The Joe Perry Project has performed its first shows, with the Aerosmith guitarist’s all-star solo project fronted by Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes and featuring Robert DeLeo of Stone Temple Pilots on bass guitar.
Flanked by his fellow Aerosmith alumni – Brad Whitford on guitar, keyboardist Buck Johnson – with Jason Sutter completing the lineup on drums, Perry performed a set classics over two nights in Florida.
There was some STP – Interstate Love Song, Vasoline – as well as some Black Crowes; Twice As Hard, Jealous Again. There was a lot of Aerosmith, with the band opening with Let the Music Do the Talking and closing it out with Walk This Way – Joe Perry rocking his leftie Stratocaster. They covered Led Zeppelin, too.
With Perry out and about, he has been sharing some thoughts on the future of Aerosmith, which, as of right now, is over as a touring entity, the venerable US rock institution grounded by frontman Steven Tyler’s injured larynx.
And yet, watching Tyler hold Villa Park in the palm of his hand at Back to the Beginning as he performed Train Kept A-Rollin’, Walk This Way and Whole Lotta Love, many people – Perry included – might be forgiven for harboring thoughts that A) Tyler has still got, and B) there is no good reason why Aerosmith couldn’t pull together, at least for one last hurrah.
Speaking to WBUR, Perry did not rule out the possibility that the band would take flight once more – which would be fitting given they had to cancel the remaining dates on their farewell tour.
“I would bet that there’s an Aerosmith show left,” said Perry. “There’s been talk about doing a documentary, that might be part of it.”
An Aerosmith documentary is long overdue. The Making of Pump was a vital snapshot of the band in 1990, working under the auspices of Bruce Fairbairn. The only career-spanning doc we have is a VH1 Behind the Music episode that aired in 2002, and a lot has happened since. What won’t happen, sadly, is a tour. Whatever repair Tyler’s larynx is in, it is not fit for 40 nights in the world’s enormodomes.
“I’ve been spending a lot of time with Steven,” continued Perry, “and he just doesn’t want to tour and he can’t tour. It’s tough. I’m not sure I would want to go out and book another 40-city tour. It’s a long way to the top and staying there takes it out of you, especially an Aerosmith tour.”
For the foreseeable, if you want to hear classics lifted from the Aerosmith catalog, try and catch the Joe Perry Project.
Perry announced this new lineup and tour in May. Stone Temple Pilots drummer Eric Kretz was meant to be joining them but had to sit it out following a family emergency. Perry plays Toronto tomorrow night. See Joe Perry for full dates and ticket details.
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