Posted on 12/03/2022 8:48:02 PM PST by nickcarraway
Legendary shock rocker Alice Cooper — you know, the one who uses electric chairs and guillotines as props and once famously threw a chicken off the stage — isn't the most likely host of a beloved, family-friendly Christmas show.
But likely or not, Alice Cooper's Christmas Pudding, the holiday-themed variety show created by the longtime Valley resident and his wife, Sheryl, is celebrating its 20th anniversary, marking two decades of bringing top-tier talent to town for a good cause.
This year, the sold-out show on Saturday, December 3, at Celebrity Theatre boasts its typical all-star lineup, including Sammy Hagar, Rob Zombie, Wally Palmar of The Romantics, the Gin Blossoms, Sixwire (who Cooper will perform with), and comedian Jim Breuer. Also on the bill are the winners of Cooper's American Idol-esque youth talent competition, Proof Is in the Pudding: singer Eleeza, band The Darn Kids, and dance troupe Fierce & Fabulous.
Proceeds from the Christmas Pudding benefit the work that the Coopers do through their Solid Rock Teen Centers, two facilities in north Phoenix and Mesa that provide free arts programming and safe spaces for young people ages 12 to 20.
The Coopers' interest in helping teens began, as Alice tells it, when he saw "a really awkward drug deal go down with these two 16-year-old kids. I'm sitting in the car and I'm looking over and I'm thinking, how does that kid not know that he might be the best guitar player in town? And the other kid might be the best drummer?"
The couple began the nonprofit Solid Rock Foundation in 1995 with their friend Chuck Savale. The stated mission is to "make an everlasting difference in the lives of teens." At Solid Rock, that happens through music, dance, and art training, talks by people in the entertainment industry,
(Excerpt) Read more at phoenixnewtimes.com ...
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Alice Cooper seems like a pretty centered man. He hosts a radio show that I think is now syndicated and he is an entertaining and informative radio jock.
If I recall correctly, his dad was a Methodist minister. His persona was edgy and insinuated that he was a druggie, but, like Gene Simmons, AC is a straight lace. I’ve been a big fan for decades.
A classic case of digging your way out of the depths of drugs, alcohol and who knows. A big help from his Faith and a wife who gave him an ultimatum that rocked him to his senses.
A fascinating story when you put it altogether
He was an alcoholic, but his wife stood by him and saw him through it- He does preach to his music friends about God and about gettign sober and staying off drugs- He’s pretty solid in his beleif i guess-
but yeah, in his early years- He went pretty wild- He was one of the first ‘shock artists’ and sang about some pretty nasty things- he later regretted it though- He was also one of the first ‘theatrical artists’ who put on a heck of a show- He’s credited with being one of the early innovators of certain music genres- He even had songs that were kinda rap-like
Nicest guy in rock and roll.
Christian based center for kids, 24/7 phone calls to helps addicts, loves his wife like mad, serves as a youth pastor in his church.
Love him to death.
https://www.christianpost.com/news/alice-cooper-says-he-is-a-devout-christian-who-prays-daily.html
I second that.
When Glen Campbell was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Alice would take him golfing to get him up and out and treat him with such respect.
Good ole Vincent!
He and Groucho Marx were good friends. Groucho said his show was the best since Vaudeville.
I was just telling my bro how I would love to golf in a scramble with alice and iggy pop
Great lineup. Should be fun!
Too bad his run for Governor in 1988 didn’t work out.
Alice Cooper - A troubled man for troubled times.
He was also pals with Milton Berle.
You never told me you played golf! I used to play the nine in Bellmead, barefoot and half drunk on Sundays. Cost a whole 10 bucks with a cart!
YouTube is not letting me pull up Million Dollar Babies or Desperado, bummer.
golf is a hoot
About 15 or so years ago, I attended a conference in downtown Phoenix. One night I went out for a walk with another fellow at the conference and we ended up stumbling into a nearby area with a bunch of fairly new restaurants and lots of street activities... Amongst other things, I seem to remember a huge number of vintage cars rolling down the street (going on memory, perhaps it was formerly a warehouse area of town that was being revitalized). Anyway, it was early evening and once there, we further stumbled into a place called Cooper’stown restaurant. About halfway through dinner, I spotted a somewhat wiry and diminutive fellow with straggly hair wandering amongst the tables saying hi to folks. When he got to our table, the fellow with me pulled up an email page on his cellphone and said “Alice, you’re not going to believe this but my wife and I are headed to your concert in two weeks and I wanted to show you the ticket confirmation.” For the record, the fellow lived about 2,000, miles away from Phoenix in Canada. Alice was floored at the chances of meeting someone going to one of his concerts in a few days at a location so far away.
Anyway, we had a great time chatting with Alice for about 10 minutes as he asked us a ton of questions and responded well to anything we asked him. He came across as a very bright, inquisitive and all-round decent and friendly fellow.
He did a Halloween show with the Muppets that was pretty cool too.
I had one of his Christian rock albums- it was pretty good. Have a.ways liked his stuff. Lots of great stuff. He certainly lived a wild life for awhile, but got it together and now is a pretty powerful witness to,the “rich and famous” apparently.
Little story I’ve probably shared before. John Cole Tatum, my guitarist in my band (really his band) called “Goldmyne”, was in the “Earwigs” which became “The Spyder” which became Alice Cooper. John quit just before they became “Alice Cooper” to form “Goldmyne” with me.
John died about five years ago, but before his death he produced and played on an incredible rock opera called “An Ordinary Day” about the book of Revelations.
I urge everyone to give it a listen. Usually these “vanity” projects are not very good. Not this one! It is superb. Tremendous songwriting, superb playing, and wonderful vocals by Richard Klender, some guitar playing by John, almost all written by John (with lyrics from one song, “Father of Lies,” from yours truly.
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