Welcome to His Nightmare

At the Four Seasons, Michael is waiting to hook up with an acquaintance, Joe Elliott, the lead singer for Def Leppard. The '80s hair-metal band is one of the Alice Cooper group's spiritual descendants, a show-bizzy outfit fond of pyrotechnics. You could see Def Leppard as a sad story: They haven't had a hit in years, and they've endured enough tragedy to fuel several VH-1 Behind the Music specials: A guitarist died from mixing painkillers with alcohol, and the drummer lost an arm in a car accident. But at least they're still together -- a nostalgia act for people in their thirties.

From the bar, Michael spots the band, checking in. In 24 hours, they'll play RodeoHouston. Michael gets up to chat.

Troy Fields

Michael Bruce: Hasn't been the same since Alice left.

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More About

• Alice Cooper
• Glen Buxton
• The Rolling Stones
• Houston (Scotland)
• Bob Ezrin

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When he returns, he tells Dan and me, wonderingly, that Joe said the rodeo had sold more than 50,000 tickets -- which means that this would be one of Def Leppard's biggest concerts ever. He asks Dan what Alice Cooper, the solo act, drew last time he played in Houston -- 3,000 people? If that?

Michael looks out at the hotel lobby, out toward the group that is still together, still playing in arenas. He sips his drink, and doesn't say a word.