ALICE COOPER recently announced his band lineup for his 2012 No More Mr. Nice Guy tour, with guitarist Ryan Roxie back with the band after several years absence.

In an interview with Metal Shrine, Ryan discusses his return. An excerpt follows:

Q: So, how did all this come about? Was it Alice Cooper reaching out to you or did you call him since Steve Hunter's departured?

A: "Well, the thing that's been really cool about the Alice Cooper organization is that the relationship I've had with them since I moved to Sweden has always been one of support. I had to leave the tour in early 2006 because it came to a point where I really needed to see my kids grow up. I talked to so many rock and rollers who hadn't had that opportunity. The biggest influence on me making this decision was Eddie Ojeda from TWISTED SISTER. We were touring together at the time after my son had been born and Eddie just said point blank, 'I didn't see my daughter grow up as much as I would have liked to and now she's 18 years old. All through her formative years, I was touring and I would've liked to see a lot more of those years.'.

I didn't have the luxury of being able to bring the kids out on the road at the time. It was nothing but support from Alice Cooper and his camp and they basically said to me, 'We understand, family comes first'.

Every time I talk about Alice Cooper, it's most definitely positive.. he's taught me so much more about music than just playing songs. I respect him and look up to him. So when he came here last summer and he played Gröna Lund and Getaway Festival I was just coming off season one of the Big Rock Show (Ryan Roxie's web TV-show now changing it's name to All Excess with Ryan Roxie.) I was starting to compile interviews for the show I will be releasing called All Exccess. I just asked Alice if I could get an exclusive interview and he gave me one of the coolest one on one talks we've ever had. I haven'released it yet, but lookout for it later in the year.

We sat down and we talked about some stuff that I think you've probably never heard in interviews before and during the whole course of it, I just felt this 'Yeah man, nothing's really changed. We still have this great chemistry whether it's off stage or on stage'. And at the end of the interview he said, 'Hey Roxie, you wanna come up on stage and play the encore?', and I said, 'It would be an honor. It's so good for me to be seen with you, especially here in Sweden'.

You know that name Alice, I wear it proudly on my shoulders and I try to not use it too much, but hey, it's Alice Cooper! If you've got that ace up your sleeve, you gotta use it. (laughs)... So I went up and did both encores at Gröna Lund and Getaway and it just felt good. When they left I just had this feeling like, 'Ryan, you gotta put it out there dude!', so before he left I said, 'Hey Coop, I really appreciate you having me up on stage and anytime there's an opportunity where I can get up on stage full time, you gimme a call!' And he said, 'You know I will'. And the call came, the opportunity came and I couldn't be more fucking stoked. I'm as excited or even possibly more excited than I was the first time I got together with him, because I know this is sort of a second chance for me to get back up there and really appreciate all the things that I might not have appreciated the first time around."

Check out the full interview in two parts at the following links: Part 1, Part 2.

Ryan Roxie joins an extraordinary team. Longtime Alice bassist Chuck Garric, jaw-dropping drummer Glen Sobel and guitarists Tommy Henriksen and Orianthi make up one of the most exciting rock and roll bands in the world today. "It's great to bring Ryan back into the fold," says Alice, "This band just destroys on stage, and with Ryan back on board, he will only kick things into a higher gear. Ryan Roxie is a fan favorite. He plays like a tornado, and we can't wait to turn him loose and let him tear into this tour."

Tour highlights include Alice's first-ever appearance at Bonnaroo June 9th and a month long North American tour with IRON MAIDEN June 21st to July 21st, plus several Alice headline shows along the way. The tour then moves to Europe July 27th through August 12th.

Ryan Roxie first joined Alice's band in 1996 and toured, wrote and recorded with him for much of the next ten years, including the albums: Fistful Of Alice, The Eyes Of Alice Cooper, and Dirty Diamonds, along with the live DVDs Brutally Live and Live at Montreux.

In addition to also working with SLASH in SLASH'S SNAKEPIT, Ryan has recorded and released several albums by his own bands, including DPM, ROXIE 77 and CASABLANCA. After relocating to Stockholm several years ago, he has also hosted local radio and TV shows as well as continuing to perform live and record. With bassist Garric marking his tenth year with Alice, Sobel, Henriksen and Orianthi are returning for their second year.

Alice's summer 2012 tour schedule is online at AliceCooper.com.