Alice Cooper Announces New Memoir

Shock rock pioneer Alice Cooper is preparing to revisit the twists and turns of his legendary career in a new autobiography titled Devil on My Shoulder, scheduled for release on Oct. 8. Spanning more than six decades in rock music, the book promises to offer fans a deeper look into the life of one of the genre’s most theatrical and enduring figures.

Widely known as the “Godfather of Shock Rock,” Cooper built his reputation on elaborate stage shows, dark humor, and controversial imagery that helped redefine the boundaries of live rock performance. With Devil on My Shoulder, the veteran performer aims to separate fact from fiction in a career that has long been surrounded by myth and spectacle.

Looking Back on a Six-Decade Career

Although Cooper has spent over 60 years in the music industry, the upcoming autobiography will only be his second published book. His first, Alice Cooper, Golf Monster: A Rock ‘n’ Roller’s 12 Steps to Becoming a Golf Addict, arrived in 2007 and focused heavily on his unexpected passion for golf.

This new memoir takes a broader and more personal approach. In Devil on My Shoulder, Cooper plans to explore the complex relationship between the frightening onstage persona known as Alice Cooper and the man behind it. The book will examine how the character evolved over the years and how it eventually became deeply intertwined with Cooper’s real identity.

“I was born Vincent Damon Furnier but, seduced by my character’s reputation, changed my name legally to Alice Cooper, and in the process lost sight of who I really was,” Cooper said in a press release. “The mild-mannered, all-American boy I’d once been became a monster and a mortal danger to himself.”

The Man Behind the Monster

For decades, Cooper’s stage character became one of the most recognizable personas in rock history — a figure associated with guillotines, fake blood, snakes, and horror-inspired theatrics. Yet behind the shocking imagery was a very different person: a sober, religious family man who eventually distanced himself from the darker aspects of his persona.

In the book, Cooper reflects on how the boundary between performer and character gradually blurred during the peak years of his fame. That blurred line, he suggests, contributed to some of the struggles he experienced along the way.

“I’ve written this book to track Alice’s ‘evilution,’ and how I’ve tamed him at last. Just as he and I became almost fatally intertwined, the story of Alice Cooper after over 30 records and 60-plus years has become a tangle of embellishments, elaborations and outright fabrications and I think it’s time to sort reality from myth.”

The memoir is expected to offer fans a rare behind-the-scenes perspective on both the rise of shock rock and the personal challenges that came with sustaining such an intense persona for decades.

Still Going Strong on the Road

Even as he prepares to release the book, Cooper shows little sign of slowing down as a performer. The rock veteran recently staged a trio of “Welcome to Our Nightmare” shows in Las Vegas alongside magician Criss Angel, blending his signature theatrical rock style with large-scale stage illusions.

The collaboration highlighted Cooper’s continued willingness to experiment with spectacle and storytelling — elements that have been central to his stage shows since the early 1970s. For longtime fans, it served as another reminder that his brand of theatrical rock remains as vibrant as ever.

Cooper is also gearing up for another major stretch of touring. A month-long North American run is scheduled to begin April 14 in San Antonio, bringing his elaborate stage production to audiences across the continent. The tour reflects the relentless work ethic that has defined his career for decades.

While many artists from his era have slowed down or retired entirely, Cooper continues to balance recording, touring, and now writing. With Devil on My Shoulder, he appears ready to revisit the myths, chaos, and creativity that shaped his journey — offering fans a chance to see the story of Alice Cooper told with clarity, honesty, and the perspective that only time can bring.

Alice Cooper, Devil on My Shoulder U.K. Book Tour Dates
Oct. 11 – Cardiff New Theatre
Oct. 12 – Cambridge Corn Exchange
Oct. 13 – London Palladium
Oct. 14 – Brighton Dome
Oct. 16 – Manchester Opera House
Oct. 17 – Stockton Globe
Oct. 19 – Glasgow Pavilion Theatre
Oct. 20 – Wolverhampton Civic Hall