You already may have seen the headlines claiming Steven Tyler announced he’s leaving Aerosmith. Seems the latest gossip got its wings when Classic Rock Magazine spoke with Tyler late last week when the band played the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
“I don’t know what I’m doing yet, but it’s definitely going to be something Steven Tyler: working on the brand of myself – Brand Tyler,” the singer said.
Then late Friday afternoon the Las Vegas Sun reported guitarist Joe Perry announcing Tyler had left the band.
“Steven quit as far as I can tell,” Perry told the Sun. “I don’t know anymore than you do about it. I got off the plane two nights ago. I saw online that Steven said that he was going to leave the band. I don’t know for how long, indefinitely or whatever. Other than that, I don’t know.”
While it sure sounds like Tyler is walking the other way, the same Sun article reports that Perry hadn’t spoken with Tyler and that the Aerosmith frontman has a habit of not returning phone calls.
“He’s notorious for that,” Perry said. “That’s one thing I’ve learned to live with. I try to overlook it. I like to pick my battles. Frankly, the last few months I’ve been wanting not to rock the boat. I don’t want him canceling any more gigs. We really wanted to do these last four. We kind of didn’t want to call him out or anything and get him more pissed off, for whatever reason. So we just let things lie. So we did the gigs and, like I said, I got off the plane and saw this online. That’s how I know about it.”
Perry also said Tyler has not contacted the rest of the band.
On the same day Perry’s remarks appeared in the Sun, the Boston Herald added fuel to the flames by reporting Aerosmith bassist Tom Hamilton confirmed there had been some dissent within band ranks, but that he thought the group could move past it.
“We’re always full of troubles, trials and tribulations,” Hamilton told the Herald’s “Inside Track.” “But somewhere in the back of everyone’s mind is the knowledge that the only way to get something like the unbelievable experience we just had in Abu Dhabi is as this band.”
Is Tyler leaving Aerosmith? Only Tyler knows for sure. And so far, according to Perry, the frontman is not answering the phone. Hmmm… maybe Perry should try Twitter.
Click here for the Classic Rock Magazine article.
Click here for the Las Vegas Sun article.
Click here for the Boston Herald / “Inside Track"