Alice Cooper
American rock singer and showman Alice Cooper joins Kirsty Young to choose his Desert Island Discs.
Kirsty Young's castaway is the rock musician Alice Cooper.
As a teenager he says it was British music that he tuned in to - listening to The Beatles, The Yardbirds and The Who. He realised that while rock music had many heroes, there were few villains - that was the territory he marked out for himself. He developed his trademark look - blackened eyes, straggly hair and glamorous clothes - and set about designing live shows that were gleefully gory and macabre.
While critics have described him as 'the world's most beloved heavy metal entertainer', it took him a while to untangle himself from his creation. "For a long time I honestly didn't know where I began and Alice ended. My friends at the time were Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and I was trying to keep up with them. And I realised when they all died that you didn't have to be your character off stage."
Record: Work Song - The Butterfield Blues Band
Book: Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut
Luxury: An indoor golf driving range
Producer: Leanne Buckle.
Last on
Music Played
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The Yardbirds
Happenings Ten Years Time Ago
Composer: Keith Relf, Jim McCarty
- Beckology.
- Columbia.
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The Beach Boys
I Get Around
Composer: Wilson
- The Beach Boys: 20 Golden Greats.
- EMI.
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The Who
I'm a Boy
Composer: Pete Townshend
- The Who: The Singles.
- Polydor.
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Laura Nyro
Timer
Composer: Laura Nyro
- Stoned Soul Picnic –The best of Laura Nyro.
- Columbia.
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King Crimson
21st Century Schizoid Man (incl. Mirrors)
Composer: Fripp-McDonald-Lake-Giles-Sinfield
- In the Court of the Crimson King.
- DGM/Panegyric.
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Jane’s Addiction
Been Caught Stealing
Composer: Perry Farrell/ Eric Avery/Dave Navarro/Stephen Perkins
- Up from the Catacombs: The Best of Jane’s Addiction.
- Warner Bros/Rhino.
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Castaway's Favourite
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The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
Work Song
Composer: Adderley/Brown
- East-West.
- Elektra.
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Bob Dylan
Ballad of a Thin Man
Composer: Bob Dylan
- Highway 61 Revisited.
- Columbia.
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Book Choice
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Breakfast of Champions - Kurt Vonnegut
Luxury Choice
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An indoor golf driving range
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Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Presenter | Kirsty Young |
| Interviewed Guest | Alice Cooper |
Broadcast
- Sun 21 Nov 2010 11:15BBC Radio 4
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Archive 2005-2010—Desert Island Discs
Guests are invited to choose the eight records they would take to a desert island
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