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4 Extra Debut. From Bob Dylan to The Who. US rock singer Alice Cooper shares his castaway choices with Kirsty Young. From November 2010.

American rock musician Alice Cooper is castaway by Kirsty Young.

As a teenager he says it was British music that he tuned in to - listening to The Beatles, The Yardbirds and The Who.

He realised that while rock music had many heroes, there were few villains - that was the territory he marked out for himself. He developed his trademark look - blackened eyes, straggly hair and glamorous clothes - and set about designing live shows that were gleefully gory and macabre.

While critics have described him as 'the world's most beloved heavy metal entertainer', it took him a while to untangle himself from his creation.

"For a long time I honestly didn't know where I began and Alice ended. My friends at the time were Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and I was trying to keep up with them. And I realised when they all died that you didn't have to be your character off stage."

DISC ONE: The Yardbirds - Happenings Ten Years Time Ago
DISC TWO: The Beach Boys - I Get Around
DISC THREE: The Who - I'm a Boy
DISC FOUR: Laura Nyro - Timer
DISC FIVE: King Crimson - 21st Century Schizoid Man (incl. Mirrors)
DISC SIX: Jane鈥檚 Addiction - Been Caught Stealing
DISC SEVEN: The Paul Butterfield Blues Band - Work Song
DISC EIGHT: Bob Dylan - Ballad of a Thin Man

CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: The Paul Butterfield Blues Band - Work Song
BOOK CHOICE: Breakfast of Champions - Kurt Vonnegut
LUXURY CHOICE: An indoor golf driving range

Producer: Leanne Buckle

First broadcast on 91热爆 Radio 4 in November 2010.

45 minutes

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