Alice Cooper Discusses Life, Memoir in Cleveland
The rock icon spoke with the Rock Hall's Jason Hanley about his origins, sobriety and career before a sold-out Foster Theater crowd.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Rock
Alice Cooper spoke to a sold-out crowd at the Foster Theater of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame during a 90-minute conversation moderated by Jason Hanley. The talk focused on his life and memoir, Devil On My Shoulder.
Why it matters
The event offers a first-hand account of how Alice Cooper and Shock Rock developed, drawing on the perspective of a performer now 78 years old. It also gives Cleveland-area fans a direct look at the career of an artist closely tied to the Rock Hall's own history.
The talk lasted 90 minutes before a sold-out Foster Theater audience, with Cooper marking five decades of sobriety. The extraction does not include commercial sales or chart data for the memoir.
The players
Alice Cooper
Born Vincent Furnier in Detroit, Alice Cooper is a rock singer widely credited as a founder of Shock Rock whose band was signed by Frank Zappa.
Jason Hanley
Jason Hanley is the vice president of education and visitor engagement at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, a Cleveland institution that preserves rock music history.
The details
Hanley led Cooper through the origins of Alice Cooper and Shock Rock, including how Cooper looked to The Yardbirds when he decided to pursue music. Cooper also recalled rooming with members of Pink Floyd in the 1970s and quitting alcohol in the late 1970s.
Timeline
1970s: Cooper roomed with members of Pink Floyd.
Late 1970s: Cooper quit drinking alcohol.
March 2026: Cooper celebrated his 50th wedding anniversary.
November 2, 2026: Cooper spoke at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Industry Dynamics
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has long used moderated conversations to bring performers together with audiences, placing Cooper's talk within that programming tradition. Such events connect rock's legacy acts directly to the institutions that document their history.
Fans who want to hear more from Cooper can look for his memoir, Devil On My Shoulder, which the talk was built around. The event itself was a sold-out, one-night appearance at the Foster Theater.
The takeaway
Cooper's account of his sobriety and early influences shows how one performer's personal choices shaped a long-running rock career. Readers interested in that history can follow the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's programming to see similar stories.
Further reading
Explore more Cleveland rock coverage to see how the city's music scene connects with the Hall of Fame.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Cleveland Scene.
