Amazon.com
September 27, 2008

A Rare Breed of Love: The True Story of Baby and the Mission She Inspired to Help Dogs Everywhere (Hardcover) – by Jana Kohl (Author) – Price: $17.13

More info:  (here).

Patriot Ledger, MA
September 20, 2008

Some people saw a concrete wall. The North River Arts Society saw a canvas. A mural of five digitally-enlarged paintings on the outside wall of the Marshall’s store at Webster Square Plaza was unveiled…

The murals will remain there for two years and will then be replaced by other paintings. The project was a collaboration between the North River Arts Society and plaza owner Curtis Management…….

The paintings at Webster Square:

“Colors,” an oil painting by David Brega: A painting of Joey Kramer’s (Aerosmith’s drummer) motorcycle jacket…..

Photos:  (here).

Aero Force One
September 27, 2008

Blabbermouth.net

Immergent Records will release “Les Paul & Friends – A Tribute To A Legend” on September 30. This “tribute” to the beloved living music legend Les Paul, produced by Bob Cutarella (Eric Clapton, Sting, Joss Stone, Alison Krauss, Jeff Beck), includes performances from Slash, Joe Bonamassa, Richie Sambora, Joe Perry, Peter Frampton, Jeff Golub, as well as vocalists Joan Osborne, Edgar Winter, Mick Hucknall from Simply Red, Johnny Rzeznik, Lisa Fischer, and many others. Notably Les Paul himself plays alongside his protégés on several tracks. Sadly, it was during the post-production of this CD that famed barefoot guitarist Hiram Bullock passed away, making this his last official recording.

Les Paul can still be found playing his legendary namesake guitar at his standing Monday night gig in Manhattan, a further testament (if any was needed) to the fact that he has given his life over to music. “A Tribute To A Legend” is a fitting honor to the genre-crossing icon with an eclectic collection of musicians spanning the musical spectrum. From the hard-hitting thunder of Joe Bonammassa’s blues-shredding guitar, to the fluid, ethereal, quasi-blow-by-blow guitar groove provided by six-string icon Slash, this CD covers the gamut of guitar and recording techniques. Solid tributes, most of which also include the 93-year old Les Paul are turned in by Johnny Rzeznik covering U2’s “All I Ever Want Is You”; Joan Osborne’s smoky rendition of “I Don’t Wanna Be With Anybody But You”; and even Richie Sambora’s spiritual vocal on “Great Hall Of Fame”. Fans of instrumental music will marvel at tracks by noted guitarist Jeff Golub, Chieli Minucci and Steve Lukather’s fluid work on the Todd Rundgren classic “I Saw The Light”, and much more.

Here’s the complete track listing:

01. The Good Luck You’re Having (featuring Joe Bonamassa & Les Paul

02. The Walls Came Tumbling Down (featuring Hiram Bullock & Les Paul

03. I Don’t Wanna Be With Nobody But You (featuring Joan Osborne & Les Paul

04. All I Want Is You (featuring Johnny Rzeznik – Peter Frampton & Les Paul)

05. Slipping Into Darkness (featuring Lisa Fischer & Les Paul)

06. 69 Freedom Special (featuring Les Paul & Friends)

07. Vocalise (featuring Slash)

08. I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know (featuring Mick Hucknall, Joe Perry & Les Paul)

09. How Long (featuring Jeff Golub)

10. Great Hall Of Fame (featuring Richie Sambora)

Bonus tracks (offered as download at various Internet download sites):

01. Dying To Live (featuring Edgar Winter)

02. Children Of The Future (featuring C, C, & C)

03. I Saw The Light (featuring Chieli Minucci & Steve Lukather)

FOX25-Boston, MA
September 25, 2008

Joey Kramer is putting down the sticks to focus on some art. Kramer dropped by FOX25 with illustrator Rob Stull to talk about an art show he is hosting in Boston.

Watch:  (here).

Boston Herald, MA
September 26, 2008

Read: “A Rare Breed of Love”

Baby, the subject of this new book by psychologist Jenna Kohl, has a tongue to rival Steven Tyler’s (and it does in a two-page photo spread with the Aerosmith main man). And that’s just the start of this heartfelt biography starring a photogenic three-legged dog.

Baby gets the Flat Stanley treatment, and photographs of the cute pooch with many celebrities – Barack Obama and Amy Sedaris among them – will charm the most cynical. Sedaris hams it up with Baby and a few carrots, while Gloria Steinem offers a personal essay about falling in love with animals. Oh, Baby. (Fireside, $25.95) – Jill Radsken

Aero Force One
September 25, 2008

On Saturday, September 27th the Technical Skate Shop will make history. Not in the short period of time that the well known location has been hosting in-store art events, have they ever done what’s about to happen this September 27th. COMnGRAF is the fusion of mainstream comic book culture and graffiti culture and the brainchild of independent publishing LLC, True Elements. For a “very exclusive” one-night-only, Technical Boston will showcase the original artwork of 45 (yes, 45) comic book and graffiti artists combined. Graf legend and pioneer BLADE, along with T-KID, ZIMAD, SEXER, ROB STULL and many others including, Rock & Roll icon JOEY KRAMER from the world renowned group AEROSMITH, will be on hand to meet, greet and sign any and all books, posters and merchandise from 7-11pm. An event NOT to be missed. So come hang out…

Technical Shops

Rob Stull/Curator

Rob Stull is a Boston-based illustrator and comic book industry veteran. He’s worked on Spider-Man, Iron Man, X-Force, New Mutants, Batman, Nightwing, Firestorm, 52 and Tellos, just to name a few. He was the creator and curator of Sequential Art: The Next Step. A first of its kind traveling exhibit that spotlighted the contributions and impact of African Americans on mainstream comic book art and popular culture. Currently Stull is the directo of Visual Arts for Melting Earth Productions Group. A creative services organization focused on three vertical markets: music for video, video for music, and business for artists.

www.myspace.com/robstull
www.meltingearth.com

RedWingMotorcycles.com
September 24, 2008

Red Wings & Blue Suits…

So Red Wing makes a splash, the big boys in suits start a mad dash, they tell us that our names clash…That’s code for…..the Industry is taking notice of Red Wings showing up in Dealerships around the World…and some are getting very nervous. A full explanation will follow but in the meantime read between the lines and don’t pass on the right… See you on the road.

ST

TMZ.com
September 24, 2008

Aerosmith’s 60-year-old lead singer Steven Tyler not only knows what the Internet is, but he’s also suing a group of unknowns for impersonating him and his girlfriend on two separate blogs.

In a lawsuit filed today in L.A. Superior Court, Steven claims some cyber-wannabes have been using his identity, as well as his girlfriend’s, since 2007. In the suit, Tyler claims the impersonators have posted “pictures … intimate details about [his] private life, including [Tyler's] relationship with his girlfriend, his children and his mother.” Tyler says the stuff the bloggers wrote about his mom especially pisses him off because she recently passed away.

Google removed the sites in December of 2007 after Steven raised hell — but shockingly, they reappeared on the web anyway.

View Documents:  (here).

Aero Force One
September 23, 2008

Yo Yo Mama Kin!

I am not a big fan of Jazz. Let’s get that right out in the open. When I hear the word Jazz I think of Kenny G’s hair and Bill Cosby’s sweaters. Instead of Ambien the good people at Sanofi-Aventis should have called the sleep aid “Jazz.” OK, that being said, I had a blast at the Chris Botti show last week. Sting was there as well as John Mayer, Josh Groban, Yo Yo Ma and of course the Demon of Screamin’ Steven Tyler. I will fill you in on the Tyler-Botti connection. It’s pretty simple: Russ Irwin. After the Nine Lives tour ended in 1999, Russ hitched his wheels to Sting’s cart and it’s there he met Chris Botti who was playing trumpet for Mr. Sumner. When Chris was recording his album “To Love Again” in 2005 Russ suggested Steven for the vocals on “Smile.” So when CB was going to tape his special for WGBH here in Boston he called ST to come and sing at Symphony Hall and the Demon jumped at the chance. One strange thing did happen right before John Mayer was set to go on stage the second night. A guy in the 4th or 5th row started to take a heart attack. One of Chris’s friends was a cardiologist and was sitting a few rows in front of the guy. What luck! When my ticker goes I’ll probably be stuck in an elevator with Larry the Cable Guy and Joey’s drum tech Magee. Mayer was shaken and was wondering if the guy was alright. After the EMT’s gave him the once, twice and three times over he was transported to a local area Hospital and the latest word was he would be OK. They pushed John back and put Sting on next.

It was good to see Vic Tallarico at the gig. He was front and center with Steven’s sister Linda. Vic as you all know is a professional pianist himself and I’m told a bathroom attendant over heard Vic say he could play circles around Russ Irwin. Vic is the only person that can get away with calling Steven “Steve” without getting a pink slip.

Yo Yo Ma was in the house. This guy was a cool MF. He is in the “Classical” category so he’s ok in my book. I was tempted to ask if he harbors any resentments towards his parents for naming him after a popular 50’s kid’s toy. I guess it’s better than Slinky Ma.

Yo Yo Ma Kicks Ass! – by: Steven Tallarico

Separated at Birth? – by: John Bionelli

Steven performed “Cryin’” and “Smile.” I thought those two songs went well together. It was funny watching Sting check out Steven’s rehearsal and then Steven watch Sting’s. Steven ran up to Sting’s mic and sang a few bars of “Roxanne.”

Word is that the performance will be on a DVD and CD in the future.

Steven Practicing – by: John Bionelli

Steven Practicing – by: John Bionelli

Steven Practicing – by: John Bionelli

Steven Practicing – by: John Bionelli

Now in the first steps for a CD release by Aerosmith. Joey and Joe got together last week and jammed together for the first time since Sept. 2007. Joe had been playing up until his knee surgery with the TAB boys and Joey has been playing with James Montgomery. They are both in mid tour form at the moment. Steven has been singing with Chris Botti, Billy Joel and his friends at the Hard Rock last month so he is limber. Brad will be playing with the Hendrix Experience next month so that leaves Tom. I suggest you guys keep sending him basses to keep the master of the big bottom in shape. I have a feeling though that Tom is going to be like a caged animal waiting for the next tour to start. He loves to perform and loves being on that stage.

See you in the Studio……

John B.

FOXNews.com
September 22, 2008

Boston’s historic Symphony Hall was filled with rock stars and assorted dignitaries on Friday night, including Sting, Chris Botti, Katharine McPhee, Yo-Yo Ma, John Mayer and Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, who performed a raucous version of [“Cryin' ”] wearing a pair of tight, black, lace-and-rhinestone studded pants he’d gotten from Cher.

John Mayer also attempted to croon Frank Sinatra’s standard, “In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning.”

The occasion for all this was the second night of taping a PBS special hosted by horn man Botti featuring all these artists. (On the first night, Josh Groban appeared; violinist Yo-Yo Ma was the second-night guest.)

It was certainly one of the wilder nights for Keith Lockhart’s Boston Pops, not to mention Symphony Hall, where this reporter once worked. In those days, very few pop stars were ever allowed to perform in the austere hall where Seiji Ozawa and Arthur Fielder raised their hallowed batons.

But Botti and his management team convinced the BSO to let them in, and the results were stunning. The second-night show allowed Botti to play the trumpet while Sting led him and Yo-Yo Ma through one of his solo classics, “Fragile.”

Botti, who once was the band leader for Caroline Rhea’s lamented talk show, turned out to be an unflappable, smooth host. He was able to juggle a man having a heart attack in the audience, the various acts who played many different kinds of music and his own jazz numbers with great ease.

He joined each of the acts for duets, and also managed to re-recreate a piece of Miles Davis’ “Kind of Blue” as well as an instrumental version of Pavarotti’s “Caruso” from the movie of the same name, and the stirring theme from “Cinema Paradiso.”

Meantime, the stars came and went. Sting, now free of The Police, has returned to the more complex musicianship of his solo career. Besides “Fragile,” one of his best songs, he and Botti performed “Seven Days” and “If Ever I Lose My Faith in You.”

The latter closed the two-and-a-half hour show, and had better be included in the final edit. It was one of those brilliant, sudden pairings, with Botti’s more-unleashed-than-usual trumpet wildly punctuating Sting’s soaring vocals.

Sting was probably goosed for the second night anyway because of the surprise arrival of wife Trudie Styler from England. Styler had been stuck at home with domestic matters, but flew in and got everyone to keep it a secret until the last minute. This is one celeb couple that likes to be together … a lot. How refreshing!

Tyler, of course, is the Tasmanian Devil compared to the trained, restrained and studied Sting. Following Botti’s improvised New Orleans style, Tyler swung onto the BSO stage and belted out [“Cryin' ”] in a long colorful coat and flowing scarves, not to mention those pants. He dedicated his second song, a bluesy version of Charlie Chaplin’s “Smile,” to his elderly dad, Victor Tallerico, sitting in the front row.

Later, a friend of Sting’s, Boston philanthropist Bobby Sager, told Tyler he had to have the pants for his collection of party clothes. “I can’t!” cried Tyler. “Cher gave them to me. And I always wanted to get into Cher’s pants.”

Rim shot, please.

Sager was just the right Bostonian with enough nerve to ask Tyler, anyway. Earlier that day, he and his wife Elaine had hosted a private lunch at their Tremont Street aerie for the president of Rwanda, a country where the Sagers have dedicated their fundraising powers very successfully.

The stars themselves didn’t have a lot of contact off-stage, although Sting’s afternoon sound check did overlap with Tyler’s in an amusing way.

First they traded little vocal intros from each other’s songs. When Sting saw Tyler approaching, he belted out a little “Walk This Way,” to which Tyler screeched back “Rox—anne!” Sting brought out his 12-string lute, which prompted Tyler to announce, “That’s what we need! A balalaika!”

As for Mayer, he’s not Sinatra or Tony Bennett. Shorn of his trademark wavy hair, he more resembled a tall Marc Anthony. (The two should consider doing a video together.)

John Mayer without a guitar is an idea whose time hasn’t quite arrived, but give him credit for trying. Still, losing his other trademark — weird grimaces and other mouth tics — might help his delivery.

McPhee turned out to be one of the great finds of the Botti spectacular, commanding Sinatra’s “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” with a feline sexiness. Her little black dress and hot pumps didn’t hurt…..

AF1 Forum
September 20, 2008

Steven Tyler performs at “Chris Botti, Live In Boston,” September 19, 2008

More photos here:  (Thanks to AeroCarol).

YouTube.com
September 20, 2008

Symphony Hall, Boston, MA – September 19, 2008

Watch here:  (Thanks to AeroCarol).

YouTube.com
September 19, 2008

Symphony Hall, Boston, MA – September 18, 2008

Watch here:  (“Smile”, “Cryin’ “.)

CBS News.com
September 18, 2008

When 16-year-old Roman Perry became an avid fan of the video game Guitar Hero, his father noticed, CBS News correspondent Anthony Mason reports.

“Dad, you wanna play?” Roman asked.

“I don’t think so. You’ll beat me bad,” his father, Joe, said.

Joe Perry, of course, is a real guitar hero – as the lead guitarist of Aerosmith.

Now the band headlines its own version of the game – and it’s already sold more than a million copies.

“It’s taken over what records used to do. At least for bands like us,” Perry said.

In the game, players hit notes in sync with the song to score points. Last year, Guitar Hero and its rival, Rock Band, racked up $935 million in sales. That’s $100 million more than all digital music sales. While introducing old bands, like Aerosmith, to new audiences, like 15-year-old Alex.

“I had really no clue who they were until this game,” he said.

After it was included in Guitar Hero, sales of Kansas’ song “Carry on My Wayward Son,” more than doubled last year to nearly 300,000. Now more and more bands want to get in the game.

Greg Lopiccolo, vice president of game developer Harmonix, said that in the beginning the company had to approach the bands to be included in the game. But that’s changed.

“They’re absolutely coming to us now. Yes! Because now they understand that this is a way for an entirely new audience to appreciate their music,” Lopiccolo said.

So groups like Boston, The Who and Rush have signed up with Rock Band.

“We’re sharing our music to new fans. So that’s great for us. And new fans are learning more about the nature of how songs are constructed which I think is kind of a cool thing,” said Geddy Lee, Rush’s lead singer.

In effect, the game designers have become part of the music business.

“And I think more and more over time, people will come to expect to play with the music they love as a core part of how they think about music entertainment,” said Alex Rigopulos, co-creator of both Guitar Hero and Rock Band.

Aerosmith’s Joe Perry is still happier playing on stage than on video screen.

“I don’t like to lose,” Perry said.

But he understands that success now means striking a chord with both audiences.

Watch video:  (here).

Aero Force One
September 18, 2008

Watch video:  (here).

Aero Force One
September 18, 2008

Boston – September 12, 2008

In an effort give back to his adopted home, Detroit-born Blues man James Montgomery gathered some powerful friends and neighbors for the latest installment of the Reel Blues Fest, his annual fundraiser for the music and film communities. This year, Montgomery’s special guests included guitar man Jay Geils, fellow harp king James Cotton, and drummer Joey Kramer, as well as the Uptown Horns and the Boston baked all-star band known as Ernie and the Automatics.

Backed by members of Boston and the Beaver Brown band, as well as alumni from Peter Wolf’s bands, car guru and Berklee grad Ernie Boch, Jr. showed his stuff as he and his band previewed their forthcoming album, “Low Expectations.” Aside from a roadhouse rock through James Cotton’s “Here I Am,” the band offered mostly original material, much of which sounded like songs from the member’s former bands. From the low-down Shoals-y Blues of “Dead man” to the echoey simple rhymes of “Empty Head,” to the hopeful closer, “The Best is Up Ahead,” EtA (a driving pun, perhaps?) gave the crowd something to dance to as it grew and moved toward the raised ballroom stage.

When Montgomery came on, the room came alive as he offered his famous mouth-strafing, leg-kicking, high-energy riffs. Paying tribute to personal heroes like Muddy Waters and the city of his birth with the John Lee Hooker warble “Motor City is Burning,” Montgomery also wailed through covers of “I Thank You,” a gruff and punchy “Who Do You Love?” that included a long anf fuzzy bass solo and plenty of playtime for Montgomery, a more-vocal-than-harp rendition of “Baby, Please Don’t Go”that actually got the crowd singing along, and a vintage take on “Big 10-inch Record” (with which Kramer was clearly familiar). When Geils and Cotton took their seats at the front of the stage, the Boston Blues Summit continued with performances of “Good Time Charlie,” a loping and mumbly ramble through Muddy’s “Ready,” and a Vaudevillian hoedown through “Mojo Workin’” that allowed Cotton to show that, even at 73, he still had it and that, though Montgomery is ready, the torch does not necessarily need to be passed just yet.

Photos:  (here).

Aero Force One
September 18, 2008

The CBS Evening News segment with Joe Perry and son Roman did not air on Thursday, September 11th due to breaking news. The segment has been re-scheduled to air on Thursday, September 18th between 6:30pm and 7:30pm (eastern and pacific time).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Be sure to tune in to the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric… and check out Joe Perry and his son Roman talk about Guitar Hero: Aerosmith. The show airs from 6:30pm to 7:30pm Eastern and Pacific.

Boston Herald, MA
September 17, 2008

You can’t go wrong bidding on this autographed Aerosmith guitar.

Christian Elias has worked the scoreboard behind Fenway Park’s Green Monster for 18 years. But [tonight] he hopes to put up different kinds of numbers, ones that will help four-legged friends score a home.

Elias has organized the inaugural Pawvilion, an auction hosted by WFXT-TV’s (Ch. 25) Maria Stephanos at the Bank of America Pavilion’s VIP Tent. Benefiting the Animal Rescue League of Boston, the list of upscale items – from a fancy feast of dinner with Celtics coach Doc Rivers to a tail-wagging trip to the Bahamas – is nothing short of the cat’s pajamas…..

Pawvilion, at the Bank of America Pavilion, Thursday. The auction starts at 7 p.m., and admission is free. Go to pawvilion.org.

Aero Force One
September 16, 2008

A Really Big Shoe!!!

I know what you’re thinking! I’m a jinx. Two weeks after I wished Tom Brady good luck this season I watched in horror as he limped off the Gillette Stadium pitch against KC in week 1. I have been having bad luck with legs. It all started in Anchorage Alaska about a decade ago. I was waiting for the band to finish “Mama Kin.” As usual Steven was waving around his mic stand like a baton when BANG! The glass and scarf covered mic stand bangs off his knee. Show over, tour over just like that. We went to a local hospital to confirm an ACL tear and then it was off to Minneapolis to shoot the “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” video. Steven was a trooper and finished the video and then it was back to Boston to go under the knife. A few years later Joe’s balky knee needed attention and he too went under the knife to clean it up. I had the extreme misfortune to meet the biggest guy in my hockey league leg to leg about a year and 8 months ago. I needed a stretcher and ambulance to get off the ice and he skated away like nothing happened. Back to Joe. Five months ago he had total knee replacement surgery. The doctor said he should be able to resume playing and running around the stage in 10-12 months. Same with Brady. After Brady went down I got text messages from all over the country asking me if I am going to sell my season tickets. They were saying that the Pats are done! Instead of crying in my still Ice Cold Sam Summer I laughed and thought, although it is going to be an uphill climb, don’t count out Bill and company just yet. As of today the Patriots are in first place at 2-0. What place is your team in?

The night before the game I went to Philadelphia to go to Adrian Perry’s wedding. I had a blast and it was a first class affair from top to bottom. Adrian and his bride Anne made everybody feel right at home. It was great seeing all the Perry clan in one place. Mary Perry was there wondering if she was going to finally get to see her son jam with her Grandson’s. She didn’t have to wait long. The wedding had a lot of the traditional things you see at such an event. Bride dances with father, groom dances with Mother. Bride cuts the cake, groom cuts the cake but when you have Joe Perry, and sons at a wedding you know things are going to get rockin’ fast. I sat at a table with Joe’s buddy Perry Margeloff and his wife Took. To my right was Fran Defeo from Sony and her sister. Needless to say the conversation ranged between guitars (Perry is a guitar collector) and the state of the music business today. After the cake was cut we went into another room where a band was set up. Adrian and Tony had it set up where there was a house band (Tastes like Chicken) set up to play but he also had a list of special guests to come up and play. Joe played first with Tony on guitar, Adrian on bass and Ben Tileston on drums. The band better known as TAB. Joe borrowed a Les Paul from the house band. You could clearly see that the guys strap was a little to short for Joe’s liking but he managed. They kicked into “Goin’ Down” first. Goin’ Down was rehearsed by the guys for the first show back in October of last year at the Annex in NYC but was never played even though it was on the set list. Tonight it was played and brought the house down. It was great getting to see Joe back on stage testing out that knee. They then kicked into “Stop Messin’” with Joe on lead vocals as always. Joe then passed his guitar on to someone else and it was off to the races. For the next two hours everything from Joe Cocker to Green Day was played in that room. Unfortunately Brad couldn’t make it out of North Carolina because of Hurricane Hanna but his 3 sons, Zack, Graham and Harry aka Robbie, Chip and Ernie were there taking part in the festivities.

Adrian topped off his wedding week by taking in the Jets-Pats game in NJ last Sunday.

Brad will be part of the Hendrix Experience concerts that are playing around the country. I heard Brad will be at 10 of the shows but I’m sure the studio will dictate if he will be able to take part in anymore than that. It seems like a great idea. Mitch Mitchell has to be one of the most influential drummers of the 60’s. Billy Cox took over for Noel Redding in 1969 on bass and played with Hendrix until he died which was just a little over a year later. So this is a huge piece of rock history here and Brad will be front and center playing some tasty Hendrix licks. If you get a chance go see it.

Steven will be busy this week playing with Chris Botti at Symphony Hall in Boston. As you know Steven sang the Charlie Chaplin penned song “Smile” on Chris’s album “To Love Again”. He will be performing that song as well as a Aerosmith hit this Thursday and Friday.

Picture this:

Yesterday I walked into unsuspecting Joe Perry in the office of the Boneyard. He had his back to the door sitting in an oversized leather chair tapping his foot to the AC DC song “Sin City” off Powerage. As I looked over to his right I saw a strange piece of black plastic spinning around and around. Joe had every single AC DC album out on vinyl in the office. It was such a cool sight to see that someone still listens to albums these days. By the way, it sounded F’n awesome. Joe and Tom just contributed to Classic Rock’s tribute to AC DC which should be out soon. It’s being written by Ken Sharp who is an awesome rock writer. Be sure to pick it up.

In Photo: Rich Little and Donny Wightman

A big shout out and get well soon wish goes out to fellow A-Smith road manager Donny Wightman who is recovering from Hip Replacement surgery. Donny, Steven and Joey went to a party at Nascar godfather Gary Bahre last Saturday and the entertainment was provided by Rich Little. Steven had a blast talking to Rich about his early days on the show biz scene including appearances on Johnny Carson and Ed Sullivan. Donny is the hippest guy I know. Get well soon!

See You On the Road!

John B.

The Associated Press
September 15, 2008

Chris Botti has a few surprises up his trumpet when he makes his debut with the Boston Pops this week at two concerts that are being taped for national broadcast next spring during PBS’ annual pledge drive.

The chart-topping trumpeter has enlisted a star-studded lineup for the Thursday and Friday night concerts at Boston’s Symphony Hall that reflect his genre-bending musical tastes from jazz and classical to rock and pop.

His touring band — with such jazz stalwarts as pianist Billy Childs, drummer Billy Kilson and guitarist Mark Whitfield — will be joined by Sting and his longtime guitarist Dominic Miller; Josh Groban; Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler; “American Idol” runner-up Katharine McPhee; cellist Yo-Yo Ma; violinist Lucia Micarelli; and a major pop vocal star who will make an unannounced surprise appearance.

“We’re going from classical music to jazz stuff from Miles Davis’ catalog to rock ‘n’ roll all within the span of a very, very short time with really legendary people,” Botti said in a telephone interview Monday from Boston.

“I don’t want to give away what they’re doing because a couple of them are big-time surprises…. The real fun stuff is taking these artists out of the arena that they’re normally heard in. It will be like, oh my goodness, I can’t believe I just heard Steven Tyler or Yo-Yo Ma do that…..”

“…..The musicians like Sting or Steven Tyler are all doing it for nothing. … These guys are doing it for the music,” said Botti. “The real reason we’re doing it is to support PBS and try to get music on television which television normally doesn’t cater to apart from rock `n’ roll and pop.”

Aero Force One
September 15, 2008

Joey and Tom have their cars for sale at Corvette Mike’s. Check ‘em out!

Joey’s Lotus: (here).

Tom’s Maserati:  (here).

MyFOXBoston.com
September 12, 2008

Rockers Joey Kramer of Aerosmith and James Montgomery dropped by FOX25 to talk about their latest charity endeavor. Watch the video to find out how you can help!

Watch:  (here).

Boston Herald, MA
September 14, 2008

Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer checking out the cool clothes at Meredith Thorson’s Rock Reunion Clothing in Brockton (she’s also outfitting CN8 beauty Bessie Tsionis for her “Backstage” gigs) . . .

Aero Force One
September 12, 2008

The CBS Evening News segment with Joe Perry and Son Roman did not air on Thursday, September 11th due to breaking news. The segment will be re-scheduled to air the week of September 15th. Please stay tuned to AF1 for further details and information about the exact date and time of the segment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Be sure to tune in to the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric… and check out Joe Perry and his son Roman talk about Guitar Hero: Aerosmith. The show airs from 6:30pm to 7:30pm Eastern and Pacific.

Boston Globe, MA
September, 9, 2008

Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer stopped by the offices of Marlo Marketing the other day and donned one of the Purple Dog Tags created by Bostonian Ron Lawner to raise money for wounded soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Kramer, a big foodie, also signed several aprons, which will be donated to nonprofits around Boston for charity auctions.

Philadelphia Daily News, PA
September 9, 2008

(More about photo at:  The Gear Page.net)

Aerosmith guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford were in town over the weekend when Perry’s son Adrian married lawyer Anne Cortina at the Cairnwood Mansion, in Bryn Athyn, Montgomery County. Perry and his son, who’s also a musician, played at the reception. Wedding planner Gina Sole put together the memorable occasion.

Boston Globe, MA
September 10, 2008

Thanks to:  (Toonses88).

Aero Force One
September 10, 2008

Aerosmith’s Joe Perry and Peter Frampton are among the artists paying tribute to the inventor of the guitar they play the most, Les Paul. On Les Paul & Friends: A Tribute to a Legend, Perry, Les and Simply Red singer Mick Hucknall tackle Al Kooper’s “I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know.” Frampton, Les and Johnny Rzeznik from the Goo Goo Dolls cover U-2’s “All I Ever Want Is You.” Other artists on the album include Richie Sambora, Slash, Joe Bonamassa, Joan Osborne and the late Hiram Bullock, in his last recording. The album will be out on September 30th. On November 15th, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will hold a star-studded tribute concert to Les.

–Sal Cirrincione

Aero Force One
September 10, 2008

Spinner.com
Posted Sep 9th 2008 3:00PM by Steve Baltin

Aerosmith are still in the early stages of recording their new album but guitarist Joe Perry tells Spinner that some of the new songs may be made available in a more unconventional means prior to a proper release: via ‘Guitar Hero: Aerosmith.’ “We’ll probably release some of the music from our new record as a download so kids can plug it in and play some new tunes on the game,” Perry says.

After having to re-record two songs of theirs for the game, the game the quintet learned the importance of keeping track of masters. And even more so when frontman Steven Tyler wanted to include Mott the Hoople’s ‘All the Young Dudes’ as an homage to an early tour the two bands did together. “I spoke to Ian Hunter when I gave Jimmy Page his lifetime achievement award,” Tyler recalls. “I said, ‘Ian, where the f— is that song?’ And he goes, ‘I don’t know. The masters have been lost forever.’”

“But what’s really funny is we were talking to the White Stripes and some of their early recordings have gone missing,” Perry adds. “I guess that’s kind of the last thing on your mind when you’re trying to get your record out there. We never thought it would matter that much 30 years later.”

To read the original story, click (here).

Aero Force One
September 10, 2008

G4TV.com (Los Angeles)
Posted by John Manalang – Monday, September 08, 2008

If you’re still contemplating picking up Steven Tyler and crew’s version of Guitar Hero for your Xbox 360, Activision’s helping you make up your mind by releasing a demo out on Xbox Live.

The Guitar Hero: Aerosmith demo lets you strum along with “Sweet Emotion”, “Dream On” and “Walk This Way” with the legendary Rev. Run, the late Jam-Master Jay and D.M.C. Joan Jett and the Blackhearts’s song, “I Hate Myself For Loving You”, also makes an appearance in the demo.

Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, developed by Neversoft Entertainment, was originally released in June 2008 for the Xbox 360, PC, PS3, PS2 and Nintendo Wii platforms.Hit the jump for the review of the title.

To read the original story, click (here).

Texarkana Gazette, TX
September 10, 2008

Today’s Birthdays:

Golfer Arnold Palmer is 79. Actor Philip Baker Hall is 77. Actor Greg Mullavey is 69. Singer Danny Hutton (Three Dog Night) is 66. Actor Tom Ligon is 63. Actress Judy Geeson is 60. Rock musician Joe Perry (Aerosmith) is 58…..

WZLX.com
September 8, 2008

“The Aerosmith drummer calls in!”

Listen:  (here).

Boston Herald, MA
September 8, 2008

By Inside Track -

We hear that a bunch of Boston rockers, including The Kramer-Montgomery Blues Band featuring Aerosmith’s Joey Kramer and James Montgomery; original Boston guitarist Barry Goudreau; Extreme and Van Halen frontman Gary Cherone; and Magic Dick from the J. Geils Band will join blues legend James Cotton tomorrow night to christen the new Showcase LIVE! at Patriot Place.

Ticket News, CT
September 5, 2008

Aerosmith fans might not have to wait for an official 2009 tour announcement much longer. Earlier this week, band frontman Steven Tyler hinted that the band already has cemented plans to hit the road in the New Year.

“The tour is booked for March or April, I believe it starts, and then we eat the States,” Tyler said, according to a statement on the band’s official fan site, AeroForceOne.com. “I think there are some outside gigs, but not as much as last year when we did Dubai and India and wound up in Russia.”

The veteran rockers’ have not announced an itinerary for the upcoming spring 2009 tour. However, a presale for fans could be in the works. At the end of the statement, a note directed fan club members: “Check your memberships and make sure your account information is correct. We don’t want you to lose your senority [sic].”

Aerosmith is expected to enter the studio at the end of September to begin work on a new studio record, the follow-up to 2004’s cover album “Honkin’ on Bobo.” The band’s last album of new original material was “Just Push Play” in 2001.

According to Tyler, the new material will maintain the band’s signature sound. “Just your usual Aerosmith, you can’t tame it, rocking out, in your face music,” he stated.

Since first hitting the road in the early 1970s, Aerosmith has established itself as a touring band, taking only a few breaks from the road over the years. However, 2008 marks the first time since the mid-’90s the band has not toured for even a portion of the year. Previously, the longest time the band was off the road was from the time the Get A Grip Tour wrapped in 1994 until the Nine Lives Tour started up in 1997…

Boston Globe, MA
September 6, 2008

Showcase Live, the new entertainment venue at Patriot Place, will throw its official opening party Tuesday, when Shari Redstone, president of National Amusements and daughter of media mogul Sumner Redstone, hosts Aerosmith’s Joey Kramer, James Montgomery, former Boston-ite Barry Goudreau, and Magic Dick of the J. Geils Band.

Aero Force One
September 6, 2008

Check this out…

As you all know YOUR favorite Guitar God’s birthday is right around the corner. Yup, Joe’s birthday is on September 10th…well, AF1 wants to give YOU the birthday gift! Here’s what you gotta do…send in your happy birthday message to Joe – you decide what to write about (just keep it clean). AF1 will randomly select one winner who will receive a “People We Know, Horse’s They Love” autographed (by Joe) coffee table book which features Joe and Billie Perry. AF1 will also throw in some of Joe’s Rock Your World Hot Sauce. How cool is that?

Send in your birthday wishes by Wednesday, September 10th (12pm eastern time) and AF1 will randomly pick and notify one winner by Thursday, September 11th (12pm eastern time). The winning entry will be posted on AF1 so please keep it clean.

Email your entries to contests@aeroforceone.com and be sure to include in the subject line “2008 Joe Happy Birthday Message.” Can’t email your entry? Hard copies of completed entries may be mailed to AF1 – 4 Brussels Street, Worcester, MA 01610, Attn: “2008 Joe Happy Birthday Message.” Hard copies must be postmarked by Monday, September 8, 2008, in order to be entered into the drawing.

Pretty simple, huh? Well, watcha waitin’ for?…get started today!

Good luck!
- The AF1 Crew

Official Rules:  (here).

Aero Force One
September 3, 2008

Tickets On Sale Now! Get them now before they are sold out!

Friday, September 12, 2008
The Roxy
Boston, MA

Saturday, September 13, 2008
The Academy of Music Theatre
Northampton, MA

VIP Tickets with a meet and greet with the band are still available.

The Reel Blues Fest in Boston 2008 – All the money raised goes to the Reel Blues Fest, a non profit organization that provides health care to musicians and aids first time film makers.

Both dates are with Special Guests – The Legendary James Cotton, J. Geils, and The Uptown Horns, with suprise guests! Opening act is Ernie & The Automatics.

Get Your Tickets Now At TicketWeb.

Check out Live Video from the Kramer Montgomery Blues Band:  (here).

Aero Force One
September 4, 2008

Thursday, September 4th, and Friday, September 5th, save $10.00 off your purchase of $35.00 or more from the Aerosmith store (shipping not included)….

More info:  (here).

Aero Force One
September 3, 2008

Aerosmith is expected to hit the studio at the end of the month to start working on a new studio album. Singer Steven Tyler let us know what kind of music to expect on the record.

(Actuality #1) “Just your usual Aerosmith, you can’t tame it, rocking out, in your face music.”

Once the new CD is completed, Tyler revealed that the band is already scheduled to hit the road.

(Actuality #2) “The tour is booked for March or April, I believe it starts, and then we eat the States although I think there are some outside gigs but not as much as last year when we did Dubai and India and wound up in Russia.”

In the meantime, if you’re having trouble waiting for Aerosmith music, you can grab a copy of Guitar Hero: Aerosmith and play along with some of the band’s most iconic tunes.

(VH1 Classic
Radio Report For Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008
Music News)

Roxyplex.com
September 2, 2008

Tickets available at:  (www.ticketweb.com).

For more info call or visit:
T: 508-495-3456
(http://www.thereelbluesfest.org).

Boston Globe, MA
August 26, 2008

Thanks to:  (Toonses88).

CasinoBallroom.com
August 31, 2008

More info:  (here)