Alice Cooper is set to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year. A fitting honor for the original shock rocker.

I listened to a great interview with Alice on NPR’s Fresh Air today. During the show he explained how he modeled his stage performance after classic vaudeville. He simply updated the vaudeville model to rebel against the folksy hippy trip that was the late sixties music scene. In his own words, Alice Cooper was “driving a stake through the heart of the Love Generation.” He is the original shock rocker, and all of the acts that followed have reformulated his style to varying degrees of success: KISS created superheros and flashpots, GWAR opted for humor and outrageous costumes, Marilyn Manson played up the androgyny and spectacle, and Slipknot took the horror and anger to new heights. All are great shows in their own right, but none have unique, dramatic blend of horror, humor and extravagance that is and Alice Cooper performance. Read More →