Shock rocker Alice Cooper spoke recently about the effects the coronavirus has had on the music world's live production machine, revealing that he and his team "set money aside" for their road crew who have been sidelined by the closure of venues and the cancelation of tours.
Listen to your favorite music now on Audacy and check out our all-new exclusive stations curated for fans, by fans like Arena Rock, Masters Of Metal, and more!
In a recent interview, Cooper says he is hoping that other “responsible” bands did the same as the industry is still reeling from the emergence of new variants and soft lockdowns.
“When we saw this coming, we put money aside for our crew,” Cooper tells Forbes. “We could see that it was… something. So we put money aside as a backup for them. Because we knew that their unemployment would run out, you know? And then they’d have something to go to. I think all responsible bands did that. Hopefully.” Alice adds, “these are people we live with. We work with them every day. The guys that run the stage are as important as the guys that play guitar. So we made sure that everybody was covered. And that was really important. Hey, we thought this thing was gonna last a month! 18 months?! Unreal.”
And just like the rest of the world, Cooper has found the entire experience “absolutely unusual,” explaining, “I’ve been touring for 55 years. And we usually average 100 to 200 shows a year... We’re so used to being on stage that 18 months off was like insane!”
The band has since returned to their rehearsal schedule and are feeling "giddy" to have shows lined up for the new year. "We didn’t know if there was going to be an end to this! Maybe it was all over? Now people are out doing shows again – it’s back to the grind," Cooper says. "And we love the grind!”
Related
While you're in a headbanging mood -- take a look and favorite some of Audacy's all-new exclusive Rock stations like Masters Of Metal, Don't Metal In My Affairs, Venom, Arena Rock, Wake Up and Rock, and The Roots of Rock for those who crave the early days.
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow Audacy
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram