Alice Cooper (seen here performing in Milwaukee in 2013) returns to town tonight for "Spend the Night with Alice Cooper." (Photo: David Bernacchi)

Published Oct. 6, 2016 at 6:06 p.m.

As a perfect kickoff to the Halloween month, legendary rocker Alice Cooper is bringing his grandly outrageous brand of performance to the Milwaukee (or "Mill-e-wah-que") Theatre stage on Thursday night.

Before then, Steve Palec got to chat with Cooper today on his WKLH radio show. Here is a transcript of their conversation, chatting about Cooper's biggest hits, hitting the links, the friendly and unfriendly competition among rock stars in the early days, working with Gene Wilder and 'tis the season politics.

Steve Palec: I know that you come to Milwaukee often, but the pressing question is: When youre here, does that mean you head north to Whistling Straits or Blackwolf Run, or are you going west to Erin Hills?

Alice Cooper: I dont know if were gonna have time to do that; I think its only one show there in Milwaukee. It might be Bluemound.

Nothing wrong with that!

Thats a good country club, yeah.

One thing I have always wanted to ask you: "Billion Dollar Babies" was an album that I wore out including the cover; I wore out that wallet. I listened to it over and over. It was my very first concert. It was seminal. There was not a wasted second on that album. I could go on and on and on, but Id like to know how it fits into your mythology. How do you feel about that album today, decades later?

That was our first No. 1 album. "Schools Out" was No. 1 in England, and "Schools Out" was No. 2 in the United States, but "Billion Dollar Babies" was No. 1.

So would you say it was life-altering?

Yeah, it was, because we never ever thought we would have a No. 1. It was one of those perfect times; it was the right sound, the right band, at the right time. Bob Ezrin, who produced us, would never let us put a filler on an album. In other words, every song that goes on an album, as far as he was concerned, had to be a song that looked like a gem. Every album weve ever done with Bob, hes very, very particular so are we about everyth

Published Nov. 20, 2015 at 6:06 p.m.

I just heard U2s "Pride (In the Name of Love)," the band's 1984 song about the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Whenever I hear the lyrics ...

Early morning, April fourShot rings out in the Memphis skyFree at last, they took your lifeThey could not take your pride

I cant help but remember that April 4 in 1968.

When I was a kid growing up on the Northwest Side of Milwaukee, whenever I had a little extra spending money beyond my consistent forays to buy candy or baseball cards, I couldnt wait to get Downtown. And it seemed that aside from unloading my snow shoveling income for a pair of Bucks tickets in the winter, the only time I was flush with cash was right after my birthday on April 3rd. Those trips were also pretty consistent.

With my $10 or $15 secured deep within my off brand jeans, I would with semi-full knowledge of my parents take the #64 bus east on Capitol Drive, remaining diligent on the lookout for Fond du Lac Avenue where I knew I would have to transfer. There were probably times I was so nervous about losing my transfer ticket that I ran the risk of rubbing off the ink.

Sometimes with a friend or occasionally with my younger brother (not my neighbor Gino Salomone; his parents wouldnt let him go with me), we would wait for that next bus in a manner unfathomable to the current existence of a ride within minutes available to todays adolescents with a phone and Uber app.

I had very little comprehension of where Downtown started and ended, but I sure knew Wisconsin Avenue was what to look for. I pretty much knew it by seeing statutes of old guys on horses. Same statues I probably drive by a hundred times a week now without even noticing.

First stop was always The Moon Fun Shop, where I risked spending all my money on the necessities that only they had such as fake cigarettes, tricks, counter-culture items such as political pins and other harmless clutter. I loved that place.

Next, we would usually wander

Published May 5, 2014 at 3:39 p.m.

Can I run something by you guys?

I am well aware that I have faults, enemies, shortcomings, sins and I get very excited when I eat and forget to chew. As a quasi-media member, the general public has a right to remind me of those issues and I can take it But please do not ever question my patriotism I grew up happily pledging allegiance to the flag.

Ive traveled the world and have no doubt that the United States of America is the best country on earth. I pay my taxes (although I do usually file an extension). I love the USA. And I always stand and remove my hat for the national anthem. Always. And if I am not holding both a beer and hot dog, I will often put my hand on my heart, as well.

Now, a couple of my other faults include being passive-aggressive, as well as vindictive. So while at a sporting event I will tend to get more frustrated than vocal when I see people oblivious to the disrespect they show by not standing for the anthem. I might glare and imagine tripping them later, but its not my nature to say anything. I can cut a little more slack to those standing but still wearing hats.

Maybe they just don't remember they have it on or I have mistaken their headwear for their actual hair, But again, I am not the guy that will yell out "Hey Rob Ford, what the hell is wrong with you, put the crack pipe down and stand up?" (By the way, Rob Ford gets a pass if it is a Blue Jays game.)

Watching the Brewers on TV the other day I saw a guy standing next to the woman singing "God Bless America" (more on that later) with his hat on while eating french fries. Really?

If it is the national anthem, you SHOULD stand up. You of course live in the USA. In Cuba or some Soviet remnant country like Cubeskestan, you risk being taken away and disappearing for a lot less. Of course, you do have freedom here and you can in fact make the conscious choice to remain seating. And if it is a conscious protest, then I will respect that.

But, you also have the choice to walk around

Published Jan. 2, 2014 at 2:16 p.m.

No one on their deathbed ever said, "I regret all the time I spent watching TV."

While I have a lot of divergent interests including commercial real estate, radio, sports, music, family, food, working out and drinking with Andy Tarnoff I undoubtedly spend more time watching TV than any other activity in my life.

So as the calendar changes to another year, I found myself reflecting on the past year of my TV viewing.

I just accidentally watched "The Blacklist." James Spader is awesome and does what most of us can't: wear a fedora.

I always cringe when HBO series have their season finales. "Veep," "Eastbound & Down," "Real Time with Bill Maher," "The Newsroom," "True Blood" and especially you Nucky. It doesn't get much better than "Boardwalk Empire."

I am glad I am not exclusive to HBO. I really like "Nurse Jackie," and "Masters of Sex" might just be my new favorite show.

The hardest thing I do every morning is get out of bed. I couldn't do it without Susan and Nicole and Marianne and Sally and Kim and Jessica and Caitlin.

"NCIS" is a guilty pleasure. And no, I am not yet retired.

I have been enjoying "Packers Live with Larry McCarren." It's sincere (is that finger thing a special effect?). Plus, I have memorized and sing along with their two great songs, "Chalk Talk" and "In The Huddle."

I also enjoy "Brewers Live" after games hoping to see if Davey Nelson says something Shakespearean.

Ron Swanson makes "Parks and Rec" worthy of whatThursdayTV used to be. Meanwhile,I don't know why "Whitney" got cancelled instead of Cummings' other show, "Two Broke Girls." I can watch it, but I don't listen to what they say.

I admit to still watching "Two and a Half Men," and I also watch "Anger Management." I watch and like "Mike & Molly," and"The Mindy Project" is just plan good.There's something about Mindy.

Recently binge-watched "Scandal" on demand. I get it. It's good. So is On Demand.

I go back and forth between "The Daily Show" and Colbert

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Today is the day I go vegan for good - OnMilwaukee.com