Alice Cooper thought he would be retired at 30.
The ‘School’s Out’ rocker is on the road again with Rob Zombie on their ‘Freaks on Parade’ tour and is astonished that his career has gone on for as long as it has.
Asked if he is surprised by his longevity, Alice told the Metro newspaper’s Sixty Seconds column: “You can ask Mick Jagger that too, and Keith Richards! We never thought we would even reach the age of 30. That was the age we all thought we would retire.
“I had no idea that 46 years later I would still be doing this and still having fun. It’s amazing my energy level has maintained. I can’t explain it except for the fact that I got sober 41 years ago.”
The 76-year-old musician is known for his horror-themed theatrics during his performances and credits the long-distance running he did during his college days for allowing him to maintain his fitness.
Alice said: “When I was a kid in college, I was a 3,000m runner and I think that has a lot to do with my longevity.
“I’ve always stayed slim, I never got overweight. I can still wear clothes that I wore in high school. I don’t really have to watch my diet, I just don’t eat very much.”
The ‘Godfather of Shock Rock’ explained that he has no intention of calling time on a career that has spanned more than 60 years any time soon.
Alice explained: “I’ve always said I’ll retire when I physically can’t do it anymore, or when the audience doesn’t show up. That right there tells you you’re done if nobody is showing up.
“We’ve sold out every show, pretty much. Why would you retire from something that you love doing? I genuinely still get off on it.”