Rocker Alice Cooper leans toward Manny Pacquiao

Alice Cooper took a moment to reflect during his round of golf on Thursday at the 52nd annual Bob Hope Classic.

And what did he come up with?

One night, long before fame and fortune arrived, he and his band were playing a two-night stand at the Whiskey a Go Go in Hollywood. They shared the stage with two other unknown bands – Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd.

And so goes the tales of Alice Cooper, the newly anointed Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, avid golfer, boxing fan and radio DJ with a syndicated show that has become a fan favorite in Palm Springs.

“Back in those days we were all starving musicians trying to get a gig,” Cooper remembered. “With the money we made we bought food.”

Cooper, who turned 63 on Friday, said “Nights with Alice Cooper” provides him the opportunity to play ‘lost music.”

“There is so much great lost music,” Cooper said. “Listen to the radio today; they are playing the same 60 songs. If you like Led Zeppelin, you will love the Yardbirds. There is no Led Zeppelin without the Yardbirds. I like to educate people to the fact there was a lot of great music lost in the 60s and 70’s.

Cooper arrived at the golf tournament after a busy stay in the studio. He is working on “Welcome to my Nightmare, Part 2.”

“We have the original producer, three original guys in the band,” Cooper said. “A lot of it is getting back to the original but the writing is much more modern.”

Cooper was baffled when he was told fellow rocker 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 echoed the sentiments of Zeppelin fans.

“They are just standing there,” Cooper said. “What is so hard? Jimmy page wants to do it. John Paul Jones wants to do it. And they got Bonham’s son, 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?

Cooper made it a point to connect with Sugar Ray Leonard, who was making his debut at the Hope.

“We talked about the Duran fight,” Cooper said. “He told me he looked over to other side of the ring and saw this pit bull looking as if he was going to eat him.”

The ‘Brawl in Montreal” was the career highlight for Duran.

“The thing about Ray was that he was quick and hard to hit,” Cooper said. “But Ray said he was just as quick and he hit harder than anyone on the planet. He hit like a heavyweight. When he caught you, it hurt you.”

The bout taught Leonard a lot about the mental side of the sport, Cooper said.

“He said the fight was out of him after the first round,” Cooper said. “He said he realized he was not ready for this guy. The next time he fought a different fight.”

Cooper said the Mayweather versus Pacquiao is the only fight he wants to see.

“I think maybe Mayweather may be avoiding Pacquiao,” Cooper said.  “I don’t blame him. I think Pacquiao is something else. He has gone through everyone.”

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