Episode Transcript - The Story of Alice Cooper: Rock's most unsung innovator inspired punk, shock rock and stage shows
 

Dave Anthony (0:01)
Hi there. I'm Dave Anthony and this is the Garage to Stadiums podcast. On each episode, we tell you the story of how one of our music legends rose from obscurity to fame—and play some of the songs that mark that journey.

 

Welcome to today’s Garage to Stadiums episode featuring the story of Alice Cooper.

Our guest today is Reg Harkema, who’s spent considerable time with Alice and produced a documentary on him.

 

But first, some facts about Alice Cooper.

Alice Cooper, whose original name was Vince Furnier, was born in 1948 in Detroit, Michigan. Vince—or Alice—is known as the godfather of shock rock—a blend of hard rock and elaborate stage productions.

 

His pioneering stage shows in the early ’70s featured electric chairs, guillotines, fake blood, and live boa constrictor snakes. His band has sold over 50 million albums. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, has appeared in a variety of movies and television shows, and is even an accomplished golfer with an incredibly low handicap of five.

 

To discuss the story of Alice Cooper today, our guest is Reg Harkema, an award-winning director of the documentary Super Duper Alice Cooper. His other work includes the episode Hail Britpop from the popular Netflix series This Is Pop.

Reg, welcome to Garage to Stadiums.
 

Reg Harkema (1:30)
Great to be here. Thanks for having me.

Dave Anthony (1:31)
People have their perceptions of Alice—the legend, the horror, the stage shows, the whole bit. Give us a sense of what he's really like. What did you think going in, and what did you really think when you came out?

 

Reg Harkema (1:42)
I started doing a deep dive into the stuff and it was just kind of like, “Whoa—this is as good as the Stones in the early ’70s.”

So I really got into it with a kind of messianic fervor—like, why isn’t this guy more recognized?

But the entire time I was with him, he was kind of both Vince and Alice. He was being interviewed, so he was always a version of Alice—erudite, funny, easygoing.

The only time I really met Vince—the actual person—was about a 15-minute conversation after a premiere. No cameras. He just started asking me about my life. It was a little disarming at first, but it was a great moment.

 

Dave Anthony (2:57)
Interesting. Take us back—tell us about his early life. Where did he grow up, and what was his family like?

 

Reg Harkema (3:12)
He was born in Detroit. His father was a pastor, some kind of Mormon offshoot, and they moved to Arizona because Alice had asthma.

A defining childhood moment: he had appendicitis but didn’t tell his parents. It went untreated for a week until it burst. Doctors said he had a day to live.

His father gathered the congregation to pray—and the next day, Alice was sitting up in bed reading Archie comics.

So faith became a big part of his life.

 

Dave Anthony (4:24)
Your documentary features Dennis Dunaway, a childhood friend. They shared an interest in art—tell us about that.

 

Reg Harkema (4:53)
They were art kids in Phoenix. No internet, three TV channels—so when they discovered surrealist art like Dalí, it hit hard.

Then The Beatles arrive—and everything changes.

They start playing music, but they bring that artistic sensibility with them—coffins, props, visuals. That becomes the foundation of their stage shows.

 

Dave Anthony (6:23)
How did they land on the name Alice Cooper?

 

Reg Harkema (6:28)
There’s mythology—Ouija boards and all that. The drummer swears it’s true.

But really, it was just a visually compelling name—and they ran with it.

 

Dave Anthony (6:56)
They struggled in L.A., then leaned into shock performances.

 

Reg Harkema (7:18)
Alice jokes—they weren’t that good musically at first, so they needed something else.

Frank Zappa saw them clear out a room—people literally running out—and said, “I want this on my label.”

 

Dave Anthony (9:18)
They couldn’t break L.A., so they toured relentlessly—and then Toronto changed everything.

 

Reg Harkema (9:52)

The chicken incident.

Alice throws a chicken into the crowd—they tear it apart—and suddenly it’s huge news.

With John Lennon already there, it exploded.

 

Dave Anthony (10:33)
That’s really the birth of shock rock.

 

Reg Harkema (11:21)
Then Bob Ezrin comes in and tightens everything—cuts the jams, sharpens the songs.

 

Dave Anthony (13:34)
What was an Alice Cooper show like?

 

Reg Harkema (13:36)
Pure theater—gallows, guillotines, staged executions.

And it reflected the violence of the time—Vietnam, Manson, everything happening culturally.

 

Dave Anthony (15:35)
How did Vince vs. Alice evolve?

 

Reg Harkema (15:59)

He avoided drugs early but became a heavy drinker. Eventually, the line between Vince and Alice completely blurred.

 

Dave Anthony (17:02)
Then the solo era—and massive fame.

 

Reg Harkema (18:28)
Alcohol nearly killed him. By ’77, he saw himself becoming Elvis.

He checked into a psychiatric facility to get clean—but later fell into cocaine use.

 

Dave Anthony (21:27)
Why did punk embrace Alice?

 

Reg Harkema (21:44)
Because he already killed the hippie dream. He was the reaction to it.

 

Dave Anthony (22:07)
Then comes the glam metal era.

 

Reg Harkema (22:59)
He hits rock bottom in the early ’80s—wife leaves, addiction spirals.

His parents take him in. He gets clean for real.

Then sees bands copying him—and decides to come back.

 

Dave Anthony (25:02)
Halloween 1986—the comeback.

 

Reg Harkema (25:05)
Huge moment. MTV special. He walks on stage—and instantly reconnects.

He was back.

 

Dave Anthony (26:14)
Where does Alice Cooper sit in music history?

 

Reg Harkema (26:22)
Lady Gaga once wrote him: “I stole everything from you.”

That says it all.

Theatrical rock doesn’t exist without Alice Cooper.

 

Dave Anthony (29:07)
Let’s get your deep cuts.

Reg Harkema (29:18)
First—Second Coming.

Then I Never Cry.

And finally—Pass the Gun Around.

 

Dave Anthony (32:10)
What’s a day with Alice like?

 

Reg Harkema (32:19)
Totally routine.

Breakfast, 18 holes of golf, lunch, some TV, then prepares for the show—karate moves, warm-up—then performs, and is back home by night watching horror movies.

No chaos anymore. He conquered his demons.

 

Dave Anthony (33:18)
Alice Cooper tucked in by 11 with a glass of milk.

He still tours six months a year at age 75. Incredible.

Reg Harkema, thank you—this was a lot of fun.

 

Reg Harkema (33:33)
My pleasure, Dave. Thanks for having me.

 

Dave Anthony (33:38)
Some closing notes on Alice Cooper.

He’s recorded songs for horror films like Friday the 13th, appeared in Wayne’s World, and even played Freddy Krueger’s stepfather in Freddy’s Dead.

For the official Garage to Stadiums Alice Cooper playlist, visit garagetostadiums.com and check the show notes.

We’ve also included bonus footage—from early performances of I’m 18 to clips from the Welcome to My Nightmare tour, plus appearances on The Muppet Show and The Johnny Carson Show.

Alice is also an avid golfer—we’ve included footage of him at celebrity tournaments. He credits golf as key to his recovery.