Alice Cooper discussed the similarities between his hit song ‘No More Mr. Nice Guy’ and The Who’s music in an interview with Guitar Player.
“Roger [Daltrey] said, ‘That song [‘No More Mr. Nice Guy’] just felt so easy and natural to sing,'” Cooper recalled. “And I said, ‘Well, it should. It’s ‘Substitute!’ [the Who’s 1966 U.K. hit single].”
“And Roger went, ‘Oh yeah, that’s why it feels so natural,'” Cooper continued. “I never realized how close it was to ‘Substitute’ before. It just has that same exact feel. When you listen to the Who, most of their stuff was pop songs — hard pop, not your normal pop songs, but still pop.”
The conversation occurred during the recording sessions for ‘Humanary Stew: A Tribute to Alice Cooper.’ Cooper acknowledged that his song drew inspiration from The Who’s 1966 U.K. hit single.
This revelation further illuminates Cooper’s long-standing connection with The Who’s musical legacy.
The Who emerged as one of Cooper’s primary influences, as noted by ABC News. Pete Townshend’s rebellious songwriting and the band’s mid-1960s mod-rock energy particularly shaped Cooper’s musical direction.
‘No More Mr. Nice Guy’ was released in 1973 on the ‘Billion Dollar Babies’ album. The track became one of Cooper’s signature songs, reaching #25 on the Billboard Hot 100, as documented by Antimusic. It has maintained its status as a classic rock radio staple.
Gramophone highlighted Cooper’s ongoing tribute to The Who throughout his career. He performed ‘I’m a Boy’ at Carnegie Hall in 1994. He later incorporated ‘My Generation’ into his 2000 Brutal Planet tour.
The success of ‘No More Mr. Nice Guy’ established Cooper as a pioneer in shock-rock. His innovative blend of theatricality and hard rock music influenced numerous future artists in the genre.
