Suzi Quatro recently shared a memorable story about her friendship with Alice Cooper. She revealed an amusing incident from their 1975 tour together in an interview with Louder Sound.
The rock legend recounted how a playful dart-gun fight during the Welcome To My Nightmare tour led to her accidentally shooting Cooper in the face with a rubber dart.
“I was friends with so many acts from Michigan – MC5, Amboy Dukes, Grand Funk Railroad – and I’ve known Alice for years and we always had a connection,” Quatro said. “I supported him on the Welcome To My Nightmare tour in 1975, eighty-five dates. We called him Vinnie The Boss. We were on a turboprop and making at least one flight a day, if not two.”
“Back then I was a terrible flyer, so it was white-knuckle time. But it was wonderful because there was a lot of Detroit people around, musicians whom I’d known forever. A lot of blackjack was played,” she continued.
The incident occurred during a hotel dart-gun fight before a show. Tour life had taken on a playful but competitive edge.
“On a big tour like this you get a little crazy. In one hotel we decided to have a rubber dart-gun fight before a show. We hid behind mattresses in the hallway, and it got serious, dark… Who was going to win?” Quatro explained.
“Alice hid in a room. Then I saw his rather large nose poking out from behind a television set, and I went [mimes shooting a pistol] ‘boink!’ I didn’t break it, but it was pretty close. His first words were: ‘Ouch!’ and then ‘Good shot!’ That night, on stage he wore my tour T-shirt out of respect.”
This playful incident took place during one of the most significant tours in Alice Cooper’s solo career. The tour marked a pivotal moment in rock history.
Steve Hunter’s official website documented that the Welcome To My Nightmare Tour began on March 21, 1975, at Wings Stadium in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The tour continued across the US and Canada through July before moving to Europe in August and ending on September 17, 1975, in Antwerp, Belgium. The tour featured elaborate theatrical elements including a “creep show” with characters such as Ethyl, Bat Woman, and Voodoo Man, supporting Alice Cooper’s solo album of the same name.
Quatro’s role as opening act was substantial throughout the tour. SickthingsUK documented that she opened on multiple significant dates, including March 29 in Erie, PA; April 1 in Chicago; May 2 in Toronto; May 3 in Ottawa; May 26 in Atlanta; and May 31 in Oklahoma City. This extensive collaboration highlighted the tour’s large-scale production. The production featured a setlist including hits like “Welcome to My Nightmare,” “No More Mr. Nice Guy,” “I’m Eighteen,” “Only Women Bleed,” and “Billion Dollar Babies.”
The tour’s cultural impact was significant. It coincided with strong chart performance that boosted its reach. Tour documentation showed that “Only Women Bleed” reached #12 on Billboard by mid-1975. The album Welcome To My Nightmare hit #10, demonstrating the commercial success that accompanied the theatrical spectacle.
However, the tour’s shocking content also generated controversy. Steve Hunter’s documentation revealed that the tour faced a government ban in Australia and New Zealand in 1975 due to concerns over its shocking content. This controversy delayed Alice Cooper’s visit to those countries until March-April 1977. This controversy only added to the tour’s legendary status and highlighted the boundary-pushing nature of Cooper’s theatrical rock performances.
The story highlights the camaraderie and playful spirit that existed between rock musicians during this legendary tour. It shows how even accidental mishaps could become cherished memories between friends in the rock world.
