Note: This page is for the band ’Alice Cooper’. Post-1974 solo releases and writing credits by
the individual artist ’
Alice Cooper’ should be entered under ’
Alice Cooper’, as should all pre-1974 individual credits for ’
Alice Cooper’ on the band’s releases.
- – — — – -
Founded as The Earwigs in the spring of 1964, the group featured
Vincent Furnier [later known as
Alice Cooper] on vocals,
Dennis Dunaway on bass, and
Glen Buxton on guitar. They were shortly after joined by
John Tatum on rhythm guitar and
John Speer on drums and became
Spiders in the fall of 1965.
Michael Bruce replaced Tatum on guitar in 1966. The band relocated to Los Angeles in March 1967, changed their name to
The Nazz in April. Fellow Phoenix musician and friend
Neal Smith moved in with the band in September 1967 and replaced Speer as drummer later that fall. By March of 1968 the band changed their name again, becoming
Alice Cooper to prevent confusion with
Todd Rundgren’s group
Nazz.
Lead singer Furnier took on the identity of Alice Cooper onstage and the band went on to become one of the most popular rock bands of the early seventies. Their overblown stage presence basically created shock rock and was hugely influential on the rock scene that followed.
The band split in 1974, initially taking a hiatus with several members working on solo projects. Furnier legally changed his name to Alice Cooper in 1975, and launched a successful solo career. Bruce, Dunaway and Smith went on to form
Billion Dollar Babies, named after the most popular Alice Cooper album.