Aerosmith's Perry: 'Who knows, this might be it'
Bradenton Herald, FL
November 16, 2006
Aerosmith appears unstoppable these days. Singer Steven Tyler's throat surgery, bassist Tom Hamilton's bout with throat cancer, guitarist Joe Perry gets whacked in the head by a 2,000 pound camera boom - nothing seems capable of derailing "America's Greatest Rock Band" from itscurrent "Route of All Evil" tour that comes to Tampa on Wednesday.
Aerosmith's latest near fatal blow occurred Nov. 4 at the MGM Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Three songs into the performance the band dug into its classic "Back in the Saddle" when a camera boom struck Perry in the head and face. He finished the 90-minute show but sustained a concussion and severe bruising to his face.
"I was so pissed off - really, really pissed off by the time show was over," confessed Perry when he called from a tour stop in Arizona on Monday. "I was a mess by the next day and felt like (expletive)."
Perry said he didn't remember finishing the show but is glad he did - surely the 15,000 in attendance were pleased, as well. Aerosmith's "Route of All Evil" tour is earning the legendary rock band its strongest reviews in years, thanks to inspired performances that have favored 1970s rockers like "Toys in the Attic" over more recent ballads such as "I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing." One can only conclude that recent health issues have prompted the musicians to take each show a little more seriously.
"That's exactly it," Perry said. "That feeling of wondering when you're gonna play again is what does it. I gotta think there's a sense of immediacy that all this stuff brings. When I play these cities I can't help but think: Who knows, this might be it."
The 56-year-old guitarist added: "It's like that old saying, if you wanna make God laugh, tell him your plans. Be humble and play the show, that's all I can do. If I had my head tilted a few more inches the other way I couldn't have finished that show - or maybe ever played again. And then look at Tom (Hamilton), who's never missed a show, and then something happens out of his control. Things like that really make you feel you gotta just live for the day."
Hamilton is recovering from throat cancer and has been temporarily replaced by David Hull. However, Hamilton did find the strength to join the band in Boston last month to perform "Sweet Emotion."
"That was pretty incredible," Perry said. "Talking about it, I also saw him a couple weeks ago . . . It was great he came out and played. I think he's also gonna join us when we play Mohegan (Sun Uncasville, Conn.)."
The band had hoped to have completed a new record by now but Tyler's and Hamilton's health issues prevented that from happening. Perry said we should expect the album out by next summer.
What can we expect to hear?
"There will be the rock stuff that has that familiar sound and a couple of ballads," Perry said.
Aerosmith, with opening act Motley Crue, will perform at the 20,000-person capacity Ford Amphitheatre in Tampa on Wednesday. It is likely that several people in attendance also witnessed the band perform at the Hyatt Sarasota Ballroom in 2003. The band was in town to honor their longtime producer Jack Douglas, who was being given a career lifetime achievement award by the Sarasota Film Festival. The event was the Late Night Unwrap Party.
Aerosmith's surprise concert in the ballroom kicked off shortly after midnight Feb. 1 and nearly caused a riot. The band was joined by Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen and Robin Zander and the impromptu performance included "Walk This Way," "Sweet Emotion," Walkin' the Dog," and a wild, frenzied version of "Train Kept A Rollin' " that sent the room into a state of pandemonium.
"At a gig like that where everything is loose it's great to just get up there and just start playing," said Perry who has spent time vacationing in the area. "It was a fun night. Sarasota has always been like a second home to us."
If you go:
What: Aerosmith with Motley Crue
Where: Ford Amphitheatre, Florida State Fairgrounds, 4802 U.S. 301 N., Tampa
When: 7 p.m. Nov. 22
Admission: $39.50-$165
Information: (813) 740-2446
November 16, 2006
Aerosmith appears unstoppable these days. Singer Steven Tyler's throat surgery, bassist Tom Hamilton's bout with throat cancer, guitarist Joe Perry gets whacked in the head by a 2,000 pound camera boom - nothing seems capable of derailing "America's Greatest Rock Band" from itscurrent "Route of All Evil" tour that comes to Tampa on Wednesday.
Aerosmith's latest near fatal blow occurred Nov. 4 at the MGM Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Three songs into the performance the band dug into its classic "Back in the Saddle" when a camera boom struck Perry in the head and face. He finished the 90-minute show but sustained a concussion and severe bruising to his face.
"I was so pissed off - really, really pissed off by the time show was over," confessed Perry when he called from a tour stop in Arizona on Monday. "I was a mess by the next day and felt like (expletive)."
Perry said he didn't remember finishing the show but is glad he did - surely the 15,000 in attendance were pleased, as well. Aerosmith's "Route of All Evil" tour is earning the legendary rock band its strongest reviews in years, thanks to inspired performances that have favored 1970s rockers like "Toys in the Attic" over more recent ballads such as "I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing." One can only conclude that recent health issues have prompted the musicians to take each show a little more seriously.
"That's exactly it," Perry said. "That feeling of wondering when you're gonna play again is what does it. I gotta think there's a sense of immediacy that all this stuff brings. When I play these cities I can't help but think: Who knows, this might be it."
The 56-year-old guitarist added: "It's like that old saying, if you wanna make God laugh, tell him your plans. Be humble and play the show, that's all I can do. If I had my head tilted a few more inches the other way I couldn't have finished that show - or maybe ever played again. And then look at Tom (Hamilton), who's never missed a show, and then something happens out of his control. Things like that really make you feel you gotta just live for the day."
Hamilton is recovering from throat cancer and has been temporarily replaced by David Hull. However, Hamilton did find the strength to join the band in Boston last month to perform "Sweet Emotion."
"That was pretty incredible," Perry said. "Talking about it, I also saw him a couple weeks ago . . . It was great he came out and played. I think he's also gonna join us when we play Mohegan (Sun Uncasville, Conn.)."
The band had hoped to have completed a new record by now but Tyler's and Hamilton's health issues prevented that from happening. Perry said we should expect the album out by next summer.
What can we expect to hear?
"There will be the rock stuff that has that familiar sound and a couple of ballads," Perry said.
Aerosmith, with opening act Motley Crue, will perform at the 20,000-person capacity Ford Amphitheatre in Tampa on Wednesday. It is likely that several people in attendance also witnessed the band perform at the Hyatt Sarasota Ballroom in 2003. The band was in town to honor their longtime producer Jack Douglas, who was being given a career lifetime achievement award by the Sarasota Film Festival. The event was the Late Night Unwrap Party.
Aerosmith's surprise concert in the ballroom kicked off shortly after midnight Feb. 1 and nearly caused a riot. The band was joined by Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen and Robin Zander and the impromptu performance included "Walk This Way," "Sweet Emotion," Walkin' the Dog," and a wild, frenzied version of "Train Kept A Rollin' " that sent the room into a state of pandemonium.
"At a gig like that where everything is loose it's great to just get up there and just start playing," said Perry who has spent time vacationing in the area. "It was a fun night. Sarasota has always been like a second home to us."
If you go:
What: Aerosmith with Motley Crue
Where: Ford Amphitheatre, Florida State Fairgrounds, 4802 U.S. 301 N., Tampa
When: 7 p.m. Nov. 22
Admission: $39.50-$165
Information: (813) 740-2446
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