ALICE COOPER Is Baffled By PLANT's Unwillingness To Take Part In ZEPPELIN Reunion

[SuperDave]

I wonder why!?

Maybe he feels he doesn't need one, when a lot of the same stuff can be found over here.

[Reggie29]

Maybe he feels he doesn't need one, when a lot of the same stuff can be found over here.

It was a rhetorical question.

Given all the bashing he gets from so called fans on this site (of which he is no doubt aware of), he certainly wouldn't want the nutters on here hurling abuse on his own site.

Sad individuals, that they are.

[Jahfin]

Maybe he feels he doesn't need one, when a lot of the same stuff can be found over here.

I'm pretty sure Reggie was being facetious, especially considering Sam created both sites (if I'm not mistaken).

[SuperDave]

I wish this thread would cease to exist! Too much crap, bantering and nonsense! I know alll of you and you're all too smart to be involved with this! Put it to rest....please! Not worth it!

[trombone hoota]

Folk ain't Alice's cuppa, neither is mine. As much as I read that Robert is only expanding his canon, or going into uncharted territory as Led Zeppelin did, I still don't like this music. So we as Led Zeppelin fans are supposed to embrace Robert's foray's because he's "moving forward", "progressing" or whatever. Yes he's moving but I don't think forward. The music to me sounds tired, it's for old people and even Robert admitted to needing help crossing the street soon. So to me, he's resigned himself to tempered down music for his tempered down fans and wants to leave the rocking Led Zeppelin in the past. Alice is getting older too, but unlike Robert, doesn't want to admit it or act like it. I don't think Jimmy wants to either, nor John Paul Jones. It's hard to recruit sandstone into a granite fixture. I'm just hoping Alice doesn't disappoint me and go out and perform less than a rocking icon that he is. He's put his opinion on the line now he has to live it. No more Mr. Niceguy.

[Electrophile]

Robert's new music is for old people? WTF? That's an absurd statement if I've ever heard one. I'm 28, I'll be 29 in June and I happen to think Raising Sand and Band of Joy are fantastic. Am I old now? .

You don't have to like what Robert's doing, hell.....you don't have like anything anyone's doing if you don't want to. As Led Zeppelin fans, we're supposed to embrace the fact that all three surviving members are still out there making music, whether we personally are fond of it or not, and be grateful that they're still sharing their talent with their fans, instead of just sitting on their asses doing nothing, although they're entitled to do that if they wanted to.

You need to open your mind more to different styles/genres of music.

[Silver Rider]

Both Alice Cooper and Robert Plant are theatrical and dramatic personas.

[trombone hoota]

Hey, I just don't like it. It's got nothing to do with opening one's mind. I don't have to embrace this music or even the fact that he's doing "new" music because I'm a Led Zeppelin fan. This blind loyalty stuff is weak. There's even some Led Zeppelin music I don't care for, is that OK though?

[Electrophile]

Hey, I just don't like it. It's got nothing to do with opening one's mind. I don't have to embrace this music or even the fact that he's doing "new" music because I'm a Led Zeppelin fan. This blind loyalty stuff is weak. There's even some Led Zeppelin music I don't care for, is that OK though?

Slow your roll, sunshine. I think you need to step back and actually read what I posted, instead of going off half-cocked. If you read the first line of the second paragraph, you'll notice I said you don't have to like it. There's plenty of Led Zeppelin's material I don't like; for example, I loathe Stairway To Heaven. So I don't have any of this "blind loyalty" you're prattling on about.

However I can at least be happy that Robert Plant is making new music, regardless of what I personally feel about it, because it's preferable than getting no new music at all. Same goes for what JPJ has been up to, and whatever it is Jimmy is doing. BTW, John Paul Jones has done a lot of work recently with bluegrass artists -- do you think that's old people music too?

I'm a Led Zeppelin fan, but above that, I'm a music fan, and I like listening to and exposing myself to new genres. If not for Raising Sand, I probably never would have given Alison Krauss and Union Station a second glance, and I'm glad I did. They're amazing.

[Hugh Hoyland]

I think a great deal of hostility directed towards Plant is not because some people are just meanies and dont like his BOJ direction (Which Im not to kean on myself, but holding hope new material may be decent), but rather the fact that he has went all or nothing on it. In 2007 the world was shown beyond doubt that those four guys can step out on stage and still rock pretty much like they used to, say 75-77 (a minor miracle to be honest), they STILL have the magic. Frankley it was to much of a tease to be easily dissmissed as a simple one off. But with Plant its all or nothing with the BOJ, hes not willing to do both, which he easily could. Thats were a lot of the problem lies. I think hes making a big mistake for not doing both. Both sides of his career would benefit greatly IMO.

[Electrophile]

There's a problem? Where? He doesn't want to get back with the other two and do anything as Led Zeppelin. That ship has sailed for him, he's moved on to other things. If you don't like the direction he's taking his career, then don't listen to it. No one is holding a gun to your head and forcing you to buy it, and then play it.

The O2 gig was only ever meant to be a one-off show, not the portents of things to come. It was never advertised or talked about as anything more than a one-off. Would it have been nice if they did more together after that? Yes, it would have been. But they didn't, and you move on. If he doesn't want to do anything with them as Led Zeppelin, he doesn't have to. That's the bottom line. Robert is not beholden to the fans, in that he doesn't have to direct his career in the way the fans want him to. It's HIS career, not yours.

It's time for some people to wake up and smell the coffee. Be thankful you got the O2 gig, because it's a sight more than most fans of most bands get, and be thankful that the three surviving members are still out there making music, and being creative.....even if you don't care for the material.

[allbettsareoff]

Who cares what a washed up Alice Cooper say's about anything!

[Jahfin]

Who cares what a washed up Alice Cooper say's about anything!

I may not agree with him stirring a pot that really doesn't need stirring but having seen him in concert last year I'd say he's very far from "washed up".

[BUCK'EYE' DOC]

There's a problem? Where? He doesn't want to get back with the other two and do anything as Led Zeppelin. That ship has sailed for him, he's moved on to other things. If you don't like the direction he's taking his career, then don't listen to it. No one is holding a gun to your head and forcing you to buy it, and then play it.

The O2 gig was only ever meant to be a one-off show, not the portents of things to come. It was never advertised or talked about as anything more than a one-off. Would it have been nice if they did more together after that? Yes, it would have been. But they didn't, and you move on. If he doesn't want to do anything with them as Led Zeppelin, he doesn't have to. That's the bottom line. Robert is not beholden to the fans, in that he doesn't have to direct his career in the way the fans want him to. It's HIS career, not yours.

It's time for some people to wake up and smell the coffee. Be thankful you got the O2 gig, because it's a sight more than most fans of most bands get, and be thankful that the three surviving members are still out there making music, and being creative.....even if you don't care for the material.

How many times does this have to be said?

[betteremily]

Who cares what a washed up Alice Cooper say's about anything!

I agree. Cooper had a couple good songs, but has nothing near the Zeppelin catalog. His opinion isn't worthy of getting into a huffn'puff. But like everyone else, he's entitled to have his say on the matter. Sometimes I wonder if these musicians don't stir the pot themselves.

Look, if Robert Plant wants to do bluegrass and folk, whatever, let him do as he sees fit. Zeppelin isn't exactly light years away from folk. It's not for everyone. Maybe some bluegrass fan will hear RP and discover rock and blues? That's worth it. It's all about turning people on.

And personally, I wouldn't want Zeppelin's legacy be destroyed nor turned into a sideshow act like the Rolling Stones.

Rick Nelson says it best:

[iZoso]

Yes, he is. I don't recall anyone saying he wasn't.

Thank you for clearing that up, very important.

This is another one of your CNN-esque replies.

You play up the notion of Alice Cooper's right to an opinion not being challenged as though the previous poster was defending that right unnecessarily, making your post therefore being purely redundant and implicitly critical. Why do you say you 'don't recall anyone saying he wasn't'? Does that rhetorical question disprove or mean anything? Or does it rather reveal you being upset that somebody is defending his voice, a voice with which you fundamentally disagree with and find unworthy of being defended? Seeing the apparent lack of causality of that poster's statement - it was a pure expression, not a response, you were frustrated because any causal response to that statement which would support your opinion on Alice's statement/opinion was impossible. You were unable to disagree that Alice is entitled to his opinion. And you were upset, because you don't like Alice's opinion. And somebody said something that had the appearance of shielding Alice's opinion from criticism. So you just pot-shotted the post by both agreeing (probably sarcastically) and then stating that you personally have no recollection of anyone disagreeing. I mean, you're acting defensive in response to a positive statement not even directed towards you or one of your opinions.

And on top of that you word it all in a way that does not allow for literal/lexicological pinpointing of your veiled opinion. What is clearly apparent is that your volition in relation to the original post was that of expressing some form of dissent/discomfort/annoyance. You basically wished the guy said 'I agree with Alice' and possibly feel that that is the exact thought he expressed. So you just couldn't resist saying 'I don't recall anyone saying he wasn't'. So because you thought he expressed a veiled opinion, you replied with what appears to be, rhteorically speaking, a useless, anecdotal statement attempting to, surreptitiously, imply that the statement you were replying to was a socially agreed-upon tautology.

My opinion : by association, you resent the tautological post because you were unable to assail it dialectically/rhetorically and because it appeared to give veiled credence to an opinion you fundamentally disagree with, although you never have the courage to express it explicitly. So you beat around the bush, say something useless and which clearly imparts the impression that you are at odds with the statement, both for, according to you, being needless and disagreeing with your unrelated opinion which is not related to the right to an opinion itself.

[Electrophile]

Put the thesaurus down, you're not going to win points by using as many polysyllabic words as you can cram in one sentence. If anything it weakens your argument, by making it look like you're trying to put yourself above everyone else intellectually by showing off how many SAT words you can remember in one sitting. It's ridiculous. If you can't make your point talking like a normal human being, you have no point. And no, I'm not saying that because I don't understand the words you're using -- I'm saying that because it makes you look like a snob.

BTW, what's with all these new posters going around crawling up people's asses? I've counted four or five in the last couple weeks.

[Deborah J]

Folk ain't Alice's cuppa, neither is mine. As much as I read that Robert is only expanding his canon, or going into uncharted territory as Led Zeppelin did, I still don't like this music. So we as Led Zeppelin fans are supposed to embrace Robert's foray's because he's "moving forward", "progressing" or whatever. Yes he's moving but I don't think forward. The music to me sounds tired, it's for old people and even Robert admitted to needing help crossing the street soon. So to me, he's resigned himself to tempered down music for his tempered down fans and wants to leave the rocking Led Zeppelin in the past. Alice is getting older too, but unlike Robert, doesn't want to admit it or act like it. I don't think Jimmy wants to either, nor John Paul Jones. It's hard to recruit sandstone into a granite fixture. I'm just hoping Alice doesn't disappoint me and go out and perform less than a rocking icon that he is. He's put his opinion on the line now he has to live it. No more Mr. Niceguy.

Newsflash!!! There were people of all ages and it was packed at the concert at The Fox Saturday night. So you are totally wrong in stating that his music is for old people....

Put Robert Plant and Alice Cooper in a room and you can bet most people would say Alice who??? I am just giving my opinion as you did and will not argue about this as it is ridiculous.

[trombone hoota]

[iZoso]

Put the thesaurus down, you're not going to win points by using as many polysyllabic words as you can cram in one sentence. If anything it weakens your argument, by making it look like you're trying to put yourself above everyone else intellectually by showing off how many SAT words you can remember in one sitting. It's ridiculous. If you can't make your point talking like a normal human being, you have no point. And no, I'm not saying that because I don't understand the words you're using -- I'm saying that because it makes you look like a snob.

BTW, what's with all these new posters going around crawling up people's asses? I've counted four or five in the last couple weeks.

What's with the Rollingstone reviewers trying to convince us that we shouldn't wish Robert Plant would willingly create music with Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones? What the heck?

Chocolate hating quakers i tell you. Robert Plan'ts solo music is too pastel. People truly fail to honestly assess if they would have liked Robert Plant's solo work had he never done Zep (and I hope speculating that the musical landscape would have been so different that an alternate universe of music appreciation would have come to be in which Robert Plant was God).

If Robert would be all for it, we would all be rejoicing for the music to come, the concerts to attend.

I hear people talking about media perception, people going to the bathrooms during certain songs, etc. Is that really the point? Seriously?

I believe the history of music itself would greatly benefit of Robert's seal upon a musical project involving the creative inputs of Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones. In my heart of hearts I feel that it could be so beautiful and amazing.

Here's the other thing, repeated endlessly on this forum : perception. Perception can be erroneous. It can provoke any range of reactions. Is it absolutely impossible that Robert Plant's perception could change? It is clearly the obstacle in the way of a reunion. I just finished listening to Buddy Guy's Living Proof album. 74 Years Young, WOW.

And Robert Plant is talking about singing Communication Breakdown in leather pants, asking a reporter how old he is? I think he sounds like he cares far too much about what others think. What if he stopped caring about any of the vibes that seem to come from outside of him?

How can he say he is proud of the music he created and then turn around and say it was a youth thing? Okay, he can do something with the passion of youth, be proud of those moments and then realise he can't do it anymore. Yes, that is a possibility. Thing is, though, he sings like a motherphoquer. Saw him with Strange Sensation. Holy shit. But.... I couldn't care less for half of his band or half of the songs.

I spent the evening committing what is a capital sin on these forums according the Rollingstone reviewer-minded posters such as Jahfin : imagining what it would be like if Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones were up on stage with Jason Bonham.

The capacity is ALL there. The only obstacle is Robert's perception, not his capabilities or the perception of the public. All the reasons that come out of his mouth are in essence irrelevant in this respect : It is not impossible or ill-advised for him to sing with Page, Jones and Bonham. He simply doesn't want to.

I believe he is afraid. I do not say this in a childish way. Call me a snob, etc. But this I say in earnest : I think he is insecure for whatever reasons he choses to express or conceal, but that if he just decides to effin do it, HE CAN.

This frustrates me so much he can do it and, in truth, him not doing it is the only thing in the way. Nobody will remember Band of Joy and Raising sand 50 years from now if not for his refusal to rejoin his former bandmates. If he were to do another Zep album, it will be remembered forever. And if that's precisely what he's afraid of, then it is just fear and ego getting in the way.

And it's not like we're asking a man to remarry his first ex-wife after being divorced for 15 years. We're asking him to make beautiful music. History will always remember his ego, his demands and the reasons for them. That's also what we got to remember him by, not just his solo work.

Hope this is more readable for the snake stompers

[iZoso]

How many times does this have to be said?

Obviously, without fans, he would be poor and without a record deal, busy getting fired from an accounting job.

He needs a really good reason to make Zep music? What about the amazing music that would become? Making hundreds of millions of people happier because of the wonderful music that would be?

I mean how much of a phoquing chore can it be to sing songs you are proud of having recorded to the cheers of tens of thousands of fans at a time? Not positive enough?

I guess he prefers getting nods from pastel fans who go for his style of music sheepishly.

His solo work is not as good as what a new Zep album could/would be.

How many times does this need to be said?

Man, I have a voice too. Stop telling me I can't wish Robert Plant would make music with 'Zep'.

I WISH ROBERT PLANT WOULD MAKE ANOTHER ZEP ALBUM AND GO ON TOUR WITH IT WITHT THE GUYS AND STOP BITCHING LIKE A MINDLESS EX-WIFE WITH ALL KINDS OF BULLSHIT REASONS FOR INFURIATING EVERYONE AROUND HER EXCEPT HER NEW BOYFRIEND

AM I still a snob?

[Reggie29]

Obviously, without fans, he would be poor and without a record deal, busy getting fired from an accounting job.

He needs a really good reason to make Zep music? What about the amazing music that would become? Making hundreds of millions of people happier because of the wonderful music that would be?

I mean how much of a phoquing chore can it be to sing songs you are proud of having recorded to the cheers of tens of thousands of fans at a time? Not positive enough?

I guess he prefers getting nods from pastel fans who go for his style of music sheepishly.

His solo work is not as good as what a new Zep album could/would be.

How many times does this need to be said?

Man, I have a voice too. Stop telling me I can't wish Robert Plant would make music with 'Zep'.

I WISH ROBERT PLANT WOULD MAKE ANOTHER ZEP ALBUM AND GO ON TOUR WITH IT WITHT THE GUYS AND STOP BITCHING LIKE A MINDLESS EX-WIFE WITH ALL KINDS OF BULLSHIT REASONS FOR INFURIATING EVERYONE AROUND HER EXCEPT HER NEW BOYFRIEND

AM I still a snob?

No just a goose!

[Aquamarine]

How long will it take till the light dawns that there is no active "Zep" as people want it to be, hasn't been since 1980, and never can be again?

[guitarmy]

I should start this post off saying that I don't know Robert Plant personally, and so a lot of my opinions on the matter are based on what is likely out of context BS and assumptions. That's how most of us get our information because most of us don't know him. But even if I did know him personally, it sounds like he realizes that he alone is the one in control of his destiny, and that I could present no argument to reunite as Led Zeppelin that wouldn't drive a wall between us.

What's with the Rollingstone reviewers trying to convince us that we shouldn't wish Robert Plant would willingly create music with Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones? What the heck?

What I don't understand is...if it did happen, I don't think too many people would complain. Maybe the "No Zeppelin without John Bonham purists" wouldn't like the idea of it...but I bet they would literally like the sound of it

Chocolate hating quakers i tell you. Robert Plan'ts solo music is too pastel. People truly fail to honestly assess if they would have liked Robert Plant's solo work had he never done Zep (and I hope speculating that the musical landscape would have been so different that an alternate universe of music appreciation would have come to be in which Robert Plant was God).

Well that's your opinion of his music and I don't share it entirely. I was not a huge fan until I saw him recently in Washington, DC. While I do like what he's doing now, I can promise you that I'd like nothing more than for the 3 remaining members to play together. When I went to the show recently in DC, the fact remains that if not for Led Zeppelin, I would not have been going to see Robert Plant. Oh and they played 'Black Dog', 'Houses of the Holy', 'Ramble On', 'Gallows Pole', and 'Rock n' Roll'. It was a real treat, but it was also depressing in a way. The other songs were good too.

If Robert would be all for it, we would all be rejoicing for the music to come, the concerts to attend.

I hear people talking about media perception, people going to the bathrooms during certain songs, etc. Is that really the point? Seriously?

You'll have to elaborate because I don't know what you're directing these comments at.

I believe the history of music itself would greatly benefit of Robert's seal upon a musical project involving the creative inputs of Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones. In my heart of hearts I feel that it could be so beautiful and amazing.

Yeah you and me both.

Here's the other thing, repeated endlessly on this forum : perception. Perception can be erroneous. It can provoke any range of reactions. Is it absolutely impossible that Robert Plant's perception could change? It is clearly the obstacle in the way of a reunion. I just finished listening to Buddy Guy's Living Proof album. 74 Years Young, WOW.

And Robert Plant is talking about singing Communication Breakdown in leather pants, asking a reporter how old he is? I think he sounds like he cares far too much about what others think. What if he stopped caring about any of the vibes that seem to come from outside of him?

Well if he stopped now then he'd continue on with Band of Joy and we'd be out of luck. It'd be better if his perception changed first, got back together with Page+Jones+Ja.Bonham, and THEN stopped caring. Thing is, I can't tell if he cares or not. To me, a lot of the time it sounds like he just wants people to think he cares. I think sometimes he is just being quirky and funny in order to avoid the topic of reuniting.

How can he say he is proud of the music he created and then turn around and say it was a youth thing? Okay, he can do something with the passion of youth, be proud of those moments and then realise he can't do it anymore. Yes, that is a possibility. Thing is, though, he sings like a motherphoquer. Saw him with Strange Sensation. Holy shit. But.... I couldn't care less for half of his band or half of the songs.

Right - he's very capable of doing at least some of it. I wouldn't expect him to start wailing on an Immigrant Song like song, and it's not because I think he needs some sort of youthful mindset to do it. I actually don't think he could do the whole catalog as it was originally done. I think he doesn't want to have to say, "Oh no Jimmy (or JPJ for that matter), we can't do this song because my pipes can't do it."

The other day I was taking part in a conversation with a local band where the band wanted to do 'Black Dog', but the singer couldn't hit the high notes. (*sarcasm* I bet the singer felt great about that *sarcasm*). Imagine if you're Robert Plant and you . Maybe his references to youth are his way of saying "I can't even do that anymore".

They can dial down the keys all they want, but I bet it still makes Plant feel insecure in some way.

I spent the evening committing what is a capital sin on these forums according the Rollingstone reviewer-minded posters such as Jahfin : imagining what it would be like if Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones were up on stage with Jason Bonham.

Wishing for a led Zeppelin reunion with a new album/tour on this forum is probably the most obvious thing that everyone here wants. So yeah I don't get it either.

[guitarmy]

The capacity is ALL there. The only obstacle is Robert's perception, not his capabilities or the perception of the public. All the reasons that come out of his mouth are in essence irrelevant in this respect : It is not impossible or ill-advised for him to sing with Page, Jones and Bonham. He simply doesn't want to.

I believe he is afraid. I do not say this in a childish way. Call me a snob, etc. But this I say in earnest : I think he is insecure for whatever reasons he choses to express or conceal, but that if he just decides to effin do it, HE CAN.

So here is the big elephant in the room that everyone here deals with every day, but seems to forget. I believe he is insecure about the death of his friend John Bonham. It's got to be an absolute nightmare to him.

The death of his son also played a major role. It was a one-two knockout punch in a span of 5 years.

I don't blame him either. I think it's wonderful that he's doing anything music related.

Those traumatic events happened over 30 years ago and they matured him. To the point that I think that's why he associates youth with Led Zeppelin. That was HIS youth and coming of age. We're talking about a run that went roughly from ages 20 to 31 here. Can you imagine that being you? Success at such a young age? Tragedy at the end? What does that do to a person? Only Robert Plant knows.

This frustrates me so much he can do it and, in truth, him not doing it is the only thing in the way. Nobody will remember Band of Joy and Raising sand 50 years from now if not for his refusal to rejoin his former bandmates. If he were to do another Zep album, it will be remembered forever. And if that's precisely what he's afraid of, then it is just fear and ego getting in the way.

I think I read somewhere that he feels that if he plunges into obscurity then he considers that success. Not an exact quote but that's the spirit of it.

And it's not like we're asking a man to remarry his first ex-wife after being divorced for 15 years. We're asking him to make beautiful music. History will always remember his ego, his demands and the reasons for them. That's also what we got to remember him by, not just his solo work.

Hope this is more readable for the snake stompers

We're asking him to resurrect in full something that he buried 30 years ago with John Bonham. I think that's a lot to ask. I don't think it's impossible and I do think it would be awesome but I think it's a tall order.

Obviously, without fans, he would be poor and without a record deal, busy getting fired from an accounting job.

He needs a really good reason to make Zep music? What about the amazing music that would become? Making hundreds of millions of people happier because of the wonderful music that would be?

I mean how much of a phoquing chore can it be to sing songs you are proud of having recorded to the cheers of tens of thousands of fans at a time? Not positive enough?

Well maybe he doesn't see this as a challenge? If he reunited with Led Zeppelin, I bet he could literally take a crap on stage and be applauded for it.

Dylan had an issue with it. Approaching 1965, the crowds were too easy at some point and he had to shake thing up. I suppose it's a good problem to have.

I guess he prefers getting nods from pastel fans who go for his style of music sheepishly.

And you wouldn't sheepishly accept a Led Zeppelin reunion in whatever form? I know I would...

His solo work is not as good as what a new Zep album could/would be.

I have to agree, but it's not to take away from Robert's ability and current direction. I think when I agree to that comment it's to the credit of the other members and their respective talents. There's a lot of potential in an album by Plant, Page, and Jones.

How many times does this need to be said?

Man, I have a voice too. Stop telling me I can't wish Robert Plant would make music with 'Zep'.

I WISH ROBERT PLANT WOULD MAKE ANOTHER ZEP ALBUM AND GO ON TOUR WITH IT WITHT THE GUYS AND STOP BITCHING LIKE A MINDLESS EX-WIFE WITH ALL KINDS OF BULLSHIT REASONS FOR INFURIATING EVERYONE AROUND HER EXCEPT HER NEW BOYFRIEND

AM I still a snob?

Except for the ex-wife comment, I follow you 100%.

How long will it take till the light dawns that there is no active "Zep" as people want it to be, hasn't been since 1980, and never can be again?

Easy. When Jimmy, Robert, or JPJ dies. Most people will not be content until then. But of course it will be too late.

Of course it will never be the same, but I still don't understand why Zep can't be something else. Something new.