News From The Road
Aero Force One
October 16, 2006
Gateway to the West
St. Louis and Kansas City are always one of my favorite stops on the tour. Whenever we go to Detroit I always say to Joe “wouldn't it be great to get Aretha Franklin to the show?” and when we go to St. Louis I say “Let's get Chuck Berry out here”! We kind of laugh it off. Well this time I started early. In fact it was about 3 weeks ago. I made a call to the restaurant and club called Blueberry Hill that is on Delmar in St. Louis. A few years earlier I had walked down this cool street and stumbled upon this club. It had a lot of memorabilia on the walls and looked like a place right up my alley. I had heard that Chuck Berry had some connection with it. When I called I was put into a man named Joe Edward's voicemail. I explained who I was and when Joe called me back I explained that Joe Perry would love for Chuck Berry to come to the Aerosmith show in Saint Louis. Joe Edwards said he would relay the message to Chuck. Some days went by and Joe called back and said that Chuck would have to decline the invitation that he made a commitment to go to the St. Louis Rams football game and that the concert might be a little too much for the 80 year old. However Chuck was familiar with Joe and wanted to meet him. It seems Joe Edwards reminded Chuck that JP said some very complimentary things about him in an issue of Rolling Stone and he wanted to thank him. So Chuck invited Joe down to Blueberry Hill for lunch with Billie and Roman on Saturday afternoon and I got to tag along and bring Joe's tech Jim Survis as my lunch date. When we arrived we were escorted to a large table in the back and sitting there was a few of Chuck's friends and also his son Butch and his grandson Wolphie. After a few minutes the man himself came walking towards the table. Bigger than life in walked the father of guitar rock. This guy started it all. The first person ever inducted into Rock and Roll's hall of Fame was here in the flesh, with his customary captain's hat perched on his head. He was introduced to everyone in Joe's entourage and he sat right down right next to JFP. The two Guitar Gods talked for about an hour and they chatted about guitars, touring and how to keep fit on the road. Chuck and his son invited the Perry's to his 80th birthday party that takes place on Wednesday. Chuck will perform that night with his full band. It was the perfect way to start our great stay in St. Louis followed by a trip to the St. Louis arch and a kick ass gig at UMB Bank Pavillion. 20,000 people packed the place on a nice 70-degree fall evening.
Photo Amanda Ayre
I will put up some pictures I took as soon as I get clearance from Chuck.
Steven went to the Cardinals game Saturday night. As you guys and girls may remember the Demon threw out the first pitch at a Cardinals game in 1998 when Mark McGuire was chasing Roger Maris for the single season home run record. This time he sang God Bless America before the 7th inning stretch. He had a blast sitting in his Box seats. Steven's last ball game was in 2004 when he sang the anthem at the first game of the World Series at Fenway. So it's a good bet that when Steven sings the home team wins!
See You on the Road!
John B.
October 16, 2006
Gateway to the West
St. Louis and Kansas City are always one of my favorite stops on the tour. Whenever we go to Detroit I always say to Joe “wouldn't it be great to get Aretha Franklin to the show?” and when we go to St. Louis I say “Let's get Chuck Berry out here”! We kind of laugh it off. Well this time I started early. In fact it was about 3 weeks ago. I made a call to the restaurant and club called Blueberry Hill that is on Delmar in St. Louis. A few years earlier I had walked down this cool street and stumbled upon this club. It had a lot of memorabilia on the walls and looked like a place right up my alley. I had heard that Chuck Berry had some connection with it. When I called I was put into a man named Joe Edward's voicemail. I explained who I was and when Joe called me back I explained that Joe Perry would love for Chuck Berry to come to the Aerosmith show in Saint Louis. Joe Edwards said he would relay the message to Chuck. Some days went by and Joe called back and said that Chuck would have to decline the invitation that he made a commitment to go to the St. Louis Rams football game and that the concert might be a little too much for the 80 year old. However Chuck was familiar with Joe and wanted to meet him. It seems Joe Edwards reminded Chuck that JP said some very complimentary things about him in an issue of Rolling Stone and he wanted to thank him. So Chuck invited Joe down to Blueberry Hill for lunch with Billie and Roman on Saturday afternoon and I got to tag along and bring Joe's tech Jim Survis as my lunch date. When we arrived we were escorted to a large table in the back and sitting there was a few of Chuck's friends and also his son Butch and his grandson Wolphie. After a few minutes the man himself came walking towards the table. Bigger than life in walked the father of guitar rock. This guy started it all. The first person ever inducted into Rock and Roll's hall of Fame was here in the flesh, with his customary captain's hat perched on his head. He was introduced to everyone in Joe's entourage and he sat right down right next to JFP. The two Guitar Gods talked for about an hour and they chatted about guitars, touring and how to keep fit on the road. Chuck and his son invited the Perry's to his 80th birthday party that takes place on Wednesday. Chuck will perform that night with his full band. It was the perfect way to start our great stay in St. Louis followed by a trip to the St. Louis arch and a kick ass gig at UMB Bank Pavillion. 20,000 people packed the place on a nice 70-degree fall evening.
Photo Amanda Ayre
I will put up some pictures I took as soon as I get clearance from Chuck.
Steven went to the Cardinals game Saturday night. As you guys and girls may remember the Demon threw out the first pitch at a Cardinals game in 1998 when Mark McGuire was chasing Roger Maris for the single season home run record. This time he sang God Bless America before the 7th inning stretch. He had a blast sitting in his Box seats. Steven's last ball game was in 2004 when he sang the anthem at the first game of the World Series at Fenway. So it's a good bet that when Steven sings the home team wins!
See You on the Road!
John B.
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