News From The Road

Hey gang I thought I would give you a quick update on what’s going on.

Tom, Joey and Joe all met at the TD Banknorth Garden last week to catch AC/DC. The guys all went in to say hi to the Bad Boys from Australia before the show. If you have taken a tour of the Aero dressing rooms you know that Joey, Steven and Joe all have separate rooms. The reason for this is because Joey has a small practice pad in there and is constantly banging away to get loose. Joe usually is plugged in to an amplifier that could rival the PA at Gillette Stadium. Steven also has his own piece of real estate backstage. He has tons of clothes and gadgets to keep him  busy before a show. Aerosmith gets to the venue most nights between 2 and half to 3 and a half hours before set time. ST was on vacation in FLA on this night and missed the show. He vows to catch another North America show soon. AC/DC were all in one big dressing room. The reason for this is that they get to the show less than an hour before they get onstage so it’s a good time to chat and tweak the set a bit.



 

The show was great. Brian Johnson who has a house a few miles from Joe in FLA was in fine voice. Angus was awesome as usual and Phil Rudd kept the solid beat going all night. I particularly like to watch Malcolm and Cliff Williams synchronized walks to the mics ala Johnny and Dee Dee Ramone. Joe was very impressed with the stage set up and took a few notes. You could see the 3 Aero amigos faces during the show and I couldn’t help but wonder if they were all wishing they were up on that Garden stage starting yet another chapter in the book of Aerosmith. I am still trying to get the blood stains out of my pillow case from my ears bleeding that night, but it was worth it.

Old Ross Halfin and his girl Friday Kaz were in town last week taking pictures of Joe for a new Guitar Magazine that comes out early next year. Ross had Joe posed with his horse Franz as well as his Lotus Super 7 and various guitars that mean a lot to him. Ross Halfin is a lot of things but a shitty photographer he is not. He took some beautiful shots at Joe and Billie’s house on a nice crisp fall New England day. Be on the lookout for this great new magazine which will be revealed in the coming months.

Glen, Jim, Magee, John, Ross and Donny pose for Kaz

Joe Perry, Franz and the Master

Ross Halfin makes up for his lack of size with a huge lens...

I'll take that one...photo John Bionelli

Tony and Joe in the Garage

Joe took part in a radio program honoring guitar builder and musician Les Paul this week. It should air sometime in December. Joe talked about his relationship with Les as well as Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck. Les Paul turned 93 this year!

Joey Kramer has donated one of his beautiful drum sets to the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation. He will attend the live auction on Thursday Nov. 20th in NYC to give the drum set to the lucky winner. This set of drums has been around the world and has literally been beaten on by “Krame Dawg the Drum Wonder.”

Steven and Joe will fly out to LA to be a part of the American Music Awards on Sunday. They will give out the last award of the night I’m told. I also have orders from the 7 year old girl that sleeps in the room next to me that I am not to come home without an autograph from Miley Cyrus. What pressure!!!!!!

Brad’s tour with the Hendrix Experience has ended and sadly it ended on a bum note. Jimi Hendrix drummer Mitch Mitchell who along with fellow band-mate Billy Cox had just finished the tour when Mitch passed away in his hotel room in Portland Oregon. Brad had a blast on the tour and even stayed 2 weeks longer than he was suppose to. He is grateful he got the opportunity to play with Mitch and Billy and will miss his new friend terribly.

In the old days it was the vision of a Studer A800’s Scotch tape rolling around and around that got musicians excited but today it has been replaced by the gentle glow of a Mac computer. What is the world coming to? I miss those old machines and the hiss that came with recording on tape. Just my 2 cents.

See you on the Road!

John B