Gary Andrews

It’s rare these days that I stumble across a programme that utterly captivates me for an hour, just through flicking through the channels, but Mark Lawson’s conversation with Alice Cooper on BBC Four was a fantastic watch, even if it just consisted mostly of Cooper and Lawson in chairs for 60 minutes.

I’m not hugely familiar or necessarily a massive fan of Alice Cooper’s music, but it struck me how unusual it is for a musician to have not just a self awareness of his hits but also a joy for still playing them. “I’m a music fan,” he said, “And when I go to a gig, I want to hear the classics too.”

Yes, no experimental jazz versions. No reluctant musician resenting wheeling out the songs they’re best known for. Listening to Cooper deconstruct School’s Out – “You only get one chance to create an anthem, and this was ours” – was fascinating.

The interview touched on a number of other topics, including his near-death experiences, his willingness to fight in Vietnam and the tongue-in-cheek humour in his performances and songs.

Given the outcry over Alice Cooper and the band’s performances at the height of their fame, there’s a delicious irony (that you sense he appreciates) that the once-demonised singer is witty, humble, intelligent and an all-round nice guy, and a Christian as well.

It’s a wonderful interview and a simple, brilliant piece of programming. BBC Four throws up some wonderfully fascinating programmes at times – and, rarely, one that actually makes me want to sit and write about it.

It’s available on the iPlayer until Monday, 28 November.

written by Gary \\ tags: Alice Cooper, BBC Four, Mark lawson