Teetotal Alice Cooper Reveals the Stash of Drugs He Still Carries on Tour — As He Insists Wildman Pal Johnny Depp Is Now Living a Totally Sober Life
Jan. 31 2025, Published 6:30 p.m. ET
Alice Cooper has disclosed the surprising "drugs" he's stocking backstage nowadays.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the "Godfather of Shock Rock" has fully embraced a sober lifestyle, joking how "rockstar drugs are now at Walgreens" after launching an alcohol-free cocktail to align with his motto: "You don’t have to be drunk to be punk."
The 76-year-old, along with all his fellow Hollywood Vampires rockers – including Johnny Depp, Joe Perry, and Tommy Henriksen – are all living an alcohol-free life.
Speaking about the Pirates of the Caribbean star, who plays guitar in the band, Cooper said: "We’re all sober and he's sitting there and he has an alcohol-free Heineken. And he's vaping.
"So he's got phony cigarettes and phony alcohol, and I told him he was gonna have a phony heart attack."
While being a rocker in the '70s meant having an "eternal party" in the green room at every show, Cooper joked how different things have looked for him over the past few decades.
These days, he joked "the drugs backstage are still there — except they're Bengay, Advil, Tylenol. All the rockstar drugs are now at Walgreens."
The School's Out singer, who has been sober for 42 years, further opened up about his former years of drinking and the reasoning behind his decision to launch an spirit-free version of an Old Fashioned.
He told the outlet: "When I used to drink, my drink was whiskey and Coca-Cola. I used to be the Dean Martin of rock 'n' roll. There was always a drink in my hand."
The drink, a creation born from a partnership with WhistlePig, is called the Sex, Drugs, Rock & Dry Cocktail.
It's a maple old fashioned without the booze, bundled with a rye-infused vinyl of Cooper’s Breadcrumbs album. All proceeds go to Giving Kitchen, which supports food service workers in need.
Cooper said he "liked the idea of actually outwitting whiskey, because it had a hold on me for quite a long time," noting how "the idea of outwitting it and laughing in its face" drew him in.
The rocker further recalled how when he was first getting sober, friends who could "socially drink" would avoid alcohol around him.
He explained: "I went, 'Guys, it's different with you. You guys can have a drink, two drinks, and then leave it.
"When I was drinking, I had to have another one and another one and another one and another one.’ If you're in my situation, I can't have any alcohol."
Cooper said he now has "absolutely no desire to ever put alcohol in his mouth again, or any drug."
Also, staying sober hasn't softened his rockstar edge, as he noted rock 'n' roll is more about "attitude" than being drunk or high.
He added: "I've never once had anybody come up to me and go, "Wow, what a wimp.'"
Cooper further reflected on how things have changed since the '70s when substance use was a given in the industry, adding bands like the Rolling Stones and himself wouldn’t have lasted if they had continued those habits.
The singer kicks off his Too Close for Comfort world tour on January 31.