In 1968, the band learned that Todd Rundgren also had a band called

In 1968, the band learned that Todd Rundgren also had a band called Nazz , which was signed to a major label, and found themselves in need of another name. Furnier also believed that the group needed a gimmick to succeed, and that other bands were not exploiting the showmanship potential of the stage. They chose the name “Alice Cooper” largely because it sounded innocuous and wholesome, in humorous contrast to the band’s image and music. In his 2007 book Alice Cooper, Golf Monster , Cooper stated that his look was inspired in part by films. One of the band’s all-time favorite movies was What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) starring Bette Davis : “In the movie, Bette wears disgusting caked makeup smeared on her face and underneath her eyes, with deep, dark, black eyeliner.” Another movie the band watched over and over was Barbarella (1968): “When I saw Anita Pallenberg playing the Great Tyrant in that movie in 1968, wearing long black leather gloves with switchblades coming out of them, I thought, ‘That’s what Alice should look like.’ That, and a little bit of Emma Peel from The Avengers .”