Alice Cooper (part 2)
Here's more of the uncut interview as it happened...
How did these recent tv commercials come about, and how have you felt about the process and the outcome?
"Well, the funny thing about it is I've always like the idea of injecting Alice into places he doesn't belong. In the early days, Alice was, without the nastiness, I was the Marilyn Manson of that day. Or now you could say, 'Marilyn Manson is the Alice Cooper of his day.' The difference was that Alice Cooper had a sense of humor. I mean, the things that I did, they were never political. They were never religious. They were never anything. Mine was all pure schlock horror, comedy, and rock and roll. It was pretty harmless compared to what's going on now. So, I always like the idea that Alice was Americana. He was an American, sort of, character that people totally now, ten, thirty years later, now I'm Americana. I'm a piece of the fabric of America, as much as Bob Hope is. Or anybody like that. So, I think that Alice being in the middle of suburbia chastizing a guy for cutting his lawn and not taking his kids to the park is a funny idea. I think that it's actually such a juxtaposition, a strange juxtaposition, that Alice is being the one that's sort of being the establishment guy, saying, 'Hey! Get off your butt and take your kids to a ballgame or something...' I like that idea."
I think America likes it, too. Everybody I've heard that's seen it just loves it.
"Well, it does make a point. I think that people . . . now that people know I am Christian and now that people know that I am a dad and a father, the Alice character is a character that I play. The same way that if I were playing Dracula or if I was playing The Joker, or if I was playing Ming The Merciless or any of these characters... It's a character that I play on stage, and when I leave the stage, he stays there. I go home and, you know, take the kids to the basketball game and take my little girl to ballet class. I always tell people, 'I'm Fred McMurray offstage and Bela Ligosi onstage.'"
A lot of your music has had the appearance of being somewhat autobiographical in nature. Take From The Inside era, for example. And the trilogy you wrote that began with The Last Temptation seemed to mimic this trait as well. What kind of price have you paid or benefits have you seen from freely sharing a part of yourself in your art?
"Well, I think that a writer, especially a lyric writer, is always going to be confessing at all times. No matter what he does, he's always going to be talking about what he thinks, what he believes. Even if it's in irony, if it's in story, if it's in whatever, you're always revealing a lot about yourself. From The Inside was definitely written about my alcoholism. The Last Temptation to me was a good storyline, because it was about a kid that was offered everything... And, of course, it was a parallel of Christ being tempted in the wilderness. But this kid gets offered everything. You think, 'Well, he's going to buy into it. He's going to join this guy's circus.' And the circus, of course, is like a synonym for the world. The showman was a synonym for a satanic thing. So, this guy's offering him sex, women, money, fame, and the catch at the end of it is the kid doesn't buy into it. I was trying to make the point that you don't have to buy into it. I was trying to make the point that, Hollywood tells you, 'If you're 15 and you haven't been laid yet and you're not high all the time, then there's something wrong with you.' I think that's the worst message that you can give a kid. He's got all his life to deal with that. Why are we forcing him into all these heavy things when he's 14? Well, it's because it makes money. That album in particular was saying, 'Don't buy into it. You don't have to.' In fact, you're the hero when you don't buy into it. Now, for Alice Cooper to be saying that, it obviously makes people that were Alice Cooper fans before kind of take a step backwards and say, 'What a minute! This is the same Alice Cooper that was selling sex, death, and money!' And I'm like, 'Exactly, but I'm not him anymore. Now Alice . . . there's a change of heart. There's a change of what I believe. Now I'm telling you, with more authority, that you don't have to buy into that.' And when they say, 'How dare you!' I go, 'Well, you know, I'm not going to sell as many albums doing this, but I don't care about that. The fact is, there may be some kids out there that listen to that and go, 'Wow, good. The pressure's off. Now I don't have to go try to get laid every weekend. Or I don't have to try to get stoned just so I can be part of the guys. I can be like Alice. I can do what Alice does.' And really, it's not what I'm saying, it's what Christ said! I'm just trying to echo what He would want you to do. But it's funny that I have to use the Alice Cooper character to get that point across.
"The funny thing was that The Last Temptation really wasn't part of the trilogy. That was on its own. That was the first thing I wrote as a Christian. And then, it was six years before I wrote Brutal Planet. Brutal Planet was a whole different story. Brutal Planet was a story that was talking about, 'What's the world like? Let's get a picture of the future 50 years from now, when all of the systems have failed, church, family, school, politics, every system has failed, and there's no God. Let's say that no one believes in God. Well, what have we got? Now we've got Brutal Planet this horrible place that nobody wants to be.' That's what that album was about. Dragontown was part two of that, which was a little bit more character driven. I was kind of like showing you characters that are there. The point on that one is, 'You can even be a nice guy and be in Hell. The road to Hell is littered with nice guys with good intentions.' Part three is in the works right now."
Any hints or directions you're going to take there?
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Comments
Alice Cooper is the man!
i love this interview i think more christian bamds need to learn from this
Alice totally rocks!! I love the message he is trying to get across now. People really don't realize that satan is real and we need to be warned and we need to do the warning. Great way to do so.
we need the Lord in our lives, and satan is real, Jesus Christ is the answer
I'd heard that Alice Cooper was Christian,it's pretty great to hear it from him that he is.God is good!
I pray someday to work with Alice Cooper on some musical level, in the studio, song collaboration, etc. He is an inspiration and it's great to have him in the family of God! Keep the faith, Alice.
God Bless all covernat Process!! Alice, give your life to Jesus, keep the fire burning!
Suport Brasilian Scene, www.metalland.tk
i'm glad to see someone not use christianity as a political thing. thanks for the good example, alice cooper.
I think that it is great that Alice Cooper is a Christian, I think that it says a lot about the love of our Lord. I know as he goes out into a very secular world that demands us bend our beliefs that he will need a lot of prayer, and support. God Bless.
Thats the way im pointing my christian rock band.... in to the secular market! How else are we going to outreach? The message needs to be heard, so play it loud!
Do you ever wonder if Jesus dropped a Flat foot floogie with a floy, floy on his disciples from a balcony overhang?
Alice is cool. I grew up listening to him. When I was 13 he was just coming out with 18. I have almost every album [most songs] that are available and believe He is a good brother. A friend of mine told me the Pastor at the church where Alice was [may be currently still] attending was aked 'What's it like to have Alice Cooper at your church?' He was quoted as saying 'He's just like anybody else.'
Peace Be To You Brother!
PS: The last 3 albums are the ones I'd recommend. The others were before his conversion.
Alice Cooper, I salute you for your courage. I started listening to him since he was famous for the song Poison. My church leaders use to warn me against him. People should not judge a book by its cover, people change. Let those without sin cast the first stone. Carry on your good work, please no one except God.
Alice is the greatest! He don't have to be a goth, to be popular in the Heavy Metal scene, I really love Alice..Bless you!! Stefan from Switzerland
Alice is the King. There ain't no one else in the world like him.
The Man,The Myth, The LEGEND. America's own Billion Dollar Baby. 35+ years in the biz and still making socially relevant commentary on our fears and foibles.Unparalleled genius, often immitated - NEVER duplicated, you remain The Master - The KING.
Bottom line. The guy still rocks. His shows put bands half his age to shame. Can't wait for his next cd.
Alice Cooper is the one. What a great example of grace and transformation -- I was in love with his career prior to his rebirth, now I'm extatic as to what to expect next. His first Christian album was a masterpiece, I can't wait to see what's next for the man who brought a little light into the glamour of darkness.
I wanna read the other 5 Segments!! I'm hooked on Alice and everything and anything he says I hang on to.. I litary hang on every word that he says.. so please, can I read the other 5 Segments? :)
Heather
this is kewl, Karl from ApologetiX sent me to this... i started asking bout Alice cause i heard he was BAAADDD...he used to be but now i stand corrected. i started askin Qs from thier song "Lazy Brain" and i think its great that Alice really is a Christian
