Five Questions With Joe Perry
TheDay, CT
January 29, 2008
What rock fan doesn't know and revere Joe Perry: He of the ski-slope cheekbones, the e'er rich goldmine of riffs tattooed on the ear canals of classic album radio listeners across the globe, and of course the yin to Steven Tyler's yang? Aerosmith is probably the biggest American rock band of all time because, frankly, we don't count the Eagles.
Perry, who has passed through several times with the A-men, stops at Foxwoods Friday [02/08] with TAB-the Band, the trio featuring his sons Tony (guitar/vocals) and Adrian (vocals/bass), and drummer/vocalist Ben Tileston.
During a recent phone conversation in which Perry answered five questions, the soft-spoken musician could not have been more accommodating. “I don't understand people who would get into show business and then act like doing an interview's an inconvenience,” Perry says. “Part of the job is doing interviews, and I'm glad to do them.”
1: You've played thousands of gigs, sold millions of records, and couldn't be more famous if your name were Keith or Mick. And so obviously the most important question is: Do you remember what you were doing when you wrote the riff to “Same Old Song and Dance”?
Perry: Yeah, I do, actually. It's funny how those things come together. ... The first record had come out and it was summer and we were already about to get kicked off the record label because they were saying we hadn't sold enough. And at any minute we had the feeling the sword could drop and we'd get the letter saying our services were no longer required.
So we tried to stay optimistic — that's so important in having a band — and we rented an apartment in Boston to just go ahead and write a new record. The apartment was right above a hair salon so there was plenty of traffic going in and out and plenty of nice sights to see. And I figure if there's one thing I brought to the rock 'n' roll table it's riffs. But originally “Same Old Song and Dance” was actually a vocal hook. It was just something, another thing musically to hang your hat on, so to speak. Something to get your feet tapping. And Steven and I just took if from there.
2: I spoke to (Aerosmith guitarist) Brad Whitford a while back. Do you think, in the big picture, there's a finite number of great rock guitar riffs? And have you guys helped use them all up?
A: I've been told from as far back as “Same Old Song” that all the great riffs were written. But, hey, that riff popped out and so do others and you look around and say, “Hey, I think I can do something with this.” Some days you do feel that maybe all the riffs are gone, but, well, that just means you've gotta get away from it for a while. And then I don't practice, I don't play, I just hang the guitars on their stands — four or five in every room on average — and finally I'll have to force myself to start playing. And, thankfully, the riffs come.
3. You released your self-titled first solo album in 2005, not to be confused with the Joe Perry Project material from '89 and '90. But in addition to the solo stuff, I'm assuming one of the fun things about the Foxwoods show is the opportunity to play with your sons.
A: I can't tell you how much fun it is to play with Adrian and Tony. It's hard to put into words. There are so many levels to it. In terms of just choosing songs, it's kinda strange to put a set list together. You've got to consider material that we have an actual fair chance of getting done, and some songs that people will recognize. So we came up with a list of tunes we'd like to do and even a list we knew we'd never get done (laughs).
... From my perspective, just to do these songs with different musicians, you remember the riffs and the high points and there are magic moments and there are reasons why those songs are still around. But when it's my sons — and their band is really good — it just brings a different element. ... To play with them all is weird and strange and fun and rewarding.
4: How will the backstage rider at Foxwoods differ, for TAB, than what maybe they'd be used to? Does it become true rock star stuff?
A: You know, I'm not really sure what they have. I would have to say, at this point, as they work their way up, it's probably very rare that they'd do gig where there's any kind of backstage stuff in this context. ... Obviously, my sons have been backstage plenty of times at Aerosmith shows, and it's to their credit that they're apparently concerned solely with putting on a good show.
As for rock star behavior, I think the last thing on (my sons') minds is wrecking someone's property or leaving a bad taste in someone's mouth. Believe me: what actually happens is you start to get invoices for televisions you don't own and tons of furniture and lamps that are broken, and that you wouldn't want in your apartment, anyway. It might seem hilarious at the time because you're (loaded), but it's really not all it's cracked up to be.
5: This is a hot time for graphic memoirs by stars. Have you read any of the books by Ronnie Wood, Eric Clapton, Nikki Sixx or Slash?
A: Actually, I haven't read them yet. But what it always reminds me of is Keith Richards because, you know, he's the one every one always holds up as the main rock star or whatever. I read interviews with Keith or talk to people who see him. The last interview I read, he sounded like he had a few years left to run — and I think everything that you read is at least 90 percent true.
But he's one of those rare people who can just do what he wants to do. I've been backstage with him or at various parties or events. At the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, I had a chance to watch him kind of behave. He was pure gentleman and he knows how to control it and doesn't go overboard when it's not appropriate.
If You Go:
What: TAB-the Band, featuring Joe Perry
When: 9 p.m. Friday [02/08]
Where: Foxwoods Fox Theatre
How Much: $55 and $66
Info: 800-200-2882, foxwoods.com
January 29, 2008
What rock fan doesn't know and revere Joe Perry: He of the ski-slope cheekbones, the e'er rich goldmine of riffs tattooed on the ear canals of classic album radio listeners across the globe, and of course the yin to Steven Tyler's yang? Aerosmith is probably the biggest American rock band of all time because, frankly, we don't count the Eagles.
Perry, who has passed through several times with the A-men, stops at Foxwoods Friday [02/08] with TAB-the Band, the trio featuring his sons Tony (guitar/vocals) and Adrian (vocals/bass), and drummer/vocalist Ben Tileston.
During a recent phone conversation in which Perry answered five questions, the soft-spoken musician could not have been more accommodating. “I don't understand people who would get into show business and then act like doing an interview's an inconvenience,” Perry says. “Part of the job is doing interviews, and I'm glad to do them.”
1: You've played thousands of gigs, sold millions of records, and couldn't be more famous if your name were Keith or Mick. And so obviously the most important question is: Do you remember what you were doing when you wrote the riff to “Same Old Song and Dance”?
Perry: Yeah, I do, actually. It's funny how those things come together. ... The first record had come out and it was summer and we were already about to get kicked off the record label because they were saying we hadn't sold enough. And at any minute we had the feeling the sword could drop and we'd get the letter saying our services were no longer required.
So we tried to stay optimistic — that's so important in having a band — and we rented an apartment in Boston to just go ahead and write a new record. The apartment was right above a hair salon so there was plenty of traffic going in and out and plenty of nice sights to see. And I figure if there's one thing I brought to the rock 'n' roll table it's riffs. But originally “Same Old Song and Dance” was actually a vocal hook. It was just something, another thing musically to hang your hat on, so to speak. Something to get your feet tapping. And Steven and I just took if from there.
2: I spoke to (Aerosmith guitarist) Brad Whitford a while back. Do you think, in the big picture, there's a finite number of great rock guitar riffs? And have you guys helped use them all up?
A: I've been told from as far back as “Same Old Song” that all the great riffs were written. But, hey, that riff popped out and so do others and you look around and say, “Hey, I think I can do something with this.” Some days you do feel that maybe all the riffs are gone, but, well, that just means you've gotta get away from it for a while. And then I don't practice, I don't play, I just hang the guitars on their stands — four or five in every room on average — and finally I'll have to force myself to start playing. And, thankfully, the riffs come.
3. You released your self-titled first solo album in 2005, not to be confused with the Joe Perry Project material from '89 and '90. But in addition to the solo stuff, I'm assuming one of the fun things about the Foxwoods show is the opportunity to play with your sons.
A: I can't tell you how much fun it is to play with Adrian and Tony. It's hard to put into words. There are so many levels to it. In terms of just choosing songs, it's kinda strange to put a set list together. You've got to consider material that we have an actual fair chance of getting done, and some songs that people will recognize. So we came up with a list of tunes we'd like to do and even a list we knew we'd never get done (laughs).
... From my perspective, just to do these songs with different musicians, you remember the riffs and the high points and there are magic moments and there are reasons why those songs are still around. But when it's my sons — and their band is really good — it just brings a different element. ... To play with them all is weird and strange and fun and rewarding.
4: How will the backstage rider at Foxwoods differ, for TAB, than what maybe they'd be used to? Does it become true rock star stuff?
A: You know, I'm not really sure what they have. I would have to say, at this point, as they work their way up, it's probably very rare that they'd do gig where there's any kind of backstage stuff in this context. ... Obviously, my sons have been backstage plenty of times at Aerosmith shows, and it's to their credit that they're apparently concerned solely with putting on a good show.
As for rock star behavior, I think the last thing on (my sons') minds is wrecking someone's property or leaving a bad taste in someone's mouth. Believe me: what actually happens is you start to get invoices for televisions you don't own and tons of furniture and lamps that are broken, and that you wouldn't want in your apartment, anyway. It might seem hilarious at the time because you're (loaded), but it's really not all it's cracked up to be.
5: This is a hot time for graphic memoirs by stars. Have you read any of the books by Ronnie Wood, Eric Clapton, Nikki Sixx or Slash?
A: Actually, I haven't read them yet. But what it always reminds me of is Keith Richards because, you know, he's the one every one always holds up as the main rock star or whatever. I read interviews with Keith or talk to people who see him. The last interview I read, he sounded like he had a few years left to run — and I think everything that you read is at least 90 percent true.
But he's one of those rare people who can just do what he wants to do. I've been backstage with him or at various parties or events. At the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, I had a chance to watch him kind of behave. He was pure gentleman and he knows how to control it and doesn't go overboard when it's not appropriate.
If You Go:
What: TAB-the Band, featuring Joe Perry
When: 9 p.m. Friday [02/08]
Where: Foxwoods Fox Theatre
How Much: $55 and $66
Info: 800-200-2882, foxwoods.com
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