Alice Cooper has once again commented on his HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES bandmate Joe Perry's recent backstage collapse, saying that the guitarist "was basically exhausted" after being subjected to the band's busy and physically demanding touring schedule. "I didn't realize that AEROSMITH only did two shows a week," Cooper told Shawn SixX of Boston's WZLX radio station (hear audio below). "'Cause, honestly, I just figured everybody was like me; I do five shows a week, and very physical shows, and it didn't occur to me that not everybody worked like that. So we were on our eighth show in ten days. I mean, it was pretty brutal. And I think that he, basically, was dehydrated and I think he was basically exhausted. And I talked to him before the show, and he said, 'I don't think I've eaten anything in three days.' And I went, 'Well, that's not smart.' On tour? I mean, it's just one of those things you do. It wasn't his heart, though, and it wasn't anything that was vital. 'Cause four or five days later, he was on stage with us in San Francisco, and I'd never seen him look so good." He continued: "The funny thing was is Johnny Depp [HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES guitarist], who wasn't used to touring, he's like me — he was getting healthier as the tour went on. Because you get into really good shape; it's like doing a two-hour aerobic every night. And I don't drink and I don't smoke, anything like that, so by the end of the tour, I'm in great shape. If you're not used to this, yeah, it's gonna wear you out." Cooper went on to say that he was reluctant to have Perry return to the live stage too soon out of concert for his health. "[AEROSMITH singer] Steven [Tyler] called me and said, 'Hey, don't put him back on stage. I'm afraid.' And I went, 'Look, I'm gonna go talk to him in San Francisco and I'm gonna see how he is.' I went up to his room. He looked unbelievable, sounded great and got up on stage and played the whole show; I never heard him play that good. So he's back." Alice admitted that Perry's onstage collapse "scared" him and his HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES bandmates and pointed out the irony in the fact that VAMPIRES are "honoring all of our dead drunk friends: Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix and John Lennon and Keith Moon and all these guys that we used to drink with, and then one of our guys goes down." But Perry has since fully recovered, according to Cooper, who went on to call the guitarist "a trooper. He's a road rat, like the rest of us." Perry rejoined HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES on the road on July 22 in Rohnert Park, California. The VAMPIRES — which also include ex-GUNS N' ROSES drummer Matt Sorum and STONE TEMPLE PILOTS bassist Robert DeLeo — wrapped up their tour on July 25 at the California Mid-State Fair. Tyler, who recently released his debut solo album, said that he was extremely worried about Perry, telling The Pulse Of Radio it's very likely that the VAMPIRES' itinerary is simply too strenuous to allow Perry the time needed to recharge between gigs.
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