By Nick DeRiso July 13, 2016
Ultimate Classic Rock
By all accounts, Joe Perry is recovering well after a health scare, but long-time Aerosmith bandmate Steven Tyler is worried anyway. He says he’s reached out to Perry, and hasn’t heard back. “It’s starting to scare me a little bit,” Tyler tells Billboard.
Tyler also has a theory on what might have caused the guitarist to falter during a Sunday (July 10) side gig with the Hollywood Vampires in Brooklyn.
“I know they’re putting out nothing but ‘he’s recovering, he’s really good, he fainted, exhaustion,'” Tyler added. “But I know my brother. He’s just about the only other guy that’s as passionate about his art as I am. He’s always asking me to do three, four [Aerosmith] shows in a row, and I can’t. I’ll blow my voice out. I know how to maintain my career, my health, and Joe’s passionate. I don’t think he knows how to. I think he’s out there and someone’s overbooking him. They’re doing like eight or nine shows in a row, or five in a row. I think they’re all a little burnt. I think they may need to look at that. Not young anymore, y’know?”
Perry was gigging in support of the Hollywood Vampires’ self-titled 2015 album when he reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest. That diagnosis has not yet been officially confirmed or denied. The Vampires continued their tour without Perry, though they expect him back. Tyler and Perry are then due to rejoin the rest of Aerosmith for a South American tour that begins Sept. 29.
“I don’t give a s— about the band. I want Joe to live,” Tyler says. “I’m really concerned and worried right now that I’m not getting any news. I’m a little bummed out, and that scares me. I don’t know whether it’s heat prostration or whether he’s been working himself too hard, or getting off on wrong things passionately. I don’t know what it is, but I know that nobody’s talking to me. I can only tell you that Joe’s my brother and I love him so much.”
Tyler hasn’t exactly slowed down lately, either. He’s also on road, just ahead of the Friday (July 15) release of the country-themed We’re All Somebody From Somewhere.