Rock N' Real (Estate): Alice Cooper's Drummer on the Beat

“I think it’s safe to say that I’m Connecticut’s only Realtor that’s also a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee,” quips Neal Smith, drummer and founding member of the Alice Cooper Band, the iconic theatrical rock group of the late 60’s and 70’s.   The rock star turned residential real estate agent will be formally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the 26th annual ceremony held at New York City’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on March 14.

“I’m excited for the fans rather than myself,” says Smith, who sells real estate in Westport and used to live there. “I’m happy that the whole band is being honored, not just one member, and we were inducted on our first nomination. A lot of bands are nominated, but to be inducted on your first nomination is an honor.  It’s pretty exclusive club, Jimi Hendrix, the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, Elvis - it’s a who’s who of rock and roll.  It’s pretty cool.”

Ironically, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is located in Cleveland, Ohio, roughly 30 miles from Smith’s childhood home in Akron. It was in Akron that he developed both his love of music and acquired his drumming skills.  At 16, Smith relocated to Phoenix, Arizona, and met Vincent Furnier (aka, Alice Cooper), lead guitarist Glen Buxton, rhythm guitarist Michael Bruce, and bass player Dennis Dunaway while attending art school.  In 1968 the band moved to Los Angeles to pursue their dream of rock and roll stardom.

Smith says they were living in Topanga Canyon and “practically starving” when Frank Zappa took notice of the band and signed them to a three record deal. The first two albums did not achieve much commercial success, but their 1971 hit, "I'm Eighteen" was followed in 1972 by the even bigger single, "School's Out" changed both their lives and the trajectory of music forever. The band reached their commercial peak with the transatlantic#1 album "Billion Dollar Babies" in 1973. 

The Alice Cooper band was known as much for their shocking on-stage theatrics as their music. “When we had a successful album,” explains Smith, “we wanted to throw it back.  We had a bad attitude – which is good for rock n’ roll. If another band had long hair – we had longer hair. We wanted to look more outrageous than anyone out there.  We were really pushing the limits with our image.  I loved it.”

Pushing the limits may be an understatement. The Alice Cooper band was one of the first popular groups to use extreme props such as electric chairs, fake blood, gender-bending costumes. Even Smith’s pet snake, Kachina, was used to shock fans.  However, they are arguably one of the most successful rock bands of all time, selling more than 25 million records, performing to sold-out crowds around the globe, and inspiring bands like KISS, Ozzy Osbourne and Marilyn Manson.

“We were living the life.  It was a lot of work, but I refer to it as an endless party,” says Smith of life as a rock star.  “There were never any bad feelings or animosity among the band members.  We were five people who were so different, yet very creative, there were always ideas flying around. “

The band split up in 1974, and Smith and two of his Alice Cooper band mates went on to form another band, Billion Dollar Babies, after their hit album of the same name.  They moved to the East Coast to be closer to their managers in New York City.   

“We had wanted to move to Westchester, but our management suggested that we move to Connecticut for tax purposes,” says Smith. 

The move provided a new career path for Smith. In the 1980’s, while living in Weston, Smith took an interest in real estate and pursued his real estate license.

“I got into the real estate business in the mid-80s.  We had made some investments in real estate, both individually and as a band, and I became interested in it. I started selling in Westport because it was the area that I was the most familiar with and that’s a key ingredient in selling real estate.”  Smith explains. 

Smith has lived in Westport, Weston, Wilton, and finally Stratford and has been selling residential real estate through William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty for more than 25 years. 

Music remains a passion for Smith and he continues to write, perform and record. His band, KillSmith, is working on a new CD which Smith describes as, “over the top heavy metal.” Smith will also reunite with the original Alice Cooper band to play at the induction ceremony at the Waldorf-Astoria in March, and expects to play a few dates with them in the following months.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be broadcast broadcast on Fuse, Madison Square Garden’s national music television network. Read more about Neal Smith on his website.