The National, UAE
November 1. 2009

The author F Scott Fitzgerald once famously claimed there are no second acts in American life. But Aerosmith prove him resoundingly wrong. Currently well into the third or even fourth act of their roller-coaster career, these raunchy rockers from Boston transformed themselves from self-destructive casualties to platinum-selling superstars at the end of the 1980s. Despite four decades of fights, fallouts and fateful accidents, they remain America’s favourite cartoon bad boys. A gigantic billboard advert for bad behaviour and conspicuous consumption. The ultimate party band.

Fronted by the rubber-lipped singer Steven Tyler and the granite-jawed lead guitarist Joe Perry, Aerosmith are now a brand name as globally recognisable as Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, the rock duo they were inevitably compared to in their early days. The band have maintained their popularity for a reason, which is grounded in giving audiences what they want.

Perry confirms Aerosmith’s first-ever show in the Gulf will consist of wall-to-wall stadium anthems. “What we’ve found is that when we play a new country for the first time, people want to hear the songs that were hits,” the 59-year-old says.

“I know the show will be full of fire.”

The prospect of playing a grand prix was especially appealing for the band’s second guitarist, Brad Whitford, an amateur racing driver himself. “Brad more than anyone else is the real car nut,” Perry explains, “but I think the whole thing’s about being a part of a sport that is so much bigger than anything else. I mean Nascar’s big in America but it’s nothing like the money that goes into the Formula One. We’re gonna be paid, sure, but you do it for the experience…..”

….Perry and Tyler were… reunited onstage a couple of weeks ago in Maui, Hawaii, fulfilling a legal commitment to make up for a cancelled show two years ago. The good news is, they reportedly blew the roof off. Even when playing as a contractual obligation, it seems Aerosmith are still the ultimate party band. There was scant trace of tension between the singer and guitarist, and Perry even apologised for suggesting the band were on indefinite hiatus. Whatever Scott Fitzgerald claimed, some American lives just seem to go on forever.

“Over the years we’ve learnt that the magic is in having five guys that work together and make music,” Perry says. “We may not be the best musicians in the world but there’s a certain thing that meshes together and it just gets stronger with time. We’re kind of like a family by choice, and – as with most families – you’re not always on the best of terms. So you’ve got to figure out how to make it work because you’re bonded together. Families are bonded together by blood. Bands are bonded together by the magic of being able to make music.”

Aerosmith play the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix tonight. Joe Perry’s album Have Guitar, Will Travel is out now.

Complete article:  (here).