Meet and Greet: what is okay to ask for ?

[Steven Lee Cooper]

I'm tempted to buying a Meet & Greet ticket to the Paris concert, due in November - I already have the ticket for the concert itself. I'd like to take five LPs along and make them signed for four friends and myself. Would Alice be okay with signing all of them, each to a different name ? Like, this one "To Jacques, Alice Cooper" and so on ?

[Marcelocooper]

Well, from my experience, I think he would sing the 5 lps, tough asking for different names might be a little too much. Both the times I met him he only signed one with my name, and all the people from the meet and great got only one too. He would probably say yes, but keep in mind that there will be more people there, and one person asking for 5 different names is very time consuming. It usually is after the show, so Alice is already tired, it might be bad for the other ones there.

[Shoesalesman]

Five albums shouldn't be a problem, but again it depends on how many people Alice has to go through. I saw one guy get ten albums signed, but only because Alice didn't have many people in that particular VIP session.

A trick you could use is to write on a stationary note the name you want Alice to sign it to and stick it on each album. That way all he has to do is copy the name without you having to tell him who it's for and how to spell it. He may or may not agree to it, keep that in mind.

[Steven Lee Cooper]

A trick you could use is to write on a stationary note the name you want Alice to sign it to and stick it on each album. That way all he has to do is copy the name without you having to tell him who it's for and how to spell it. He may or may not agree to it, keep that in mind.[/quote]


That's exactly how I intented to do - a sticker onto the album cover with name on, to let Alice see what name I'd like him to dedicate the record to.

But now, if you say that even this way, he might not agree..... mmm.
It's a lot of money for that sort of risk. Now I would need more positive feedbacks to make me decide to make this experience.

[Shoesalesman]

But now, if you say that even this way, he might not agree..... mmm.

I guess "agree" isn't the word I should have used. My bad.

I don't think he would flatly turn you down, but it *could* be taken as a bit disrespectful if it's a packed room and he has many others to attend to. Please don't take my word on things; I cannot speak to how the meet and greet will go, only what I've seen.

It doesn't hurt to ask, but if he can't accommodate, that's the risk you take. Respect for his time and the time of others is key. Ultimately the final decision to get the VIP is yours, no matter what positive feedback you get.

[bigbradwolf]

I am going to get my new Brutal Planet LP or maybe even the Old School boxset signed and most definately my arm so I can have it tatooed the day after.

[Gunner]

I think it is asking a bit much myself, but it's Alice - he's a very pleasant chap!!

[GNDM]

I am not trying to stir things up, and this may sound like a dumb question but......why would someone want more than one autograph of Alice Cooper - or anyone for that matter?
The original poster wanted 5 things signed, but I guess he wanted them to give as present. That I can see...especially sense he wanted them personalized. But why would some one want multiple things signed, for themselves? I understand it increases the value of the object signed - but is that always the goal?
I stopped collecting autographs as a young kid and really have no desire to get an autograph of someone famous...unless they put it on a blank check...

[Si]

I have tons of stuff autographed. It's purely for personal reasons. I think it's kinda nice. I like to get a setlist from each tour signed by all the band for example. I have at least one copy of every CD signed by Alice (and the original band albums also by Neal, Dennis, Michael and in one case Shep and Joey Greenburg as well). Books and stuff as well.
Is there really any logic behind it? Probably not, but it makes them more special to me.

[A_MichaelUK]

>I understand it increases the value of the object signed

I think the opposite happens.

[TeresofBlood]

I wouldn't want an autograph. I'd try to treat him like a human being and do my best to leave an impression on him. He meets a zillion people a year. My dream would be to be one he'll remember. I'd probably talk about how many movie ideas his songs have inspired in me. Who knows, one day I may get around to making one of them.

EDIT: Come to think of it, I just finished a movie in which the main character's name was Stephen and a nightmare he has plays significantly in plot of the film.

STEPHEN:
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos- ... 5279_n.jpg

[SickThings]

Alice is so used to signing autographs that he usually finds something to sign even if you didn't bring something. In the past, that has included my ticket stub, my pass, and even my shirt once (I didn't ask him to sign it, he just did).

Hunter

[RemarkablyInsincere]

and even my shirt once (I didn't ask him to sign it, he just did).

Did you yell at him?

[wind_up_toy]

I found Alice to be extremely generous when it came to signing things, if he got a hint that you wanted something done, but were hesitant to ask, then he offered anyway. Having said that, I would ask him to sign 3 things max, especially if there are several other fans there. I think that's a good haul!

Talking of the meet and greets, I'll never forget a conversation between Alice and one of the fans:

Alice: What's your name then?

Fan: Alice!

Alice: Stupid name for a girl!

[bigbradwolf]

Makes it more special - of course it does, if he'd sign my box set I wouldnt sell it! Hell no! The guy is my idol and I just want him to sign my arm I want it tatooed for eternity! He is and will always be my hero!

[SickThings]

and even my shirt once (I didn't ask him to sign it, he just did).

Did you yell at him?

No, but it did mean that I can't wear the shirt anymore for fear of the Sharpie washing away.

Hunter

[Marcelocooper]

It makes the item more special. I like to get my favorite stuff signed. And, sometimes, to make it more unique. I have, for instance, one promotional water gun for Love's a Loaded Gun that i asked Alice to sing. It was really a rarity before, now it's really unique.

[GNDM]

OK, I guess it is a personal thing, in wanting to have lots of things signed. Sort of like any type of "collecting" I suppose. Personally, I would prefer to have Alice give me something other than his name written in Sharpie. I don't mean diamonds, cash, or a car....but something of his that he is willing to part with. A pen, a hat, lint from his pocket, used toothpick, a pencil he chewed on (as in Seinfeld episode), a golf ball, golf tee, etc. I would know he gave it to me - so no autograph needed.

[WickedYoungMan]

At the Indy 2008 show, National City Bank was giving out paper/cardboard fans (with their logo) to everyone. It was an outdoors show and was pretty muggy. We all kept ours. When we went to see Alice backstage we put our fans down on the table and grabbed our stuff out of the bag. He signs our stuff. On the way out, we noticed that Alice had signed all of our cardboard fans too! It made it kind of an unusual but unique thing to have autographed. We ended up having the whole band sign them )might as well) and other items too.

I would say try not to bring more than you need to. I've brought maybe two things to sign myself. My party will have their passes and maybe a poster signed each.

My question to the OP is are you bringing any friends? Maybe just have them hold on to one or two of the albums that way it doesn't seem like you're making him sign a ton of stuff for yourself if you feel "guilty about it." It just spreads it out among your party and maybe you won't get any dirty looks.

[Steven Lee Cooper]

Thanks to all for your many replies.

GNDM is right, it's all in the purpose of making personnalized "surprise presents" to my friends, since it happens that most of them are Alice Cooper fans ! Not hardcore AC fans, but all having at least seven or eight of his albums. One of them even saw Alice in his first french gig in 1971, when I was just a baby ! Maybe that one will be at the concert with me, but the others live far from Paris and I guess it would be complicated for them to come. It's the fact that I have other Alice fans around me, that tempts me to go to the M&G, because, if it was just for me, I would consider it too expensive to do that, only for one personal autograph. Coming for a small group of fans including myself makes it more worthwhile in my mind. Also, for me, an item makes less much sense if it's just signed, and not dedicated to the first name of the owner. I've heard that some people sell unpersonnalized signed items afterwards, that is mad ! By having items signed to a name, it really becomes this person's item - and that's the goal of me doing that !