ALICE COOPER says he’ll be “up there at 90 if I'm still in good enough shape”
02-10-2023
Speaking exclusively to Rock Candy magazine as part of an in-depth 16-page cover story, legendary shock rocker Alice Cooper told writer Andrew Daly that he’s determined to buck the current trend of rock stars retiring.
“A farewell tour hasn’t crossed my mind at all,” said Alice, who turned 75 this year. “And it’s weird, because all my friends are retiring. Gene Simmons (of KISS) said to me recently, ‘Look, I’m done. Come December, it’s over.’ And I go, ‘Well, you know, these farewell tours go on for years and years now, right?’ But Gene was very serious and said, ‘Not this time. I promise you that come December, KISS as we know it is absolutely done.’ The guys in AEROSMITH are saying the same thing, as are many other bands from my era. But none of that occurs to me. It’s never been a thought that I’d retire. I feel great, and the band sounds great. I’m 75, but I’ll be up there at 90 if I’m still in good enough shape.”
Alice went on to cite THE ROLLING STONES, who are still active and as relevant today as ever they have been, as his inspiration. “I’m looking at Mick Jagger as the prototype,” he says. “Mick still does three-hour shows and the soundcheck. So if Mick can do it, so can I.”
You can read Rock Candy‘s 16-page Alice Cooper special, together with many other fascinating stories about DEEP PURPLE, Paul Rodgers, Ronnie James Dio, EUROPE and more in the magazine’s issue 40.
For more details, visit www.rockcandymag.com.
Alice previously discussed the possibility of retirement during a September 7 appearance on SiriusXM‘s “Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk”. Asked how long he thinks he can keep touring before it will be time for him to retire, the legendary rocker responded: “It’s all in your head. I really think so. And also if you’re physically well. I would not wanna play Alice Cooper if I didn’t look like Alice, the same way I looked like Alice in the ’70s. I still look like that Alice. If I couldn’t sing like Alice, if I lost my interest in it, if I didn’t really love doing it. And the main thing is if nobody shows up. You can go out on tour and if nobody buys tickets, you’re done. That’s not happened; in fact, it’s kind of doubled for us.
“I think people come to see Alice and they’re expecting to see this relic, and they see the highest-energy show they’ve seen all year,” Alice continued. “I’ve never been in better shape.”
Cooper went on to say that he “can’t explain” why his stage delivery hasn’t diminished in recent years, like it has with so many other aging rockers. “Physically, I can (explain it),” he clarified. “I never smoked cigarettes. And that is a big — that’s one of the big things that ends bands. And you think, ‘Well, that’s legal. Okay.’ Cigarettes, you know, are gonna kill your lungs; it’s gonna kill your energy — everything. I quit drinking 40 years ago. I married exactly the right woman. I mean, all of the ducks are in a row. I think stress kills more guys than anything else. I don’t worry about anything. I mean, Shep (Gordon) being my manager, Bob (Ezrin) being my producer, I really don’t have to worry about anything. So I’m just having fun out there. I could have retired 30 years ago, but, man, that’s no fun. I wanna be up there on stage playing Alice.”
Alice Cooper‘s new album “Road”, came out on August 25 via earMUSIC. Produced by longtime collaborator Bob Ezrin, “Road” was written, composed and recorded with Alice‘s trusted, longtime bandmates — Ryan Roxie (guitar), Chuck Garric (bass), Tommy Henrikson (guitar), Glen Sobel (drums) and Nita Strauss (guitar).
Social media