Alice Cooper, Golf Monster: A Rock 'n' Roller's 12 Steps to Becoming a Golf Addict [Hardcover]

Alice Cooper, the godfather of shock rock, has been on the music scene for nearly forty years. During that time, he has sold multiplatinum albums, toured the world, battled alcoholism and the rock star lifestyle in general, and become one of America's most respected celebrity golfers. And now, Alice has released Alice Cooper, Golf Monster, his autobiography, which is a most enjoyable read.

Cooper wrote Golf Monster collaborating with Keith and Kent Zimmerman, who also co-authored Sex Pistol Johnny Rotten's memoir. Alice Cooper, Golf Monster is a tell-all memoir that alternates between Cooper's life story and his own "twelve step program" for becoming a golf addict. Alice's sense of humor has been his trademark as a songwriter, and that humor is present throughout this book.

Golf Monster follows Cooper's life (born Vincent Damon Furnier in 1948) from his childhood in Detroit to his teenage years in Phoenix when he formed his first band, the Earwigs, through his forty-plus year musical career and his battle with the alcohol addiction that nearly destroyed his marriage and ended his life. Alice's close friendship with longtime manager Shep Gordon is also covered in this book.

Pop culture buffs will love this book, which is filled with anecdotes of Cooper's exploits with his many celebrity friends and acquaintances, from Frank Sinatra to Groucho Marx, Fred Astaire to Jack Benny, Salvador Dali to Peter Sellers. Many of Alice's colleagues from the rock music industry are here, including Paul McCartney, John Lennon, The Who, Elvis, Frank Zappa, Jim Morrison and Pink Floyd. Alice Cooper, Golf Monster is filled with lots of fascinating tales for readers to enjoy.

Alice writes about his relationship with his father, Ether Moroni Furnier, and the impact his dad has had upon his life. Although the elder Furnier was a minister, he always came out to the VIP Club on Friday nights to watch his son and his band play during their early days in Phoenix. Alice adds that while his father didn't condone his rocker lifestyle, he never had a problem with the music.

Cooper also writes about his conversion to Christianity, and he manages to do so in a manner that is quite interesting without being preachy. While he has talked openly about his faith over the years, he has also managed to avoid the trappings of "celebrity Christianity." Alice describes his walk with Christ as "an on-going, every-single-day kind of existence." Cooper recounts a conversation with his pastor during a time when Alice was struggling to reconcile his old image with his new faith. The minister told Cooper that while he lives in the world of "sex, drugs and rock n' roll," he was also a man who doesn't cheat on his wife, do drugs, or go to strip bars with the boys. The members of Alice's band, and his road crew see him reading his Bible and praying every night on his tour bus, and that quiet example speaks louder than any amount of preaching he could have done from the stage.

The book's title makes reference to Alice's new addiction, and the fact that he has replaced an unhealthy addiction (alcohol) with a healthy one (golf). Between the chapters of Cooper's life story are additional chapters laying out Alice's twelve steps to becoming a golf addict, for those who seriously want to dedicate themselves to the game. Cooper freely admits to having an addictive personality, and in addition to alcohol and golf, some of his other addictions have included horror movies, televisions (at one point, he had twenty-seven sets in his home), TV trivia, watches, shopping, and bad kung fu movies (he watches one before each show as part of his pre-concert ritual). The book's appendix is titled "Alice's Golf Clinic," in which Cooper offers golf tips for improving one's game.

Alice Cooper, Golf Monster is a thoroughly enjoyable read. This is the story of a man who has been to the pinnacle of his profession, conquered addiction and found redemption. I've been an Alice Cooper fan for many years, and I gladly recommend this book not only to other Alice fans, but also for golf enthusiasts.

As much of an Alice Cooper fan as I am, I am somewhat ashamed that it took me so long to read this book. Based on the title, I originally thought it was more of a golf book. Golf tidbits are intermixed with anecdotes of a life in rock'n'roll. So even those like myself that know almost nothing of the sport will still love this book.

In the history of rock, few figures are as misunderstood as Alice Cooper. Often the victim of baseless rumors during the 70's, he still became one of music's most successful acts. "Golf Monster" chronicles the music, booze, golf in a way that is certain to make readers smile. I never really thought Alice had so many friends in the entertainmnet business! My only real complaint is that I would have liked a longer book with more discussion of the music and tours. Some of my favorite albums were hardly discussed.

I also really enjoyed reading about the "new" Alice Cooper. He is more than enough proof that Christians do not need to be boring. And even in his act, he does not compromise his faith in his on-stage "character". As Alice says, if you believe he errors in his faith, show him. Fans of Alice are certain to love this book, even if they don't like golf.

I've been following the Coop ever since my tender ears beheld "School's Out" on the radio in '73. I think it's safe to say it pretty much changed my life. After reading "Golf Monster", I'm convinced that no one will ever know the true story of Alice Cooper. There have been two previous "authorized" attempts: 1) Michael Bruce's "No More Mr. Nice Guy", wherein the original Alice Cooper guitarist/songwriter gives his side of "the story", which is sometimes different from the Coop's and 2) Alice Cooper's own "Me, Alice" (1976), which gives the reader quite the earful about Alice and band's pre-fame exploits, some of them dealing with sex-in-coffins and things-to-do-with-jelly-donuts. "Golf Monster" does very little to clear up the discrepencies in the aforementioned books and actually throws a little more fuel on the fire. However, it does succeed (and this is what makes the book worth reading) most when it picks up where "Me, Alice" left off. That is to describe the trails and tribulations of Alice, post-"Welcome To My Nighmare". But it must be pointed out that the stories have, over time, become sanitized. The tone and feel of "Golf Monster" is nigh on G-rated. It is darn near Sunday night, have the family over, and read around the fire material.

And more curious, in what is either a brilliant or lose-rock-n-roll-credibility move, Alice has decided to throw golf and religion in to the mix.

So, reader, read at your own peril. This is Alice's "story" as he sees fit to tell in the year 2007. It is rumoured that original Alice Cooper bassist Dennis Dunnaway (a nice guy if ever there were one) is going to present his memoirs. Maybe that will set the record straight. Maybe...