In a candid conversation on The SDR Show, rock legend Alice Cooper opened up about his first encounter with drugs and one of his most harrowing drug experiences. The singer, currently promoting his album Detroit Stories, took a trip down memory lane, recounting moments that range from surreal to downright chilling.
First Encounter: A Joint with Jimi Hendrix
When asked about his first-ever drug experience, Alice Cooper revealed an unforgettable story involving none other than guitar icon Jimi Hendrix.
“Weed was the first drug,” Cooper began. “And it was with Jimi Hendrix. I was sitting there after the show; I went to see them. We were just a little high school band at the time. But they said, ‘Hey, come on up to the hotel room.’”
Cooper recalled sitting on Hendrix’s bed with a group of people when the legendary guitarist passed him a joint. “Jimi goes, ‘Here, man,’” Cooper recounted. “And I went, ‘OK.’” The surreal experience didn’t end there.
“He puts a quarter in the bed—you know, the vibrating bed. There were, like, eight people sitting on it. And he goes, ‘We’re on a spaceship.’ And I went, ‘OK…’” Cooper chuckled at the memory, a moment that encapsulated the free-spirited and experimental ethos of the late ‘60s.
The Worst Drug Experience: A Near-Nightmare in Detroit
Switching gears, Cooper recounted a darker episode during his time in Detroit, which involved crystal THC.
“It was Detroit, and I think it was crystal THC,” he said. “It was, like, four in the morning. I regained consciousness, and I thought it was a Jim Jones thing.” The reference to cult leader Jim Jones underscores just how disorienting and frightening the experience was.
Cooper described walking out into the freezing Detroit winter in nothing but a shirt, desperate to clear his mind. “It was about 20 degrees below outside. I just walked out to wake up. When I came back in, everybody was just kind of coming to.”
The surreal atmosphere felt almost cinematic. “It was weird—it was like a [Federico] Fellini thing. It was so strange that I really did believe that everybody was dead, and I was the only one who survived.”
A New Chapter with Detroit Stories
Now a legendary figure in rock history, Cooper has long since distanced himself from the chaos of his earlier years. His new album, Detroit Stories, pays homage to the city that shaped his sound and career. The record is available now on Amazon and serves as a testament to Cooper’s enduring legacy in the rock world.
For fans eager to dive into more stories and music, Cooper remains a prolific and compelling figure, both on and off the stage.
