News From The Road - By John B.
Aero Force One
November 21, 2005
Blood, Sweat and Beers
The band cruised into the Meadowlands last Thursday. A lot of familiar faces were seen backstage. Jack Douglas and his posse including Danny Provenzano who directed the mob movie that Joe and Brad were involved in called, “This Thing Of Ours”. Danny just got back from an extended vacation and was looking quite fit. Jack just celebrated his 60th birthday. Joey was in town last Monday and took in the surprise birthday festivities that Jack’s wife Christine threw.
The gang from Orange County Choppers were in the house and were given a shout-out by Steven during the show. Paul Sr., Paul Jr. and Mike watched the show from the side of the stage. Joe had the gang from Varvatos there, too. Joey had every shape and size of Kramers in the building. Missing that night was Ray Tabano, who was MIA. Perhaps one of his green florescent shirts was at the dry cleaners and he didn’t want to risk being seen in public without it. I asked him one time why he wore such a god-awful thing and he said that he was sick and tired of security guards hounding him to see his pass. This way they can see him coming a mile away and don’t ever ask for his pass again after the first time. In a weird Ray way that makes perfect sense. Also not at the venue was, Jimmy Hoffa, or was he “in” the venue?
The Boston show was a great homecoming. In 2003 my bags were stolen out of Joe’s dressing room shortly after he left the building. They were recovered the next day after I looked over hours of Fleet center videotape and found the guy who stole them. When I described the guy to Jimmy Eyers he remembered the thief and knew whose guest he was. Needless to say, we got the bags shortly after our Thanksgiving turkey was out of the oven and all contents were home safe. This time security was tight in and around the dressing rooms and the night went off without incident. The show was really good. Steve Morse from the Boston Globe reviewed the show, and in recent years threw compliments about Aerosmith like they were manhole covers, this time he gave the guys a great write- up but, surprisingly, didn’t seem to care for Lenny much.
Joe started the evening by going by a great new restaurant down the street from the Gahden called Anthem. A local rock station, WAAF, held a contest to meet Joe and to sample some of Joe’s sauce on wings from Jakes BBQ. The wings were so freakin good. I just wish I wasn’t working and could have a few pints of Guinness with them. Joe and Billie’s son, Aaron, who is the heir apparent to the hot sauce throne, put the event together. Joe signed autographs until it was time to go to work.
Things to watch for:
Steven has been using a new hand-held microphone lately. It gives him a little bit more mobility on stage and it allows him to run full bore around the new stage.
Check out Brad’s new flying V guitar. I’m not quite sure who makes it but it sure is sharp.
Don’t ask Joe for a light during Sweet Emotion. You just might get one.
Joe scraped up his middle finger pretty bad in Ottawa banging away on his fiddle. He left a trail of blood from the stage to the dressing room. He told me there was a puddle of blood on the stage and I wisely cracked, “just like old times with KISS.” That got a half smile out of “Joe Cool.”
Employee Of The Week goes to Jamie Laurita. Jamie is the band’s cook and nutritionist. He makes sure the locals don’t try to pass off slop as catering. He has worked with the Stones, STP and Sarah McLachlan, to name a few. He’s a great guy and he keeps me fat and I love him.
See you on the road!
John B.
November 21, 2005
Blood, Sweat and Beers
The band cruised into the Meadowlands last Thursday. A lot of familiar faces were seen backstage. Jack Douglas and his posse including Danny Provenzano who directed the mob movie that Joe and Brad were involved in called, “This Thing Of Ours”. Danny just got back from an extended vacation and was looking quite fit. Jack just celebrated his 60th birthday. Joey was in town last Monday and took in the surprise birthday festivities that Jack’s wife Christine threw.
The gang from Orange County Choppers were in the house and were given a shout-out by Steven during the show. Paul Sr., Paul Jr. and Mike watched the show from the side of the stage. Joe had the gang from Varvatos there, too. Joey had every shape and size of Kramers in the building. Missing that night was Ray Tabano, who was MIA. Perhaps one of his green florescent shirts was at the dry cleaners and he didn’t want to risk being seen in public without it. I asked him one time why he wore such a god-awful thing and he said that he was sick and tired of security guards hounding him to see his pass. This way they can see him coming a mile away and don’t ever ask for his pass again after the first time. In a weird Ray way that makes perfect sense. Also not at the venue was, Jimmy Hoffa, or was he “in” the venue?
The Boston show was a great homecoming. In 2003 my bags were stolen out of Joe’s dressing room shortly after he left the building. They were recovered the next day after I looked over hours of Fleet center videotape and found the guy who stole them. When I described the guy to Jimmy Eyers he remembered the thief and knew whose guest he was. Needless to say, we got the bags shortly after our Thanksgiving turkey was out of the oven and all contents were home safe. This time security was tight in and around the dressing rooms and the night went off without incident. The show was really good. Steve Morse from the Boston Globe reviewed the show, and in recent years threw compliments about Aerosmith like they were manhole covers, this time he gave the guys a great write- up but, surprisingly, didn’t seem to care for Lenny much.
Joe started the evening by going by a great new restaurant down the street from the Gahden called Anthem. A local rock station, WAAF, held a contest to meet Joe and to sample some of Joe’s sauce on wings from Jakes BBQ. The wings were so freakin good. I just wish I wasn’t working and could have a few pints of Guinness with them. Joe and Billie’s son, Aaron, who is the heir apparent to the hot sauce throne, put the event together. Joe signed autographs until it was time to go to work.
Things to watch for:
Steven has been using a new hand-held microphone lately. It gives him a little bit more mobility on stage and it allows him to run full bore around the new stage.
Check out Brad’s new flying V guitar. I’m not quite sure who makes it but it sure is sharp.
Don’t ask Joe for a light during Sweet Emotion. You just might get one.
Joe scraped up his middle finger pretty bad in Ottawa banging away on his fiddle. He left a trail of blood from the stage to the dressing room. He told me there was a puddle of blood on the stage and I wisely cracked, “just like old times with KISS.” That got a half smile out of “Joe Cool.”
Employee Of The Week goes to Jamie Laurita. Jamie is the band’s cook and nutritionist. He makes sure the locals don’t try to pass off slop as catering. He has worked with the Stones, STP and Sarah McLachlan, to name a few. He’s a great guy and he keeps me fat and I love him.
See you on the road!
John B.
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