Born Vincent Damon Furnier on February 4, 1948 in Detroit, Michigan, Alice Cooper was originally the name of Vincent's band before the singer legally changed his name to Alice Cooper in 1974 as his own.
Despite Alice Cooper revealed that his name was the result of crafting a sweet stage presence, early press releases said different things. It was thought that such a name was the outcome revealed after an Ouija session. It was also the name of a witch of the 17th century, whose modern reincarnation was Vincent Furnier, and it was also suggested that Alice Cooper was a name taken after the Archie comic strips.
Whatever the origin, Alice Cooper became the first violent theatrical heavy metal act that revolutionized the early 1970s, creating great controversy due to Alice androgynous look wearing make-up and female clothing.
Vincent Furnier was a weak boy that after suffering a series of illnesses moved to Arizona with his family. In 1964, he formed a band named willing to participate in an annual local Letterman's talent show, in which they won an opportunity to be on stage.
The band was renamed to The Spiders and made some lineup and musical changes inspired by the bands of the moment, including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Yardbirds, Pink Floyd, and The Who. The band changed again their name to The Nazz in 1967, but after learning that this was the name of Todd Rundgren's band, Furnier changed the name of the band to Alice Cooper.
Vincent Furnier relocated to Detroit and after two Alice Cooper's failed albums success came with their third album, "Love it to Death" released in 1971, and the band hit the Billboard chart. From then onward and through the 1970’s part of his audience had trouble identifying Alice Cooper the band and Alice Cooper the person as one entity or another.
However, nobody denies the huge success achieved by Alice Cooper as a singer, songwriter, and actor from 1964 to the present, with 24 studio albums and a new one, "Along Came A Spider" scheduled to be released in 2008. Alice Cooper has also recorded live albums with a popular DVD and VHS videography.
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