Non-stop partying. Alcohol. Drugs. Pressure.
Legendary rock star Alice Cooper says the music industry is rife with stress that can trigger mental health issues, and he鈥檚 speaking out in hopes of encouraging others to join the conversation.
In an interview in Nashville, Tenn., Cooper spoke with CTV News about why he thinks it鈥檚 important to confront mental health rather than brush it aside.
鈥淚 really believe everybody has a certain amount of mental disability. I think we are born with certain phobias, certain things we are afraid to talk about,鈥� Cooper said.
The veteran shock rocker recalled his early years in music, a time he said he followed in the reckless footsteps of his fellow musicians.
鈥淚 was in generation where we looked at our big brothers. My big brothers were Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin. And they were already doing every drug in the world and drinking every day and living this lifestyle that was very appealing, especially for a Christian kid. And so I fell right into it,鈥� he said.
Cooper said he drank every day and, after a while, began taking drugs. It took him years to realize that he had a problem.
鈥淚 didn't realize that I was an alcoholic until I realized that the alcohol was not for fun anymore. It was medicine.鈥�
He turned things around by going into treatment and renewing his childhood roots in Christianity.
But mental health issues seep into his music. Cooper wrote 鈥淗ey Stoopid,鈥� a song about teen suicide, which includes the lyrics: 鈥淣o doubt you鈥檙e stressin鈥� out/That ain鈥檛 what rock n鈥� roll鈥檚 about/Get off that one way trip down lonely street.鈥�
鈥淭hat song in particular, I鈥檝e gotten so many emails: 鈥楾hat song saved my life,鈥欌�� he said.
Cooper said he also once had a quick brush with depression, which he called 鈥渉orrible.鈥�
鈥淎ll of a sudden for three days, I could not find a bright side to anything. I was just in this place and maybe it was God just saying I want you to know what depression is -- here,鈥� he said. 鈥淣ow when I hear people are clinically depressed I go, 鈥極h my gosh. I can't see how anybody can live with that.鈥欌��
It's given Cooper a deep appreciation of mental health. He has since opened a special program for troubled teens called
He is working in Nashville with long-time friend and collaborator Canadian producer Bob Ezrin, who
The two music legends say they鈥檝e heard from plenty of fans about how music made a difference in their lives.
鈥淲e get a ton of emails and letters that say, 鈥榊ou spoke for me. You expressed how I feel,鈥欌�� Ezrin said. 鈥淪o what we're trying to say here is don't wait for us. If you feel a certain way, talk about it. Express yourself.鈥�
With files from CTV National News medical specialist Avis Favaro and producer Elizabeth St. Philip
