Alice Cooper is an American singer and songwriter, celebrated for his distinctive raspy voice and pioneering role in "shock rock." With a career spanning over five decades, Cooper's theatrical stage shows, filled with macabre props and illusions, have become his trademark. He is often credited as "The Godfather of Shock Rock" for blending horror film elements, vaudeville, and garage rock to create a uniquely shocking and theatrical brand of rock music.
In 1924, Ether Moroni Furnier, Alice Cooper's father, was born. He later became an evangelist.
In 1925, Ella Mae McCart, who would later become Alice Cooper's mother, was born.
In 1968, Alice Cooper found inspiration from the movie "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" released in 1962, particularly Bette Davis's makeup, for the band's image.
In 1963, Thurman Sylvester Furnier, Alice Cooper's paternal grandfather, became a leader in The Church of Jesus Christ.
In 1964, 16-year-old Vincent Furnier formed The Earwigs with fellow cross country teammates for a talent show, marking the beginning of his musical career.
In 1964, the band Alice Cooper initially formed in Phoenix, Arizona, with Vincent Furnier, Glen Buxton, Michael Bruce, Dennis Dunaway, and Neal Smith as members.
In 1964, the song "A Hard Day's Night" by The Beatles was released.
From 1963 to 1965, Thurman Sylvester Furnier served as the leader and later president of The Church of Jesus Christ, impacting the family's life.
In 1965, the song "My Generation" by The Who was released.
In 1966, after Michael Bruce joined the band, The Spiders released their second single, "Don't Blow Your Mind," which became a local hit.
In 1966, the song "19th Nervous Breakdown" by The Rolling Stones was released.
By 1967, the band, then known as the Spiders, began making regular road trips to Los Angeles and then renamed themselves Nazz. They relocated to Los Angeles by the end of the year after releasing the single "Wonder Who's Lovin' Her Now".
The band later claimed that this period was highly influenced by Pink Floyd, especially their debut studio album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn released in 1967.
In 1968, Alice Cooper found inspiration from the movie "Barbarella", particularly Anita Pallenberg's character, for the band's image.
In 1968, Alice Cooper saw shock rock pioneer Arthur Brown performing his US hit "Fire", which Cooper said was like all his Halloweens coming at once.
In 1968, the band learned about another band named Nazz and decided to change their name to Alice Cooper. Vincent Furnier believed they needed a gimmick to succeed.
In September 1969, at the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival concert, the "Chicken Incident" occurred, where Alice Cooper threw a chicken into the crowd, leading to sensationalized press coverage and contributing to the band's "shock rock" reputation.
From 1969 to 1973, the Alice Cooper band released seven studio albums and several singles, marking the beginning of their recording career.
In 1969, Alice Cooper released the album Pretties for You. The Flaming Lips later used the bassline from "Levity Ball," an early song from this album, for their song "The Ceiling Is Bending".
In June 1970, Alice Cooper released their second studio album, "Easy Action," produced by David Briggs, which failed to chart on the Billboard Top 200.
In August 1970, Alice Cooper appeared at the Strawberry Fields Festival near Toronto, Ontario. Their glam and violent stage theatrics contrasted with the hippie bands of the time.
In November 1970, Alice Cooper released the single "I'm Eighteen", which reached number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1971, marking their first success.
In January 1971, Alice Cooper's album "Love It to Death" was released and subsequently re-issued by Warner Bros. Records after they purchased Alice Cooper's contract from Straight Records.
In November 1971, Alice Cooper released the album "Killer," continuing their commercial success, and expanding on the villainous persona of Alice Cooper.
In 1971, Alice Cooper's successful tour, featuring a theatrical stage show and glam rock costumes, led to a new multi-album contract with Warner Bros.
In 1971, John Lydon of the Sex Pistols considered Killer to be the greatest rock album of all time.
In January 1972, Alice Cooper claimed on the Dinah Shore show that his peculiar name was taken from a "Mayberry RFD" character.
On November 5, 1972, Miss Christine of the GTOs, who had been Alice Cooper's girlfriend, died of an overdose.
Around June 1970, Alice Cooper relocated to Pontiac, Michigan, and Michigan remained their steady home base until 1972.
In 1972, Alice Cooper released "Elected" which became a Top 10 hit in the UK. The song inspired one of the first MTV-style promo videos ever made for a song.
In February 1973, Alice Cooper's album Billion Dollar Babies was released worldwide. It became the band's most commercially successful studio album, reaching No. 1 in both the US and UK.
Alice Cooper's 1973 concert footage was used in the band's 1974 feature film 'Good to See You Again, Alice Cooper'.
At the end of 1973, Alice Cooper released Muscle of Love, which was the last studio album from the classic lineup, and included the song "Teenage Lament '74", Alice Cooper's last UK Top 20 single of the 1970s.
From 1969 to 1973, the Alice Cooper band released seven studio albums and several singles, marking the beginning of their recording career.
In 1973, Alice Cooper's US tour broke box office records previously set by the Rolling Stones, raising rock theatrics to new heights with special effects like Billion Dollar Bills, baby dolls, and a guillotine designed by magician James Randi.
In 1973, Alice Cooper's song "Halo of Flies" became a Top 10 hit in the Netherlands.
In 1973, after attending an Alice Cooper show, artist Salvador Dalí described it as surreal, and went on to create a hologram titled First Cylindric Chromo-Hologram Portrait of Alice Cooper's Brain.
The track 'Generation Landslide' from Billion Dollar Babies (1973) was rerecorded on Special Forces album.
On March 5, 1974, Alice Cooper appeared on episode 3 of The Snoop Sisters playing a Satanic cult singer.
In March and April 1974, Alice Cooper performed the final shows as a group in Brazil, including a record indoor attendance estimated as high as 158,000 fans in São Paulo on March 30.
In November 1974, Bob Greene released his book Billion Dollar Baby, which painted a less-than-flattering picture of the band, showing a group in total disharmony, based on his time on the road with the band during the Muscle of Love Christmas Tour in 1973.
In 1974 Alice Cooper last toured South America, before touring again in 1996.
In April 1975, the television special Alice Cooper: The Nightmare, starring Cooper and Vincent Price, aired on US prime-time TV.
In September 1975, the concert film Welcome to My Nightmare was filmed live at London's Wembley Arena.
Alice Cooper's 1975 TV Special, The Nightmare, was released on home video in the fall of 1983.
In 1975, Alice Cooper returned as a solo artist with the release of Welcome to My Nightmare. To avoid legal complications over ownership of the group name, "Alice Cooper" had by then become Furnier's new legal name.
In 1975, Sheryl Goddard began performing in the Alice Cooper show.
In 1975, the original Alice Cooper band disbanded, and Vincent Furnier legally changed his name to Alice Cooper. He also launched a solo career with the concept album "Welcome to My Nightmare".
On March 20, 1976, Alice Cooper married Sheryl Goddard, a ballerina instructor and choreographer who performed in his show.
In 1976, Alice Cooper released "I Never Cry", which became a US No. 12 ballad hit.
In 1976, Alice Cooper's autobiography with Steven Gaines, called Me, Alice, was released, giving Cooper's version of that era of his career, among other things.
In 1976, the concert film Welcome to My Nightmare was released to theaters.
During his 1977 US tour, it became clear that Alice Cooper was in dire need of help with his alcoholism. Following the tour, Cooper had himself hospitalized in a sanitarium for treatment, during which time the live album The Alice Cooper Show was released.
In 1977, Bruce, Dunaway, and Smith formed the band Billion Dollar Babies and released one studio album, Battle Axe.
On March 28, 1978, Alice Cooper appeared on The Muppet Show, episode #307, playing one of the devil's henchmen.
In a 1978 interview with Rolling Stone, Bob Dylan stated that he believed Alice Cooper was an overlooked songwriter.
In October 1979, Alice Cooper was featured in Marvel Premiere, Volume 1, Number 50, which loosely adapted his From the Inside studio album.
In 1979, Alice Cooper last wore his black snake-eyes makeup before donning it again for Twisted Sister's music video "Be Chrool to Your Scuel" in 1985.
In 1979, Alice Cooper's stage show from the From the Inside tour was filmed for Cooper's first home-video release, The Strange Case of Alice Cooper.
In 1980, Alice Cooper released Flush the Fashion, produced by Roy Thomas Baker, which had a new wave sound and included the US Top 40 hit "Clones (We're All)".
In 1980, the song "Turning Japanese" by The Vapors was released.
In 1981 Alice Cooper started the Special Forces project, after which he took a break from touring, until the Constrictor album in 1986.
In 1981, Alice Cooper released Special Forces, which featured a more aggressive new wave style and a new version of "Generation Landslide" from Billion Dollar Babies (1973).
1982 was Sheryl Goddard's last year performing in the Alice Cooper show.
In 1982, Alice Cooper released Zipper Catches Skin, a more pop punk-oriented recording with quirky, high-energy songs.
In November 1983, at the height of Cooper's alcoholism, Sheryl Goddard filed for divorce.
In 1983 Alice Cooper released the concept album DaDa.
In 1983, The Nightmare television special was released on home video and gained a Grammy Award nomination for Best Long Form Music Video.
In mid-1983, Alice Cooper was hospitalized for alcoholism again, and cirrhosis of the liver. He credits his Christian faith for his recovery.
On January 30, 1984, Alice Cooper's divorce hearing with Sheryl Cooper was held at Maricopa County Superior Court in Arizona. However, the couple decided not to proceed with the divorce.
By February 1984, Alice Cooper became a "free agent" for the first time in his career after his contract with Warner Bros. ended.
By mid-1984, Alice Cooper and Sheryl Goddard had reconciled after she filed for divorce in November 1983.
In 1985, Alice Cooper met guitarist Kane Roberts and began writing songs with him. Cooper was subsequently signed to MCA Records and was featured as a guest vocalist on Twisted Sister's song "Be Chrool to Your Scuel".
In 1986 Alice Cooper recorded the album "Constrictor" with lead guitarist Kane Roberts and bassist Kip Winger.
In 1986, the thrash metal band Megadeth opened for Alice Cooper on his US Constrictor tour. Cooper noticed their substance abuse and offered help to get clean.
In 1987 Alice Cooper recorded the album "Raise Your Fist and Yell" with lead guitarist Kane Roberts and bassist Kip Winger.
In 1987, Alice Cooper appeared at WrestleMania III, escorting wrestler Jake 'The Snake' Roberts to the ring and later throwing Jake's snake Damien at Jimmy Hart. WrestleMania III attracted a WWF record of 93,173 fans.
In 1987, Alice Cooper made a cameo appearance as a vagrant in John Carpenter's supernatural horror film, 'Prince of Darkness'.
In 1987, Ether Moroni Furnier, Alice Cooper's father, passed away.
In 1987, the songs "Beds Are Burning" by Midnight Oil and "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns N' Roses were released.
On April 7, 1988, Alice Cooper nearly died of asphyxiation when a safety rope broke during a rehearsal concert where he was performing a simulated hanging, a stunt he often did in live concerts.
By the end of 1988, Kane Roberts and Kip Winger had both left Alice Cooper's band.
In 1988, Alice Cooper recorded a music video for the 'Poison' B-side 'I Got a Line on You' after the song was featured on the soundtrack to Iron Eagle II.
In 1988, Alice Cooper's contract with MCA Records expired, and he signed with Epic Records.
In 1989, Alice Cooper experienced a career revival with the release of the Desmond Child-produced and Grammy-nominated studio album, Trash, on Epic Records, which included the hit single 'Poison'.
During the early 1990s, Alice Cooper guested on records by successful bands of the time, such as Guns N' Roses album Use Your Illusion I in 1991, on which he sang with Axl Rose on the track 'The Garden'. He also appeared as the abusive stepfather of Freddy Krueger in the film Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare in 1991.
In 1991, Alice Cooper released his nineteenth studio album, Hey Stoopid, and the video Alice Cooper: Prime Cuts, which chronicled his career.
In 1992, Alice Cooper made a cameo appearance in the comedy film Wayne's World, performing "Feed My Frankenstein" and discussing the history of Milwaukee.
In 1992, Alice Cooper's cameo in Wayne's World popularized the "We're not worthy" meme.
In 1994 Alice Coopers released his The Last Temptation album.
In 1995, Alice Cooper and his wife Sheryl started the Solid Rock Foundation.
In 1996, Alice Cooper toured South America, a region he hadn't visited since 1974, and sang the role of Herod on the London cast recording of the musical Jesus Christ Superstar.
In 1997, Alice Cooper released the live album A Fistful of Alice and lent his voice to the intro track of Insane Clown Posse's The Great Milenko.
On October 23, 1999, Bruce, Dunaway, and Smith reunited with Alice Cooper at the second Glen Buxton Memorial Weekend for a show at CoopersTown in Phoenix.
In 1999, Cleopatra Records released 'Humanary Stew: A Tribute to Alice Cooper,' featuring rock and metal all-star collaborations, which garnered attention for its intriguing combinations of artists and material.
In 1999, The Life and Crimes of Alice Cooper, a four-disc box set that contained the biography Alcohol and Razor Blades, Poison and Needles: The Glorious Wretched Excess of Alice Cooper, All-American, written by Jeffrey Morgan, was released.
In 2001, Alice Cooper made a guest appearance on a third-season episode of That '70s Show titled 'Radio Daze', where he played Dungeons & Dragons.
In 2001, Alice Cooper released the album Dragontown, a sequel to Brutal Planet, produced by Bob Ezrin.
In 2002, John Lydon presented his own tribute program to Alice Cooper on BBC radio, acknowledging Cooper's influence on his musical career.
In a 2002 television interview, Alice Cooper stated that he had never cheated on his wife and emphasized the importance of dating one's partner for a lasting relationship.
In 2003, Alice Cooper released the critically acclaimed album The Eyes of Alice Cooper, adopting a leaner, cleaner sound and working with younger musicians. He also started the Bare Bones tour with a less-orchestrated performance style.
In 2003, Alice Cooper was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
On January 26, 2004, Alice Cooper's radio show, Nights with Alice Cooper, began airing in several US cities.
In May 2004, Alice Cooper received an honorary doctoral degree from Grand Canyon University.
In September 2004, Alice Cooper contributed a storyline to the September 2004 edition of Bongo Comics's Bart Simpson's Treehouse of Horror.
During the build-up to the 2004 presidential election, Alice Cooper criticized rock stars campaigning for John Kerry, stating it was "treason against rock n' roll."
Since 2004, Alice Cooper has been a radio disc jockey with his classic rock show, "Alice's Attic", adding another facet to his multifaceted career.
In June 2005, Alice Cooper was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame.
On June 20, 2005, Alice Cooper was interviewed by Andrew Denton on the Australian ABC TV show 'Enough Rope', discussing his past alcoholism, his Christian faith, and his family relationships.
Alice Cooper had a June-July 2005 tour. Cooper commented on Mick Jagger's longevity and expressed his own determination to continue performing.
In August 2005, Alice Cooper launched the Dirty Diamonds tour in America after several European concerts, following the release of the album of the same name.
In May 2006, Alice Cooper was given the key to the city of Alice, North Dakota.
In December 2006, the original Alice Cooper band reunited to perform six classic Alice Cooper songs at Cooper's annual charity event in Phoenix, entitled 'Christmas Pudding'.
In 2006, the DVD Alice Cooper: Live at Montreux 2005, featuring Alice Cooper and his band including Kiss drummer Eric Singer, filmed at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland on July 12, 2005, was released.
During an interview with Ozzy Osbourne on May 22, 2007, for the radio program Nights with Alice Cooper, Alice Cooper reaffirmed his gratitude to bands like the Beatles, lamenting the songwriting quality of contemporary rock artists and suggesting they had "forgotten to listen to the Beatles".
On July 1, 2007, Alice Cooper performed a duet with Marilyn Manson at the B'Estival event in Bucharest, Romania.
In 2007, Alice Cooper won the Mojo music magazine Hero Award and received a Rock Immortal award at the Scream Awards.
In 2007, Alice Cooper's autobiography, Alice Cooper, Golf Monster, was released, reflecting the importance of golf in overcoming his alcohol addiction.
In his 2007 book "Alice Cooper, Golf Monster", Cooper discussed the inspiration behind his look.
In January 2008, Alice Cooper appeared as a guest singer on Avantasia's third studio album, The Scarecrow, performing the seventh track, "The Toy Master".
In July 2008, Alice Cooper released his eighteenth solo studio album, Along Came a Spider, after delays. The album became his highest-charting since 1991's Hey Stoopid, reaching No. 53 in the US and No. 31 in the UK.
In 2008, Alice Cooper received the Stevie Ray Vaughan Award at the MusiCares MAP Fund benefit concert in Los Angeles for his work in helping other addicts recover.
In November 2009, The Times described Cooper's Theatre of Death tour (supporting Along Came a Spider) as "epic" and noted its extensive use of fake blood.
In January 2010, Alice Cooper announced that he would be touring with Rob Zombie on The Gruesome Twosome Tour.
In May 2010, Alice Cooper appeared during the season finale of American Idol, performing "School's Out".
On December 15, 2010, it was announced that Alice Cooper and his former band would be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony would take place on March 14, 2011.
On December 16, 2010, Alice Cooper reunited with Bruce, Dunaway, and Smith for another show at the Dodge Theatre in Phoenix, with Steve Hunter on guitar.
In 2010, Alice Cooper appeared on Desert Island Discs and selected his favorite songs.
In 2010, Alice Cooper began working on Welcome 2 My Nightmare, a sequel to his 1975 album, with the intention of including original and new collaborators and working with Bob Ezrin again.
In 2010, Alice Cooper stated that he is extremely non-political and avoids politics, preferring to focus on music.
In 2010, Alice Cooper, along with his daughter and former band member Dick Wagner, scored the music for the indie horror film Silas Gore.
On March 10, 2011, Alice Cooper, along with other artists, performed at a benefit concert in Tucson, Arizona, for The Fund for Civility, Respect and Understanding.
On March 14, 2011, the original Alice Cooper group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and performed together (televised).
On June 9, 2011, Alice Cooper received the Kerrang! Icon Award at Kerrang! magazine's annual awards show. He criticized the state of rock music and affirmed his commitment to the industry.
In 2011, Alice Cooper was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, recognizing his significant contributions to music and entertainment.
On February 18, 2012, the Arizona Coyotes gave away an Alice Cooper bobblehead to the first 10,000 fans at a game against the Dallas Stars.
From June to July 21, 2012, Alice Cooper supported Iron Maiden on their Maiden England World Tour.
On September 16, 2012, Alice Cooper performed at the Sunflower Jam charity concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London, alongside musicians from Queen, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and Iron Maiden.
In 2012, Alice Cooper and James Randi discussed their working relationship during this period at Dragon Con.
In 2012, Alice Cooper made a cameo appearance as himself in Tim Burton's film adaptation of Dark Shadows, where Johnny Depp's character described him as the ugliest woman he had ever seen.
In 2012, the first of several Solid Rock Foundation teen centers opened in Phoenix, Arizona.
In 2013, Alice Cooper finished recording a covers album dedicated to his deceased rock star drinking buddies from the 1970s, planned for release in 2014 but later pushed to 2015.
On January 28, 2014, it was revealed that Alice Cooper would be the opening act for Mötley Crüe's final tour, which spanned 2014 and 2015.
In 2015, Alice Cooper premiered Hollywood Vampires, a supergroup featuring Johnny Depp and Joe Perry. They released a new studio album of rock covers and performed live at L.A.'s Roxy Theatre and Brazil's Rock in Rio festival in September.
In 2015, Alice Cooper's hit song "School's Out" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, solidifying its place as a classic.
In October 2015, Alice Cooper released the live album and video, Raise the Dead: Live from Wacken, recorded at Germany's Wacken heavy metal festival the previous year.
In 2016, Alice Cooper resumed his running gag of campaigning for the US presidency.
In July 2017, Alice Cooper released his twentieth solo studio album Paranormal, featuring contributions from musicians from U2, ZZ Top, and Deep Purple.
From August to early September 2017, Alice Cooper co-headlined a tour with Deep Purple and Edgar Winter.
In 2017, Bruce, Dunaway, and Smith appeared on two tracks they co-wrote on Alice's solo studio album Paranormal, released in July, and in November they joined his current live band for five tour dates in the United Kingdom.
In 2017, a special edition DVD of the concert film 'Welcome to My Nightmare' was released.
In December 2018, Alice Cooper predicted that the next U.S. president would be "worse" than Donald Trump and criticized musicians for expressing their political opinions to fans.
In 2018, Alice Cooper contributed his likeness and voice lines to 'Alice Cooper's Nightmare Castle', a pinball machine released by Spooky Pinball, featuring ten of his songs. Limited to 500 machines.
In 2018, on Easter Sunday, Alice Cooper performed as Herod in NBC's live performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert. His performance was well-received.
In 2019, Alice Cooper clarified comments about a 'death pact' with his wife Sheryl, stating it was a 'life pact' reflecting their constant companionship rather than a suicide agreement.
On February 26, 2021, Alice Cooper released his twenty-first solo studio album, Detroit Stories.
On June 28, 2021, Alice Cooper wrote the afterword to Jeffrey Morgan's autobiography Rock Critic Confidential, which was published by New Haven.
In September 2021, Alice Cooper's fall tour, supported by Ace Frehley, began to promote the Detroit Stories album.
In 2021, the Solid Rock Foundation opened another teen center in Mesa, Arizona.
In April 2022, Alice Cooper participated as a judge on the music competition television show No Cover season 1, which began airing on the Sumerian Records YouTube Channel.
On July 11, 2022, touring guitarist Nita Strauss announced her departure from Alice Cooper's band.
In 2022, Ella Mae (née McCart) Furnier, Alice Cooper's mother, passed away.
On March 6, 2023, it was announced that Nita Strauss had rejoined Alice Cooper's band.
On August 24, 2023, Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie began the Freaks on Parade tour, with Filter and Ministry as opening acts. The tour spanned a month, visiting 19 venues across the United States and Canada.
On August 25, 2023, Alice Cooper's twenty-second studio album, Road, was released.
On September 24, 2023, the Freaks on Parade tour co-headlined by Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie, with Filter and Ministry as opening acts, concluded after visiting 19 venues in the United States and Canada.
In 2023, Alice Cooper made remarks against the transgender community, which led to the loss of a cosmetics branding deal.
In January 2024, Alice Cooper's newly revamped syndicated radio show, Alice's Attic with Alice Cooper, debuted on over 70 radio stations in the US and worldwide.
In April 2025, it was announced that Alice Cooper had reunited with Michael Bruce, Dennis Dunaway, and Neal Smith for a new album titled The Revenge of Alice Cooper.
On July 25, 2025, The Revenge of Alice Cooper, the first album since 1973's Muscle of Love credited to the Alice Cooper band rather than as a solo album, was released, and also includes never-before-released tracks by their original guitarist Glen Buxton.
In a 2025 interview with The Times, Alice Cooper expressed support for Donald Trump, citing concerns about 'woke' culture and preferring a 'pitbull' in a 'shooting war'.
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