How Alice Cooper Inspired Punk, Shock Rock, and a Rock Renaissance

I’m excited to share today’s interview. He’s had 11 Top 40 hits, sold over 55 million albums, and is one of only a few artists in history with a Top 50 album in six consecutive decades. But even more important — today’s guest is a rock pioneer who helped build and shape some of the most important musical genres and movements of our lifetime and beyond. Like shock rock, of which he’s the king. But also punk rock — Johnny Rotten’s tryout that got him the job as singer of the Sex Pistols was Alice’s song I’m Eighteen , and the first song Joey Ramone wrote for the Ramones was based on the chords of that same song. The seeds of punk rock came from Alice! And of course, hard rock and metal owe a debt of gratitude to Mr. Cooper. KISS begged, borrowed, and stole from Alice — even they admit it — among many others. And what other living rock star was beloved by Groucho Marx, Mae West, and Salvador Dalí? Or was called a great songwriter by Bob Dylan? Or had a comic book series created about him by Neil Gaiman? He also waged one of the greatest comebacks in rock history in 1989 with Poison after critics said he was done — and then won the hearts of a whole new generation in Wayne’s World . We cover all of that, plus the real story behind the chicken and many other urban legends. You’ll get some surprises along the way — and some of the best stories I’ve ever heard in an interview. I’m recording this intro just hours before going in for serious surgery… hoping this isn’t my final interview. But if it was — I’d take it! Ha ha. Here’s Alice. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .