Alice Cooper

Alice Cooper’s self portrait and story.

I describe myself as… too smart for my own good. Actually, not smart – too clever for my own good. I’d have made more money if I’d written dumber songs.

Music changed me by… It happened when I was painting the house when I was 13 or 14. The radio was always on, it was summer time and I heard a song called She Loves You. It was the first time I ever heard The Beatles. Then I heard Please Please Me and, like, ten Beatles songs in one day. It changed my entire musical landscape. Before then it was The Four Seasons and The Beach Boys.

The best book I’ve read is… Well, I read the Bible every day. Discounting that, probably Breakfast Of Champions by [Kurt] Vonnegut. I share a sense of humour. I’ve read all his books and laughed through them all.

The last time I cried was… when my dad passed away which was about… 1983 or 1984. But I haven’t seen Old Yeller or those movies you’re supposed to bawl at.

When I’m not making music… I play golf every day. I’ve also done a lot of homework – with my kids. Every time they had to do a report, it seemed to be me who did it. It was like going back to college. I also have an organisation called Solid Rock Foundation [Alice’s teen-centric Christian aid set-up], which I spend a lot of time at.

My biggest vice is… probably television. I could live without just about anything except television. I’ll find myself in a hotel room watching television with great delight and then I’ll realise it’s a Chinese cookery show. I haven’t understood a word for an hour but I’m hypnotised.

Is the glass half full or half empty… Always half full. I am probably the most optimistic human being on the planet.

My most treasured possession is… Well, people aren’t possessions, so I can’t name my wife and children. My wife gave me a gold handcuff when we were married 35 years ago. She said it was better than a wedding ring – a solid gold handcuff. I have it with me all the time

My biggest regret is… I wish I was a better guitar player. But I’ve been surrounded by so many great guitar players that it seemed silly to spend much time on guitar.

LP, CD or MP3… CD is the most convenient, but I love the LP. The artwork tells the story as much as the music does.

The last time I was embarrassed was… Just recently I got into an elevator. We started talking about babies and there was this lady there with her husband. I made a reference to her being pregnant and she wasn’t pregnant. There I am in the elevator… no walking away. I can talk my way out of everything, but not out of that one.

My formal qualifications are… driver’s license, bachelor’s degree in fine arts, honorary PhD in performing arts, Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame… Yeah, I studied fine arts and journalism. Salvador Dali was my man – not only the greatest surrealist, but maybe the greatest oil painter.

When we die… Well, I’m Christian, so I believe in heaven and hell and God and the Devil. I believe very specifically in the Bible. If God can create the World then he can part the Red Sea… I’m for heaven. I have no allegiance with Satan at all.

I would like to be remembered as… A great husband and a great father, but also the Busby Berkeley of rock and roll. My show has always been dark but it has also been fun. I’d like to be remembered as a great songwriter, but I think I’ll be remembered for the theatrics – and I don’t mind that at all.

Roy Wilkinson