his faith, and his family. He also joked about wanting to outlast Mick Jagger in music.
Alice Cooper often talks about himself in the third person to separate from his stage persona.
Relationship-wise during a time when his band was with Frank Zappa, Alice dated Miss Christine from the GTOs. When she passed away from an overdose it was a tough time. He later had a long relationship with Cindy Lang. After they split he was briefly connected with Raquel Welch. However, he eventually married Sheryl Goddard who was part of his stage show. They’ve been through ups and downs but have stuck together.
He and his wife started a foundation to help teens with arts and skills. They’re pretty tight and even joked about having a pact to die together although they clarified it’s more about being there for each other no matter what.
Alice had his battle with alcohol but has since helped many other musicians deal with addiction. He’s also been open about his faith journey going from not being religious to being a born-again Christian.
Alice Cooper usually avoids talking politics believing rock music and politics don’t mix well. He’s criticized musicians who get too political saying it’s not right to push their views on fans.
Aside from music, Alice is a big sports fan, especially of hockey, baseball, and golf. Golf played a big part in his recovery from alcoholism. He’s even made appearances in golf events and commercials.
He’s also been part of comic books and video games and has his exhibit in a museum showing how diverse his impact on pop culture has been.
Style
Alice Cooper loved the Yardbirds and other British bands like the Beatles and the Who. He often talked about how these bands influenced him. In 1994, he sang a Who song at Carnegie Hall. He also sang “My Generation” on tour in 2000. During an interview in 2007, he said today’s bands don’t write songs as well as older bands because they don’t listen to the Beatles.
Arthur Brown was a big influence on Alice Cooper. He saw Brown perform in 1968 wearing dramatic makeup and a burning headpiece. Cooper said it was like a Halloween dream come true.
Alice Cooper likes all kinds of rock music old and new. He has favorite songs from different decades like songs by the Rolling Stones and Guns N’ Roses. He’s been on radio shows where he talked about his favorite songs.
Rob Zombie from White Zombie says he got into metal music after seeing Alice Cooper perform. He also liked Cooper’s costumes. Even Bob Dylan praised Cooper’s songwriting in an interview.
Other musicians like The Flaming Lips and They Might Be Giants are fans of Alice Cooper too. They’ve covered his songs or mentioned him in their music.
Even non-musicians like comedian Groucho Marx and artist Salvador Dalí enjoyed Alice Cooper’s shows for their theatrical and surreal elements.
