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But for fans of Alice Cooper's music and the man himself, this is definitely a must-read, for it offers unique insight into one of the most unique recording artists of the 20th century: there is a reason this man, a seeming bundle of contradictions, is still making good, relevant rock music. All of these stories are interspersed with his steps on playing golf and how he became a golf addict and a rather good and respected amateur player at that.At times, Cooper's narration can seem a little disjointed.
Known to be one of the most shocking entertainment acts in rock history, the Alice Cooper that readers meet within these pages is far from the image many may have of him. The title of this book, "Golf Monster: A Rock 'n' Roller's 12 Steps to Becoming a Golf Addict" can be a little misleading since Alice Cooper's book is not only about golf but also about his life in and out of the fast lane.
Alice has a lot of memories to share about his friendships with famous stars and his experience as a rock star traveling around the world. He is honest and straightforward, pulling no punches as he delves into the deepest nightmares of his past and the joy he has found with his healthy addiction to golf.Cooper begins his narration with a brief overview of how the game of golf saved his life when he was an alcoholic.
Cooper then begins his tale with his childhood in Detroit, his band's move to Los Angeles and their susequent return to Detroit before breaking into the big time. There seem to be a few recollections that get repeated or half-repeated, and some chapters are a little choppy.
Even if you are not a fan of the game, "Golf Monster" is a thoroughly enjoyable journey through Alice Cooper history, filled with his trademark humor and irony.
On a personal note, he talks about the toll constant recording and touring took on him, his alcoholism and what it took for him to finally get sober. His music might still be a bit much for me, but I thoroughly enjoyed listening to his book.Not being a fan begs the question: why did I decide to listen to his book. Back in my teens or 20s, (actually anytime before last year) I'd never have believed I would voluntarily listen to, much less enjoy, anything by Alice Cooper. When he is relating conversations with famous people, he does imitations of their voices for their ends of the conversations.My only complaint is that I wished this was an unabridged recording; I could definitely have listened to more. As he and the band became more famous, he met more famous entertainers. The listener feels as though he is sitting and telling you these stories.
I do enjoy golf, so when I saw his book, I decided to give it a chance. He talked about how golf helped him beat his alcohol addiction. I'm very glad I did.The book is more autobiography than golf book. He ties golf into various aspects of his life so there is a lot about golf but if you'd rather watch paint dry than hear or read about golf, most of the golf stuff is in concentrated parts you can skip. This is a review of the audio CD edition.I was not an Alice Cooper fan; if I thought of him at all, I was probably appalled. As a member of a struggling band in LA, he met Frank Zappa, Janice Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and others. As a golfer, he met musicians and comedians of the Rat Pack generation.
There is a fascinating story about his meeting with Elvis and his feelings about the sheltered life Elvis had to lead because of his fame. Salvadore Dali did an art work of him.The chapters on the band, how they got their name and look, the development of the albums and how they went from struggling to get gigs in bars and clubs to playing in stadiums is interesting even if you never liked their music. It is about Alice Cooper the person, Alice Cooper the crazy rocker and a bit about the music culture. I heard him on Letterman and he was funny. He talks about his faith simply and without being preachy.
The book starts with his childhood back in Detroit and continues to the present. Oh yeah, and about golf.Alice Cooper was born at the right time to have interacted with musical and cultural legends of the 60s, 70s and beyond. (This was a big shock to me -- wild Alice Cooper is a Christian.).Alice Cooper narrates the book himself and does an excellent job. I would definitely listen to it again.
My husband started reading this book as soon as it arrived and he loved it. I am a big Alice Cooper fan and we are both golfers too. A must have for any Alice fan and some really great golf tips and stories.
I was a casual fan of Alice's music back in the 1970s, but haven't kept up with him. Consider that Groucho Marx gave him a round bed, and that Alice in turn gave it to Paul McCartney. As a devoted golfer, however, I enjoyed the role the sport has played in his life. Alice has a lot of interesting stories to tell, and has met an amazing range of people. The book, however, isn't well-written. He could have done better with more accomplished writers, but he still manages to get his points across.
The jist. Being a huge golf fan and a pretty big Alice fan, I was excited to get this book. Overall this book was basically a autobiography and it seemed extremely self-indulgent. Alice is super rich, gets to golf every day, most likely better than you and if you want to join him on the course you better bring your checkbook. I threw my copy in the trash.
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