Alice Is Still Hinting At Re Staging The Nightmare Show

A_MichaelUK · Post by **A_MichaelUK** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 3:25 pm

>I would have thought and hoped that Alice would believe in all the songs he records,

I just said that ‘believing’ in new songs is not the only consideration.

>having said that some songs more than others are geared more to the live show and there is always a kind of pressure to play a certain amount of hits.

Exactly.

>A new album by surviving original band members i'm sure would be good, but even if I didn't like it I would still be pleased to see the new songs featured,

So you’re saying you’re happy to go to see a show featuring songs you don’t like. I think you’ll find most people who pay for their tickets like you do might not be so forgiving.

>Hey if Alice did decide to do Welcome To My Nightmare as a revamped live show and then go back to recording, I guess most fans would love that, including me.

Exactly. One does not necessarily exclude the other.

>When the Alice Cooper show album was released from the Vegas show (which i think was recorded at Aladdins Cave)

The Aladdin Theatre.

>I guess you could have seen that developing into running as a long term show, where the fans come from all over the world to see the Alice Cooper show, rather than the show travelling all over the world.

There was reportedly going to be an Alice Cooper show on Broadway in 1973, but that never happened and I think it was replaced by the “Billion Dollar Babies” tour.

steven_crayn · Post by **steven_crayn** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 3:39 pm

A_MichaelUK wrote:>I would have thought and hoped that Alice would believe in all the songs he records,

I just said that ‘believing’ in new songs is not the only consideration.

>having said that some songs more than others are geared more to the live show and there is always a kind of pressure to play a certain amount of hits.

Exactly.

>A new album by surviving original band members i'm sure would be good, but even if I didn't like it I would still be pleased to see the new songs featured,

So you’re saying you’re happy to go to see a show featuring songs you don’t like. I think you’ll find most people who pay for their tickets like you do might not be so forgiving.

>Hey if Alice did decide to do Welcome To My Nightmare as a revamped live show and then go back to recording, I guess most fans would love that, including me.

Exactly. One does not necessarily exclude the other.

>When the Alice Cooper show album was released from the Vegas show (which i think was recorded at Aladdins Cave)

The Aladdin Theatre.

>I guess you could have seen that developing into running as a long term show, where the fans come from all over the world to see the Alice Cooper show, rather than the show travelling all over the world.

There was reportedly going to be an Alice Cooper show on Broadway in 1973, but that never happened and I think it was replaced by the “Billion Dollar Babies” tour.

If Alice plays songs I don't like I try to see the bigger picture, say he has to play say something off a new album and I accept it as taking the rough with the smooth.
I don't like hearing Dirty Diamonds played live, but by the same token some people aren't going to like hearing stuff off ACAS played live, whereas as I am looking forward to it.

The broadway show thing, I know he mentioned that in an interview with Paul Gambaccini in 74 when asked if he thought about doing that, and he mentioned the problems of doing that and that "what we are doing now is a travelling broadway show so it doesn't need to be on broadway"

mattcoddington · Post by **mattcoddington** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 3:53 pm

steven_crayn wrote:A new album by surviving original band members i'm sure would be good,

no. i've seen alice perform with (what's left of) his original band. not good. maybe from a historical/fanboy stand point. but, put them in a recording studio, or send them out on tour? big disaster. instead of seeing an alice cooper show, you'll be seeing alice cooper on stage with some old guys saying 'hey, look at me too! i used to be in the original band!' the attention needs to be on alice, and i just don't think it would end up that way. besides, i'm not convinced the old band can keep up with alice! can you imagine them playing feed my frankenstein? no thanks.

Maurice · Post by **Maurice** » Wed Oct 01, 2008 8:44 am

mattcoddington wrote:
no. i've seen alice perform with (what's left of) his original band. not good. maybe from a historical/fanboy stand point. but, put them in a recording studio, or send them out on tour? big disaster. instead of seeing an alice cooper show, you'll be seeing alice cooper on stage with some old guys saying 'hey, look at me too! i used to be in the original band!' the attention needs to be on alice, and i just don't think it would end up that way. besides, i'm not convinced the old band can keep up with alice! can you imagine them playing feed my frankenstein? no thanks.

I can only agree wholeheartedly with this.

Often, we can get an idea about something where our expectations exceed the practical realities.

I think this is one of those times.

Shoesalesman · Post by **Shoesalesman** » Wed Oct 01, 2008 3:25 pm

If they got back together and did a full reunion tour/album/whatever and it was of poor quality, it would slightly taint the ACG for me. I'd rather leave the chemistry the way it is (or in this case WAS) and get a little taste via Pudding show and leave it at that.

mattcoddington · Post by **mattcoddington** » Wed Oct 01, 2008 5:41 pm

well put.

steven_crayn · Post by **steven_crayn** » Wed Oct 01, 2008 6:29 pm

mattcoddington wrote:
steven_crayn wrote:A new album by surviving original band members i'm sure would be good,
no. i've seen alice perform with (what's left of) his original band. not good. maybe from a historical/fanboy stand point. but, put them in a recording studio, or send them out on tour? big disaster. instead of seeing an alice cooper show, you'll be seeing alice cooper on stage with some old guys saying 'hey, look at me too! i used to be in the original band!' the attention needs to be on alice, and i just don't think it would end up that way. besides, i'm not convinced the old band can keep up with alice! can you imagine them playing feed my frankenstein? no thanks.

Alice is also an old guy and can still deliver as can the remaining members of the original band who I have seen play in recent years.

I would have thought Feed My Frankenstein would be way down the pecking order of songs to play and those guys could still write a great song with Alice, it's called talent.

mattcoddington · Post by **mattcoddington** » Wed Oct 01, 2008 6:38 pm

steven_crayn wrote:Alice is also an old guy

of course. way old!

and can still deliver as can the remaining members of the original band who I have seen play in recent years.

matter of opinion, but ok.

I would have thought Feed My Frankenstein would be way down the pecking order of songs to play

seems to be a regular in the live shows.

and those guys could still write a great song with Alice, it's called talent.

the spark that was once there, may no longer be. especially when you include the jealousy coming from certain individuals.

MacQueen · Post by **MacQueen** » Wed Oct 01, 2008 9:30 pm

Shoesalesman wrote:If they got back together and did a full reunion tour/album/whatever and it was of poor quality, it would slightly taint the ACG for me. I'd rather leave the chemistry the way it is (or in this case WAS) and get a little taste via Pudding show and leave it at that.

THANK YOU!

The ACG was good for it's day, but that day is over. But having never seen the ACG I'm a bit biased and if Glen were alive THEN I would be in full support of a reunion.

daytripper63 · Post by **daytripper63** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 1:23 am

I have never really thought about the Jealousy. I guess it would be there.
I never got to see the Group. And I love just about all the early stuff.
I guess its better to keep moving on, and I'm very happy with the group he has now.

moonshadow · Post by **moonshadow** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 6:47 am

Never go back.
It's never the same.

Darren · Post by **Darren** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 3:29 am

If the personal, legal and creative issues were dealt with...

Mr Bob Ezrin included of course. I would think that if they made a big deal out of the reunion that there would be an eventual backlash against it. But if they kept it quiet and just released it without saying anything until after it's out there would be no expectations either way. Less needless pressure. If they just did it for fun and kept everything casual and spontaneous I bet it would be cool.

WickedYoungMan · Post by **WickedYoungMan** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 5:58 am

I don't mean to continue this off the topic. However, there was an interview with George Harrison and Ringo Starr on a British Talk Show in the late 1980s. They had discussed John Lennon's death and what not. At the time there was some tension between Paul and George that seemed to have been blowing off in the wind. Anyway, George said that he, Ringo (who had had just collaborated with and often did) and Paul could always get back together, but it wouldn't be "The Beatles." It would just be Paul, George and Ringo getting together to write some tunes. Personally, IF anything, I would like to see this kind of thing with the four remaining members. Maybe put out a CD together but more as a collaboration, not doing it as "Alice Cooper." I would have suggested going by "The Billion Dollar Babies" but of course the remaining members took that as we all know. For the Glen Buxton Memorial Weekend they went under "Glen Buxton's Billion Dollar Babies" I think.

I've heard what I've heard of their recent performances together but in all fairness, they really have never had proper rehearsal time except maybe for this last time (and there is a suprising lack of anything from that other than the brief clips NSP posted.) I always thought Dennis and Neal were on top of their game (at least IMHO,) but Michael was another issue for a while with his live playing abilities (and may still be.) He's gotten a bit rusty at times over the years and was on/off with his live performances. Unless Michael has completely overcome whatever was holding him down this whole time, then it may be more of a problem in the live situation than anything and hearing a full on version of that could be painful to listen to (and some of his performances WERE painful to listen to.) I'm not really saying anything new on this end that hasn't been said or brought up before, and I'm not trying to dive into Michael's issues or anything like that. However, if he can prove that he can stay consistent as a performer and a song writer then I'd be all for whatever they can do. Having said that, just based on what I've heard, when Michael could be good he could be GREAT.

I don't think I'd be in too big of a hurry to see the Nightmare band get together either only because I'm not too big on those band members like I am the original ones. Having said that, I did an interview with Steve Hunter for this site and by far is my favorite email interview.

However, what takes the cake is I did a two hour audio interview with the Dennis Dunaway Project which I conducted exactly two years ago for something that never worked out (don't ask,) I think I'll have to publish that one for STUK! Just as a small teaser.. I have a different version of the chicken story than what's published in "Golf Monster."

Maurice · Post by **Maurice** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 7:26 am

daytripper63 wrote: I have never really thought about the Jealousy. I guess it would be there.

In my opinion, there certainly appears to be evidence of some 'sour grapes' in the book 'No More Mr. Nice Guy', written by Michael Bruce and Ant Bee.

A_MichaelUK · Post by **A_MichaelUK** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 9:29 am

>For the Glen Buxton Memorial Weekend they went under "Glen Buxton's Billion Dollar Babies" I think.

I don't think that was an official name or anything. It was more likely something that the organiser of that event came up with.

>Just as a small teaser.. I have a different version of the chicken story than what's published in "Golf Monster."

The version in "Golf Monster" of that story is not the only one that exists.

glamprincess · Post by **glamprincess** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 1:25 pm

WickedYoungMan wrote: Maybe put out a CD together but more as a collaboration, not doing it as "Alice Cooper."

But would some of the other original members be happy with that? (For example, I believe Neal has said he doesn't even like the term "Alice Cooper Group" because he feels that they were "Alice Cooper".)

My own opinion [this is not directed at WYM's comments but just my own opinion]:
I don't think the chemistry that the original band had back in the early 70s could be re-created. For one thing, Glen is gone. And very importantly, the 70s are over and the original band are no longer a bunch of guys in their twenties. Instead, they are a bunch of 60 year old men who haven't really collaborated together in almost 35 years. Too much has happened and changed since then. Rock music has changed and the crazy 70s are now a distant memory. And there have been creative differences and jealousies and they are not the cohesive group they once were. So I don't think they could get that original chemistry back....and go back to 1972.

mattcoddington · Post by **mattcoddington** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 2:00 pm

A_MichaelUK wrote:>For the Glen Buxton Memorial Weekend they went under "Glen Buxton's Billion Dollar Babies" I think.

I don't think that was an official name or anything. It was more likely something that the organiser of that event came up with.

correct. the 'organizer' got a little carried away and introduced them as such.

mattcoddington · Post by **mattcoddington** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 2:01 pm

glamprincess wrote:But would some of the other original members be happy with that? (For example, I believe Neal has said he doesn't even like the term "Alice Cooper Group" because he feels that they were "Alice Cooper".)

waaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!! neal has said a lot over the years. get over it. alice cooper has always been, and will always be, one single person/character.

mattcoddington · Post by **mattcoddington** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 2:05 pm

glamprincess wrote: I don't think the chemistry that the original band had back in the early 70s could be re-created. For one thing, Glen is gone. And very importantly, the 70s are over and the original band are no longer a bunch of guys in their twenties. Instead, they are a bunch of 60 year old men who haven't really collaborated together in almost 35 years.

it's hard enough watching one 60 year old on stage. imagine more?

Too much has happened and changed since then. Rock music has changed and the crazy 70s are now a distant memory.

for a good reason!!!!!

And there have been creative differences and jealousies and they are not the cohesive group they once were.

jealousies made very clear by the original band. it's called 'survival of the fittest.' alice survived, they didn't. of course there's going to be jealousy and resentment!

glamprincess · Post by **glamprincess** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 2:08 pm

mattcoddington wrote:
glamprincess wrote:But would some of the other original members be happy with that? (For example, I believe Neal has said he doesn't even like the term "Alice Cooper Group" because he feels that they were "Alice Cooper".)
waaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!! neal has said a lot over the years. get over it. alice cooper has always been, and will always be, one single person/character.

Matt, read my Entire post please! You took my comment completely the wrong way! I am not agreeing with Neal, so I don't know why you are saying "get over it". You should be posting that "he should get over it". I am actually agreeing with much of what you said, in that, I don't think the others would be happy not to get the attention and be "Alice Cooper" when WYM suggested they could use another name.