Alice Cooper reflects on past drug addiction and memory loss

Rock musician Alice Cooper has shared details regarding his severe crack cocaine addiction during the early 1980s. During a book tour for his autobiography, ‘Devil On My Shoulder’, the 78-year-old musician spoke at the Pavilion Theatre in Glasgow about the lasting impact of his substance abuse.

Cooper described the period as a time of intense euphoria coupled with a total breakdown of his daily life. He noted that he has only fragmentary memories of writing, recording, and touring for three specific albums: ‘Special Forces’ (1981), ‘Zipper Catches Skin’ (1982), and ‘DaDa’ (1983), which he refers to as his “blackout albums.”

Reflecting on his recovery, Cooper stated that he has remained sober from alcohol and drugs for 43 years. He noted that while the addiction was a frightening time, the experience provided him with personal insights that allow him to speak authentically to younger generations about the realities of substance abuse.