• Who I Really Am: Diary of a Vampire

  • Words + Music | Vol. 22
  • By: Alice Cooper
  • Narrated by: Alice Cooper
  • Length: 2 hrs and 9 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (3,814 ratings)
Who I Really Am: Diary of a Vampire  By  cover art

Who I Really Am: Diary of a Vampire

By: Alice Cooper
Narrated by: Alice Cooper

Publisher's Summary

Rock and roll in the BC (Before Cooper) era was a tamer, milder world. In Who I Really Am, Cooper’s latest addition to Audible’s Words + Music series, we learn how the boa-wearing (not the feathered kind) maestro arrived at a show and sound - let’s call it AC for After Cooper - that has entertained millions of kids while terrifying parents in equal measure. Cooper drew inspiration from Saturday matinee horror movies, applied a "no such thing as too much" attitude, and hitched it to a kick-ass rock and roll band. The shows were incredible, but the offstage antics might have been even more entertaining. Cooper generously shares you-had-to-be-there tales of the band’s early days in Hollywood and mythic all-nighters with rock’s premier luminaries. Also included are new recordings of the hits “I'm Eighteen”, “School’s Out”, and “Poison". Not many artists can claim credit for creating an entire style or genre. Don’t miss the chance to hear a consummate showman reveal that storytelling might be his greatest talent of all.  

Photo credit: Jenny Risher 

©2021 Alice Cooper (P)2021 Audible Originals, LLC.

About the Creator and Performer

One of rock’s true originals, Alice Cooper pioneered a grandly theatrical brand of rock. Shocking by design, Cooper drew from horror movies, vaudeville, and garage rock, creating a stage show that featured electric chairs, guillotines, fake blood, and boa constrictors.
The Alice Cooper band formed in Phoenix, Arizona and got their first break in 1969 when they were signed by Frank Zappa. Their breakthrough third album, Love It to Death, hit the charts in 1971, followed by Killer, School’s Out, Billion Dollar Babies, and vMuscle of Love*.
Cooper released his first solo album, Welcome to My Nightmare, in 1975, and by the late 1970s enjoyed a succession of hit singles including "You and Me" and "I Never Cry."
As he heads out on another tour while already working on yet another new album, Cooper shows no signs of slowing down.
Photographed by Jenny Risher

What listeners say about Who I Really Am: Diary of a Vampire

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    3,117
  • 4 Stars
    524
  • 3 Stars
    141
  • 2 Stars
    25
  • 1 Stars
    7
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    3,104
  • 4 Stars
    322
  • 3 Stars
    76
  • 2 Stars
    17
  • 1 Stars
    6
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,873
  • 4 Stars
    453
  • 3 Stars
    142
  • 2 Stars
    20
  • 1 Stars
    14

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wow!

Honest Alice, I love how down to earth this guy is. Also how he is the most unlikely witness for Christ.

28 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

One of the best in the Words + Music series

Alice Cooper has always been one of the most thoughtful and expressive shock rockers. He pioneered the vaudevillian stage show of rock music and, importantly, he always knew who he was and who he wasn't. What a treat to hear him in the Words + Music series telling about his trip in his own words. I never tire of his interviews and this format elevates him ever more.

Highly recommended for fans of Alice Cooper and fans of later the acts which stood on his shoulders.

24 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant and Entertaining

Absolutely loved listening to Alice Cooper recount highlights of his life and career. Acoustic sets in between chapters were awesome. I can't wait to have my teenager listen to this bio.

17 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Entertaining and interesting story!

Alice is a great story teller and although I am not a super fan of his genre of music, I am a huge fan of his work in our local community in Phoenix. He provides a community center for local kids right down the street from my house. That is what interested me in his story but it was truly funny and interesting. Well done! Thank you for The Rock community center as well.

12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • S
  • 10-10-21

Must set aside 2 hours of zero interruption!

Thank you, Mr. Cooper! What breath of fresh air.
This one will grab your attention from the start and put you on a 2 hour Alice Cooper Legend Train ride. It’s been a while since I heard anything this good.

Enjoy!

11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Awesome!

Alice, always a true showman! What a great glimpse into the wonder filled life of an amazing musician! Love it!

10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved it!

I love to listen to audio biographies of musicians I grew up listening to. I was not disappointed at all. I was amazed at the number of other talented people/musicians he interacted with. To me it was freaking awesome. Loved the music versions he played. I only wish it had been longer than 2hrs.

7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Awesome

Couldn’t wait the next morning to finish it . I loved it!! Especially the ending…….Jesus Christ…..rocks !!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

great

the stories are awsome his life amazing happy everything worked out god bless awsome

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Alice has rabies

Very entertaining ! Makes me want to go see a Convert of his. It’s more snippets of his life than the traditional linear storyline , but it’s very enjoyable

4 people found this helpful

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Mr. Anthony D. Bateman
  • Mr. Anthony D. Bateman
  • 10-10-21

lifelong fan

I love him, I've been a fan since "I'm 18," I'm 62 so about 50yrs, I've countless albums my favourite is from the inside then welcome to my nightmare, I've seen him onstage only twice, but most importantly over the past 11yrs his Christianity, and Cheryls ( my eldest daughters name) along with thier positivity has greatly helped me through illness and depression my own demons, I too have grandchildren and they are my other guiding light, ty Alice ❤

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for GJ L
  • GJ L
  • 12-09-21

Too short!

Loved it but just wish it was longer! A thoroughly sound person who, I think, takes none of it for granted

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for papapownall
  • papapownall
  • 11-11-21

Love it to death

This short summary of Alice Cooper's life and career makes for fantastic listening, particularly as it is narrated by Alice himself and there is a pared down version of some of his classic songs between each chapter. The Alice Cooper story has been told many times before, and what a story it is from the garage rock days of Detroit to Laurel Canyon and being discovered by Frank Zappa, followed by global stardom and then rock and roll excesses leading to addiction and breakdown. Many artists would be washed up at this point but Alice Cooper has re-invented himself again and again becoming an eighties hair metal king and now a classic artist who, in between playing golf, still does global stadium tours to millions of adoring fans. How has he managed to stay at the top for so long? In the words of Alice himself "you better tell me tell me it's really up to you, have you got the time to find out who I really am ah ah ooh" (It's My Body, Love it to Death 1971). I really hope that one day he does an extended version of this book, but then again he always leaves his fans wanting more and that may well be the secret of his success.

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Duncan Oates
  • Duncan Oates
  • 05-15-22

Alice Cooper Fans Will Love It!

Really enjoyable, glad I listened to this, Alice is a true star and very gratefull that he shared a bit about some of his life with us.

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Keggsy
  • Keggsy
  • 01-27-22

Billion Dollar Freebie

Great reading from Vinnie, as though he was just talking and not reading from a book. Naturally charismatic.
Short running time was a surprise, but it made things more concise.
Great trip through his career with awesome stripped back versions of some of his songs - it gave 'Eighteen' a new angle.
And ... it is free!!
What more could you want??

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for CarDiaC
  • CarDiaC
  • 01-23-22

WOW!!!

I have heard about Alice Cooper for a long while I even have one of his albums
(Welcome To My Nightmare) and I am in my late 60s
So I decided that I would give this short Audio-book a listen and WOW!!
If you never listen to another Audio-book again listen to this one

Narrated by Alice it is a wealth of stories and a behind the scenes look at his life
and career along with some music
you will find that Alice is not the person that you thought he was he is charming witty
and a really nice guy

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this Audio-book
and if you only have a passing interest in the name of Alice Cooper
you should listen to this book its very entertaining from the first word to the last
my only criticism is that it is far too short

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for XXXXXX
  • XXXXXX
  • 01-19-22

Only half of the story..

Great but it finishes at sobriety and misses his most successful commercial period. Will need a part 2!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Mr A Goodall
  • Mr A Goodall
  • 01-19-22

This is fabulous pure Alice fun

I really love listening to Alice Cooper reminisce, his wit and charm ooze through every anecdote.

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Waywardsister22
  • Waywardsister22
  • 01-05-22

Fabulous

To hear it in his own words is amazing. I wish Lemmy had done the same. I really enjoyed the music and Alice singing without the backing band. The rawness only adds to the music and, I never thought I'd say this, but improves it. The words become sharper, clearer and more meaningful. It's a shame there isn't an album with all the hits performed in that way.

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for les bell
  • les bell
  • 12-22-21

A lot less than I hoped for.

This isn't a bad book but it's not fantastic either. On the up side Alice himself reads it and he does a fine job.
My main problem with it is that surprisingly it's rather bland and seems to struggle to get to the "meat" of anything.

It has some nice accousticy versions of Cooper classics thrown in but if its gritty fly on the wall storytelling you're after I'm afraid you should look elsewhere.

To sum up, entertaining to a point but painfully shallow. If music biogs is your thing it'll keep you ticking over until your next credit kicks in. If I had paid for this listen I would be very disappointed.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Ashlee
  • Ashlee
  • 10-25-21

love it

such a great artist and story teller. totally enjoyed every minute of this story :)

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Amazon Customer
  • Amazon Customer
  • 01-12-22

So entertaining

Loved listening to Alice just talk. So entertaining and who is Alice really - well you’ll have to listen to him talk

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Anonymous User
  • Anonymous User
  • 12-08-21

love it

as a long time Alice Cooper fan I loved it. great story. from the inside!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Anonymous User
  • Anonymous User
  • 11-28-21

facinating and entertaining

really enjoyed hearing this in his own words with his own voice. brings a real richness to the book. facinating learning about him on and off stage.

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Anonymous User
  • Anonymous User
  • 11-18-21

loved it

loved this. open. honest. entertaining. highly recommended this. why do I have to write more

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Anonymous User
  • Anonymous User
  • 11-18-21

hey stoopid

not a massive alice cooper fan but welcome to my nightmare an all time favourite.

good to hear about the beginnings of alice and the inspiration around his music

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Martin Castilla
  • Martin Castilla
  • 11-08-21

Short, fast paced and interesting.

I learned much about 'Alice Cooper' the band and the man himself.
It's a short yet fascinating story about being different, making a difference, standing out and promoting your product, The main product of course was himself, a gothic, vampish character fronting a loud, raucous rock band of excellent musos.
There's much name dropping and Green Room stories, for those of us who enjoy that sort of thing.
Although it ended as quick as it started, I liked the book nevertheless,

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Anonymous User
  • Anonymous User
  • 11-05-21

short sweet and entertaining. perfect for a roady

Perfect for a road trip. entertaining and engaging. well worth a listen. Interesting tales!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for John Cougar
  • John Cougar
  • 11-03-21

Fantastic, Alice. Thank you.

Brilliant narrative sense of intelligent humour that can only be but one, Mr Cooper. This one will get more spins, I guarantee it. LOVE the music!