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Alice Cooper, Golf Monster: A Rock 'n' Roller's Life and 12 Steps to Becoming a Golf Addict
Wretched excess, rock stardom, and golf—from the man who invented shock rock
In this tell-all memoir, Alice Cooper speaks candidly about his life and career, including all the years of rock ’n’ roll history he’s been a part of, the addictions he faced, and the surprising ways he found redemption.
From a childhood spent as a minister’s son worshiping baseball and rock ’n’ roll; to days on the road with his band, working to make a name for themselves; to stardom and the insanity that came with it, including a quart-of-whiskey-a-day habit; to drying out at a sanitarium back in the late ’70s, Alice Cooper paints a rich and rockin’ portrait of his life and his battle against addiction—fought by getting up daily at 7 a.m. to play 36 holes of golf.
Alice tells hilarious, touching, and sometimes astounding stories about Led Zeppelin and the Doors, George Burns and Groucho Marx, John Daly and Tiger Woods . . . everyone is here from Dalí to Elvis to Arnold Palmer.
Alice Cooper, Golf Monster is the incredible story of someone who rose through the rock ’n’ roll ranks releasing platinum albums and selling out arenas with his legendary act—all while becoming one of the best celebrity golfers around.
In this tell-all memoir, Alice Cooper speaks candidly about his life and career, including all the years of rock ’n’ roll history he’s been a part of, the addictions he faced, and the surprising ways he found redemption.
From a childhood spent as a minister’s son worshiping baseball and rock ’n’ roll; to days on the road with his band, working to make a name for themselves; to stardom and the insanity that came with it, including a quart-of-whiskey-a-day habit; to drying out at a sanitarium back in the late ’70s, Alice Cooper paints a rich and rockin’ portrait of his life and his battle against addiction—fought by getting up daily at 7 a.m. to play 36 holes of golf.
Alice tells hilarious, touching, and sometimes astounding stories about Led Zeppelin and the Doors, George Burns and Groucho Marx, John Daly and Tiger Woods . . . everyone is here from Dalí to Elvis to Arnold Palmer.
Alice Cooper, Golf Monster is the incredible story of someone who rose through the rock ’n’ roll ranks releasing platinum albums and selling out arenas with his legendary act—all while becoming one of the best celebrity golfers around.
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
76 people are currently reading
927 people want to read
About the author
Alice Cooper
22 books72 followersAlice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier) is an American rock singer, songwriter and broadcaster whose career spans more than five decades. With a stage show that features guillotines, electric chairs, fake blood, boa constrictors and baby dolls, Cooper has drawn equally from horror movies, vaudeville, and garage rock to pioneer a grandly theatrical and violent brand of heavy metal that was designed to shock.
Alice Cooper was originally a band consisting of Furnier on vocals and harmonica, lead guitarist Glen Buxton, Michael Bruce on rhythm guitar, Dennis Dunaway on bass guitar, and drummer Neal Smith. The original Alice Cooper band broke into the international music mainstream with the 1971 hit "I'm Eighteen" from the album Love it to Death, which was followed by the even bigger single "School's Out" in 1972. The band reached their commercial peak with the 1973 album Billion Dollar Babies.
Furnier's solo career as Alice Cooper, adopting the band's name as his own name, began with the 1975 concept album Welcome to My Nightmare. In 2008 he released Along Came a Spider, his 18th solo album. Expanding from his original Detroit rock roots, over the years Cooper has experimented with many different musical styles, including conceptual rock, art rock, glam metal, hard rock, new wave, pop rock, soft rock, experimental rock, heavy metal, and industrial rock. In recent times he has returned more to his garage rock roots.
Alice Cooper is known for his social and witty persona offstage, The Rolling Stone Album Guide going so far as to refer to him as the world's most "beloved heavy metal entertainer". He helped to shape the sound and look of heavy metal, and has been credited as being the person who "first introduced horror imagery to rock'n'roll, and whose stagecraft and showmanship have permanently transformed the genre". Away from music, Cooper is a film actor, a golfing celebrity, a restaurateur and, since 2004, a popular radio DJ with his classic rock show Nights with Alice Cooper.
On VH1's "100 Greatest artists of Hard Rock", Cooper was ranked #20.
Alice Cooper was originally a band consisting of Furnier on vocals and harmonica, lead guitarist Glen Buxton, Michael Bruce on rhythm guitar, Dennis Dunaway on bass guitar, and drummer Neal Smith. The original Alice Cooper band broke into the international music mainstream with the 1971 hit "I'm Eighteen" from the album Love it to Death, which was followed by the even bigger single "School's Out" in 1972. The band reached their commercial peak with the 1973 album Billion Dollar Babies.
Furnier's solo career as Alice Cooper, adopting the band's name as his own name, began with the 1975 concept album Welcome to My Nightmare. In 2008 he released Along Came a Spider, his 18th solo album. Expanding from his original Detroit rock roots, over the years Cooper has experimented with many different musical styles, including conceptual rock, art rock, glam metal, hard rock, new wave, pop rock, soft rock, experimental rock, heavy metal, and industrial rock. In recent times he has returned more to his garage rock roots.
Alice Cooper is known for his social and witty persona offstage, The Rolling Stone Album Guide going so far as to refer to him as the world's most "beloved heavy metal entertainer". He helped to shape the sound and look of heavy metal, and has been credited as being the person who "first introduced horror imagery to rock'n'roll, and whose stagecraft and showmanship have permanently transformed the genre". Away from music, Cooper is a film actor, a golfing celebrity, a restaurateur and, since 2004, a popular radio DJ with his classic rock show Nights with Alice Cooper.
On VH1's "100 Greatest artists of Hard Rock", Cooper was ranked #20.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 187 reviews
May 16, 2011
So, I'm a Cooper fan. Let's get that straight from the start. So he probably could have completely screwed up with this book and I would still have enjoyed it. Luckily he didn't, although it's by no means a masterpiece.
It's kept short and sweet: this is a good thing as it's never getting pretentious, and as Cooper, at least to my mind, is all about entertaining. However, the backside of that is that you're never likely to get any meat with the story and after a while it feels like a long list of "some more awesome things I've done".
But hell, there's some awesome things Alice Cooper has done. The stories range from truly bizarre (knife-murder and child-births at a press conference anyone?) to funny as hell (Peter Sellers live and kicking) and almost touching ("I never cry"). If you ever wonder how come Alice Cooper is such a legend, here's your fix, you won't doubt after reading it.
The there's golf. What can I say, the man is a golf addict and claims it saved his life. And Tiger thinks he's pretty good, which says a lot. As I'm not that interested in the sport, the gold got a bit boring, but hell, even here there's good stories to be had (snubbing Raquel Welch?!).
And finally, religion. Being a Christian turned Atheist I had mixed feelings about that bit. I don't mind him being open about his Christianity, and of course everyone's free to their own choose, but emotionally I still feel it is a pity. However, Cooper get's a lot of credibility in my book by not overdoing it, and never letting it get in the way of his performances.
So: a quick and very entertaining read. It's got golf in it. And alcohol (obviously). And more stars than you can shake a stick at. And Alice Cooper. What can I say? What. A. Legend.
It's kept short and sweet: this is a good thing as it's never getting pretentious, and as Cooper, at least to my mind, is all about entertaining. However, the backside of that is that you're never likely to get any meat with the story and after a while it feels like a long list of "some more awesome things I've done".
But hell, there's some awesome things Alice Cooper has done. The stories range from truly bizarre (knife-murder and child-births at a press conference anyone?) to funny as hell (Peter Sellers live and kicking) and almost touching ("I never cry"). If you ever wonder how come Alice Cooper is such a legend, here's your fix, you won't doubt after reading it.
The there's golf. What can I say, the man is a golf addict and claims it saved his life. And Tiger thinks he's pretty good, which says a lot. As I'm not that interested in the sport, the gold got a bit boring, but hell, even here there's good stories to be had (snubbing Raquel Welch?!).
And finally, religion. Being a Christian turned Atheist I had mixed feelings about that bit. I don't mind him being open about his Christianity, and of course everyone's free to their own choose, but emotionally I still feel it is a pity. However, Cooper get's a lot of credibility in my book by not overdoing it, and never letting it get in the way of his performances.
So: a quick and very entertaining read. It's got golf in it. And alcohol (obviously). And more stars than you can shake a stick at. And Alice Cooper. What can I say? What. A. Legend.
August 10, 2024
I was recommended Alice Cooper, Golf Monster by a friend who said it was great even if you don’t like golf, so got the audiobook as I enjoy musical memoirs when they are narrated by the artist themself. I’ve liked his music since the late 80s and seen him concert a few times, but didn’t know much about his life and realise there are loads of albums I’ve never heard. I have less than zero interest in golf and have never tried it - not even mini golf - unusual for a doctor I know 😹 It seems like a waste of valuable reading time to me. This was quite short by audiobook standards, about 4&1/2 hours, which turned out to be a relief, as while I enjoyed learning about his epic career, it felt like quite a sanitised history - even with the full and frank admissions about his past alcoholism - and there’s WAY too much about golf.
Cooper -real name Vincent Furnier - grew up in Detroit as the son of a minister, formed a band while still at school, moved to LA in the late 60s and created the shocking stage show that would continue to set him apart from most other acts for the next 50 years. Their first hit - I’m 18 - was in 1970 and from then on he went on to a punishing schedule of album recording and touring. He developed an alcohol problem that would’ve killed him if his wife and manager hadn’t intervened, and substituted an addiction to golf that would see him become one of the worlds best celebrity players.
This was published in 2007, but it would seem he is still producing albums, touring, hosting his radio show, organising golf tournaments, fundraising for charity and appearing in all sorts of other roles. He’s 75 but his energy is remarkable. He does come across as quite full of himself, but you can’t really blame him. I enjoyed the various anecdotes about his various famous friends and would’ve liked to hear more about these, and his insights into the music business - which is only touched on briefly. I don’t regret buying this but would recommend it only to those who love both Alice AND golf!
Cooper -real name Vincent Furnier - grew up in Detroit as the son of a minister, formed a band while still at school, moved to LA in the late 60s and created the shocking stage show that would continue to set him apart from most other acts for the next 50 years. Their first hit - I’m 18 - was in 1970 and from then on he went on to a punishing schedule of album recording and touring. He developed an alcohol problem that would’ve killed him if his wife and manager hadn’t intervened, and substituted an addiction to golf that would see him become one of the worlds best celebrity players.
This was published in 2007, but it would seem he is still producing albums, touring, hosting his radio show, organising golf tournaments, fundraising for charity and appearing in all sorts of other roles. He’s 75 but his energy is remarkable. He does come across as quite full of himself, but you can’t really blame him. I enjoyed the various anecdotes about his various famous friends and would’ve liked to hear more about these, and his insights into the music business - which is only touched on briefly. I don’t regret buying this but would recommend it only to those who love both Alice AND golf!
February 4, 2020
Often when one reads books or listens to interviews of rock stars or actors, it's surprising, if not appalling, to hear how inarticulate or boring they are in real life.
This is emphatically NOT true of Alice Cooper. I don't know if it's the make up that made me think he was just a brainless rocker-not that being a rocker makes you brainless; most of those guys are music and business wizards, which is why they're so successful-but I was pleasantly surprised to discover the guy who makes his living looking and acting like a psychotic harlequin is brilliant on so many levels.
In Alice Cooper, Golf Monster: A Rock 'n' Roller's 12 Steps to Becoming a Golf Addict, we learn that the man in black leather, strait jackets, chopping up baby dolls and screeching, "Welcome to My Nightmare" started out as Vincent Furnier, a pastor's son.
I really enjoyed hearing Cooper's step by step account of growing up in a healthy household, even though his family struggled financially. They lived in Detroit, then California then finally Phoenix. By the time Cooper was in high school he was a cross country jock as was most of his fellow future Alice Cooper band mates.
Cooper gives us a step by step account of how he and his fellow Coopers began playing and how they slowly bit by bit made it into the big time.
I must say I found his honesty refreshing. Most famous people like to keep their rise to success a closely guarded secret. They were nobodies, then they were zillionaires. The rest of us are going, "uh, what happened in between?"
Alice Cooper does not do that. I never have had someone so clearly and articulately explain how their band achieved success.
Of course there's the legend of the name and a lot of urban legend that surrounds it. Alice Cooper explains that while other bands were coming out with all these weird and wonderful, catchy names, his band decided they would go in the opposite direction.
Cooper states that he decided on "Alice Cooper" because it sounded like the little old lady down the street who bakes cookies for the neighborhood kids. In the beginning, before they were known, their band would be introduced and the audience would be expecting another surfer band or ballad singing group, or even a pot smoking hippy group.
Then a bunch of raunchy goths in white paint make up and black leather would appear on stage.
Cooper recounts their first stage experience with other performers of the day. The audience was a crowd of hippies high on acid. They had been listening to bands like Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin, or Jimi Hendrix. Everyone was just laid out and tripping.
Then Alice Cooper came on stage and started singing songs about trying to escape from an insane asylum. He said that by the third verse the entire place was empty. High hippies weren't ready for Alice Cooper.
What I found most interesting was his analysis of his music and how they created and arranged it so that it would work and have the most effective sound. It was not unlike listening to a composer/conductor of classical music explain how he or her creates their works. Cooper reveals great insight into the human psyche and what connects people to his songs and how they create his loyal following.
Some of Cooper's story is a common one for most rockers: their ascent into stardom, than their descent into alcohol and drug abuse. Then finally their deliverance from those demons. With Cooper it ends with a journey into another addiction.
Golf.
Intertwined with Cooper's personal story are his pointers and life applications pertaining to the game of golf. Yes. Alice Cooper is a serious golfer and has played on several celebrity tournaments.
The last chapters are a testimony of his Christian faith and where that has taken him and why he chose to continue performing. Although he has changed the lyrics to some of his songs, he sees his shows as satire and the Alice Cooper on stage as the villain everyone wants and needs to defeat, which happens when the guillotine falls.
I read this book in a couple of sittings. It is highly readable, entertaining, and I recommend it for all of us old and new rockers out there.
Rock on, Alice!
This is emphatically NOT true of Alice Cooper. I don't know if it's the make up that made me think he was just a brainless rocker-not that being a rocker makes you brainless; most of those guys are music and business wizards, which is why they're so successful-but I was pleasantly surprised to discover the guy who makes his living looking and acting like a psychotic harlequin is brilliant on so many levels.
In Alice Cooper, Golf Monster: A Rock 'n' Roller's 12 Steps to Becoming a Golf Addict, we learn that the man in black leather, strait jackets, chopping up baby dolls and screeching, "Welcome to My Nightmare" started out as Vincent Furnier, a pastor's son.
I really enjoyed hearing Cooper's step by step account of growing up in a healthy household, even though his family struggled financially. They lived in Detroit, then California then finally Phoenix. By the time Cooper was in high school he was a cross country jock as was most of his fellow future Alice Cooper band mates.
Cooper gives us a step by step account of how he and his fellow Coopers began playing and how they slowly bit by bit made it into the big time.
I must say I found his honesty refreshing. Most famous people like to keep their rise to success a closely guarded secret. They were nobodies, then they were zillionaires. The rest of us are going, "uh, what happened in between?"
Alice Cooper does not do that. I never have had someone so clearly and articulately explain how their band achieved success.
Of course there's the legend of the name and a lot of urban legend that surrounds it. Alice Cooper explains that while other bands were coming out with all these weird and wonderful, catchy names, his band decided they would go in the opposite direction.
Cooper states that he decided on "Alice Cooper" because it sounded like the little old lady down the street who bakes cookies for the neighborhood kids. In the beginning, before they were known, their band would be introduced and the audience would be expecting another surfer band or ballad singing group, or even a pot smoking hippy group.
Then a bunch of raunchy goths in white paint make up and black leather would appear on stage.
Cooper recounts their first stage experience with other performers of the day. The audience was a crowd of hippies high on acid. They had been listening to bands like Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin, or Jimi Hendrix. Everyone was just laid out and tripping.
Then Alice Cooper came on stage and started singing songs about trying to escape from an insane asylum. He said that by the third verse the entire place was empty. High hippies weren't ready for Alice Cooper.
What I found most interesting was his analysis of his music and how they created and arranged it so that it would work and have the most effective sound. It was not unlike listening to a composer/conductor of classical music explain how he or her creates their works. Cooper reveals great insight into the human psyche and what connects people to his songs and how they create his loyal following.
Some of Cooper's story is a common one for most rockers: their ascent into stardom, than their descent into alcohol and drug abuse. Then finally their deliverance from those demons. With Cooper it ends with a journey into another addiction.
Golf.
Intertwined with Cooper's personal story are his pointers and life applications pertaining to the game of golf. Yes. Alice Cooper is a serious golfer and has played on several celebrity tournaments.
The last chapters are a testimony of his Christian faith and where that has taken him and why he chose to continue performing. Although he has changed the lyrics to some of his songs, he sees his shows as satire and the Alice Cooper on stage as the villain everyone wants and needs to defeat, which happens when the guillotine falls.
I read this book in a couple of sittings. It is highly readable, entertaining, and I recommend it for all of us old and new rockers out there.
Rock on, Alice!
May 27, 2008
Yep, that's right - Alice Cooper. He's a Christian by the way - go figure! That's a pretty neat part of his story, and his whole story actually turned out to be a really good book. It was passed along to me from my dad, and it sat on my shelf for a few months. I was looking for an easy read one day, and I picked this up because I figured it had to be easy - Alice Cooper wrote it!
It's a combination of an autobiography and his 12-step program on BECOMING an addict - a golf addict. He replaced his addiction to alcohol with an addiction to golf. He also writes about becoming a serious Christian. That's late in the book - he appears to be a very savvy showman and businessman, who just happens to have an alter ego. Most of the book describes his ascent to rock 'n' roll stardom and his creative process, interspersed with his 12 steps to feeding the "golf monster."
It's a neat view of how rock 'n' roll was built. Alice knows an amazing cross-section of musicians, comedians and CEOs. Being a rock legend and a 5-handicap golfer can do that. He tells a bunch of good stories, proffers a bunch of good golf tips, and under it all clearly maintains a level of morality that surprised and impressed me.
It's a combination of an autobiography and his 12-step program on BECOMING an addict - a golf addict. He replaced his addiction to alcohol with an addiction to golf. He also writes about becoming a serious Christian. That's late in the book - he appears to be a very savvy showman and businessman, who just happens to have an alter ego. Most of the book describes his ascent to rock 'n' roll stardom and his creative process, interspersed with his 12 steps to feeding the "golf monster."
It's a neat view of how rock 'n' roll was built. Alice knows an amazing cross-section of musicians, comedians and CEOs. Being a rock legend and a 5-handicap golfer can do that. He tells a bunch of good stories, proffers a bunch of good golf tips, and under it all clearly maintains a level of morality that surprised and impressed me.
April 6, 2021
Loved the rock n' roll stuff, but skimmed a lot of it because I couldn't care less about golf (yes, I knew what I was getting into, it's right there in the title, but still). LOL
January 17, 2016
Although golf is perhaps not my cup of tea per se I did get a lot out of this book. There really is more to it than Alice's golfing experiences and tips.
After finishing this book, I feel like I got to know a small part of the real Alice Cooper. The man has certainly led an interesting life, to say the least and really, still lives one. This is definitely someone that one should not 'judge the book by its cover," when making observations of Alice in costume.
For those put off by Alice's persona, you really should put any prejudice aside and read for yourself, what Alice is all about. You just might find yourself pleasantly surprised and find that you, too are able to have a better understanding about the rock 'n roll dude that gives the appearance of being larger than life and extremely edgy to the point of shock in both appearance and performance.
However, brace yourself to witness a man of conviction to appear as the pages go by as he relates his life story to show the world that underneath the persona of Alice is a true-to-life human being with real problems with real solutions along with a great sense of humor.
After finishing this book, I feel like I got to know a small part of the real Alice Cooper. The man has certainly led an interesting life, to say the least and really, still lives one. This is definitely someone that one should not 'judge the book by its cover," when making observations of Alice in costume.
For those put off by Alice's persona, you really should put any prejudice aside and read for yourself, what Alice is all about. You just might find yourself pleasantly surprised and find that you, too are able to have a better understanding about the rock 'n roll dude that gives the appearance of being larger than life and extremely edgy to the point of shock in both appearance and performance.
However, brace yourself to witness a man of conviction to appear as the pages go by as he relates his life story to show the world that underneath the persona of Alice is a true-to-life human being with real problems with real solutions along with a great sense of humor.
February 3, 2008
Just look at the cover: What’s not to like? Alice Cooper AND golf! And that photo of Alice holding a pitching wedge dripping blood… OK, so the subtitle invokes the recovery cliché of 12-step programs and we know AC was a raging lush back in the day….but…Alice AND golf…. Of course, my fandom has limits; I loved Alice in his heyday and yes, went to concerts, I won’t say when that was (though some of you know I’m getting fairly long in the tooth…), and one of the reasons I (and I suppose a lot of other fans who actually paid attention to lyrics etc.) loved his tunes was the satire, the hokey gothic fun of it all. Unfortunately, the fun moments are too few in this book and his voice, as perhaps too faithfully rendered by ghostwriting Zimmerman brothers, rarely seems the least bit ironic, or parodic, or even very insightful. The reform theme or structuring device just gets dull and preachy after a while (and has to include AC’s late-found Christianity—why was I surprised?); the rock’n’roll stories not quite convincing and the golf obsession not very instructive. Maybe to non-golfers who need to be persuaded that golf is a legitimate activity even for the cool—if they still think Alice is cool after reading past his early chapters. Well, I’ll pass the book on to friends, b/c there is amusement and a little bio-info to be gained, as long as you keep an unserious and unliterary attitude… I would suggest, though, giving “Dead Babies” from the “Killer” album, or even “Billion Dollar Babies,” another listen first just to recall the wit that once was.
On further reflection (yeah, I have too much time on my hands), I'm even more annoyed by a couple of things: Alice's incessant and unnecessary self-promotion (if a musician or any other memoirist is so good, then there's no need to say it, right? You don't see Bob Dylan telling us how important a folk/rock star he is in "Chronicles"!) and his shameless shilling for Callaway Golf, a company whose payroll he's already on and who surely don't need the extra endorsement. I won't say "Is nothing sacred?"--because nothing is, apparently--but I do feel sort of...soiled.
On further reflection (yeah, I have too much time on my hands), I'm even more annoyed by a couple of things: Alice's incessant and unnecessary self-promotion (if a musician or any other memoirist is so good, then there's no need to say it, right? You don't see Bob Dylan telling us how important a folk/rock star he is in "Chronicles"!) and his shameless shilling for Callaway Golf, a company whose payroll he's already on and who surely don't need the extra endorsement. I won't say "Is nothing sacred?"--because nothing is, apparently--but I do feel sort of...soiled.
July 25, 2023
Alice Cooper's Golf Monster offers a unique and fascinating glimpse into the life of a rock icon as he navigates his way through the world of golf. Part memoir, part golfing guide, this book showcases Cooper's unorthodox journey, filled with humour, anecdotes, and golfing tips.
Alice Cooper's larger-than-life personality shines through the pages as he opens up about his battle with addiction, entertaining stories from his rock and roll career and how golf played a crucial role in his recovery.
Cooper's storytelling is engaging and witty, making for an enjoyable read even for those who might not be avid golfers. One slight drawback is that the book occasionally jumps back and forth between time periods, which can be slightly confusing at times.
However, Golf Monster is a captivating and unconventional memoir that showcases Alice Cooper's love for golf and rock 'n' roll in equal measure. It's a testament to how diverse passions can coexist and even complement each other. Whether you're a golf aficionado, a music fan, or just looking for an entertaining read, Alice Cooper's journey from the stage to the greens will leave you entertained and inspired. True legend!
As a huge Alice Cooper fan, I did have both the ebook and audiobook, which was read by Alice, although a little abridged at times with the showbiz stories, so the book is a good backup for the craic!
Alice Cooper's larger-than-life personality shines through the pages as he opens up about his battle with addiction, entertaining stories from his rock and roll career and how golf played a crucial role in his recovery.
Cooper's storytelling is engaging and witty, making for an enjoyable read even for those who might not be avid golfers. One slight drawback is that the book occasionally jumps back and forth between time periods, which can be slightly confusing at times.
However, Golf Monster is a captivating and unconventional memoir that showcases Alice Cooper's love for golf and rock 'n' roll in equal measure. It's a testament to how diverse passions can coexist and even complement each other. Whether you're a golf aficionado, a music fan, or just looking for an entertaining read, Alice Cooper's journey from the stage to the greens will leave you entertained and inspired. True legend!
As a huge Alice Cooper fan, I did have both the ebook and audiobook, which was read by Alice, although a little abridged at times with the showbiz stories, so the book is a good backup for the craic!
July 7, 2017
I am a big Alice Cooper fan, and I loved learning more about him. This preacher's son went to hell and back with his alcoholism, and he’s been dry now for over 30 years.
Alice Cooper, formerly known as Vincent Damon Furnier, walks us through the ups and downs of his life. He was born in Detroit but suffered from asthma, so the family moved to California and then Phoenix. He nearly died at the age of 11, given only a 10% chance of survival after his appendix burst. His body was toxic with peritonitis, and his parents prayed for his survival. He lost over 20 pounds, but he miraculously pulled through. There was another miracle in Alice's life when the family needed $146 to pay their bills so that they could remain in Phoenix or else they would have to move back to California and get help from a relative. A blank envelope containing that exact sum of money was left in their mailbox, and no one could possibly have known the amount that they needed but there it was!
It was during his high school years that Alice and his friends formed a band, and they became quite popular in the local scene. After graduation, they moved to Los Angeles to try to find their big break. It was a crazy lifestyle, crashing with anyone and anywhere and they didn’t have much money. They struggled to make it, but they were determined.
In 1967, they lost control of their tour van on the highway and rolled four times. Everyone, all eight of them, survived the incident with only scratches. Not one had suffered any broken bones. Another miracle!
Alice Cooper did finally make it big, but not without paying a price. He became an alcoholic. He was a functional drunk, and those around him didn’t realize the extent of his addiction. He drank up to a case of beer a day and then switched to Seagram’s VO when the beer lost its effect. The alcohol took its toll on his body, and Alice threw up blood every morning.
I loved reading about Alice’s background and how he achieved his fame. It’s pretty cool that he has no written agreement with his manager, Shep. With a verbal agreement and a handshake, that relationship and trust has survived decades and that’s pretty amazing! I loved reading about Alice’s relationship with his wife, Sheryl, and how they weathered the storms with his alcoholism. At one point, they did file for divorce but clearly still loved each other but Sheryl just couldn’t watch Alice drink himself to death. They started seeing a Christian marriage counselor in 1983. Alice went into a treatment facility for a month, and he has been sober since 1983. Alice’s health recovered, and he replaced his alcoholic addiction with golf.
With his recovery, Alice questioned whether he could continue the Alice Cooper façade as an entertainer with his new-found Christianity. Here is his exchange with a pastor:
“I’m a Christian now,” I told him, “and I can’t really be Alice anymore.”
“Vince,” he said. (It’s funny. He calls me Vince and Alice.) “Do you believe that God makes mistakes?”
I answered honestly. “I think God is incapable of making mistakes.”
“Then look where he’s put you – right in the Philistines’ camp. He’s given you all this knowledge. What speaks louder? You preaching the word? Or is it your lifestyle that communicates with people? You’re in the world of rock ‘n’ roll, booze, and sex. Yet you’re the guy who never cheats on his wife, who doesn’t go to strip bars with the boys, and doesn’t get high. Your band sees you reading the Bible at night on the bus. What speaks louder than that? I don’t see any reason why you should quit being Alice Cooper.”
I was surprised. It was definitely now the answer I expected.
I was fortunate to see Alice Cooper in concert in 2016. It was a fantastic show, and Alice really is the ultimate performer with a top-notch show. I was a bit disappointed that I didn’t hear a couple of my favourite songs, like “Trash” and “Spark in the Dark.” Now, after reading this book, I understand the reason why. Alice won’t sing songs like that anymore because his moral views have changed. He writes, “…I can no longer go on stage and represent something I don’t believe in.”
Alice later writes this about his Christianity:
"Part of my transformation involved a lot of study. I now study the Bible a few verses or chapters a night with books that explain and help light the path I’m walking as I’m reading. Since my conversion, I’ve gone through the Bible seven or eight times, and I’m just barely scratching the surface.”
"…As a Christian, I don’t declare myself a “Christian rock star.” I’m merely a rock star who’s a Christian. To me, A Christian rock star is somebody who gets up on stage and sings praise music, preaching the gospel. Alice Cooper is still a guy who entertains the audience – he just happens to be a Christian.”
Alice has hosted his own Alice Celebrity Golf Tournament since 1997, and all proceeds go to the Solid Rock Foundation which he founded in 1995. It is a nonprofit organization that helps teenagers and children. At the time the book was written, he was embarking on a new project, establishing a safe haven for troubled youth called The Rock.
I have a lot of admiration and respect for Alice Cooper! He conquered his demons and uses his celebrity status for good, giving back to underprivileged youth. It takes a lot of guts to do what he did and to be so outspoken about his Christianity, which could have potentially damaged his career as a rocker. I always was an Alice Cooper fan, and now I’m an even bigger one! Even though I know nothing about golf and have only played once in my life, I enjoyed the chapters with Alice’s golf tips and stories. The book also contains many photographs of Alice, which progressed from his youth until the present. I recommend this book to every Cooper fan!
This review was posted on my book blog:
http://darlenesbooknook.blogspot.ca/2...
Alice Cooper, formerly known as Vincent Damon Furnier, walks us through the ups and downs of his life. He was born in Detroit but suffered from asthma, so the family moved to California and then Phoenix. He nearly died at the age of 11, given only a 10% chance of survival after his appendix burst. His body was toxic with peritonitis, and his parents prayed for his survival. He lost over 20 pounds, but he miraculously pulled through. There was another miracle in Alice's life when the family needed $146 to pay their bills so that they could remain in Phoenix or else they would have to move back to California and get help from a relative. A blank envelope containing that exact sum of money was left in their mailbox, and no one could possibly have known the amount that they needed but there it was!
It was during his high school years that Alice and his friends formed a band, and they became quite popular in the local scene. After graduation, they moved to Los Angeles to try to find their big break. It was a crazy lifestyle, crashing with anyone and anywhere and they didn’t have much money. They struggled to make it, but they were determined.
In 1967, they lost control of their tour van on the highway and rolled four times. Everyone, all eight of them, survived the incident with only scratches. Not one had suffered any broken bones. Another miracle!
Alice Cooper did finally make it big, but not without paying a price. He became an alcoholic. He was a functional drunk, and those around him didn’t realize the extent of his addiction. He drank up to a case of beer a day and then switched to Seagram’s VO when the beer lost its effect. The alcohol took its toll on his body, and Alice threw up blood every morning.
I loved reading about Alice’s background and how he achieved his fame. It’s pretty cool that he has no written agreement with his manager, Shep. With a verbal agreement and a handshake, that relationship and trust has survived decades and that’s pretty amazing! I loved reading about Alice’s relationship with his wife, Sheryl, and how they weathered the storms with his alcoholism. At one point, they did file for divorce but clearly still loved each other but Sheryl just couldn’t watch Alice drink himself to death. They started seeing a Christian marriage counselor in 1983. Alice went into a treatment facility for a month, and he has been sober since 1983. Alice’s health recovered, and he replaced his alcoholic addiction with golf.
With his recovery, Alice questioned whether he could continue the Alice Cooper façade as an entertainer with his new-found Christianity. Here is his exchange with a pastor:
“I’m a Christian now,” I told him, “and I can’t really be Alice anymore.”
“Vince,” he said. (It’s funny. He calls me Vince and Alice.) “Do you believe that God makes mistakes?”
I answered honestly. “I think God is incapable of making mistakes.”
“Then look where he’s put you – right in the Philistines’ camp. He’s given you all this knowledge. What speaks louder? You preaching the word? Or is it your lifestyle that communicates with people? You’re in the world of rock ‘n’ roll, booze, and sex. Yet you’re the guy who never cheats on his wife, who doesn’t go to strip bars with the boys, and doesn’t get high. Your band sees you reading the Bible at night on the bus. What speaks louder than that? I don’t see any reason why you should quit being Alice Cooper.”
I was surprised. It was definitely now the answer I expected.
I was fortunate to see Alice Cooper in concert in 2016. It was a fantastic show, and Alice really is the ultimate performer with a top-notch show. I was a bit disappointed that I didn’t hear a couple of my favourite songs, like “Trash” and “Spark in the Dark.” Now, after reading this book, I understand the reason why. Alice won’t sing songs like that anymore because his moral views have changed. He writes, “…I can no longer go on stage and represent something I don’t believe in.”
Alice later writes this about his Christianity:
"Part of my transformation involved a lot of study. I now study the Bible a few verses or chapters a night with books that explain and help light the path I’m walking as I’m reading. Since my conversion, I’ve gone through the Bible seven or eight times, and I’m just barely scratching the surface.”
"…As a Christian, I don’t declare myself a “Christian rock star.” I’m merely a rock star who’s a Christian. To me, A Christian rock star is somebody who gets up on stage and sings praise music, preaching the gospel. Alice Cooper is still a guy who entertains the audience – he just happens to be a Christian.”
Alice has hosted his own Alice Celebrity Golf Tournament since 1997, and all proceeds go to the Solid Rock Foundation which he founded in 1995. It is a nonprofit organization that helps teenagers and children. At the time the book was written, he was embarking on a new project, establishing a safe haven for troubled youth called The Rock.
I have a lot of admiration and respect for Alice Cooper! He conquered his demons and uses his celebrity status for good, giving back to underprivileged youth. It takes a lot of guts to do what he did and to be so outspoken about his Christianity, which could have potentially damaged his career as a rocker. I always was an Alice Cooper fan, and now I’m an even bigger one! Even though I know nothing about golf and have only played once in my life, I enjoyed the chapters with Alice’s golf tips and stories. The book also contains many photographs of Alice, which progressed from his youth until the present. I recommend this book to every Cooper fan!
This review was posted on my book blog:
http://darlenesbooknook.blogspot.ca/2...
June 5, 2024
Golf monster is a very interesting autobiography by shock rocker Alice Cooper. It starts by sharing what life was like as a child living in Detroit in the 50s. The book goes into how Alice (than Vincent) became “Alice Cooper” and got into music, and how he slowly found himself becoming an alcoholic. Throughout the book he talks about how he found himself getting “addicted” to golf and how it kept him from becoming an alcoholic again after he got sober.
I enjoyed this book a lot as a huge Alice Cooper fan, it was well written and I was interested the whole time while reading. I would recommend this book to any Alice Cooper fan, or just and classic rock/music fan in general.
I enjoyed this book a lot as a huge Alice Cooper fan, it was well written and I was interested the whole time while reading. I would recommend this book to any Alice Cooper fan, or just and classic rock/music fan in general.
June 9, 2019
Since I was 14 years old, Alice Cooper has been one of my heroes. After reading this book, I understand a little bit better just exactly why he has always been one of my heroes.
Full review coming to the blog shortly!
Full review coming to the blog shortly!
July 3, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed the history of Alice Cooper & learning of all the celebrity encounters. I didn’t understand the golf concepts much, but did learn a bit!
November 5, 2023
I disagree with the Christianity and the golf - but otherwise this read was ace.
August 28, 2009
The Father of Shock Rock shares tidbits from his 40 plus years of stage experience and how golf helped save him from the alcohol that was destroying his life and music. Half memoir, half golf-tips, Monster is not terribly revealing or instructional for that matter. The good news is that none of that matters because the stories are so entertaining. Alice finally gets to the bottom of the whole live chicken incident and is rather frank about his conversion to Christianity and his decision to continue his stage-show rather than enter the Christian music arena. Full of stories and insights into his fellow rock and roll contemporaries, Golf Monster is certainly entertaining. Pop-culture enthusiasts will revel in the anecdotes of his many friends, both here and gone, including Jim Morrison, Groucho Marx, Fred Astaire, Salvidor Dali, John Lennon, Elvis and many, many more. By the end of the book, the reader will feel two steps closer to being able to call Alice "Vince," a name reserved for friends.
February 5, 2016
Alice Cooper is one of my all time favorite singer/entertainers. This book was great, but I can't get enough, so of course I'd love something even more detailed. As you would expect from the title, in addition to his life story, you get tidbits of golf advice and stories from this very good golfer.
Just finished the audio book version read by Alice himself. It is an abridged version, but a pretty entertaining listen nonetheless. It's cool to hear these books in the author's own voice as it adds some nuances that you may not have read into. Plus he will do some nice imitations of people talking, like his manager Shep Gordon or Paul McCartney, etc. Funny stuff! There's a time or two when his reading gets a bit mechanical (like he's reading a book!), but for the most part it sounds natural. Good times and definitely worth a listen!
Just finished the audio book version read by Alice himself. It is an abridged version, but a pretty entertaining listen nonetheless. It's cool to hear these books in the author's own voice as it adds some nuances that you may not have read into. Plus he will do some nice imitations of people talking, like his manager Shep Gordon or Paul McCartney, etc. Funny stuff! There's a time or two when his reading gets a bit mechanical (like he's reading a book!), but for the most part it sounds natural. Good times and definitely worth a listen!
February 9, 2019
After reading Dennis Dunaway's excellent book about the Alice Cooper band I decided to re-read this.
Whereas Dunaway's book is sincere and insightful, this book just glosses over everything in what feels like a race to get to the end without giving anything away.
Alice comes across as very egotistical. He doesn't credit the Alice Cooper band at all. He credits himself with every song idea for example.
But then, the book is so light on detail that it feels like Alice had no input beyond one or two interviews way before the book was published.
Of course, the Super Duper Alice Cooper film has made this book redundant anyway.
Doesn't help that I don't give a shit about golf either.
Whereas Dunaway's book is sincere and insightful, this book just glosses over everything in what feels like a race to get to the end without giving anything away.
Alice comes across as very egotistical. He doesn't credit the Alice Cooper band at all. He credits himself with every song idea for example.
But then, the book is so light on detail that it feels like Alice had no input beyond one or two interviews way before the book was published.
Of course, the Super Duper Alice Cooper film has made this book redundant anyway.
Doesn't help that I don't give a shit about golf either.
November 16, 2015
That was a very insightful book to his life, struggles, music, and everything around it. It made it even more awesome that the audiobook was read by himself, made a massive difference. Even though I have no idea about golf in any aspect, I loved the book for the sake of getting to know what he went through when writing his music. Some albums make much more sense now and I actually yelled out 'yes!' when he said The Last Temptation was possibly the best album he ever wrote, and his own favourite. Yes. Mine too. Excellent book!
July 27, 2017
This book was really enjoyable to read, and this is coming from someone that is not a die hard golfer. It weaves in and out between his life experiences and how the game of golf helped him regain control of his fast paced, alcohol abusing lifestyle. For anyone that is looking to learn more about the famous Alice Cooper or about the positive aspects of the game of golf, I would highly recommend reading this book!
June 5, 2016
This was a fun book to read, almost as if you're playing a round with Coop and he's giving you pointers while he tells you his stories. As others mentioned, it's kept PG, but that's to be expected. Not a tell-all book by any means. Alice, at times, comes off justifiably arrogant. That's OK though, he's earned that both on the stage and the golf course.
May 15, 2018
I really loved this book. Listening to Alice Cooper tell his story with his Golf Monster addiction analogy shows a lot of insight into this Rock Royalty’s life. He brings his story to life by portraying all its various characters with great voice mimicry. If you love Alice....you’ll love this book, and I highly suggest the audio version!
March 2, 2014
I have always been an alice cooper fan so it was fun for me to read about some of his escapades. I also liked the fact that he went back and forth from some of his rock and roll life experiences to chapters on nothing other than golf.
May 27, 2023
Chew 'em up and spit 'em out, Coop. Thanks for flashing me that wanton, villainous look last year in Vienna. You're truly one of a kind, and we're not worthy!
April 6, 2023
When I was at the darkest moments of my life, I often thought to myself, "if Alice Cooper was able to make a 'comeback', I know I can too."
I am not using the word "comeback" to describe success in the music, entertainment, or even golf world, I am talking about a "comeback" to life: a "comeback" into the light. Redemption. That is what this story is about.
As a recovering alcoholic, I found inspiration in Alice's story integrated among amazing accounts of life, music, and faith told the way only Alice could tell them. I also thoroughly enjoyed Alice's metaphors for life and recovery as described through the twelve steps of becoming a golf addict. Many therapists have suggested that trading "one addiction for another" is a dangerous path to tread in recovery, but Alice describes replacing the "bad" addiction with the "good" addiction the way he replaced alcohol with golf and then helped others to do the same. When I became trapped by my own depression and substance abuse, reading is one of the addictions I replaced alcohol with (along with a lot of tea and diet soda) and I recommend this book for anyone recovering from any trauma, or anyone who just wants to know more about Alice (and a few other celebrities with which Alice shared some amazing adventures).
Alice speaks to his readers with prodigious candor in this book. While we all love Alice for so many reasons, the reader experiences a deeper love he describes herein regarding his family, his faith, and his service to other people. My words cannot do justice describing these accounts. Only Alice could express these feelings and experiences, and only by reading his words can the reader understand the path to the guillotine and back again.
Not long ago, I nearly drank myself to death. Today I am sober, and the world has never been brighter. This book, and Alice's entire story (and his music, of course!) have helped me hang on in the darkest times of my life. It is absolutely relevant and empowering, and it is becoming more and more relevant every day. To quote the author, "Both Alice and I maintain that what the world needs now more than anything is a giant hypodermic shot of morality and common sense."
Please read this book, and enjoy! I will be reading it again, as I often reference Alice's wisdom and experience when life presents its inevitable challenges.
I am not using the word "comeback" to describe success in the music, entertainment, or even golf world, I am talking about a "comeback" to life: a "comeback" into the light. Redemption. That is what this story is about.
As a recovering alcoholic, I found inspiration in Alice's story integrated among amazing accounts of life, music, and faith told the way only Alice could tell them. I also thoroughly enjoyed Alice's metaphors for life and recovery as described through the twelve steps of becoming a golf addict. Many therapists have suggested that trading "one addiction for another" is a dangerous path to tread in recovery, but Alice describes replacing the "bad" addiction with the "good" addiction the way he replaced alcohol with golf and then helped others to do the same. When I became trapped by my own depression and substance abuse, reading is one of the addictions I replaced alcohol with (along with a lot of tea and diet soda) and I recommend this book for anyone recovering from any trauma, or anyone who just wants to know more about Alice (and a few other celebrities with which Alice shared some amazing adventures).
Alice speaks to his readers with prodigious candor in this book. While we all love Alice for so many reasons, the reader experiences a deeper love he describes herein regarding his family, his faith, and his service to other people. My words cannot do justice describing these accounts. Only Alice could express these feelings and experiences, and only by reading his words can the reader understand the path to the guillotine and back again.
Not long ago, I nearly drank myself to death. Today I am sober, and the world has never been brighter. This book, and Alice's entire story (and his music, of course!) have helped me hang on in the darkest times of my life. It is absolutely relevant and empowering, and it is becoming more and more relevant every day. To quote the author, "Both Alice and I maintain that what the world needs now more than anything is a giant hypodermic shot of morality and common sense."
Please read this book, and enjoy! I will be reading it again, as I often reference Alice's wisdom and experience when life presents its inevitable challenges.
July 6, 2023
Well, I have never been a huge Alice Cooper fan. I like a handful of his songs, but probably could do without the shock rock stage presence. However, I recently saw a documentary about him and I became intrigued! Turns out that he is so much more than the persona that he displays on stage!
This book, narrated by Cooper aka Vincent Furnier, was very entertaining. Cooper has a great sense of humor and is often self-deprecating about his crazy life and his bout with alcohol addiction. Here is the dedication at the front of the book: "My liver would like to dedicate this book to me for giving up drinking and taking up golf." He shares many stories about the early 70's rock days. (By the way, he still putting it out there touring and making music.) He tells stories of how his long time faithful friend and manager have been together since the beginning...very unheard of in this industry. He shares stories about his relationship with his wife and how they are still together after some very rocky times.
Cooper talks about how he found God and how his Christianity has saved him from an alcoholic spiral. I loved how he explains his "performance" as Alice vs his day to day life. Believe it or not, his Christianity influences his shows... he is a crazy performer, but he does not cross the line. (even though people thinks he kills animals etc...all rumors)
But, woven into his life story, is his addiction to golf!! Apparently, he is quite the golfer. He has played with some of the best. He provides lots of golf tips and tells the story in the "12-step" fashion.
Read this book to learn more about this icon and how he is a very charitable, a devoted husband and father, a devout Christian, a great performer (knows tons of famous people), and an all around interesting guy. It made me want to meet and talk to him.
If it were not for the TV documentary, I would have written him off as a crazy/drunk/ demon. So, not true!
This book, narrated by Cooper aka Vincent Furnier, was very entertaining. Cooper has a great sense of humor and is often self-deprecating about his crazy life and his bout with alcohol addiction. Here is the dedication at the front of the book: "My liver would like to dedicate this book to me for giving up drinking and taking up golf." He shares many stories about the early 70's rock days. (By the way, he still putting it out there touring and making music.) He tells stories of how his long time faithful friend and manager have been together since the beginning...very unheard of in this industry. He shares stories about his relationship with his wife and how they are still together after some very rocky times.
Cooper talks about how he found God and how his Christianity has saved him from an alcoholic spiral. I loved how he explains his "performance" as Alice vs his day to day life. Believe it or not, his Christianity influences his shows... he is a crazy performer, but he does not cross the line. (even though people thinks he kills animals etc...all rumors)
But, woven into his life story, is his addiction to golf!! Apparently, he is quite the golfer. He has played with some of the best. He provides lots of golf tips and tells the story in the "12-step" fashion.
Read this book to learn more about this icon and how he is a very charitable, a devoted husband and father, a devout Christian, a great performer (knows tons of famous people), and an all around interesting guy. It made me want to meet and talk to him.
If it were not for the TV documentary, I would have written him off as a crazy/drunk/ demon. So, not true!
February 7, 2023
I adore Alice. The man has been a constant presence in my life for over half of its length - we’re at 13 years now, I think. By no means am I a die-hard fan; there are whole albums I haven’t listened to, I’ve never seen him live, and he’s never made it to my Spotify top 5. But he is there, always.
Having listened to Alice since childhood means that his voice is as comforting to me as that of my mother’s (sometimes more so) and I instinctively know which Alice songs/albums I need if it’s a bad day.
Thus, it is clear I’d enjoy this book. It is entertaining, it gives a lot of new information, and it makes me appreciate Alice even more.
At the same time I was a bit let down. I was hoping for an autobiography like that of the Metal God’s (Halford’s Confess is simply GREAT) and I didn’t get that. This one felt more all-over-the-place, jumping in time and space, which made it hard to follow.
Alice also sounded at times too much like an old man who thinks he knows better than anyone - “I don’t think the bands of today write enough songs that are built to last. [- -] The list of timeless melodies seems to be shrinking dramatically.” Isn’t this what all old people say, though? Everyone I know can name of bazillions more bands and songs from when they were young than from after they turned 45. It takes special knowledge and passion to be in touch with today’s music if you’ve grown up with Sinatra, Beatles, Bowie, Queen, etc. So I forgive Alice, but at the same time I am a bit pissed.
Also I don’t care for golf - maybe hate is too much, but I dislike it - so those parts were skimmed over. There was some stuff that could be applicable to other areas in life, but I couldn’t really be bothered to try and find all the deeper meanings.
Nevertheless. A great, brilliant man with such immense creativity and talent I can’t help but continue adoring him and his career.
Having listened to Alice since childhood means that his voice is as comforting to me as that of my mother’s (sometimes more so) and I instinctively know which Alice songs/albums I need if it’s a bad day.
Thus, it is clear I’d enjoy this book. It is entertaining, it gives a lot of new information, and it makes me appreciate Alice even more.
At the same time I was a bit let down. I was hoping for an autobiography like that of the Metal God’s (Halford’s Confess is simply GREAT) and I didn’t get that. This one felt more all-over-the-place, jumping in time and space, which made it hard to follow.
Alice also sounded at times too much like an old man who thinks he knows better than anyone - “I don’t think the bands of today write enough songs that are built to last. [- -] The list of timeless melodies seems to be shrinking dramatically.” Isn’t this what all old people say, though? Everyone I know can name of bazillions more bands and songs from when they were young than from after they turned 45. It takes special knowledge and passion to be in touch with today’s music if you’ve grown up with Sinatra, Beatles, Bowie, Queen, etc. So I forgive Alice, but at the same time I am a bit pissed.
Also I don’t care for golf - maybe hate is too much, but I dislike it - so those parts were skimmed over. There was some stuff that could be applicable to other areas in life, but I couldn’t really be bothered to try and find all the deeper meanings.
Nevertheless. A great, brilliant man with such immense creativity and talent I can’t help but continue adoring him and his career.
May 21, 2021
I was a big Alice Cooper fan as a kid. In fact, the first album I ever bought was Killer. I felt like his music went downhill and never recovered with Welcome to My Nightmare after he fired his original band and I stopped listening to him soon after.
With that as a backdrop I decided to read Alice Cooper, Golf Monster. The format of the book intersperses Cooper’s 12-steps for golf (based on the AA 12 step program) with chronologically organized anecdotes from his life.
While I have a soft spot for Alice, I’m compelled by honesty to say the book isn’t good.
1. He whitewashes his own history. This is likely due to the fact that he’s become rather religious in his later years and is embarrassed by his past behavior (like his addiction to crack cocaine, which he omits entirely from the book). Sure, I would have liked to hear more wild sex, drugs and rock and roll stories, but the real reason this annoys me is that it’s simply dishonest.
2. The entire book is written in a self-aggrandizing style that grates on the nerves. The only time he deigns to write about someone other than himself it’s to drop the name of a celebrity with whom he’s become friends (which is just another form of pretentiousness).
3. He shamelessly uses the book to shill for a brand of golf club he endorses. The text reads like a paid promotional advertisement.
While I found some of his anecdotes mildly amusing the book is otherwise a waste of time. If you’re interested in the band’s formative years, I’d recommend Snakes! Guillotines! Electric Chairs!: My Adventures in The Alice Cooper Group by Dennis Dunaway instead.
With that as a backdrop I decided to read Alice Cooper, Golf Monster. The format of the book intersperses Cooper’s 12-steps for golf (based on the AA 12 step program) with chronologically organized anecdotes from his life.
While I have a soft spot for Alice, I’m compelled by honesty to say the book isn’t good.
1. He whitewashes his own history. This is likely due to the fact that he’s become rather religious in his later years and is embarrassed by his past behavior (like his addiction to crack cocaine, which he omits entirely from the book). Sure, I would have liked to hear more wild sex, drugs and rock and roll stories, but the real reason this annoys me is that it’s simply dishonest.
2. The entire book is written in a self-aggrandizing style that grates on the nerves. The only time he deigns to write about someone other than himself it’s to drop the name of a celebrity with whom he’s become friends (which is just another form of pretentiousness).
3. He shamelessly uses the book to shill for a brand of golf club he endorses. The text reads like a paid promotional advertisement.
While I found some of his anecdotes mildly amusing the book is otherwise a waste of time. If you’re interested in the band’s formative years, I’d recommend Snakes! Guillotines! Electric Chairs!: My Adventures in The Alice Cooper Group by Dennis Dunaway instead.
August 31, 2025
Two thirds memoir, one third golf. Cooper keeps things light even when talking about his alcohol addiction. If your looking for a deep dive into the Alice Cooper band or his creative processes, you won't find much here. He keeps the focus on himself and doesn't bad mouth anyone. Interspersed throughout the memoir, are chapters on his love golf and tips for playing the game. He's smart in seeking out professionals to play with not just because he loves their company, but he knows there's always something he can learn. My favorite bits involved his relationships with old-timers, particularly Groucho. Cooper comes off as very charming and fun to hang out with.
There's a chapter near the end that is basically a Calloway Golf commercial. I didn't mind the commercialism since he clearly knows and loves the product (a rarity with celebrity endorsements). And I wish there were more fun golf commercials since family dinners often have golf on afterwards and those commercials are so bland and monotonous.
Cooper talks a good deal about his Christianity at the end. I'm old enough to remember when he and Kiss were supposed to be satanic since they had flamboyant stage personas and wore make-up. I like that he is sincere and secure in his beliefs but not preachy. He looks after his own soul without judging others.
There's a chapter near the end that is basically a Calloway Golf commercial. I didn't mind the commercialism since he clearly knows and loves the product (a rarity with celebrity endorsements). And I wish there were more fun golf commercials since family dinners often have golf on afterwards and those commercials are so bland and monotonous.
Cooper talks a good deal about his Christianity at the end. I'm old enough to remember when he and Kiss were supposed to be satanic since they had flamboyant stage personas and wore make-up. I like that he is sincere and secure in his beliefs but not preachy. He looks after his own soul without judging others.
September 8, 2020
I discovered Alice Cooper in 1973. The first album I got was Welcome To My Nightmare. I was a fan. Being so even got me some girl attention. Debbie used to listen to Alice with me. Good times! I lost interest in Alice after From The Inside. I briefly reacquired interest about 5 years ago; picking up some of his later work. Alice Cooper was definitely a musical influence in my life.
This story is told in Alice's own words. It's very entertaining. It's also informative in terms of both rock music history and golf (Not that I even know anything about golf. It's just a matter of fact that his explanations are clear and concise.). I am skeptical that his historical accounts contain no bovine excrement of any kind, but maybe it happened just the way he says it did. I wasn't there. I will say that if Shep is really as good a friend as portrayed here, Alice is a lucky man. I found his accounting of his Christianity disappointing in that it doesn't seem to be thoughtful. If being a Christian keeps him from engaging in self-destructive behavior, I'm all for it, but his description of it seems to be without depth. Just a method of behavior avoidance.
July 30, 2021
This is much better than I was expecting. When I came across Coopers book, I was really excited. Then is aw the title and front cover and thought it was just a book on golf. Which I hate by the way. But, after seeing some reviews and learned more about the book, thought I’d give it a go as I’m a huge Alice Cooper fan. I’m so glad I did. It is 50% golf this book, but it’s crazy how Alice’s love for the game just completely overtakes you and makes you appreciate the sport and in some way, enjoy it through reading.
What’s great is the other half of the book is an autobiography on his life and career, which is what I’m most interested in. It’s like other rock ‘n’ roll books in that you get all the juicy and sometimes not so great stories from the bad days of his life. He goes into details on him, his character and how bad his drinking got throwing the 70’a in particular. I love that he came from not so much and made it big time despite all the crashes he had in life. He should have died multiple times. But he got through and became the man he is today. A great read, don’t let the golf talk put you off - it’s really interesting.
What’s great is the other half of the book is an autobiography on his life and career, which is what I’m most interested in. It’s like other rock ‘n’ roll books in that you get all the juicy and sometimes not so great stories from the bad days of his life. He goes into details on him, his character and how bad his drinking got throwing the 70’a in particular. I love that he came from not so much and made it big time despite all the crashes he had in life. He should have died multiple times. But he got through and became the man he is today. A great read, don’t let the golf talk put you off - it’s really interesting.
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