Alice Cooper is an American shock rock singer who started his career under his birth name, Vincent Furnier in the band Alice Cooper. Following the band’s breakup in 1974, Furnier legally took the name and started recording and touring with new musicians. His debut album, Welcome to My Nightmare, included guitarists Dick Wagner and Steve Hunter, bassist Prakash John, drummer Pentti "Whitey" Glan and keyboardists Bob Ezrin and Jozef Chirowski. These musicians, except Ezrin, contributed to his debut solo tour of the same name. His current tour band includes guitarist Ryan Roxie (who first joined in 1996), bassist Chuck Garric (since 2002), drummer Glen Sobel (since 2011) and guitarists Tommy Henriksen (since 2011) and Nita Strauss (who first joined in 2014).
History Cooper first started performing as a solo artist in 1975, when his debut solo album was released, and he embarked on his first solo tour. This tour included guitarists Dick Wagner and Steve Hunter, bassist Prakash John, drummer Pentti "Whitey" Glan and keyboardist Jozef Chirowski. The 'Welcome To My Nightmare Tour' started in March and ended in December. His second album, Alice Cooper Goes to Hell, was released in June 1976, it included guitarists Wagner, Hunter and John Tropea, keyboardist Ezrin, bassist Tony Levin, drummer Allan Schwartzberg and percussion Jimmy Maelen, he did not tour in support of this album. After legal troubles, the tour eventually got to Australia in March 1977 with the same band, except Chirowski and Hunter, the later of whom was replaced by Bob Kulick.
His next album, Lace and Whiskey, was released in April 1977, it included guitarists Wagner and Hunter, bassists Bob Babbitt, Prakash John and Tony Levin, percussionists Allan Schwartzberg, Jim Gordon and Jimmy Maelen, and keyboardists Al Kooper, Allan Macmillan, Josef Chirowski and Bob Ezrin. the supporting, 'King Of The Silver Screen', tour included guitarists Hunter, Wagner, bassist John, drummer Glan and keyboardist Fred Mandel. This tour produced the live album, The Alice Cooper Show.
In December 1978, From the Inside, which included, guitarists Dick Wagner, Davey Johnstone, Jay Graydon, and Rick Nielsen, bassists David Hungate, Dee Murray, and John Pierce, drummers Dennis Conway, Michael Ricciardella, and Rick Shlosser, and keyboardists David Foster, Fred Mandel, and Robbie King. Mandel, Glan, Prakash John, Johnstone and Hunter contributed to the supporting Madhouse Rock tour in 1979.
Flush the Fashion, was released in April 1980, it included Johnstone (lead guitar), Mandel (keyboards, guitar), Dennis Conway (drums) and bassist John Cooker Lopresti. The supporting tour ran from June to November 1980. Special Forces, included an entirely new band consisting of Duane Hitchings (keyboards), Danny Johnson and Mike Pinera (guitar), Craig Krampf (drums) and bassist Erik Scott. Pinera was replaced by John Raymond Nitzinger Jr for the supporting tour, which ran from June 1981 to February 1982.
Cooper did not tour again until 1986, in the meantime he released Zipper Catches Skin (1982), DaDa (1983) and Constrictor (1986). All three albums feature various members of Coopers previous tour bands. The Nightmare Returns tour featured lead guitarist Kane Roberts, rhythm guitarist Devlin 7, bassist Kip Winger, drummer Ken Mary and keyboardist Paul Horowitz (later known as Paul Taylor), this tour was recorded and released on a video of the same name. The same musicians, bar Devlin 7, played on Raise Your Fist and Yell (1987) and the supporting Live in the Flesh tour.
Trash (1989) featured guitarist John McCurry, bassist Hugh McDonald, drummer Bobby Chouinard and keyboardist Alan St. John. The supporting Trashes the World tour included a completely different band consisting of guitarists Al Pitrelli and Pete Friesen, keyboardist Derek Sherinian, bassist Tommy Caradonna and drummer Jonathan Mover. In July 1991, Hey Stoopid, was released, it included guitarist Stef Burns, bassist Hugh McDonald and drummer Mickey Curry, as well as other guests and session musicians. The supporting tour included guitarists Burns and Vinnie Moore, bassist Greg Smith, keyboardist Derek Sherinian, and drummer Eric Singer.
Cooper was inactive until 1994 when he released The Last Temptation, which featured his former tour band with David Uosikkinen replacing Singer as drummer. For his School's Out summer tour in 1996 and 1997, his band included guitarists Reb Beach and Ryan Roxie, former keyboardist Paul Taylor, bassist Todd Jensen and drummer Jimmy DeGrasso. The same band contributed to the Rock 'N' Roll Carnival tour from 1997 to 1999, though part way through Taylor was replaced by the returning Sherinian and then by Lindsay Vannoy. Roxie and Beach were replaced by the returning Pete Friesen and Stef Burns by the end of the tour.
In June 2000, Brutal Planet was released, which featured guitarists Ryan Roxie, Phil X and China, drummer Eric Singer and producer Bob Marlette on keyboards, bass and rhythm guitar. The supporting tour featured Roxie, Freisen, Smith, Singer and keyboardist Teddy 'Zig Zag' Andreadis for the first two legs, for the last legs Freisen was replaced by Eric Dover.
2001s Dragontown featured Roxie and Smith, as well as session musicians Tim Pierce and Wayne Swinny (guitars), Bob Marlette (guitar, bass, keyboards), Sid Riggs (keyboards, programming), drummer Kenny Aronoff, and backing vocalists Teddy Andreadis, Eric Dover, Calico Cooper and Gionvanna Morana. The supporting tour included Roxie, Dover (guitar), Andreadis (keys), Chuck Garric (bass), and Eric Singer (drums). The same musicians, except Andreadis, contributed to The Eyes of Alice Cooper (2003), they all contributed to the Bare Bones tour in 2003. As well as the 'Eyes' tour, where Singer was replaced by Tommy Clufetos. For the second leg Dover was replaced by Damon Johnson and Andreadis rejoined.
The final members of the Eyes tour, again except Andreadis, played on Dirty Diamonds (2005). As well as the supporting tour with Singer returning as drummer, though he was again replaced by Clufetos for dates in September due to his Singer's commitment to Kiss. Brent Fitz would later join as drummer in November 2006. For the Psycho-Drama tour 2007-2009, Keri Kelli joined the band as sole guitarist, with Singer and Garric staying in the band.
For 2008s Along Came a Spider, the band featured Garric and Singer, alongside guitarists/keyboardists Danny Saber and Greg Hampton. The Theatre of Death tour featured Garric and returning members Damon Johnson (guitar) and Jimmy DeGrasso (drums). Welcome 2 My Nightmare was released in 2011, featuring new guitarist Tommy Henriksen and many session musicians, including former members Dick Wagner, Steve Hunter and Kip Winger. The supporting No More Mr Nice Guy tour featured Garric, Johnson, Henriksen, Hunter and new drummer Glen Sobel. Part way through the tour Johnson was replaced by Orianthi.
Mover briefly returned in 2012 to temporarily replace Sobel who was having neck problems. For the Raise the Dead tour Hunter was replaced by the returning Ryan Roxie. Orianthi departed in 2014, she was replaced by Nita Strauss. The same tour band continued until July 2022 when Strauss left. Kane Roberts returned to take her place, although Strauss returned the following March, replacing Roberts. This lineup (excluding Cooper and occasionally Strauss) are often referred to as the Goon Squad who occasionally do shows in much smaller venues either before or after Alice Cooper’s shows. They play a wide variety of covers and have been joined by special guests such as Calico Cooper, Alice Cooper, Gilby Clarke, Gary Hoey and members of bands such as Psychedelic Furs, Wolfmother and Wheatus.
In November 2024 it was announced that former guitarist Orianthi would be returning to fill in for Strauss in January and February 2025. However in January the guitarist had to step down due to a torn hamstring and was replaced by Gilby Clarke (ex-Guns N' Roses) for those dates.
Members
Current members ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsRelease contributionsAlice Cooper 1974–presentall releasesRyan Roxie Chuck Garric2002–presentTommy Henriksen2011–presentGlen SobeldrumsNita StraussAnna Cara2026–present none to date
Former musicians ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsRelease contributionsDick WagnerPrakash John1974–1979Pentti "Whitey" Glan 1974–1979 drumsSteve HunterguitarJozef Chirowski1974–1977Bob EzrinAllan Schwartzberg1976–1977 drumsJimmy Maelen 1976 percussionAlice Cooper Goes to Hell (1976)John Tropea1976 guitarTony LevinbassBob Babbitt1977 Lace and Whiskey (1977)Bob Kulick1977 guitarnoneFred Mandel1977–1980 Davey Johnstone1978–1980 Dennis ConwaydrumsSteve LukatherguitarJay Graydon1978 From the Inside (1978)Rick NielsenDavid FosterkeyboardsRobbie King 1978 Michael Ricciardella 1978 drumsRick ShlosserJim KeltnerpercussionDavid HungatebassDee Murray 1978 John Pierce 1978 Lee SklarJohn Cooker Lopresti1979–1980 Flush The Fashion (1980)Mark Volman (Flo) 1979–1980 backing vocalsHoward Kaylan (Eddie)1979–1980 Joe PizzuloKeith AllisonRicky "Rat" TierneyErik Scott1981–1982 bassDuane Hitchings 1981–1982 Craig Krampf 1981–1982 Danny Johnson 1981–1982guitarSpecial Forces (1981)Mike Pinera1981 John Raymond Nitzinger Jr 1981–1982 Zipper Catches Skin (1982)Billy Steele 1982 Jan UvenaRichard Kolinka1983 drumsDaDa (1983)Graham ShawJohn AndersondrumsKaren Hendricksbacking vocalsLisa DalBelloKane Roberts Kip Winger 1985–1988 David Rosenberg1985–1986 drumsConstrictor (1986)Donnie Kisselbach bassPaul Delph 1985–1986 Tom Kelly 1985–1986 backing vocalsBeau HillPaul Taylor Ken Mary1986–1988drumsDevlin 71986–1987 guitarThe Nightmare Returns (1987)Hugh McDonald1988–1990 bassJohn McCurry1988–1989 guitarTrash (1989)Bobby ChouinarddrumsAlan St. JohnkeyboardsDerek SherinianPete FriesenguitarTrashes The World (1990)Al Pitrelli 1989–1990 Tommy CaradonnabassJonathan MoverStef BurnsMickey Curry1990–1991 drumsHey Stoopid (1991)Lance Bulenbacking vocalsVinnie Moore1991Greg SmithEric Singer David Uosikkinen1993–1994 drumsThe Last Temptation (1994)Jimmy DeGrassoTodd Jensen1996–1999 A Fistful of Alice (1997)Reb Beach1996–1998 Lindsay Vannoy1998–1999 keyboardsnoneBob MarletteSid RiggsPhil X 2000 guitarBrutal Planet (2000)China Teddy 'Zig Zag' AndreadisEric Dover2001–2003 Calico Cooperbacking vocalsGionvanna Morana2001 Dragontown (2001)Tim PierceguitarWayne SwinnyKenny Aronoff drumsTommy ClufetosDirty Diamonds (2005)Damon JohnsonKeri Kelli 2006–2009 Brent Fitz2006 noneDanny Saber2007–2008 Along Came a Spider (2008)Greg HamptonPat Buchanan2011 guitarWelcome 2 My Nightmare (2011)Vicki Hamptonbacking vocalsWendy MotenScott Williamson drumsJimmie Lee Sloas bassOrianthi noneGilby Clarke
Timeline
Line-ups PeriodMembersReleasesSpring 1974 – December 1975 (sessions and tour) Alice Cooper – vocals Dick Wagner – guitar, backing vocals Steve Hunter – guitar Prakash John – bass, backing vocals Jozef Chirowski – keyboards, backing vocals Bob Ezrin – keyboards, backing vocals (session only) Whitey Glan – drums Welcome to My Nightmare (1975)1976 (sessions) Alice Cooper – vocals Dick Wagner – guitar, backing vocals Steve Hunter – guitar John Tropea - guitar Bob Ezrin – piano, Fender Rhodes, synthesizer, vocals Tony Levin – bass Allan Schwartzberg – drums Jimmy Maelen - percussion Alice Cooper Goes to Hell (1976)1977 (sessions) Alice Cooper — vocals Dick Wagner — guitar, backing vocals Steve Hunter — guitar Allan Schwartzberg — drums Bob Babbitt — bass Jozef Chirowski – keyboards Bob Ezrin – keyboards, backing vocals Lace and Whiskey (1977)March – April 1977 (tour) Alice Cooper – vocals Dick Wagner – guitar, backing vocals Prakash John – bass, backing vocals Whitey Glan – drums Bob Kulick – guitarnoneJune – August 1977 (tour) Alice Cooper – vocals Steve Hunter - guitar Dick Wagner - guitar, backing vocals Prakash John - bass, backing vocals Whitey Glan - drums