I sincerely believe he should just retire, I think the last interesting albums he put out were Brutal Planet and Dragontown. Everything after that is pure crap which is trying to imitate his early 70s stuff when they were a band, and it's just not working. He's getting old as well and can no longer do anything "shocking" anymore nor keep consistent vocals, he should've gone out with Dragontown and the tour.

I don't know... I didn't listen to his last album to date (Paranormal) but I thought Welcome 2 My Nightmare was a decent effort. It was rather well received too, I believe. It was also very derivative, but isn't it true of all Cooper's solo albums to a degree or another? I was always more a fan of the Alice Cooper Band's albums, personally.

As for the shocking aspect of his music/performances... I don't think it really matters anymore in today's musical landscape.

This post is so wrong that I don't even know where to begin.

But a lot of the riffs are literally just recycled from his older stuff hence why it sounds like his older stuff. For example this song from Welcome 2 My Nightmare:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7wiJXHjbDQ

It really just sounds like a retread of every 70's song he's made, I wouldn't mind if he went back to the 70's sound but with some innovation and difference.

For performance he does it well, but his style went from kinda scary to just plain childish. Watch his earlier concerts and they seem more unusual and discomforting, but he's just been doing the same thing for so long it's become an almost cartoonish version of itself. It's kinda what Marilyn Manson is transforming into right now tbh.

Well, if you expect him to make truly original songs again... then yes, I guess he should retire. But we could say that about a lot of active rock/metal bands - old and new.

Somebody getting old doesn't mean the person is getting bad. Alice Cooper's last album was fine.

I saw his live show in October. Regardless of his albums, his live shows are still killer.

He's still one of the best live acts around. Never puts on a bad show. He's not going to shock any more (which he's stated many times in interviews, citing the fact that what you see in the news/on the Internet these days holds far more shock value), but that doesn't take away from how entertaining his shows are. The fact that he doesn't drink any more and is a Christian also has an impact on how he presents the character and which songs he might choose to play.

As far as albums go, he's still delivering the goods too. The only terrible album he's done in the past 40 odd years is Along Came a Spider. There's been a few average ones in that time too, but most have been decent at worst, with some being as good as the classic '70s group material in my eyes (The Last Temptation, Dirty Diamonds).

I actually liked Along Came a Spider and thought Welcome 2 My Nightmare was pretty fun. He hasn't released much that's wowed me since Brutal Planet/Dragontown but he seems to be doing fine where he is. At the end of the day, he's still delivering live and that's all most people care about.

Dude still brings it live.

I like the hits. never listened to an enitre album. he was amazing live. great showman and super tight band.

he's a new born christian, super-conservative republican with grandkids who goes at great length to distance himself from "Alice Cooper", what do you expect?

He's unlikely going to bring out another all time classic, but his newer stuff is still decent.
And as stated, his live show is still great. He can retire when he stops killing it live.

I sincerely believe the OP should just retire. I don't think he's ever had an interesting thread based on fact with valid points. Everything I've read is pure crap which is trying to imitate trolls of the early 90s stuff when the internet was cool, and it's just not working. His act is getting old as well and this thread and threads like it are no longer "shocking" anymore nor- okay I can't keep this up.

This, yes.

I don't tend to agree with a lot of the "_____ should just retire already" sentiments, just because even if he's only doing it for his own enjoyment, that's ok. We're not forced to watch or listen if we don't want. Also, even if you don't like the newer stuff, a lot of artists of his generation that are still around still have at least some rabid fans who want more stuff.

I feel like he's been fairly dull and same-y for a long time, but if he keeps going, it's not hurting anyone. I'd say he should retire when he wants to retire, and no sooner.

My mom was actually talking about the Jesus Christ Superstar thing with him in it, some live performance on TV this Sunday. It was just amusing to me that my mom was talking about wanting to watch something with Alice Cooper in it, but I can't say I'm terribly interested. I looked it up and he's apparently King Herod in it.

That's the perfect role for Alice Cooper! Performances of Jesus Christ Superstar always cast Herod as a most flamboyant character - not necessarily homosexual, but always an over-the-top showman.

Edgelords gonna edge.

good to hear he can still put on a live show
i would love to have seen him live before he can't tour anymore but i doubt i ever will
he's bound to start slowing down soon on his world tours...?

His live shows are still incredible (just saw him a few months ago), and Paranormal had great chops. As my second favorite artist ever, I disagree to the main statement in this post.

yep. He's seemed like a wanker to me for years. I like some of those 70s albums (just got Killer on vinyl) but for ages now he's epitomised to me the useless old rock star. I'm glad some people here can still enjoy the gigs. I never attended one but reports I've heard have been very mixed to say the least. This is nothing new, though. My dad went to see his band play maple Leaf Gardens probably around 1975. Alice himself only came out for about thirty seconds, mumbled some words and passed out on-stage. Now that's rock 'n' roll.

Means nothing to me. Somebody's faith or political views will not turn me away from their music in the slightest. Whether it's Deicide or Stryper, Ted Nugent or Rage Against The Machine, all different beliefs make no difference to me. I love all four.

I'm the exact opposite. if someone reveals themselves to be a twat, bigot or of otherwise compromised character (I'm not talking specifically about AC here), their records go to the charity shop. I've been known to ritually burn them on a few occasions, too.

Why? Hate the artist, not the art.

hate is too precious to waste on hypocrites and scumbags. it's more like disgust. if you write/sing songs about values you don't uphold, you're out...

I saw him in 2008, I think. It was alright; Motorhead destroyed him (as they do). His band aren't great and the guitarists don't have shit on the original Cooper group sound. His latest addition is a generic bedroom shredder who happens to be a pretty woman. I dunno, has Alice really done much worth listening to since Welcome to My Nightmare; that's where I get off.

I do think that The Last Temptation is a legitimately amazing album that gets unfairly overlooked. I like a lot of his solo material but it's all very dependent on whether you like the particular genre he's experimenting with. Trash and Hey Stoopid are great if you like glam and I like Brutal Planet and Dragontown for all their alt metalisms.

I agree to both statements. "Constrictor" sorta falls into the glam category too, but I even like the new wave albums from the early '80s as well as the post Nightmare 70s ones. They're full of pop rock fun.