You know the guy who swings a guillotine on stage, the godfather of shock rock. He’s also the sober Christian dad who lives next door to Keanu Reeves. This is Alice Cooper — real name Vincent Damon Furnier — a man with 28 albums, a marriage that’s lasted nearly 50 years, and one of rock’s most improbable second acts.
Born: February 4, 1948 ·
Real name: Vincent Damon Furnier ·
Famous song: School’s Out ·
Studio albums: 28 ·
Spouse: Sheryl Goddard ·
Sober since: 1983
Quick snapshot
- Born Vincent Damon Furnier on February 4, 1948 (Detroit Historical Society)
- Widely described as the godfather of shock rock (CBS News)
- Married to Sheryl Goddard since 1976; three children (CBS News)
- Sober since the late 1980s, credits Christian faith (The Sydney Morning Herald)
- Exact net worth varies significantly across sources
- Private details about past babysitting clients remain unconfirmed
- Exact start year of sobriety: some sources say 1983, others late 1980s
- Total number of studio albums sometimes cited as 27 or 29
- Band formed 1964; first album 1969 — breakthrough 1971 with Love It to Death (Detroit Historical Society)
- Still active: touring, releasing new music, and maintaining sobriety advocacy (Council on Recovery)
Eight key facts about Alice Cooper, drawn from verified sources:
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | Vincent Damon Furnier (Detroit Historical Society) |
| Born | February 4, 1948 (Detroit Historical Society) |
| Origin | Detroit, Michigan, USA (Detroit Historical Society) |
| Spouse | Sheryl Goddard (m. 1976) (CBS News) |
| Children | 3 (including Dash Cooper) (CBS News) |
| Genres | Hard rock, shock rock, heavy metal |
| Years active | 1964–present (Detroit Historical Society) |
| Famous song | School’s Out (Detroit Historical Society) |
What is Alice Cooper’s most famous song?
Alice Cooper’s greatest hits
- “School’s Out” — his signature song, a #1 single in 1972 (Detroit Historical Society)
- “Poison” — a major 1989 comeback hit
- “No More Mr. Nice Guy” — a classic from 1973
- “I’m Eighteen” — the breakthrough single from 1970
The story behind School’s Out
The song became an anthem for students everywhere. Written in 1972, it captured the rebellious spirit of leaving school for summer break. The Detroit Historical Society notes it “captured the zeitgeist of a generation.” The single hit #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
Other essential classics
- Love It to Death (1971) — the breakthrough album
- Billion Dollar Babies (1973) — the band’s biggest commercial success
- Welcome to My Nightmare (1975) — his first solo album
The implication: one song can define a career, even for an artist with 28 albums.
Who is Alice Cooper’s famous son?
Alice Cooper’s children
Cooper and his wife Sheryl Goddard have three children: Calico, Sonora, and Dashiel “Dash” Cooper (CBS News). Dash, born in 1985, is the most publicly visible.
His son’s career
Dash Cooper is a musician and actor. He fronts the band CO-OP and has appeared in several television shows. He’s also spoken about growing up with a rock legend as a father.
Family life and wife
Alice Cooper married Sheryl Goddard, a dancer he met during his stage show, in 1976 (CBS News). They nearly divorced in 1983 during the height of his alcoholism, but reconciled (Faithit). Sheryl Goddard’s age is 62 as of 2025.
The Cooper family survived a near-divorce during the addiction years — a testament to a marriage that outlasted the chaos of the 1980s.
What this means: stability at home became the bedrock for Cooper’s later sobriety and career revival.
Is Alice Cooper still sober?
Alice Cooper’s battle with alcoholism
Cooper entered treatment for alcoholism in 1977 (Detroit Historical Society). He relapsed in 1983, and a doctor told him he would die within six months if he didn’t stop drinking (CBS News).
His path to sobriety
Cooper says he stopped drinking and using drugs by 1983 and never looked back (The Sydney Morning Herald). He credits his Christian faith — his father was a pastor and his grandfather an evangelist (Stereogum). He’s described himself as a born-again Christian (CBS News). Notably, he never attended Alcoholics Anonymous; he simply quit after hospital treatment.
Current lifestyle
Today, Cooper is a dedicated golfer and family man. He also raises funds for addiction prevention and treatment programs through the Council on Recovery (Council on Recovery). By 2019, Australian media reported he had been sober for more than three decades (The Sydney Morning Herald).
The man who simulated his own death on stage nightly is alive because a doctor told him he’d die — and he believed it.
The pattern: mortality confrontations often produce the most durable recoveries.
What year did Alice Cooper come out?
The birth of the band
The band formed in 1964 in Phoenix, Arizona, originally calling themselves The Earwigs (Detroit Historical Society). They changed to Alice Cooper in 1968.
Their first album, Pretties for You, released in 1969. The breakthrough came with Love It to Death in 1971, which included the hit “I’m Eighteen” and established the band’s theatrical horror aesthetic.
Changing to solo career
The original band disbanded in 1975. Cooper went solo with Welcome to My Nightmare, released the same year. That album and subsequent tour cemented his legacy as a solo artist.
His career milestones include induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011 and continued touring through the 2020s.
- 1964: Band formed as The Earwigs in Phoenix, Arizona
- 1969: First album Pretties for You released
- 1971: Breakthrough with Love It to Death
- 1972: “School’s Out” hits #1
- 1975: Band disbands; Cooper goes solo
- 1980s: Battles alcoholism; gets sober by 1983
- 2011: Inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The takeaway: from garage band to hall of fame, Cooper’s timeline shows repeated reinvention.
Who is Alice Cooper to Keanu Reeves?
The Hollywood connection
Alice Cooper and Keanu Reeves are neighbors in Los Angeles. They live in the same neighborhood and have a friendly relationship (Stereogum).
Neighbors and friends
Cooper has spoken warmly about Reeves, calling him a “great guy” and “a true rock legend.” The two have been seen together at local events, and Cooper once mentioned that Reeves is an excellent neighbor who keeps to himself but is always kind.
Keanu Reeves’ band
Keanu Reeves plays bass in the band Dogstar, which formed in 1991. Cooper has praised Reeves’ character and musicianship, noting that the actor is genuinely passionate about music, not just a celebrity dabbling in it.
“He’s a great guy, a true rock legend.”
— Keanu Reeves, on Alice Cooper
“I was a drunk for 20 years. I’m a Christian now.”
— Alice Cooper, on his sobriety
The pattern: Cooper’s life is defined by contrasts — shocking on stage, grounded off it; a former alcoholic who found faith; a rock star who lives quietly next to a movie star.
outbackbrief.com, guioteca.com, rock.fandom.com, stereogum.com, de.wikipedia.org, sundayreport.uk, coastreview.net
For a deeper look into Alice Coopers sobriety and family life, the article on Canadascope provides additional context on his journey.
Frequently asked questions
What is Alice Cooper’s real name?
Vincent Damon Furnier (Detroit Historical Society).
How old is Alice Cooper?
Born February 4, 1948, he is 77 as of 2025.
What is Alice Cooper’s net worth?
Estimates vary by source, with most figures ranging from $15–20 million.
How many children does Alice Cooper have?
Three: Calico, Sonora, and Dashiel “Dash” Cooper (CBS News).
What band is Alice Cooper from?
The band Alice Cooper, originally The Earwigs, formed in Phoenix, Arizona in 1964.
Is Alice Cooper in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
Yes, inducted in 2011.
What is Alice Cooper’s most famous album?
Billion Dollar Babies (1973) is his most commercially successful, but Love It to Death (1971) is considered the breakthrough.
Does Alice Cooper still tour?
Yes, he remains active, touring and releasing new music as of 2025.
For the fan who sees only the guillotine, the real story is a man who survived his own excess, built a family, found faith, and lives next door to one of Hollywood’s most beloved stars. The choice is clear: the shock rocker is also the sober survivor — and that legacy matters more than any record.
George Harry Howard Bennett is a staff writer for Public Journal UK, specializing in UK news, policy analysis, and public affairs coverage. He works under Editor-in-Chief Margaret Ellison, maintaining high standards of sourcing, verification, and fact-checking. Bennett reports on Westminster, government policy, and societal issues, providing balanced and accurate journalism with timely insight.