Aerosmith frontman and rock ‘n’ roll legend Steven Tyler may not want to ‘miss a thing,’ but when it comes to touring with his band, it’s a different story.
According to his bandmate Joe Perry, Tyler, 77, ‘doesn’t want to tour and can’t tour.’
Just last month, the iconic guitarist of the legendary rock band hinted that a triumphant live return could be on the horizon, but his revelation has now raised concerns about the band’s upcoming tour.
It seems that Tyler’s severe vocal injury, which includes a fractured larynx and damaged vocal cords, is understandably a huge factor.
A huge tour is naturally demanding, but Perry hasn’t entirely dismissed the idea of one final farewell show, hinting that it could be part of an upcoming documentary the band is currently discussing.
He told Boston radio station WBUR: ‘I would bet that there’s an Aerosmith show left.
‘There’s been talk about doing a documentary; that might be part of it. I’ve been spending a lot of time with Steven and he just doesn’t want to tour, and he can’t tour.’
Perry admitted that it was tough and added, ‘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.’
Formed in Boston in 1970, the rock music stalwarts have not only built a remarkable touring legacy, but they have also dominated the charts with 21 Top 40 hits in the USA and 14 in the UK, including their iconic collaboration with Run DMC on Walk This Way.
The band’s final live performance took place during their Peace Out tour, which kicked off in 2023, but ended after just three shows.
During an appearance on SiriusXM’s Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk in July, Perry, 74, candidly acknowledged that touring has become far more demanding, admitting: ‘We’re not young men anymore.’
His comments came in response to a question about whether Aerosmith fans could expect to see the band back on stage again, adding that: ‘Well, yeah, I’m always hoping, but going on the road, it’s a big deal pulling that together. There’s so much planning, and what it takes out of you physically, it’s a lot more than people realise.
‘It’s one thing when you’re doing it when you’re 25 or 30, but it’s another when you’re starting to get up there like us. It’s a really physical thing, going out on stage.’
While clearly a full-on global tour might have these music legends Livin’ On The Edge, perhaps a one-off gig could be on the cards?
The Love In An Elevator songwriter is confident that Tyler would be able to sing a full concert again ‘if he could regain the strength in his voice, which would be music to the ears of millions of Aerosmith fans around the world.
He said: ‘You know, I think he would. I think it’s just a matter of getting there, you know? I mean, it’s like, you know, I mean, we’re up there, man. I’ve got enough left in me. I still wanna do [a final Aerosmith show]… So, we’ll see what happens.’
Aerosmith officially announced their retirement from touring in August 2024, citing the ‘impossibility’ of a full recovery for frontman Steven Tyler’s vocal cord injury.
The band’s statement read: ‘As you know, Steven’s voice is an instrument like no other. He has spent months tirelessly working on getting his voice to where it was before his injury. We’ve seen him struggling despite having the best medical team by his side.
‘Sadly, it is clear that a full recovery from his vocal injury is not possible. We have made a heart-breaking and difficult, but necessary, decision – as a band of brothers – to retire from the touring stage.’
However, despite the band being on hiatus, both Perry and Tyler have been busy pursuing other projects with Perry touring the US with his group The Joe Perry Project and Steven singing at a Janie’s Fund charity event at the start of the year.
Since then, they’ve played a few special shows. In February, Tyler made a return to the stage for a charity event, performing Aerosmith classics like Walk This Way, Dream On, and Sweet Emotion. This was followed by another charity event in April, where Tyler and Perry reunited on stage for the first time in two years.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
