Alice Cooper is baffled by Robert Plant

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ALICE COOPER Is Baffled By ROBERT PLANT's Unwillingness To Take Part In LED ZEPPELIN Reunion - Jan. 27, 2011
During a recent interview with the Palm Springs Boxing Examiner, legendary rocker Alice Cooper was baffled when he was told fellow singer Robert Plant confessed that he may be too old to perform LED ZEPPELIN songs.

"I go out on stage and say 'turn it up,'" Cooper said. "I never get tired of playing my songs."

Cooper continued, "They are just standing there. What is so hard? Jimmy Page wants to do it. John Paul Jones wants to do it. And they got [late ZEPPELIN drummer John] Bonham's son [Jason], who is a killer drummer. All they need is Robert Plant. But what is Robert Plant out there doing? Playing folk music! What is he doing?"

Plant recently spoke about his reluctance to commit to a LED ZEPPELIN reunion tour — and took time out to take a swipe at his peers who rely too heavily on their past laurels. Plant told Rolling Stone that his heart is simply not in the band's music anymore, saying, "The preparations for (the 2007 reunion show) were fraught and intense, but the last rehearsal was really, really good, for all that it represented and all that we were trying to capture. But I've gone so far somewhere else that I almost can't relate to it. . . It's a bit of a pain in the pisser to be honest. Who cares? I know people care, but think about it from my angle — soon, I'm going to need help crossing the street."

Plant added that he has zero interest in becoming a nostalgia act simply to please the masses. "There's nothing worse than a bunch of jaded old farts, and that's a fact," he said. "People who have written their story -- they've gotten to the point where nothing moves. I don't deal in that, and I don't deal with anybody who deals in that."
 

Slip'nn2Darkness

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I think that's easy for Cooper to say since he has been touring all these years and stays with his own music..
Robert has tried to crossover (And been successful with Alison Kraus) and do modern country.
I don't hold anything against Plant for making the decision to bow out since Bonham is dead and gone and even if Jason could sit in and pull off a concert to me it just wouldn't be the same.
I think so far he has made the right choice to keep Led Zeppelin's mystic alive by not giving into pressure to reform the group and do concerts.
If he admits he dosn't think he can sing like he used to, well I applaud his honesty..
 

annie

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I empathize with Plant. He knows his own boundaries and believe me, not all of us have the stamina that we used to have when we were young. If his voice is gone, he would rather be remembered as he was and I understand that. I saw a picture of him this year and he looks a lot older than his age and really tired. He has a killer touring schedule this year and I don't know how he does it. He is planning to begin writing original songs with the Band of Joy. I think he is right not to live in a world of nostalgia when he has so much to give to the world of today. Kudos to Robert :bow:
 

LG

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It really is a very personal decision, and unlike Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones a vocalists pipes are going to show their age more than any other part of a bands overall sound.

Add the fact that he just doesn't want to do it and is enjoying his last few years doing what he likes and for me that is enough to understand and agree with his decision.

Am I disappointed? Sure 10 years ago a massive one of last Led Zeppelin concert recorded on DVD would have been great, but like Slip'nn and Annie I am fine with the band just as they are, their legacy is intact.

I think Alice is speaking for millions of fans, who would love to see them play again, which is also understandable.
 

Hydrazoic Acid

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I think Robert rights. If you know that you can't sing a songs (written 40 years ago) good - best not to go on stage. Otherwise it will, like Rob Halford (on video below) - sing an octave lower (despite the fact that the group plays the song on a half-tone lower), and then only with difficulty. Plant understands, that he wouldn't cope and simply don't want to become a laughingstock. I respect his decision.
 

Terra812

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I love Plant's response :grinthumb and can understand his point.

Plant told Rolling Stone that his heart is simply not in the band's music anymore

I've gone so far somewhere else that I almost can't relate to it. . . It's a bit of a pain in the pisser to be honest. Who cares? I know people care, but think about it from my angle — soon, I'm going to need help crossing the street.

They've gotten to the point where nothing moves. I don't deal in that, and I don't deal with anybody who deals in that.
 

rtbuck

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Nothing wrong with what Alice said. LG, I think you're right that he was probably speaking on behalf of the fans (& he being one himself). It is Plant's decision which I'm fine with but I think as Alice ages & sees friends who are musicians dying off he figures that Plant could still pull it off. 5-7 years from now who knows who will be around from Zeppelin, maybe all 3 or maybe just 1 & who knows...Plant may eventually look back & say he should've done that reunion but now it's too late. Obviously, if his heart isn't in it
who can blame him. Personally, I think they dropped the ball in 2007. That should have been it. They should have went all out & really promote it like this was it. Release a DVD & CD from the reunion & call it a day then instead of dragging out this possible reunion crap for the last few years especially when they knew how Plant felt. I know they don't need the money but had they released a reunion DVD/CD set it would have made a lot of die hard fans happy.

I think it's great that Alice has been working with his original band members recently & I really think it's because he knows they aren't getting any younger so now is the time & that's probably the message he was sending.

On a side note I really think now is the time for these musicians to start digging through their vaults & releasing whatever they can. Fans would love it & these bands & musicians could enjoy the kick back
 
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LG

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^^Well said Bucky and you are right all the older bands must realize that if they want to do anything then the sooner the better. As we have noticed recently many old rock stars are starting to pass on, this is the same as my Mom and Dad watching the generation of movie stars they grew up with pass away.

It would be nice if they did dig through the vaults and release all the material that they have sitting around gathering dust, while some of the band members are around to still enjoy it.
 

Slip'nn2Darkness

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Bucky and LG.. Interesting points that you both have brought up about unlocking the vaults of unreleased music..
But...
Here's my thought on that.. This is a whole different world.. Music has went way away from what Zep did back when they were famous for their style..
Alice has always been a great act and fun times for anybody who enjoys his work..
So my thing is if you bring out old stuff that was never released, then would the whole music world embrace it? The fans would of course, but imagine the negative bashing from critiques who would tear it apart..
You didn't really have such scrupulous critics back then like you do these days..
To me it would be justified to let it alone and don't bother trying to convince the industry to except something you would still be holding in the bag hoping to reignite the passion of the band..
 

Astrid Kirchherr65

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I think that's easy for Cooper to say since he has been touring all these years and stays with his own music..
Robert has tried to crossover (And been successful with Alison Kraus) and do modern country.
I don't hold anything against Plant for making the decision to bow out since Bonham is dead and gone and even if Jason could sit in and pull off a concert to me it just wouldn't be the same.
I think so far he has made the right choice to keep Led Zeppelin's mystic alive by not giving into pressure to reform the group and do concerts.
If he admits he dosn't think he can sing like he used to, well I applaud his honesty..

I Love Alice Cooper and I respect his opinion ..and he's keeping rock alive with his music and his radio show ..:bow:

He has his point and it's good...

but I agree with you Slip , I also respect that Plant is honest about his commitment and honest about his career path..
better to be remembered as the legend than a pathetic display of someone trying to recapture his youth...

I think he is great branching out ..he's got nothing to prove to his fans ..he gave us amazing music and it's HIS right to continue or not...
and I wish more artists would do this /if their hearts not in it :cheers2

Good for him ...
 

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