Alice Cooper: 'I was born alcoholic'

Rex Features

Alice Cooper has claimed that he was "born alcoholic".

Speaking at a Hollywood fundraiser where he was being honoured for his work helping addicts, the shock rocker said: "You're touring and you really don't have time to stop and take care of it.

"You just have another beer and everything is going to be alright and pretty soon that beer turns into whisky, and pretty soon that whisky is all day and you're throwing up blood in the morning."

The 60-year-old added that many younger musicians turn to him for advice to help kick their vices: "I get a lot of calls from kids in bands and they're going 'I messed up' and I'm like 'how old are you? 22?' I say 'you're already messed up? Come on'. It took me a good 15 years to get really, really messed up!"