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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.

Available now

45 minutes

Last on

Sun 21 Nov 2010 11:15
大象传媒 Radio 4

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Music Played

  • The Yardbirds

    Happenings Ten Years Time Ago

    Composer: Keith Relf, Jim McCarty

    • Beckology.
    • Columbia.

  • The Beach Boys

    I Get Around

    Composer: Wilson

    • The Beach Boys: 20 Golden Greats.
    • EMI.

  • The Who

    I'm a Boy

    Composer: Pete Townshend

    • The Who: The Singles.
    • Polydor.

  • Laura Nyro

    Timer

    Composer: Laura Nyro

    • Stoned Soul Picnic 鈥揟he best of Laura Nyro.
    • Columbia.

  • King Crimson

    21st Century Schizoid Man (incl. Mirrors)

    Composer: Fripp-McDonald-Lake-Giles-Sinfield

    • In the Court of the Crimson King.
    • DGM/Panegyric.

  • Jane鈥檚 Addiction

    Been Caught Stealing

    Composer: Perry Farrell/ Eric Avery/Dave Navarro/Stephen Perkins

    • Up from the Catacombs: The Best of Jane鈥檚 Addiction.
    • Warner Bros/Rhino.

  • Castaway's Favourite

    • The Paul Butterfield Blues Band

      Work Song

      Composer: Adderley/Brown

      • East-West.
      • Elektra.

  • Bob Dylan

    Ballad of a Thin Man

    Composer: Bob Dylan

    • Highway 61 Revisited.
    • Columbia.

  • Book Choice

    • Breakfast of Champions - Kurt Vonnegut

  • Luxury Choice

    • An indoor golf driving range

Credits

Presenter Kirsty Young
Interviewed Guest Alice Cooper

Broadcast

  • Sun 21 Nov 2010 11:15
    大象传媒 Radio 4

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