Joey Kramer – “The Kramedog” - After a weekend in LA at NAMM (National Association of Music Merchandisers trade show), promoting the release of his new “Drum Loops and Samples” collection, the Kramedog kicked back in the first city on the band’s Japanese leg of the Just Push Play tour. Once on the ground in Osaka, Joey rested up and fought back a head pounding flu bug to give it all he's got at last Friday’s opening gig at the Osaka Dome.
Chillin’ in his hotel room in the daytime to do the ‘getting healthy’ thing, Joey took the stage with his bros at night to kick out the gems. Among them, “Chip Away At The Stone,” “One Way Street” and “Come Together.”
The band treated the Osaka fan club to some tasty Aerosmith treats pre-show. 20 minutes of never before seen video footage highlighting the making of Just Push Play, followed by an ass-kickin’ sound check featuring Jesse Kramer (son of Joey) on the skins. The band pounded out “Pandora’s Box”, “Lord of the Thighs” and “Pink” - because… AF1Japan, “you are so very…”
Steven Tyler and Joe Perry - Last seen stateside on the Left Coast at the Golden Globe Awards Sunday evening, Steven and Joe sat down in Osaka with MTV Japan and Sports Hochi (Japan’s biggest newspaper). Later, Joe headed out to the aquarium to check out a few of the world's biggest fish...while Steven made another cigar stop, pickin’ up a Cuban ‘fatty’ - legal as can be here in the Far East.
Later still, at a store called Back Trip Records where the shelves have a big stock of vinyl rarities -- and bootlegs galore, Steven signed an autograph, adding (with an eye on all them bootlegs), "There goes my pension!"
Climbing to the top of the Shin Umeda Sky Building, Steven and Joe were photographed by world famous rock photographer, Ross Halfin, at the Sky Garden Observatory. Shot at separate times, Ross captured some killer pics of Joe with sons Tony and Roman. Later on Steven braved a fierce wind (and that don’t mean Joey two hours after downing a chili dog) taking photos you’re likely to see sometime very soon.
Tom Hamilton and Brad Whitford - It was slow-going leaving the hotel in Osaka when avid fans mobbed the lobby...the boys only to be barraged by even more local Aero-lovers in the street.
After meetin’ and greetin’, Tom visited the Dotonbori Canal District – covered streets, stores stores stores and neon everywhere. Taking in a variety of Osaka sights from miniature cameras to the exotically high-tech Kirin building, only to be swarmed by more of the die-hard throng. With VH1 cameras rolling Tom made his way to the Osaka Hard Rock only to bump into Brad, wife Karen and their boys – great minds (and stomachs) think alike.
Speaking of VH1…camera crews joined the band to capture intimate interviews on the bullet trains traveling from Osaka to Fukoaka and onto Nagoya.
Check out video and pics of Aerosmith in Japan, with more to come from Nagoya and two shows at the Tokyo Dome.
Sayonara - for now.
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