Aerosmith

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Brad Whitford (left) and Joe Perry perform onstage

“It's always rubbed me the wrong way when people put Brad down and refer to me as the lead guitarist... Some of the best solos in our catalog are ones Brad did”: Joe Perry says it’s time to stop calling Brad Whitford a rhythm guitarist

By Matt Parker published

Whitford played leads on some of the band’s biggest hits, but rarely gets acknowledged for it, reckons Perry

Brad Whitford and Steve Hunter onstage in the 1970s

“At first you fight, and you’re a little bit angry and then you get sad... but that solo is blistering”: Brad Whitford recalls the time Aeromith’s producer called in session pro Steve Hunter to replace his and Joe Perry’s lead lines

By Matt Parker published

The guitarist has discussed his feelings around Alice Cooper duo Steve Hunter and Dick Wagner’s involvement in selected tracks from Get Your Wings

december 2023

Joe Perry and Brad Whitford dissect Aerosmith's wild 50-year ride – only in the new Guitar World

By Damian Fanelli published

GW and Warren Haynes choose the late Robbie Robertson's essential tracks, plus K.K. Downing, the Mars Volta, the Hives, King Gizzard and more

Eddie Van Halen and Joe Perry in 1979 and 1978, respectively

“Eddie turned guitar on its ear... I remember saying, ‘We’re not ready for the ’80s’”: Joe Perry says after hearing Van Halen’s first record he knew it was time to take a break from Aerosmith

By Matt Parker published

It wasn’t just personal struggles that led Perry and the band to part ways in 1979, but a need for new ideas

Joe Perry performs in concert with Alice Cooper at the HEB Center on July 29, 2019 in Cedar Park, Texas.

“Steve Vai is phenomenal – I’m not sure he gets the credit that he should”: Aerosmith’s Joe Perry names 8 guitarists who shaped his sound

By Andrew Daly published

As the rock ’n’ roll legends gear up for their farewell tour, Perry names the trailblazers who inspired his trademark rock guitar swagger: “There are some wizards on YouTube that are incredible, but these guys are the ones that started it all”

Alice Cooper (L) and Steve Hunter performing live on stage at the Alexandra Palace on October 29, 2011 in London.

“Joe Perry had hit a block, so I was called in to play on Train Kept a Rollin’. They said, ‘Don't tell anyone – no-one can know’”: From Alice Cooper to Peter Gabriel and Aerosmith, Steve Hunter has led one of session guitar’s most remarkable careers

By Andrew Daly published

The session veteran tells his greatest war stories: how he wrote the epic intro to Lou Reed’s Sweet Jane, what he taught Jason Becker for his stint with David Lee Roth, and why he believes losing his sight made him a better guitar player

Kurt Cobain and Joe Perry, both pictured in the early ’90s

“He loves you guys. He doesn’t like anybody, but he loves you guys”: Joe Perry on the time he met Kurt Cobain – and Aerosmith’s unlikely influence on Nirvana

By Matt Parker published

The Aerosmith man once met Kurt Cobain backstage in Seattle, but says the Nirvana frontman was almost non-verbal

Tom Hamilton of Aersosmith performs onstage during the 2012 iHeartRadio Music Festival at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on September 22, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Tom Hamilton: "I thought, I'll be damned if I'm going to play eighth-notes on the root all my life!"

By Karl Coryat published

Aerosmith’s long-serving bassist reflects on becoming a "music-book junkie", channeling John Paul Jones and "smoking a bowl" before writing Sweet Emotion

(from left to right) Tom Hamilton, Darryl Jones and Pete Best

Rolling Stone Darryl Jones, Aerosmith’s Tom Hamilton (and an actual Beatle) to lead next Rock ’N’ Roll Fantasy Camp in New York

By Jonathan Horsley published

Yup, a rhythm section comprising 'fifth Beatle' Pete Best on drums, with Jones and Hamilton on bass, is just the thing for playing Stones, Aerosmith and Beatles classics onstage in NYC

Joe Perry performs with the Joe Perry Project at Webster Hall in New York City on April 18, 2023

Watch Joe Perry tackle Beck's Bolero in tribute to Jeff Beck

By Jackson Maxwell published

Armed with a custom Telecaster equipped with both a whammy bar and a reverse headstock, the Aerosmith man doffed his cap to one of his heroes with a faithful, impassioned cover of the iconic instrumental

(from left) Tom Hamilton, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry perform onstage with Aerosmith at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California on January 26, 2020

Aerosmith announce farewell North American tour

By Jackson Maxwell published

Titled, appropriately enough, Peace Out, the trek will also feature The Black Crowes as an opener

Joe Perry

Joe Perry on his longstanding love affair with the Gibson Les Paul: “The neck is just right, the radius across the fretboard. It’s just an amazing thing they stumbled on”

By Jenna Scaramanga published

The Aerosmith legend demystifies the myth of the vintage classics and discusses his own signature models, and just where the iconic single-cut figures in finding his sound

Phil X (left) and Michael Anthony perform at Tiki Bar in Costa Mesa, California on March 25, 2023

Watch Phil X jam Van Halen's Somebody Get Me a Doctor with Michael Anthony

By Jackson Maxwell published

The onstage jam took place shortly after the one-time Van Halen bassist alluded to a new project with the Bon Jovi guitarist and a mysterious "really, really cool singer” in an interview with Eddie Trunk

Michael Anthony says he’s working on a project with Bon Jovi guitarist Phil X and Aerosmtih drummer John Douglas

Former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony teases new band with Bon Jovi guitarist, Aerosmith drummer and “a really, really cool singer”

By Matt Parker published

Phil X and Aerosmith live drummer John Douglas are involved, but who’s the mystery vocalist?

Joe Perry and Jeff Beck

Joe Perry remembers Jeff Beck: “I was sitting with Jimmy Page, like two kids elbowing each other every time Jeff would play something!”

By Jenna Scaramanga published

In his own words, the Aerosmith guitarist reflects on his hero – and that time he accidentally stole his fuzz pedal and paid him back with a Klon Centaur

Joe Perry playing a Stratocaster

Joe Perry reveals he used Fender Strats to record most of Aerosmith’s ’70s material

By Matt Parker published

The Aerosmith legend explains why he considers Strats to be superior studio guitars, while Gibson Les Pauls make better live instruments

Joe Perry performs live onstage with Aerosmith

Aerosmith's Joe Perry: "I’ve played some ’59 Les Pauls that frankly didn’t feel that good or sound that good"

By Jackson Maxwell published

Perry has his own legendary '59 model that he adores, but that doesn't mean – the Aerosmith guitar-slinger says – that every one of the legendary models has that same magic

Slash (left) and Jeff Beck perform at a soundcheck at the Hippodrome de Vincennes in Paris on June 6, 1992

Watch Jeff Beck play Locomotive with Guns N' Roses at a 1992 soundcheck for a live collaboration that never happened

By Jackson Maxwell published

Beck would ultimately pull out of his performance in Paris with the hard-rock giants – and, potentially, Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Joe Perry – leaving these rehearsal videos as a tantalizing 'what if'

Joe Perry (left) and Jeff Beck perform onstage

Joe Perry recalls the time he accidentally stole a pedal from Jeff Beck – and gave him one of the first Klon Centaurs in return

By Jackson Maxwell published

The Aerosmith guitarist gifted Beck "the ’59 Les Paul of pedals" during rehearsals for the latter's all-star Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction performance in 2009 "to adjust the karma"

Brad Whitford (left) and Mark Agnesi

Watch Brad Whitford go through his enviable guitar collection – including a ‘58 Les Paul hand-delivered by Tom Murphy – in Gibson TV’s The Collection

By Matt Owen published

The Aerosmith icon discusses some of his favorite guitars, and reveals how witnessing Jimmy Page at the peak of his powers encouraged him to embark on a life-long love affair with the Les Paul