Article Database

Alice Cooper brings Halloween to Indio

In his latest stage show, shock-rock superstar Alice Cooper is going to die four times.

Cooper said the show, which comes to Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio on Oct. 30, will go through the phases of Alice Cooper the character, including one segment where Cooper is put to death by a giant hypodermic needle.

Off stage, Cooper the performer is an avid golfer who makes an annual pilgrimage to the Coachella Valley with his wife for the week of their anniversary.

Cooper has been scaring conservatives and thrilling teenagers for years with stage antics that have included an electric chair and guillotines set to big rock hits such as "No More Mr. Nice Guy" and "School's Out."

"I keep reminding Marilyn Manson and Slipknot -- 'Guys, I'm the oldest vampire. You're just my disobedient children,' " Cooper said in a recent phone interview.

When Cooper designs a new tour, he's always tinkering with different parts and trying to think of how to make it theatrical.

"How do you make it clever? How do you make the lighting great? How do you make the costuming good? How do you really make it hard rock Vaudeville without it being corny?" Cooper said.

He always wants the audience to see that there's a punch line, he said.

Despite the tough economy, Cooper said ticket sales haven't been affected.

"Maybe it's because we didn't gouge audiences to start with," he said. "We always priced ourselves under what we were worth."

He said he didn't mind working more shows rather than people shelling out $250 for a single ticket.

"It's a rock 'n' roll show, and it's great. I'm not so greedy that I need somebody to be paying that kind of money for a ticket, do you know what I mean?" Cooper asked. "In this day and age, I'd rather have the place packed at $30 than do that."