The legendary James Randi, better known to Alice Cooper fans as ‘The Amazing Randi’,
sadly passsed away yesterday from "age-related causes", He was 92. Randi was hired by the Coopers to design the special effects for the ‘Billion Dollar Babies’ tour, and joined the Alice Cooper group on both the ‘Billion Dollar Babies’ and ‘Billion Dollar Babies Holiday’ tours in 1973. He played the mad dentist during ‘Unfinished Sweet’ and the executioner during ‘I Love the Dead’, operating the original guillotine he built for the show.
Away from the Cooper world Randi was a scientific investigator who debunked paranormal and occult phenomena, going as far as offering a million dollars to anyone who could demonstrate paranormal abilities under scientific testing conditions. Over 1000 people have applied over the years but no one has ever managed to win the money. In 1996 he founded the James Randi Educational Foundation, a non-profit group that encouraged and educated the public and media on vetting unverified and outlandish claims, something much needed in this day and age. If you haven’t watched the James Randi biography film ‘An Honest Liar’ it’s highly recommended.
“I am so proud to say that for a brief time the greatest of them all, The Amazing Randi, was a part of our traveling troupe. He was our illusion guru and taught me everything I know about how magic could meet rock and roll. His genius helped the Billion Dollar Babies show become the spectacle no one had ever seen. He was rock and roll’s Gandalf.”
– Alice Cooper
Our condolences go to his family and friends.