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Alice Cooper<\/a> discussed his life on stage as his alter-ego, and admitted there was always a small chance one of his props could kill him.<\/p>\n Guillotines, hangman\u2019s nooses and snakes have been part of his well-prepared shows for decades, but he accepted that no amount of planning could wipe out the risk of something going wrong.<\/p>\n \u201cThe guillotine misses me by that much,\u201d Cooper told CBS\u2019 Anthony Mason<\/a>, demonstrating a gap of a few inches. \u201cIt\u2019s a 40 pound blade. But I know how to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n READ MORE:<\/strong>\u00a0How Alice Cooper Survived the \u201880s<\/a><\/p>\n He continued: \u201cEspecially the hanging. I can\u2019t tell you how it works, but it stops right before [the killing moment] \u2013 and it might not!<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I used to go to the circus I used to watch the guy on the tightrope, and there was no net, and I\u2019m going, \u2018What?\u2019 So I want the audience to feel, \u2018Wow, what if this is the night when it actually\u2026?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Asked if he felt a flicker of fear, Cooper first said: \u201cHonestly, no; I know how it works. I\u2019m not going to put my head in there knowing that it could.\u201d Then he added: \u201cBut there\u2019s a one percent chance!\u201c<\/p>\n He went on to recall his decision to tackle his fear of snakes to make the show better: \u201cThe first time I saw a girl backstage [with] a little boa around her arm, I jumped. And I went, \u2018Wait a minute \u2013 if I jumped with that, what would an audience do with the full-size deal?\u2019 So I had to learn to not fear them.<\/p>\n \u201cA snake is automatically terrifying to most people. So I said, \u2018That\u2019s perfect for Alice.\u2019 \u2026 The only thing they\u2019re afraid of is you dropping them.\u201d<\/p>\n He continued: \u201cI had snakes on stage, I swear, that were performing. I had one \u2026 Eva Marie Snake, I think her name was, and she\u2019d get up there and she\u2019d know she was on.\u201c He mimicked a snake dancing round his head and shoulders. \u201cSome of the others were just like,\u2019Uh, yeah\u2026\u2019 but there were two or three that were actually conscious of being on stage!\u201d<\/p>\n Cooper shared his delight that he can still surprise audiences, especially people who don\u2019t expect a 78-year-old to perform with the vitality he delivers. \u201cIf I can\u2019t look like Alice, if I can\u2019t perform like Alice, if I weigh 100 pounds more, Alice is gone,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n If that was the case, he argued: \u201c\u201cSomebody else should play Alice. My daughter Calico should play Alice.\u201d Asked if he\u2019d consider selling the character like Kiss<\/a> sold theirs in 2024<\/a>, he replied: \u201cNo, I don\u2019t think so \u2013 I don\u2019t need the money! But Kiss are good friends.\u201d<\/p>\n He also explained why he never allows the Cooper character to directly deal with the crowd. \u201cHe never talks to the audience because that would be below him. He\u2019s sort of this arrogant, condescending villain.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve never let Alice talk to the audience, because he\u2019s human; he\u2019s one of them \u2013 and they don\u2019t want him to be one of them. They don\u2019t want him to be Bon Jovi<\/a>; they don\u2019t want him to be Paul McCartney<\/a>. They want him to be this other thing that exists somewhere [else].\u201d<\/p>\n Cooper\u2019s third memoir,\u00a0Devil on My Shoulder<\/em><\/a>, is published on Oct. 8.<\/p>\n You can’t kill Alice Cooper.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Gallery Credit: Ultimate Classic Rock Staff<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWould Alice Cooper Sell His Character like Kiss Did?<\/h3>\n
Alice Cooper Albums Ranked<\/h2>\n