EddieTrunk.com
August 31, 2009

“Aerosmith Guitarist Joe Perry is confirmed to be in studio… tonight for Eddie Trunk Live! Don’t miss the legendary guitarist talking about Aerosmith, his new solo CD and much more. Call in and talk to Joe Live. Do not miss the return of Joe to the studio live tonight on Sirius 19, XM 53 The Boneyard. Eddie Trunk Live starts at 6PM Eastern. Joe expected in around 8PM. Only on Eddie Trunk Live on Sirius/XM!”

Aero Force One
August 27, 2009

Check out the Aerosmith lottery TV commercial for Rhode Island State Lottery! Oh, Yeah!

Watch:  (here).

Classic Rock Revisited
August 29, 2009

Classic Rock Revisited Editor Jeb Wright interviewed Aerosmith’s Joey Kramer about his new book Hit Hard.

Listen:  (here).

Toronto Sun, Canada
August 28, 2009

Joey Kramer tells hard-hitting story

This was supposed to be the year of Aerosmith.

There was the much ballyhooed summer tour – their first since 2007; an album of all-new material; a new solo record from lead guitarist Joe Perry; and autobiographies from two of the members, drummer Joey Kramer and vocalist Steven Tyler.

After a series of accidents, topped by Tyler’s stage-fall in South Dakota, sidelined the tour last month, the band’s carefully plotted return to the spotlight has fallen by the wayside.

But Aerosmith has lived through many ups and downs, and if there’s a message that fans can take away from Kramer’s newly-released autobiography, “Hit Hard: A Story of Hitting Rock Bottom at the Top,” is that the band can bounce back from anything.

Kramer offers an inside glimpse of the girls, parties and drugs that were habitual during the band’s first 15 years (in one scene, he soberly recounts how his drum tech had to literally push him onstage at a show at Boston College).

In “Hit Hard,” the 59-year-old also candidly expands on the strained relationships he and bandmates Tyler, Perry, rhythm guitarist Brad Whitford and bassist Tom Hamilton have endured during their 39-year history, his battle with depression and his painful family upbringing.

Kramer checked in with JAM! from Boston to talk about how his book is different from other rock memoirs, why he thinks the band has lasted as long as it has and just how much gas Aerosmith still has left in the tank.

–

“Hit Hard” goes a lot deeper and reveals some pretty personal history. Did you have any reservations about telling your story?

Not really. My commitment to it started right from the beginning and part of my commitment was to be as honest about it as I could be because I decided that I wanted to be of service to people. If people are able to identify and relate to what I am writing about then I accomplished what I was after.

Why was now the right time to write the book?

Well, it just happened to get finished at this point in time. It took me four years to write it. But right now was an apropos time because the band was going out on tour and I had the ability to do meet and greets and book signings. So it worked out real well.

Who is the book written for?

For anyone who is suffering from or dealing with alcoholism, drug addiction, depression, anxiety; if they can read about the stuff I’ve been through on the journey of my life, and it can help them out, then those are the people I’m hoping to reach.

There’s a really gut-wrenching scene in which you recount your father’s reaction after you bought him a brand new Cadillac (his dad was less than impressed). Was there any time in writing the book when you thought, man, it’s too hard going back to those places?

It brought up a lot of emotions for me, but it was also cleansing at the same time.

Until the tour was cancelled, you were out meeting fans. So what’s the reaction been like when people meet you one on one?

The book has allowed people to relate to me on a different level. It makes them realize that you don’t have to be a rock star to crash and burn. We’re all subject to these things in life and becoming clean and sober from drugs is only half the battle. All that does is open the door for you to work on what life’s problems are really all about because it’s really a never ending journey.

It’s a pretty lean tale. Did you leave a lot of it on the cutting-room floor?

There were stories that maybe weren’t worthy of being in the book, so we cut them. When we first transcribed the book it came out to over a 1,000 pages and the finished product is less than 300. But what I did manage to keep in there was the thread that I wanted people to hook into, which is the confusion between love and abuse. It’s a timely subject that a lot of people relate to and can identify with in the book.

You mention time and again in the book how there were many things that could have killed the members of Aerosmith over the years. Did you come away from writing your memoirs feeling a bit charmed?

I think more grateful than anything else.

How did your bandmates react when they heard you were writing “Hit Hard”?

They were all for it. They said, ‘As long as everything that’s in there is honest, Joey, then there are no problems.’ And everything in there is as honest as the day is long. They’re all pretty proud of the result and they’ve all read it.

Did you ever consider revealing some of your more personal tidbits in 1997’s “Walk this Way: The Autobiography of Aerosmith”?

Well, that book was about the band; this book is about me. But that book was too manipulated and controlled by certain other people and a lot of us didn’t get a chance to say what we really wanted to say in that book.

”Hit Hard” is more than just the juicy gossip. How did you strike a balance between how much you wanted to talk about with regard to your own personal history and the band’s?

I don’t think there’s striking a balance. You either do it or you don’t do it. Striking a balance is like saying, ‘Well, I’m going to kind of write about it, but not really;’ and I’m just not that kind of person. I either do something all the way or I don’t do it. So this is not about balance; this is the real s**t.

Did you rely on your own memories or did you go back and interview some people from your early years to help tell the story?

I talked to a lot of people and, along with the help of [co-writer] Keith Garde, we talked to everyone from my sisters to [former Aerosmith guitarist] Ray Tabano to my mother and it all made for an interesting ride.

Did you look to any other rock star memoirs for inspiration?

I read some, not necessarily for inspiration, but I read them to see what they were about. Most of what’s out there are war stories.

In terms of live music nowadays, are you impressed by today’s crop of young artists?

There are few I like. For me it’s hard because being a drummer, if the engine in a band isn’t top flight that kind of kills it for me. But there are some bands I like today like Foo Fighters, because Taylor Hawkins is a good drummer, Green Day I like, Adrian Young from No Doubt. So there’s a couple that I like because their bands are good and the drummers are doing what they’re supposed to be doing.

Do you think today’s young guys have the same commitment Aerosmith had when you were first starting out?

There’s a few of them out there, sure. The ones that don’t get discouraged and just keep doing it no matter what and have enough passion; that believe they can live their dream will do well. Those are the ones that will rise to the top.

Aerosmith survived every kind of musical trend there is. Why is that?

Because our message isn’t about anything in particular. It isn’t political or trendy; it’s about the kids, it’s about life, it’s about what you do, it’s about guys and girls together, men and women together, and I think that Steven has never really received the credit he deserves for being such a clever lyricist. That’s what sets us apart from a lot of other bands.

In light of what’s happened with the injuries to Steven and the cancellation of the tour, how soon will you be back on the road?

I have no idea about that, man. Everything’s in limbo right now.

How long do you see yourself doing the live shows, the albums?

Indefinitely. I don’t see any end. There’s too much juice left in this band for it to end.

Looking back at all the albums you guys have released, is there one Aerosmith record you think didn’t get it’s due from the fans or the critics?

“Just Push Play.” I liked that one.

Creative Loafing, NC
August 27, 2009

The Deal: Supergroup Chickenfoot [Sammy Hagar, Chad Smith, Joe Satriani and Michael Anthony] shreds Uptown Amphitheatre with the help of Davy Knowles and a special guest….

….The band’s encore started with a brief guitar solo by Hagar, followed by Charlotte resident and Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford walking out to play with the band. As they tore into the 1974 Montrose (Hagar’s early band) song “Bad Motor Scooter,” Whitford tore into a solo. As he started to wind it up, Satriani urged the black-beret wearing Hall of Famer to keep on going. All involved had huge smiles on their faces as they spun the end of the track into a brief cover of The Who’s “My Generation.” At the end of the song, Smith knocked over every piece of his drum kit before hurling a drink into the audience and lining up for bows….

Blabbermouth.net, NY
August 27, 2009

Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry was the in-studio guest on the Providence, Rhode Island radio station WHJY earlier this afternoon (Thursday, August 27). The interview, which was conducted by 94HJY on-air personality Geoff Charles, is now available for streaming using the audio player [here]

Check out pictures of Perry’s visit to the WHJY studios (here).

Regarding the rumors that Aerosmith was breaking up following the cancellation of the group’s U.S. tour with ZZ Top, Perry stated, “The band is on hiatus. I think that for the last couple of tours, Steven’s [Tyler, vocals] been through a bunch of different physical things. He’s always felt like we’ve gone out a little bit too early every time and that kind of thing… I really don’t know for sure. We just want him to get completely healthy — from head to toe, whatever ailment it is — and then we’ll talk about getting back together. So the band is by no means breaking up; we are just taking some time off. And we’re gonna take a good bit of time off so that everybody can re-evaluate our original mandate, which was to go out there and entertain the fans, put the fans [at] number one — which I always do, and I constantly will, with the [Joe Perry] Project — but with Aerosmith, we’re all there on that. And make a great studio record and go out and get on the road and tour until we’re finished.”

When asked to clarify his statement that for the last couple of tours Steven’s “felt like [Aerosmith has] gone out a little bit too early,” Perry said, “It takes a lot of planning, and the thing is, you’ve gotta know that you wanna go out on the road three months, four months, five months before you go out, ’cause it takes that long to build the tour — everything from finding the right guys and facilitating… structurally building the whole thing… getting the right PA, getting the right monitors, getting the right guys… A lot of them are people that we’ve had for a long time. There are new people that we’ll bring in. And it just takes a long time to get it going. You look at the U2 thing; they were showing pictures of their stage a month ago. And that’s when it’s finally done, and you know they started planning that six months before that. So it takes a while to get a tour up and running, and you’ve gotta know… And that’s why you can’t put that off. It’s one thing to take a little extra time on a release of a record, but you really can’t mess around with that [tour] opening date, ’cause you’re selling tickets three months in advance, and then you’re ready to go. And that’s when it’s… The show must go on. That little bit of entertainment bylaws have never changed; that’s never changed. And that’s why we ended up not getting the this last studio record done. We were all set with Brendan [O'Brien, producer] to cut tracks, and we had the songs pretty much lined up, and Steven got a throat thing and then it got to pneumonia and he was out of the picture for six weeks. And Brendan said, ‘Look, we just don’t have time before the tour to finish this record, so we’ll just do it after the tour is over.’ And this was, obviously, before we had this whole business about cancelling and all that stuff. So that’s when I flipped the switch and went in and started cutting a solo record; I just had too much music inside to let it sit there. I knew I was gonna do a solo record sometime again — another one — because I realized I could do solo things parallel to Aerosmith without it hurting either one. So I was ready to do it some day, but ’some day’ happened a lot quicker than I thought; I just wasn’t gonna waste any time.”

Continued (here).

Watch video:  (here).

WZLX.com
August 27, 2009

Joe Perry is dropping by to do lunch with Carter Alan Thursday at noon.

Earlier this summer, Steven Tyler and Joey Kramer dropped by to talk with Chuck Nowlin, Kenny Young and Carter Alan. Check out the pictures and listen to the interview [at link above].

Listen Live to Joe’s Interview:  (here).

Rolling Stone
August 25, 2009

(Photo: Kane/WireImage)

“Do I sound fucked up or stoned?” Steven Tyler asks, calling from his home in New Hampshire on Monday. In his first comments to the press, Tyler wants to set the record straight about what happened when he fell off the stage in South Dakota on August 6th — followed by a cancellation of Aerosmith’s summer tour and subsequent reports of band turmoil. “Truth be known, I jumped off the stage on purpose,” he jokes at first. “Figured we hadn’t gotten any new press in so long.” But then Tyler got serious.

How’s your health?
I’ve been better. I’ve got my arm in a sling [from a broken shoulder]. I’m on all the drugs I’m not supposed to be on. But I’m dealing with the pain pretty good.

What happened that night?
I don’t really know. There was a torrential downpour and the guys [at the campground] said, “Look, it’s still slippery.” I watched myself on YouTube, and it could have been my knee buckling or any ankle. The last thing I remember before I hit the ground was people grabbing for me, but they couldn’t reach me because of the barricade. At any other Aerosmith show I probably would’ve been caught and thrown back onto the stage — naked and without jewelry [laughs]. I stood up and couldn’t raise my arm and knew I’d broken something.

Were you sober?
As sober as you can be.

Care to comment on that clip on TMZ of you in a liquor store?
Oh, Jesus Christ. A good friend of mine and Joe’s — the brother of the guy who works on my house, my housekeeper — passed away. I was at the funeral. And after the funeral, they’re Italian and had a feast at the house, a wake, and I stopped at the liquor store and paid for the booze. I did not buy any for myself. It was never proven that I did. Some kid whipped out a phone and took a picture. Anything to sell papers. It was for the wake. I would do it over and over a million times.

How do you look back at Aerosmith’s cursed summer tour?
Every once in a while we gotta be human [laughs] and get Joe’s knee or Brad’s head or whatever done. I’m Italian and I don’t believe in talking about my bandmates. I’m just so pissed it was such a great tour. I had to ruin it all by falling and I’m sorry. I’ve said that to the fans and my band and everybody else. I fucked up. I get in the zone when I’m onstage. I don’t really have to explain anything. I love what I do. The world knows what I do. And I only hope they forgive me for having to cancel such a fucking awesome tour.

How do you respond to reports of dissent within the band?
Someone is leaking stuff, pretending to know, and you know, I don’t even care. Has the band done things to me where I’ve wanted to quit? Positively. But I’ve stuck in there for the sake of a few sounds we got. I respect the power this band has in and of itself regardless of who says what.

When did you last speak with the other guys?
Two days ago. Shit’s good. I’m not the leader. No one’s the leader, we’re just one for all, all for one. It’s probably why we’ve never quit. No one’s got enough money! We split it evenly.

But you have signed with a different management company than the band, and you’re working on a solo album.
I would imagine … I can’t tell you for sure, but I think there’s a little animosity that I went with another management agency. Which is for me to know and you to find out. I’m certainly not in outs with the guys. But look, I do what I do. The easiest thing in the world is to say he’s drunk or stoned. But what are you gonna do?

TulsaWorld.com
August 23, 2009

Joe Perry (right), with Aerosmith band mate Steven Tyler at the BOK Center last month, will release a solo album.
(By: Stephen Holman/Tulsa World)

Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry hasn’t had much down time. Even with a canceled tour, the famous axman has a lot to do.

Before his recent sold-out show here in Tulsa — one of the last before the injury-plagued tour was halted — Perry took 45 minutes and relaxed before the musical melee. After his jet flight into Tulsa, his bus shuttle to the BOK Center and his meet-and-greet session with fans and before showtime, Perry shrank into an oversized leather couch adorned with red and gold-fringed pillows and took off his white lace-up boots.

He lit a cigar.

As he slipped on sequined black sneakers and wound a belt through his black leather trousers, he thought aloud about his band’s nearly 35-plus-year trek.

“It hasn’t been easy, but we’re never done,” he said with a laugh. “We just keep coming back.”

And so does his solo career. Through it all, he’s held together the Joe Perry Project and a solo career. A Gibson Les Paul guitar player for decades, his solo tune “Best Rock Instrumental” was nominated for a Grammy in 2006. It lost to his hero and the creator of the ax he adores: Les Paul.

The songwriter and guitarist plans another solo release this fall, he said. The album hasn’t been named — he’s let his online fans do that part for him. “I got about 3,000 suggestions on my Twitter account,” said the 58-year-old Perry, who regularly posts to his own mini-blog site (a few days after the Aerosmith show in Tulsa, Perry announced the title would be “Have Guitar, Will Travel”). “These days, our fans are young, they’re online. They’re everywhere.”

And they’re all ages, too.

For a band that has been together for nearly 40 years, a decade is a lifetime, said Perry. And being part of a band that’s notorious for rowdy live shows, drugs, rehab, rebirths, reinvention and relentless touring has been a benefit — and a curse.

For one, “the glamour has worn off a bit,” Perry said, then laughed. “Well, at least it has for my kids,” he amended, then laughed again.

In the ’70s, “fans were my own age,” he said. When the band got its second wind and helped invent rap-rock in the 1980s, “the video — MTV — drove us to fame.

“In the ’70s, I never imagined that video technology would find us a new generation in the 1980s and 1990s. In the 1980s, we never imagined that those other little boxes — video games — would propel us into today.”

And today, he’s finishing his solo project while Aerosmith finishes its own album. The Aerosmith album was postponed earlier this year, and is set for release later this year.

“When we postponed the Aerosmith album, I just said to myself, ‘To heck with it, I need to clear the deck and get this stuff out,’” said Perry. “So I threw myself into my side work.”

The decision was a wise one. Days after that Tulsa show, Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler fell from the stage during a performance and broke his shoulder. It was the final blow to a troubled tour. The rest of the dates were canceled so Tyler could heal.

To do the math, Tyler injured a leg and postponed six earlier dates. Guitarist Brad Whitford missed several dates for emergency surgery on a head injury. Bassist Tom Hamilton missed a string of shows (including the Tulsa stop) due to “noninvasive surgery.” Last year, Perry had knee replacement surgery.

The Aerosmith co-founder’s trademark guitar playing takes center stage on his new work. He played a few unmastered tracks in the BOK dressing room as he prepared for the sold-out Aerosmith show. The tunes are bluesy, but they’re not blues. They’re jangly, but they’re not pop. The vocals have a Leonard Cohen feel, a Jim Morrison sultriness. They’re amped warbles, backed by rumbling, ’70s-style guitars.

“This record gives me a chance to address the issues I want to write about: government manipulation, trust,” said Perry. “You can tell I’m pretty pissed off about certain things I hear and see. This record a little tongue-in-cheek, but it’s also how I feel.”

Perry is more centered than his freewheeling Aerosmith persona portrays.

Outside the cool dressing room, the venue filled with a sold-out crowd, screaming and yelling to every preshow curtain flutter, every sound-check drum roll.

He said that his new album deals with his own spirituality, too. A song he’s named “Oh Lord” reverberates softly through the room. “I heard that Elvis wore a Star of David around his neck. Her wore it everywhere. He never took it off. He always joked, ‘Just in case.’ … But I pray. I don’t know about organized religion, but I have my own spirituality,” he said as he touched a cross necklace around his neck.

“You know, just in case,” he said quietly, then smiled.

Boston Globe, MA
August 23, 2009

Aerosmith’s summer of bad luck began when guitarist Brad Whitford banged his head getting out of a car, forcing him to miss the opening dates of the band’s tour in June. A few weeks later, lead singer Steven Tyler hurt his leg performing at the Mohegan Sun Arena, causing seven shows to be postponed. Then bassist Tom Hamilton, who was treated for throat cancer in 2006, missed some dates because of unspecified noninvasive surgery. Finally, on Aug. 5, Tyler fell from the stage in Sturgis, S.D., breaking his shoulder and forcing the rest of the summer tour to be canceled.

Not one show on Aerosmith’s truncated tour was performed with the band’s regular lineup.

Now, after a photo and video of a frail Tyler surfaced last week taken by a fan at a Pembroke liquor store, his broken shoulder in a sling and oversized sunglasses covering most of his gaunt face, the band’s followers, and some people close to the band, can’t help but wonder: Is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-enshrined group – whose median age is 58 – nearing its end?

According to lead guitarist Joe Perry – who posted a series of Twitter messages yesterday addressing the speculation – no. “Aero is Not breaking up!’’ he wrote. Perry said the band is simply on hiatus until Tyler recovers. “We just don’t know how long, I’ve heard 3 to 8 wks just for Shoulder. We want to make cd put out [single] then cd then tour. But it’ll be awhile till he’s 100%. We owe it to our fans, the band’s history and to ourselves to do the best record we can. And everyone that was waiting for us this summer we owe them the great show we can deliver With new songs new set the works. Thanks.’’

But only a few weeks earlier Perry’s tweets had a different tone. He and his wife Billie seemed to isolate Tyler, the band’s frontman, referring to “Aerosmith the band’’ and “vocalist Steven Tyler.’’ On Aug. 15 a Twitter message from Joe Perry said, “I am so sorry about vocalist Steven Tyler having to cancel our Aerosmith Shows. I can’t say I’m sorry enough you guys are great fans to have.’’

Additionally, Tyler’s recent decision to hire a separate management company from the rest of his band mates, the group’s oft-delayed new album, and the litany of problems plaguing its latest tour all fueled talk about Aerosmith’s future.

Members of Aerosmith declined to speak with the Globe for this story. But in an interview with the Globe in May, Perry sounded unsure when a new album might be released. The band had made several announcements since 2006 about having something in the works, and Perry said he was tired of talking about potential release dates only to watch them go by. More recently, in an interview posted on Aerosmith’s website, Perry said, “I think that the band has to look at what it takes to do this gracefully. There’s no reason why the band can’t keep playing until we can’t walk. There’s just no reason. You just have to know that you can’t do certain things anymore. You know, you can’t do somersaults on stage, you can’t do, you know, swing from ropes. But there are other things you can do that are just as entertaining like sing, play.’’

Stephen Davis, coauthor of the 2003 Aerosmith biography “Walk This Way,’’ doesn’t expect there will be any singing, or playing, anytime soon. Davis said sources close to the band have told him there is an internal power struggle taking place.

Tyler, he said, wants to record a solo album, but first Aerosmith must deliver one more album on its contract with Sony. Davis said he has been told Tyler wants to release a quickie album of tracks the band wrote or recorded over the past few years, but never released. But the rest of the band, Davis said, wants to record an album of new material and keep Aerosmith alive in addition to working on side projects. (Perry has a solo album, “Have Guitar, Will Travel,’’ coming out Oct. 13.)

“I think they’re looking at the end of Aerosmith as a touring band, at least for now,’’ Davis said.

The hard rock quintet, formed in Boston in 1970 and inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001 on the strength of such hits as “Dream On,’’ “Sweet Emotion,’’ and “Crazy,’’ has suffered its share of health issues over its nearly 40-year tenure. Perry’s knee surgeries, Tyler’s throat surgery and hepatitis C diagnosis, and injuries drummer Joey Kramer sustained when his car caught fire at a gas station in Scituate in 1998 all caused setbacks. There has also been the band’s well-documented substance abuse in the early days, but all of them got sober by the late 1980s.

Tim Collins, Aerosmith’s former manager, whom the band fired in 1996 for advancing the contention that some members had relapsed into drug abuse when they insisted they had not, said he ran into Tyler this month in Denver, a few days before the accident in Sturgis. Collins said he and the singer, whom he hadn’t seen in nearly 14 years, “literally kissed and made up.’’ He called the reconciliation “the most healing moment, probably, of my life.’’

“I wouldn’t judge everything just by one picture,’’ Collins said, referring to last week’s photo of Tyler, who is 61.

“These guys have a history of fighting over the years that dates back to the ’70s, so for them to call it quits – I think they’re a little more resilient than that,’’ says Neill Byrnes, a longtime Aerosmith fan and frontman for the Aerosmith tribute band Draw the Line. “The only thing that really concens me is they’re getting a little older and health plays an important role in whether you can perform or not . . . The Stones are a little older than they are and Paul McCartney is still out doing it so they should be able to keep up as long as they’re healthy.’’

If they can, Billboard senior chart manager Keith Caulfield said he believes the band, which has sold over 100 million albums worldwide, is still commercially viable. In 2008 Aerosmith sold 605,000 records, and so far in 2009 it has sold 344,000. (Its last album of all original material, 2001’s “Just Push Play’’ has sold 1.3 million copies). “Granted, that isn’t quite Taylor Swift-like zillion numbers, but for a band that hasn’t released an album in quite a while, that’s still fairly respectable,’’ said Caulfield, who attributes the higher 2008 figure to cross-promotions with the band’s successful video game “Guitar Hero: Aerosmith.’’ “I have no idea what their cut [of the game sales] is, but I’m sure it’s lucrative. So even though they aren’t releasing a new studio album, they’re still finding interesting ways to make money, not just being on tour.’’

Their recently canceled tour notwithstanding, Aerosmith excels on the road. “You can count on them to not sell out all their shows but still draw a pretty great crowd,’’ says Caulfield. “They’ve been touring every year, and so it’s not like they’ve turned into recluses. I don’t think it’s the end of the world. They’ll heal up and get back together and get back on the road and hopefully put out a new album.’’

Carter Alan, assistant program director of classic rock station WZLX-FM (100.7), said he saw no evidence of tension between band members backstage at the Aerosmith show at the Comcast Center in June. “As far as getting the album done, I wish they would. But then there’s also the Axl Rose syndrome – you know, the longer you wait, the harder it gets.’’

MelodicRockConcerts.com
August 18, 2009

“The Aerosmith concert in Sturgis at the Buffalo Chip Campground on August 5 lived up to its expectation as the concert of the summer in every way possible. Not only did the crowd take in a killer performance from one of the world’s most respected rock groups, but they also were shocked when singer Steven Tyler fell off the stage. A sad moment, but nonetheless a part of rock history that no one who witnessed will ever forget. The good news is that Tyler is on the road to recovery, but the bad news is that the rest of the Aerosmith/ZZ Top tour had to be canceled. We proudly present photos from the Aerosmith gig of the decade…”

Photos:  (here).

MusicFestivalJunkies.com
August 21, 2009

“Normally we don’t get up caught in the celebrity obsession. But there was so much star power at Sturgis that we had to snap a few photos…”

More:  (here).

Aero Force One
August 11, 2009

Buffalo Chip – August 5, 2009

Photo Galleries, Wallpapers – More: (here).

Boston Herald, MA
August 20, 2009

“Motley Crue emerged on the Comcast Center stage Wednesday night… They closed with the anthem ‘Shout at the Devil,’ followed by an encore of ‘Home Sweet Home’ – with Aerosmith’s Joey Kramer sitting in on drums…”

Complete article:  (here).

JoePerry.com
August 20, 2009

Click JoePerry.com:  (here).

Blabbermouth.net, NY
August 17, 2009

Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry was interviewed on Boston, Massachusetts’ WAAF radio station this past Friday. Watch excerpts from the chat below.

Regarding the incident earlier month in Sturgis, South Dakota when singer Steven Tyler injured his head, neck and shoulder falling off a stage, Perry said, “The guitars were still working [while the sound crew was replacing a fuse that blew during the song 'Love In An Elevator'], so we were still playing a little bit, just waiting to see if the rest of the sound was gonna come up. It didn’t happen. I started walking back to Joey [Kramer, drums], and we were gonna end the song, and Steven went the other way to go and dance out there at the ramp. I went backwards to him, so I didn’t see it happen. Joey just kept nodding like this and I turned around and I saw that Steven was not there anymore . . . I saw the security guards kind of lift him up and walking him off. And they walked him off kind of right between me and Joey, and I could see that he was dazed and pretty banged up. And, of course, we were flipping out, ’cause we didn’t know… I knew he’d fallen off, but I didn’t know how bad or anything like that. We just kind of waited and the audience was pretty cool. Being Sturgis, you don’t know what way it’s gonna go. We wanted to make sure that he was safe in the ambulance going out before we started having the people leave and blocking the entrance and all that stuff. As soon as I knew he was on his way out, I announced to the audience that the show wasn’t gonna keep going. I think we were an hour into the show. Obviously they [the audience] were disappointed, but they didn’t wreck the place.”

Aerosmith officially canceled the rest of its summer tour last week. In a statement, Tyler said, “I landed upside down, and after twenty stitches on the back of my head, and a broken left shoulder, I just want to say that I’m plain grateful that I didn’t break my neck!”

Tyler had been trying to entertain the crowd during a brief power failure when he danced backward into the crowd. He explained, “I was doing the Tyler shuffle and then I zigged when I should have zagged … AND I slipped, and as I live on the edge … I fell off the edge!” Tyler thanked fans for their “love and support” in his statement, along with the band’s crew, the venue staff, the hospital medical team and the helicopter crew “for getting me outta there before I bled to death.”

Video footage of Steven Tyler being lifted up on stage after his fall in Sturgis can be viewed below.

Doctors advised the band to scrap the rest of the summer tour with ZZ Top in order to give Tyler proper time to recuperate.

The tour seemed cursed from the start. Guitarist Brad Whitford missed a few weeks with a head injury, while bassist Tom Hamilton had to sit out the road trip because of undisclosed surgery related to the throat cancer he battled three years ago. The band also missed a week of shows when Tyler injured his leg.

According to Joe Perry, the full original Aerosmith lineup never played together once during the dates the band did manage to make.

As for the future and whether the aging band should continue to perform live or call it a day, Perry told The Pulse of Radio he was optimistic. “I think that the band has to look at what it takes to do this gracefully,” he said. “There’s no reason why the band can’t keep playing until we can’t walk. There’s just no reason. You just have to know that you can’t do certain things anymore. You know, you can’t do somersaults on stage, you can’t do, you know, swing from ropes. But there are other things you can do that are just as entertaining — like sing, play.”

Ticket refunds for the rest of the tour dates will be available at point of purchase.

The rest of Aerosmith issued their own statement about the end of the tour, with Perry saying, “I would like to thank our loyal fans for sticking by us through thick and thin and all the good energy they are sending our way. We hope we can get the Aerosmith machine up and running again as soon as possible.”

Whitford added, “All of us here in the Aerosmith organization and all of the people who contribute to making our shows possible are in a state of shock . . . Our thoughts and prayers go out to Steven for a speedy recovery and return to good health.”

Watch video:  (here).

Flickr.com
August 16, 2009

More photos:  (here).

Tri-Valley Herald, CA
August 16, 2009

Who the heck is Joey Kramer and why would you want to read a book about his life?

Kramer, as serious rock fans probably know, is the drummer of Aerosmith. In almost any band, being the drummer means taking a back seat to even the guys in the back seat. Especially in this band, where the out-front image of the vocalist and guitarist leading their lesser bandmates to glory may be second only to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards in the world of rock.

People don’t have posters of Joey Kramer on their walls. Girls don’t scream for Joey Kramer. People don’t scour the Internet for Joey Kramer interviews.

Maybe they should. At first glance, Kramer’s “Hit Hard: A Story of Hitting Rock Bottom at the Top” is just another “survivor’s” tale from an aging rocker, now that he’s old enough and healthy enough, to look back with some perspective. It’s almost as if these books compete to see who has the best tales of doing drugs and acting like animals, complete with a hearty chuckle and a brief message of redemption wrapping it nicely up at the end. Which isn’t so different from what Kramer does.

What is different about “Hit Hard” is the getting there. Beware of approaching this book only to hear about the fellas acting like rock-’n'-roll crazies. They do, of course, but the difference is Kramer’s book is about Joey Kramer, not necessarily Aerosmith. Which may not seem so compelling “… until you start reading and realize what this man has survived and how much courage it took to put the details on paper.

After growing up in an abusive household, Kramer explores how his relationships with his family affected his life, especially his relationships with bandmate Steven Tyler, whom Kramer has alternately idolized and loathed through the band’s four decades. He explores his identity, its roots and how closely linked it is with the band, using what he’s learned through years of rehab and counseling as a filter to describe the inner workings of the band. Rarely has a band been portrayed so personally, like a true family, with more ups and downs than perhaps any other group in history.

Unlike so many other rock rags-to-riches-to-rehab-and-back stories, Kramer’s didn’t stop when he stopped using drugs and alcohol. He describes episodes of depression later in the band’s career as far worse than the drug abuse and, with a certain amount of bravery, describes how he got better and the band’s role in his recovery. There are moments when the Kramer-as-the-victim theme gets to be too much, but overall his story rings true, making “Hit Hard” one of the most human rock autobiographies you’ll ever read.

Boston Globe, MA
August 16, 2009

“Hmm. Judging from this photo of Steven Tyler and actor Chuck Slavin at Pembroke Center Liquors, the Aerosmith singer is indeed in no shape to continue the band’s summer tour. Tyler’s arm is in a sling as a result of a broken shoulder suffered when he fell off the stage in South Dakota. (Those Zsa Zsa Gabor glasses aren’t doing him any favors.) In an apology over the weekend to fans via Twitter, Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry made it sound like it wasn’t his idea to cancel the remainder of the tour. ‘I am so sorry about vocalist Steven Tyler having to cancel our Aerosmith shows,’ wrote Perry. ‘I can’t say I’m sorry enough you guys are great fans to have.’ Perry’s solo CD ‘Have Guitar, Will Travel,’ featuring a German singer named Hagen, is out Oct. 13th.”

Aero Force One
August 14, 2009

Michael Leonard
MusicRadar.com

ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, one of rock’s most lauded exponents of the Gibson Les Paul, has paid tribute to the guitar inventor and studio pioneer Les Paul, who died 13 August.

Gibbons says: “Les Paul brought six strings to electricity and electricity to six strings. Les Paul was an innovator, a groundbreaker, a risk taker, a mentor and a friend.

“Try to imagine what we’d be doing if hadn’t come along and changed the world. There will always be more Les to come. That’s certified.”

Joe Satriani, not even a noted Les Paul user, says: “Les Paul set a standard for musicianship and innovation that remains unsurpassed.

“He was the original guitar hero, and the kindest of souls.

“Last October, I joined him onstage at the Iridium club in NYC, and he was still shredding. He was and still is an inspiration to us all.”

Aerosmith’s Joe Perry, a noted Les Paul player for years, says:

“As a guitarist and a fan of music in general, I know the amazing contributions Les Paul made in his lifetime to the art of making music. I think if the general public knew how much of that influence is heard every day in the music that they listen to, they would be amazed.

“He was a true genius. The few times that I had met him, he made me feel like I had known him forever. He was always sharp, ready to rock and he was always talking about his next gig. Knowing that he is not walking the earth anymore is sad and I have lost a friend. But every time I pick up a guitar I’ll know that his spirit is alive and well right next to me.”

Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Ricky Medlocke says: “I’m so thankful that this guy was such an incredible genius for developing such a great guitar. I am a 3rd generation Gibson user and I always will be.

“God bless Les Paul.”

There will no doubt be more tributes paid in coming days to a man who, truly, changed 20th century music.

WAAF-Boston, MA
August 14, 2009

Hill-Man Morning Show

Watch video:  (here).

Blabbermouth.net, NY
August 14, 2009

Legendary rockers Aerosmith have canceled the remainder of their summer tour, it was announced today.

Due to injuries Steven Tyler sustained last week when he fell from the stage during a concert in Sturgis, South Dakota, doctors have advised the lead singer to take the time to properly recuperate from the accident that resulted in a broken shoulder and stitches to his head. In his current condition, Tyler is unable to tour and the band wants to give him time to get healthy.

Ticket refunds for the rest of the tour dates with special guests ZZ Top will be available at point of purchase.

Tyler fell from the stage during the August 5 show that was part of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Western South Dakota. The mishap occurred while he was dancing during the band’s “Love in an Elevator”. Tyler was subsequently airlifted to a hospital and then returned to Boston to consult with his own doctors.

Aerosmith — Steven Tyler (vocals), Joe Perry (guitar), Brad Whitford (guitar), Tom Hamilton (bass) and Joey Kramer (drums) — want to thank all their fans for their incredible ongoing support and understanding at this time.

“Words can’t express the sadness I feel for having to cancel this tour,” says Joe Perry. “I would like to thank our loyal fans for sticking by us through thick and thin and all the good energy they are sending our way. We hope we can get the Aerosmith machine up and running again as soon as possible. I sure am going to miss playing with ZZ Top just as I’m sure the fans are going to miss seeing them playing with us as well. Hope to see you sooner than later.” Joe adds, “My hat’s off to our crew for putting up with this crazy stop and start tour. In my estimation, it was one of the best-looking and best-run tours we’ve ever had. Us road dawgs will meet again. May your wheels keep turning and your load-ins stay smooth.”

“All of us here in the Aerosmith organization and all of the people who contribute to making our shows possible are in a state of shock,” Brad Whitford says. “We never anticipated this tour coming to such a swift and unfortunate ending. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Steven for a speedy recovery and return to good health.”

People.com
August 13, 2009

Steven Tyler says that in thousands of concerts he’s only fallen off the stage four times – but this last one was worthy of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

“I landed upside down, and after twenty stitches on the back of my head, and a broken left shoulder, I just want to say that I’m plain grateful that I didn’t break my neck!” the 61-year-old Aerosmith lead singer said Thursday in his first comments since last week’s accident that left him with a broken left shoulder and 20 stitches on the back of his head.

Tyler said everything seemed to be going perfectly at the Aug. 5 show in Sturgis, S.D., where after a storm caused a one-hour delay, “Tens of thousands of my biker buddies were ready to rock!” He called it “one of the best shows we’ve played in a long time! The band was slammin’ and I was lovin’ every minute of it!”

The first trouble came when the fuses on the equipment blew and the sound went down in the middle of the song “Love In an Elevator.” “Well, I wasn’t gonna go hide under the big top and play ‘ROCK STAR’ and wait for everything to be fixed,” he said in his statement. “I wanted to go out to the crowd to continue the show … so, the Train Kept A-Rollin’ and I ran out on the cat walk and grabbed my mic to finish the song.”

That’s when things got out of hand. “I was doing the Tyler shuffle and then I zigged when I should have zagged … AND I slipped, and as I live on the edge … I fell off the edge!” he said, expressing relief that he survived the ordeal.

Tyler thanked fans “for your love and support” and paid tribute to the band’s crew and the venue’s staff “for taking care of me in a time of need,” as well as the police department and the helicopter crew “for getting me outta there before I bled to death.”

He also thanked “all the doctors and nurses at the Rapid City Hospital for putting my Humpty Dumpty ass back together again.”

“And most of all … I want to thank the angel on my shoulder,” he said. “Looking forward to seeing all of you very soon.”

MelodicRockConcerts.com
By: Matt Becker
August 11, 2009

August 5, 2009 – On a cool Wednesday night, two unique events combined to create perhaps the most memorable moments ever to occur during a Sturgis Rally. Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Aerosmith played to a crowd that was perhaps as large as 60,000, but before they could finish out what began as an adrenaline charged performance, lead singer Steven Tyler took a tough tumble off the stage thrust and it all ended too soon.

Before the fall, every element that goes into the creation of a tremendous live concert had fallen into place. Rain soaked the large crowd an hour before showtime, dampening clothing but not attitude. Campers and bikers joined forces with a parade of cars entering the Buffalo Chip Campground just for the Aerosmith concert and chatter was abuzz about the great night of rock that was just ahead. Those who had VIP tickets got the ultimate experience when they met the band backstage, and Saving Abel gave a rousing set of non-stop energy that provided a standard for the rest of the night. And the band from Boston. Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford, Joey Kramer, and David Hull (filling in for a sidelined Tom Hamilton) worked to give Sturgis a show that reminded all in attendance of the fact that no band on earth can do it quite like Aerosmith.

The band’s entrance was anything but typical for a band with such stature. Instead of the usual curtain drop, Steven Tyler appeared anxious to get out and sing as he stood in the dark near the drum kit. The show was already delayed due to the rain storm, and finally he had enough and walked out to his mic stand. The crowd went wild, and although it wasn’t clear what song the band would open with as nearly a week had passed since the last show, the ominous guitar riffing made it clear that “Back in the Saddle” was up.

Tyler took the fans back to the ’70s, sounding solid and single handedly creating his very own stage show with a tasseled mic, silver coat and matching hat. Joe Perry showed off the slick guitar perfection he is known for while flaunting his own unique stage presence. Just like the crowd, Aerosmith’s show took on a larger than life existence.

During “Ragdoll“, Tyler was having a great night as he scaled a side-stage ramp while singing the lyric “Yes I’m Movin‘” He spent some time near the drum set before coming down the other side to do arm curls with his microphone stand while Joe Perry worked the slide guitar. All the while a constantly cheering crowd hailed the reigning kings of rock and roll. “Dream On” and “Walkin’ the Dog” gave Tyler a chance to let loose on his raspy screams, which came through the speakers with stunning clarity. With the looks and voice still intact, the singer is still the ultimate frontman package.

Brad Whitford riffed away on stage right, and David Hull joined drummer Joey Kramer to complete the rhythm section. “Love in an Elevator” saw the band breaking further into a tight groove as Tyler went into a vocal freestyle and Perry electrified the crowd with a blistering solo. Just as the guitarist reached the peak of the solo, however, a chain of events began that would make this particular Aerosmith show one for the history books.

A fuse to the sound system became overloaded and blew, but behind all the technical information was the simple fact that the crowd could no longer hear Aerosmith. The band gathered near the drum set and shared the crowd’s confusion as they tried to figure out their next move. Steven Tyler had a plan as he walked out on the stage thrust to a roar of cheers – everyone was happy to see the singer coming closer. The encouragement continued as he began to dance, but his trademark moves quickly landed him off stage as his foot lost traction. Everyone’s heart seemed to stop as the reality of the situation began to sink in. Some 45 seconds elapsed before Tyler was finally lifted out of the crowd appearing visibly shaken but able to walk himself off stage with assistance.

A half hour later, Joe Perry addressed the crowd with the sad news that his brother in arms had been taken to the hospital and the show could not continue. And so ended the band’s performance at the Buffalo Chip, and perhaps the rest of the Aerosmith/ZZ Top tour. We wish Steven Tyler the very best in his recovery and encourage all of you reading this to leave a positive message here for the singer. The crowd in Sturgis got a taste of Aerosmith’s ability to deliver an intense and ground-shaking rock show, and fans couldn’t be more eager to see a recuperated Tyler regain his rightful place on stage with the band.

More photos:  (here).

Aero Force One
August 11, 2009

WCXS: “Joe Perry came to visit Ken Calvert and WCSX on August 10th to talk about Steven Tyler’s injury, Detroit and play his new single.”

More pics:  (here).

Watch video:  (here).

YouTube.com
August 11, 2009

“Joe Perry interview on Sturgis show – 101 WRIF Detroit – Meltdown – 08/10/09″

Watch video:  (here).

Aero Force One
August 10, 2009

With Steven Tyler recovering from his recent injuries and Aerosmith’s current tour plans on hold, guitarist Joe Perry has been making the best of the situation. Perry is taking the band’s tour bus back to Boston, but making several stops along the way to visit radio stations and jam with his friends.

On Friday, Perry showed up at WXRX in Rockford, IL for an on-air interview and to play a track from his upcoming album with his band, The Joe Perry Project. While on the air, Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen called in and joined the conversation.

Perry stayed in Illinois for a couple more days, joining Jimmy Buffet on stage Saturday to play guitar on Margaritaville. On Sunday, Perry sat in with Jane’s Addiction for Jane Says at Lollapalooza.

Watch Jimmy Buffet With Joe Perry:  (here).

Watch Jane’s Addiction With Joe Perry:  (here).

Billboard.com
by Gary Graff, Detroit
August 10, 2009

As Aerosmith determines what Steven Tyler’s injuries mean for future tour dates, guitarist Joe Perry says the lurching pace of the group’s summer excursion has been frustrating.

“It hasn’t really felt like a tour,” Perry tells Billboard.com. “It’s been such a stop-and-go thing. In some ways the band has played the best it ever has, and with ZZ Top on the bill and everything and Billy (Gibbons) coming up (on stage)…it was building up to be the best show and best tour we’ve done in a long time. In another couple weeks it was going to be a really unique kind of tour for us. Right now I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

Tyler was injured when he fell from a catwalk during a performance Aug. 5 in Sturgis, S.D. He was taken to a local hospital and then returned to Boston, where he was being evaluated on Monday. Meanwhile, Ticketmaster announced the postponement of the group’s five-city western Canada swing. An announcement about the fate of the rest of the tour, which is currently booked into September, is expected soon.

Perry, meanwhile, says he’s hopeful Tyler’s injuries are not so serious they’ll force the tour to be canceled entirely.

“Stuff happens,” the guitarist notes. “It’s just the odds. We had such a good run the last 25 years; I think we canceled two shows until, like, the last four years, and then it all started rolling in at once, what can you do?”

This tour has seemed particularly star-crossed for Aerosmith. Guitarist Brad Whitford had to sit out the first part of the trek with a head injury. Then seven shows were postponed when Tyler suffered a torn muscle in his thigh, and most recently Tom Hamilton had to come off the tour for unspecified medical reasons.

But Perry, who was playing his first tour after undergoing knee replacement surgery, deflects concerns that health issues are doing Aerosmith in.

“I think the band has to look at what it takes to do this gracefully,” he explains, “but there’s no reason why we can’t keep playing until we can’t walk. You have to know that you can’t do certain things anymore. You can do somersaults on stage or…swing from ropes. But there are other things you can do that are just as entertaining — like sing, play and put on a good show.”

While the tour is in limbo, Perry has stayed busy taking his tour bus to various cities — including Chicago, Detroit and Cleveland — to talk about his upcoming solo album, “Have Guitar, Will Travel,” which will be released this fall on Jimmy Buffett’s Mailboat Records label. Perry has been playing the first single, “We Got a Long Way to Go,” and other tracks for radio and press, and while in Chicago he jammed with Jimmy Buffett and with Jane’s Addiction during their Lollapalooza-closing set.

Melodic Rock Concerts
August 9, 2009

More photos:  (here).

Chad’s Concert Pix
August 8, 2009

Photo by: Chad Coppess/South Dakota Tourism

More photos:  (here).

Metro Canada – Ottawa
August 8, 2009

Aerosmith has been forced to postpone its Canadian concert dates for this coming week because of an injury to lead singer Steven Tyler.

Tyler suffered a broken shoulder and head injuries after the 61-year-old singer fell from the stage during a concert in South Dakota Wednesday.

The injury forced the band to postpone an appearance in Winnipeg on Friday.

The band has also postponed a Regina appearance on Sunday; Edmonton on Tuesday Aug. 11; Calgary on Thursday,
Aug. 13; Vancouver on Saturday Aug. 15.

Concert promoter Keystone Entertainment says the tour will be rescheduled and those with tickets will be honoured.

Motorcycle USA
August 6, 2009

“Motorcycle USA kick starts the 2009 Sturgis Rally with a street party in Deadwood and a benefit ride to the legendary Buffalo Chip Campground.”

Watch video:  (here).

The Associated Press
August 7, 2009

STURGIS, S.D. — Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry says lead singer Steven Tyler suffered a broken shoulder and has stitches in his head after falling from a stage during a concert near Sturgis, S.D.

Perry told The Associated Press after a stop at a Chicago radio station Friday that Tyler has been flown to Boston and was meeting with his own doctor.

The 61-year-old front man was injured Wednesday night when he tumbled from the stage while dancing around during “Love in an Elevator.” The singer was jumping and spinning on stage and then fell.

Perry says there were apparently no internal injuries.

The guitarist says band members are to get on a conference call to discuss what to do about the band’s tour. A Friday night show in Winnipeg, Canada, already has been postponed.

Edmonton Sun, Canada
August 7, 2009

Aerosmith’s Regina concert has been postponed.

Sunday’s show, with ZZ Top, would have been the second date of the band’s Western Canadian tour.

Today’s Winnipeg show was postponed yesterday after lead singer Steven Tyler was hurt in a fall from a catwalk during a performance in Sturgis, S.D., on Wednesday.

Tuesday’s show in Edmonton is still on, though, according to Brad Walker with Bottom Line Productions.

“At this point (12:30 p.m), everything is still on for Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver,” said Walker, adding he’s expecting an update from the band.

Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry said Friday he doesn’t know if the band will keep its current tour going.

Perry gave an in-studio interview at WXRX-FM in Rockford, Ill., Friday morning on his way back home to Boston.

The guitarist didn’t say anything specific about Tyler’s condition or say where Tyler was. The rock legend suffered head and shoulder injuries in the fall.

“We still don’t know if we’re going to keep the tour up or what. It’s breaking my heart,” Perry said in the interview that was also streamed on the Internet.

Aero Force One
August 7, 2009

Joe Perry is hittin’ the airwaves today, August 7th! Be sure to tune in to WXRX 104.9FM in Rockford, IL at 11am CST and WLUP 97.9FM in Chicago, IL at 2pm CST and listen to Joe Perry!

Aero Force One
August 6, 2009

Aerosmith will not perform their Friday, August 7 show at the Canad Inns Stadium in Winnipeg, MB, Canada based on injuries Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler sustained when he fell from the stage at Wednesday’s show at Buffalo Chip Campgrounds in Sturgis, SD. Additional details will be issued when they are available.

Aero Force One
August 6, 2009

NOTE FROM AF1:
Stay tuned – we will let you know what we know, as soon as we know it.

By Associated Press
BostonHerald.com

STURGIS, S.D. — Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler, known for dancing with microphone stands adorned with scarves, was airlifted to a hospital early Thursday after falling from the stage during a concert at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

Tyler, 61, fell while entertaining the crowd by dancing around after the sound system failed during the song “Love In an Elevator,” said Mike Sanborn, spokesman for the Buffalo Chip Campground, which hosted the outdoor concert.

Ed Aurand, a security supervisor at the campground who saw the fall, said Tyler stepped backward off the stage’s catwalk.

“He does a lot of dancing on the stage and he does a lot of stuff with his mike stand. He put his stand down and twirled around and stepped backwards off the stage,” Sanborn said.

Halfway through the performance, Tyler fell onto a couple of fans in the middle of what was a record crowd, Sanborn said. Security rushed to help him and the crowd cheered when Tyler got back up.

“He was good natured about it,” Sanborn said. “He was in good spirits when he got in the helicopter. He was talking and joking with the physician.”

“It was an unfortunate end to an extraordinary evening,” he said.

Tyler suffered minor head and neck injuries and a shoulder injury, but it wasn’t immediately clear how serious that was, Sanborn said.

After he fell, which was halfway through the performance, Tyler was eventually taken backstage, Sanborn said. Around 12:15 a.m., Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry came out to tell the audience Tyler was being taken to the hospital and that the show would not go on.

A physician at the concert venue attended to Tyler and the frontman was flown to Rapid City Regional Hospital, the only major hospital in the region, Sanborn said.

Jennifer Horton, the hospital’s vice president of public relations and marketing, said early Thursday that Tyler wasn’t in the hospital directory. Under the privacy laws, that means the person is either not there or chose not to be included in the directory, according to the hospital’s Web site.

Tyler attended Sturgis last year to promote his Dirico Motorcycles line and was back this year to do that again and play at the Buffalo Chip.

Fans were disappointed the concert was cut short but hoped Tyler wasn’t seriously hurt.

Lance Yellow Robe, who said he was 8 eight feet from the stage when Tyler fell off, told the Rapid City Journal “you could kind of see it coming because he was dancing all over the stage.

“I hope he’s OK,” Yellow Robe said. “I could care less about the concert being canceled.”

NOTE FROM AF1:
Stay tuned – we will let you know what we know, as soon as we know it.

Aero Force One
August 5, 2009

Check out Joe’s interview when he stopped by 103.5 FM The Fox, Denver. Joe talks about the tour, his upcoming solo album, and debuts his first single!

Listen to part 1
Listen to part 2

Blabbermouth.net, NY
August 5, 2009

Sgt. Ted MacDonald of Pentagon Channel’s “Command Performance” conducted an interview with Aerosmith members Steven Tyler, Joe Perry and Tom Hamilton when the band played the Nissan Pavilion in Bristow, Virginia on June 21, 2009. Watch the four-minute chat below.

Following the lead of bandmate Joey Kramer, Hamilton provided 20 tickets to military personnel — matching the same number provided by Kramer — at the Bristow show. Forty marines and sailors from the National Naval Medical Center — who are currently receiving treatment/therapy for their injuries sustained in Iraq or Afghanistan — were on hand for the show.

“Joey and I had the privilege of meeting a group of soldiers called Wounded Warriors at the Nissan Pavilion show in Virginia,” Tom said. “Most of them were wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq. I found myself wanting to ask each of them how and where they were injured. But their wounds are not who they are and especially not Sunday night. That night was about joining the band and the fans and rocking out. We hope those guys had a great night and we appreciate their sacrifice.”

Aerosmith are currently on a massive North American tour with their special guests ZZ Top that wraps September 16 in Detroit.

Watch video:  (here).

Aero Force One
August 4, 2009

Buffalo Chip – Sturgis, SD
Sturgis Bike Week – Merchandise Tent – 6:30pm

Check this out! Joey Kramer is inviting fans to a pre-show meet and greet and autograph session in support of his recently released book “Hit Hard: A Story of Hitting Rock Bottom At the Top.”

If you do not have a copy of Joey’s new book, here’s your chance to pick one up AND have it signed by the man himself! If you already have a copy, bring it along to the venue and join in this meet and greet / signing event.

Black Hills Travel Blog, SD
By Dan Daly
August 3, 2009

“I just got back from the Legends Ride press conference at the Franklin Hotel. There was a surprise guest at the end — Steven Tyler of Aerosmith.

Tyler and his partners at Dirico Motorcycles stopped in to answer questions from the press and talk about Dirico, the line of custom bikes that Tyler is personally promoting.

In fact Tyler rode his Dirico in the Legends Ride, a massive caravan of 250 motorcycles that pulled out of Deadwood this afternoon, drove down U.S. 385, to Nemo, then down Vanocker Canyon to Sturgis and the Buffalo Chip Campground.

The Chip and the Deadwood Chamber of Commerce are sponsors of the Legends Ride. The riders each kick in $150, all of which goes directly to the Childrens Home Society and the Motorcycle Museum.

Also at the press conference was John Paul DeJoria, co-founder of John Paul Mitchell Systems, maker of Paul Mitchell hair care products. In a grand gesture, he contributed an extra $10,000 to the Legends Ride and offered to match any money contributed in addition to the ride fee.

DeJoria also brought actor and bike builder Lorenzo Lamas to the podium. He talked about Lorenzo Lamas Motorcycles, his line of custom motorcycles.

Also doing the Legends Ride was actress Sheree J. Wilson, of ‘Walker, Texas Ranger.’ She’s involved in a new Easy Rider sequel called ‘Easy Rider, The Ride Back.’

By the way, the Legends Ride isn’t the only place to see Steven Tyler this week. Aerosmith is performing at the Bufflao Chip Campground on Wednesday night.”

Reuters Blogs – Fan Fare
August 3, 2009

Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry gets to spread his wings on his fifth solo CD, “Joe Perry … Have Guitar Will Travel,” which he hopes to release in November.

Perry, who sings on four of the tracks, also expects to tour early next year under the guise of the Joe Perry Project. The album follows a self-titled, Grammy-nominated effort that came out in 2005 and sold 31,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. His first three solo albums, all credited to the Joe Perry Project, were released in the early 1980s when he briefly quit Aerosmith during its drug-fueled nadir.

“Have Guitar … Will Travel,” a nod to the similarly titled 1959 Bo Diddley album, was named by a fan, Joe Piscitelli, after Perry asked for submissions via Twitter. Five of the tracks are sung by a relatively unknown German musician called Hagen. He was discovered by Perry’s wife, Billie, on YouTube. The remaining song on the disc is an instrumental. The first single is “Long Way to Go.” Other cuts include a cover of the early Fleetwood Mac tune “Somebody’s Gonna Get (Their Head Kicked In Tonite)” as well as the new song “Oh Lord,” which Perry sings.

“That’s kinda like a Jim Morrison-y prayer set to music,” Perry told Reuters in a recent interview. ”My son sings in the choir at school, and I had him bring in some of his friends and they came in and sang the choruses and things and helped with the vibe. That’s the kinda thing I really don’t hear in an Aerosmith record.”

Aerosmith has not released an album of new material since 2001’s “Just Push Play.” Efforts to record a follow-up have been interrupted by health problems for virtually every member of the veteran band. Its current North American tour got off to a rough start when seven shows were postponed after singer Steven Tyler was hobbled by a leg injury. The next stop is Sturgis, S.D., on Wednesday.

Aero Force One
August 3, 2009

Rock bands that are as old as Aerosmith usually have seen their day, and the energy and stage presence is, should we say, a little dumbed down from its former glory days, but still a fun way to see those old bands we all loved. Aerosmith is a different story. These guys are timeless, both in their music and in their live show. And this was solidified on Saturday night as the band took the stage, along with ZZ Top to rock the pants off of fans both young and old!

Fiddler’s Green was packed to the brim as fans waited in anticipation for all of the classic tunes Aerosmith has cranked out over the years. Even then there was no preparation for the assault of rocking goodness that emanated from the stage that night.

The legendary, ZZ Top started things off and cranked out the favorites every classic rock station in America plays on a daily basis. Oh don’t worry, the beards are still two feet long, and the two guitarists still sway in sync just like you remember. Adorning cheap sunglasses they played all the hits including, but not limited to Legs, Gimme All Your Lovin’, and of course, Cheap Sunglasses.

Then it was some time for a little Aerosmith. Lead singer Steven Tyler still has the energy and stage presence of a 25-year-old rock star as he belted out every song fans wanted to hear. An extension to the stage gave the band access to the middle of the fans as they rocked Love In An Elevator, Dream On, Livin’ On The Edge, and pretty much all the other hits the band has created over the ages. ZZ Top guitarists joined the band for a 20 minute jam session at one point, proving these guys still have plenty of rocking left in them!

Check out images from the show.

Denver Post, CO
August 2, 2009

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More photos:  (here).

Aero Force One/Twitter
August 1, 2009

Set List: Aerosmith – Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre

Eat The Rich
Falling In Love (Is Hard On The Knees)
Rag Doll
Dream On
Walkin’ The Dog
Last Child
Combination
Stop Messin’ Around
Love In An Elevator
Cryin’
Livin’ On The Edge
Rattlesnake Shake (w/Billy Gibbons)
Lord Of The Thighs
Sweet Emotion
Walk This Way

~~~~~Encore~~~~~

–JP Guitar Duel–
Train Kept A Rollin’

Thanks to:  Aero Force One/Twitter

Aero Force One
August 1, 2009

Blogs.Westword.com
By Michael Roberts in Q&A

In Rolling Stone’s list of the greatest guitarists of all-time, Aerosmith’s Joe Perry placed 48th — a ranking capable of slackening the jaw of any true rock-and-roll fan. This former Toxic Twin has penned one indelible riff after another over nearly four decades, as anyone who’s tried to play along on the band’s signature version of Guitar Hero can attest. And the continuing ubiquity on classic-rock radio of tunes such as “Walk This Way,” “Sweet Emotion” and many more testify to his tunes’ staying power.

Not that Perry or any of his mates are physically invincible. Indeed, much of the interview conducted for our profile advancing Aerosmith’s Saturday, August 1, performance at Fiddler’s Green alongside ZZ Top centered on the various health problems from which the assorted rockers have suffered of late. Click “Continue” to give the complete Q&A a thorough check-up.

Perry runs through the roster of ailments at the outset: singer Steven Tyler’s muscle pull, which caused the cancellation of several dates on the current tour; guitarist Brad Whitford’s head injury, which happened as he climbed out of his Ferrari; Tyler’s previous bout with pneumonia; and Perry’s knee-replacement surgery, undertaken not once but twice due to a troublesome infection. Perry goes on to talk about his forthcoming solo album, recorded during his recuperation; his solicitation of record titles on his Twitter feed; several outside-of-music projects, including his development of a new macaroni-and-cheese brand; the way in which the aforementioned Guitar Hero game actually broadened the group’s current set list; and his determination not to let his storied catalog get in the way of his adding new songs to it.

Which he’ll continue to do as long as he — and his body — are willing.

Westword (Michael Roberts): What’s going on with the tour. I know some dates have been postponed….

Joe Perry:Well, everything was going really well, and we’d gotten five or six gigs into it, and then at Mohegan Sun [an arena in Connecticut], Steven pulled a muscle in his upper thigh. It was a really bad pull, and we’ve had to postpone some shows. We’re actually waiting to hear daily from the doctor to give him the okay to get back on stage, so we’re kind of in a holding pattern right now. We’ve missed about five shows so far. We’re postponing them and putting them back on at the end of the tour. He would get out there in a wheelchair if the doctors would let him, but they told him he really had to lay low, so that’s what we’re doing. But that stuff happens. It’s life, you know?

WW: You guys have had a series of health-related issues over the past year or so. For one thing, you had knee-replacement surgery. How long was the recovery time for that?

JP: I’ve been putting that off for the last three tours, and it was pretty rough. It was really badly damaged. It actually started almost twenty years ago. I jumped off a platform on stage, and it’s just been getting worse. I’ve done one band-aid operation after another, and finally, they said, “Look, if you don’t get this done, it’s going to go out on you.” So I went in going on a year and a half ago, and it was almost healed. And then around Thanksgiving, it got infected and I had to go back in and they had to do the whole thing over again. So I had a pretty lousy winter. At least I was able to be in the studio after they’d let me get up and move around. But that’s nothing now. I’m fine, I’m moving really well. It was Brad who really blew our minds. He never gets sick, and for him to have that thing…. Again, it’s just one of those things. It can happen to anyone.

WW: From what I’ve read, his injury was so fluky. Did he really hurt himself that badly from hitting his head getting out of his car?

JP: Yeah, that’s pretty much what he can remember. He doesn’t really remember any other time when he did anything. You bump yourself how many times a day? Everybody does that, and you don’t remember every one of them. But that one, I guess it hit him just right, and when they checked him out, they said, “Get in there.” He was in the hospital that afternoon, and luckily, he came out of it okay. It’s just a matter of resting. I know he was probably up and around like a week after it happened, but they really wanted him to lay back until they were sure it was fixed. But he’s back now. He’s ready to go. When we start the tour back up, he’s going to be back on stage with us.

WW: Getting back to your knee problems: My daughter recently tore her ACL playing basketball, and after the surgery, they had her in a machine that continually flexed her leg for four or five hours a day. Did you have the same kind of thing?

JP: Yeah. I’ve worn out three of them (laughs).

WW: What did you do when you were stuck in that thing? Did you play guitar? Watch TV?

JP: Mostly read and watched the History Channel. And I wrote a lot of lyrics. It was kind of uncomfortable playing guitar with that thing on. I did a little guitar playing, but mostly writing and reading. I love to read, and it gave me a chance to catch up on a lot of things I hadn’t had time for. So that was it.

WW: Well, you’ve got both an Aerosmith album that I know has been delayed because of health issues, too, and also a solo album on the way. So you had to come up with a lot of new material.

JP: Yeah, but I’m always coming up with new material anyway. I’m always in the studio. That’s why I built it in the house. I don’t have far to go, and I was totally focused on working on the Aerosmith record. And again, there were some health things, and finally, when we were just about ready to go, Steven got pneumonia, and they said, “You won’t be able to sing for three weeks.” And that was at the worst time. We had the songs all rehearsed and we were ready to go. That was really a drag, because we had it all set up to do the record and have a record under our belts before the tour. But I had so much pent-up energy, studio energy, that I just went in and started finishing up the solo record. I didn’t have any plans of doing one for a while, but I had all the Aerosmith stuff in a pile, and stuff for future use in another pile. And the future is now, so I went ahead. Aside from auditioning drummers, the whole thing took about 47 days from front to back. We worked around the clock, through the weekends, and we’re mastering it now, as we speak. I get the songs over the Internet, listen to them, make comments, and then my engineer tweaks it and we’ll have the thing ready to go probably in the next couple of weeks.

WW: How do you decide what’s an Aerosmith song and what’s a song for a solo project?

JP: There are some things I write lyrics for right away and they’re just too close to my heart to have anyone else sing them, and then there are others…. I don’t know, there are only so many records you can put out, and so many songs. And we had a ton of Aerosmith songs ready to go for the record. Like I said, I had a pile of things, and I suppose some of them could be massaged into Aerosmith music. It’s not much of a jump. After all, I write how I write on the guitar, and stuff comes out pretty raw. Like I said, because we had so much stuff ready to go for the Aerosmith record, it was pretty easy to pick some other ones and write some lyrics and have it go. This’ll be the second solo record in two years, I think.

WW: I know you’ve asked people on your Twitter feed to suggest titles for the album. Has anyone come up with some good ones?

JP: There actually have been some pretty good ones, especially after we put the names of the songs up. It’s pretty hard to name a record without hearing the music or knowing anything about it. But people were game. They were sending a lot of different things. And then, when I put the names of the songs on, it really opened the door. It gave people more places for their imaginations to go, and we’ve gotten some pretty good suggestions. The door isn’t closed yet. We’re still waiting, but we’re closing in on it. We do have a short list.

WW: A few months ago, I came across an interview where it sounded as if you weren’t sure what the hell Twitter was. But now it seems like you’re really into it. Is that fair to say?

JP: Yeah. My wife started doing it, and she taught me how to do it. It’s not really anything different than making a phone call or sending a text message. It’s pretty easy to do. But I was so wrapped up in the music. She does a lot of Internet stuff for me with the business, so it leaves me time to sit with headphones on and be downstairs working. But she said, “You’ve got to check this out.” So we went on there. It’s called “Admiral Perry.” That’s what they used to call me in the Project in the ’80s. It’s kind of resurfaced again, and that’s the deal. It’s been fun hearing from fans. It’s a really cool thing.

WW: Twitter’s also really good for marketing, and you guys have a lot of business interests. Aside from your hot sauce, I understand you’re going to launch a macaroni-and-cheese product called Rock ‘N Roni. Is that right?

JP: Yeah, that’s what’s next.

WW: So what do you do to make macaroni and cheese rock?

JP: It’s just to make it taste great, you know? And if you really want to make it rock, put some of the hot sauce on it (laughs).

WW: So it’s not going to be pasta shaped like guitars or anything like that?

JP: No, that stuff falls apart. It turns to mush. We thought about doing something like that, but really, it’s got to be good from beginning to end. It’s not about what it looks like, it’s about how it tastes. That’s what the hot sauce is about, and that’s what the Rock ‘N Roni is about. I just think about how many boxes of that stuff we made over the years for the kids, and we thought, well, why shouldn’t we put one out? We wanted it to be the best things we like about all the different ones that are out there now.

WW: Aerosmith’s also been involved in a signature Guitar Hero game, and I understand the set for the tour is broader than it probably would have been because you included some songs from the game that you either haven’t played for a long time or might never have played on tour.

JP: That’s exactly true.

WW: Any songs you can name?

JP: Let me see. I think “Combination” is one. That’s off of Rocks and it’s in the game, and we’ve been playing that. It was like launching a record. It was amazing. I have kids coming up to me now that may have heard a couple of our songs on the radio and not really put it together what the band was. But when this game came out, it was amazing. Young kids coming up and naming songs we considered album cuts from long ago. It was almost like putting out a new record in a lot of ways. And it looks like one of the new ways people are going to be getting their music, new music. I can see bands putting their records out as games. It’s just a whole other way things have changed.

WW: Another way things have changed is doing exclusive deals with major retailers. And there was one comment you made in an interview that made people think Aerosmith might be going into business with Walmart like AC/DC did with Black Ice. Is that the case?

JP: We’ve talked about it, we’ve definitely talked about it. And it’s not just AC/DC. It’s become pretty common for bands to do that. So I don’t know. Who knows? The way the business is now and the way it’s changing from month to month. Even three years ago, this Guitar Hero thing…. I don’t know when it came out, but before then, who would have thought of it. When I walked by my son playing it, it was actually in Phoenix, in the hotel, and I think he was playing a Jimi Hendrix song. I walked by and saw the controller and the whole thing was like, “This is amazing. We’ve got to get a couple more of our songs onto one of these games.” And as it turned out, we got our own game. A whole game (laughs).

WW: You’ve written so many classic riffs over the years. Is there one that might be a favorite of yours, but it was on one of those album tracks you mentioned, and people might not know as well as “Walk This Way” or some of your other huge hits?

JP: Well, there are songs like “No More No More” where once in a while someone will come up and ask me how I played it. Most of my stuff is pretty easy to figure out off the records. That’s what makes them catchy, I think. That’s why they call them hooks. I don’t know, I think “Walk This Way” is probably the one that comes up the most, and I think it’s not just a straight rock-and-roll song. It shows a lot of influences that Aerosmith has. I think that’s probably the one that gets the gold star as being the riff people know us for.

WW: You’ve set such a high standards for yourself. When you’re writing a new song, do you think, “I’ve got to match the level of these other ones”? Or does that get in the way of creativity?

JP: That’s the death of creativity right there. I’ve written some songs that I think of, for myself, as good songs. I don’t know what anybody else thinks, but for myself, I think I’ve written some good songs, and set the standard for what I think is a really good riff. And to sit down and go, “How am I gonna top that?,” you’ll just end up sitting there. You end up with a blank tape by the end of the day. So you have to pretend you haven’t done anything before. After people have heard the song, it’s there, but they want to hear something new, and try to get that same kind of vibe. That’s why it makes it harder to write new songs and keep it going. But if you sit there and think, “I’ve got to top this,” you’re really asking for trouble.

Tulsa World, OK
July 31, 2009

Aerosmith’s first Tulsa show in 21 years draws fans old and young

“It’s been 21 years since we’ve been here,” Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry said backstage before the band’s blowout rock show Thursday night at the BOK Center in downtown Tulsa.

“In rock ‘n’ roll years, it’s been long enough that there’s going to be a whole new generation out there tonight that has never seen us play live before.”

How right he was. Outside the dressing room, the venue filled with a sold-out crowd, screaming and yelling to every preshow curtain flutter, every sound-check drum roll.

The crowd exploded into screams when, as the band emerged with “Eat the Rich,” fans saw lead singer Steven Tyler decked out in a flamboyant purple feathered fedora.

Perry rocketed into a guitar solo as the cheering fans rose to their feet. What followed was “Fallin’ in Love” and blocks of blindingly bright white light strobes.

“Tulsa!” wailed Tyler. Stage-front wind machines whipped his hair out from his face in snake-like strands. The scat-blues lyrics of “Rag Doll” topped off Perry’s slide guitar as the band slammed into hit after hit.

Lighters waved, fists pumped, cell-phone screens gleamed and pillars of fire glowed from multiple rotating video screens behind the stage as Tyler wailed into “Dream On.” At times, the crowd’s rhythmic chants eclipsed his dramatic vocals.

Relaxing before the musical melee, Perry shrank into an oversized leather couch adorned with red and gold-fringed pillows and took off his white lace-up boots.

As he slipped on sequined black sneakers and wound a belt through his black leather trousers, he thought aloud about his band’s nearly 35-plus-year trek.

In the ’70s, “fans were my own age,” he said. When the band got its second wind and invented rap-rock in the 1980s, “the video — MTV — drove us to fame.

“In the ’70s, I never imagined that video technology would find us a new generation in the 1980s and 1990s. In the 1980s, we never imagined that those other little boxes — video games — would propel us into today.”

Timeless tunes such as “Walkin’ the Dog,” “Last Child,” “Cryin’,” “Livin’ on the Edge,” “Sweet Emotion” and “Love in an Elevator” were possibly as popular with fans on Thursday as they ever have been. The band grew to six pieces and even added a bluesy Fleetwood Mac classic, “Stop Messin’ Around.”

Aerosmith has stayed current — and relevant — in an ever-changing industry. The band’s video game version of “Guitar Hero: Aerosmith” (and the classic songs included) has sold more copies than actual CDs of their last two studio releases.

“Years ago, I saw my son playing an early version of ‘Guitar Hero,’ and I called my manager,” Perry said. “I said, ‘We have to get on board with this.’ ”

And with that phone call, the legendary American rock ‘n’ roll act solidified another decade of sales, another generation of fans. “It’s pretty amazing that the impact of a video game is more than putting out a new album.”

Not that it’s stopped the band from songwriting, said Perry. A new album is planned for release later this year, and Perry’s also working on a solo album.

Known as “Admiral Perry” on the social micro-blogging site Twitter, he’s even recruited his fans to name the work, he said. He and his wife, Billie, regularly “tweet” updates from the tour, their time together and photos from the road.

In fact, the “opening act” for ZZ Top and Aerosmith on Thursday was a pair of die-hard “Guitar Hero” players.

Kendall Strain of Claremore got up early for an interview with the local newspaper and maybe 40 minutes of practice before heading out for his BOK Center stage debut on Thursday night.

Fast friend Daniel Flood of Tulsa got a haircut and even weathered a car wreck in building the excitement of his stage debut.

The boys each had won a slot as the opening act at Thursday night’s Aerosmith and ZZ Top concert. The pair were to face off to “Guitar Hero: Aerosmith” on stage, in front of thousands of fans.

Despite big talk before the show, once the boys met back stage before the show, their braggadocio waned.

“It’s not about the winning,” said Strain, the son of Tulsa World Sports Editor Mike Strain. “We’ve already won. Now, it’s about the rockin’!”

Flood agreed.

“How many kids get to do this? We do. I’m just happy to be here,” he said.

The two nodded in agreement as they stood at the front of a long line to meet Aerosmith band members Perry and Tyler.

They named three songs they really wanted to hear played live. And Aerosmith played them: “Sweet Emotion,” “Walk This Way” and “Train Kept a Rollin’.”

And if they had not won, would they still have gone to the show? Of course, they said.

“But our seats wouldn’t have been as good,” laughed Strain.

Slide Show:  (here).