Alice Cooper

Asked about his several appearances in Madison during the 1970s, Alice Cooper immediately recalled one show:

"I came to Madison during the School's Out' tour when the mayor there was 19 years old," Cooper said. "He gave us the key to the city. It was like a giant key to open a beer. (laughs) That was 1972. I said, You're the mayor's son.' He said, No, I'm the mayor.' I said, Alright.' "

Former Mayor Paul Soglin recalled the event:

"The story is true. The year is wrong. (Madison promoter) Herb Frank arranged it. It was a youthful Alice Cooper and me. It had to be 1973 or 1974. I was elected mayor in April '73. If the show was in '73, I would have been 28. If the show was in '74, I would have been 29.

"We gave him a four-foot long beer can opener. We also gave him one of the tiny keys to the city as well. It seemed to be a fun thing to do."

Other acts awarded keys to Madison during Soglin's tenures as mayor: jazz great Charlie Mingus, folk singer Arlo Guthrie and Bob Dylan.

Soglin isn't surprised Cooper remembers the honor. "How many keys to a city has the guy received?"