Monday, August 15, 2011

Senior DeMolay Highlight - Alice Cooper

After a long week of Key Man, my mind is pretty well shot. I sat here for quite some time trying to think of something to blog about, and then it hit me! One of the things that surprised many of the Key Men this year was that Alice Cooper was a DeMolay. There are actually many famous Senior DeMolay's who are not members of the Hall of Fame. So, as a part of a new, on-going series, I'll be highlighting the lives of some DeMolay Alumni who went on to make a name for themselves!

Vincent Damon Furnier a.ka. Alice Cooper - Rock Star

Alice Cooper was born on February 4, 1948, in the home of Rock and Roll and Mo-Town - Detroit, MI. His father was a lay preacher of mixed ancestry. He attended grade and middle school in Detroit, but following some illness, they moved to Phoenix, AZ, where he would attend High School. It was during High School that his interest in music began, when he participated in a talent show. He would go on to form and front several bands. He became Alice Cooper in 1968 when he joined a friend's band and changed its name to that same moniker. It is important to note that "Alice Cooper" is merely a staged character that has become  synonymous with the actor. He chose the dark version of the character as a change from the rock stars of the day who were being portrayed as heroes instead of villains.

Cooper's act would become famous for his stage antics, which included a live guillotine and other props. It was purported that he bit the head off of a live chicken on stage once, but in reality the chicken merely fell off the stage was killed by the crowd. The idea behind the story proved too amazing though, having lived on through urban legend to the present day.

Cooper toured heavily through the 1970's and 80's, releasing several albums and cementing his status as a rock and roll legend. His empire now covers music, television, movies, and more. He will be touring with Rob Zombie on the "Gruesome Twosome" tour, which starts soon.

Other random facts about Cooper:
  • He is a self described "born again Christian."
  • He is an avid golfer.
  • He is a huge fan of the Simpsons.
  • He is a recovering alcoholic.
If you want some more information, you can go read the full biographical sketch over at Wikipedia. So, what is your DeMolay legacy going to be?

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth C. Anthony

3 comments:

  1. Stick around long enough and you'll see one of these written about the great physicist DeMolay, Anthony :D

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  2. I love it!!! My best friend and senior DeMolay has an uncle that was the head roadie for Alice for a long time and it close person friends.

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  3. I love your writings !!! My best friend and brother senior DeMolay has an uncle who was a long time head roadie for Alice for many years. They are still good friends to this day.

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