Some of Alice Cooper’s friends have been praising the newly nominated Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominee, in statements made available by Cooper’s representatives.
Slash summed up Cooper’s influence this way: “Alice Cooper was the first ever to marry rock ’n’ roll with dramatic horror theatrics. For 40 years he’s made fantastic records and equally fantastic live performances. And still to this day he’s the best at his craft bar none. Often imitated but never duplicated.”
Mike Myers, who in the guise of Wayne Campbell famously attended a Cooper concert in the “Wayne’s World” movie, had this to say: “Historians may say of Alice Cooper that his theatrical, teenage angst anthems are the connective tissue between The Beatles and punk rock. I would simply say ‘I’m not worthy! I’m not worthy!’”
Neil Gaiman, author of such dark-themed works as “Coraline,” “American Gods,” “The Graveyard Book” and the “Sandman” comic series called Cooper “A true original – the dark showman of rock. And Alice Cooper, the group that he fronted, was one of the great, mean, shark-sharp rock and roll bands. It’s about time that they were honored. And you know, we really aren’t worthy.”
Last week, Alice Cooper responded to the news of the nomination with some humble, heartfelt words of gratitude. On behalf of bandmates Dennis Dunaway, Neal Smith, Michael Bruce and Glen Buxton, Cooper pointed out that they’d begun life as a band simply seeking to “meet girls and drink free beer,” and he marveled that he was now in a position to share Hall of Fame honors with such personal heroes as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys, The Who, The Yardbirds and Chuck Berry.
by: Chuck Crisafulli
Gibson.com