Alice Cooper has announced the return of guitarist Kane Roberts, who played guitar in Cooper’s band from 1985 to 1988. The news comes as guitarist Nita Strauss announced that she would not be part of Cooper’s fall tour (tickets available here), while also suggesting that she might be leaving the band permanently.
Strauss was a prominent force in the group’s lineup for the past eight years. It’s rumored that she’ll be joining Demi Lovato’s new band, as the pop singer is going for a rock sound on her next album.
She released the following farewell statement on Instagram:
“After this absolutely incredible run in Europe, it is bittersweet for me to let you guys know that I will not be joining the Alice Cooper band for the upcoming fall tour.
I will also regretfully have to cancel the festival dates my solo band had planned for the rest of the year 💔
I AM NOT PREGNANT!!! There is no drama whatsoever and my touring year is still VERY full- in fact, I’m on a flight straight into the next adventure as I post this, and I’ll be on stage again much sooner than you think! But that’s news for another day.
The past eight years together has been the experience of a lifetime, and I could not be more grateful to Alice and Sheryl Cooper, Shep Gordon, the amazing band, crew and fans for welcoming me to all of your nightmare.
I don’t know what the future will hold after this, but I am forever thankful”
Meanwhile, Kane Roberts will return to Cooper’s band alongside current guitarists Ryan Roxie and Tommy Henriksen, completing the triple-axe attack. Roberts will be on board for Cooper’s previously announced fall North American tour.
“I’m looking forward to welcoming back Kane Roberts for our shows in September and October,” Alice Cooper said in a press release. “We’ve been friends all this time, and he’s always been one of my favorite guitarists. He’s bringing more muscle to the Detroit Muscle Tour.”
He added: “We’ve always had a swinging door policy where players can come and go, so it’s very exciting to get back on stage with Kane. The fans are in for a real treat at these shows. It’s gonna be a blast. Kane Roberts, Ryan Roxie, and Tommy Henriksen on guitars? Hell yeah!”
The trek kicks off on September 9th in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and runs through October 8th in Las Vegas. Pick up tickets via Ticketmaster.
You can see Nita Strauss’ Instagram post below.