All good things must come to an end. Father Time is undefeated. Both statements are clichés and both are true.
Aerosmith dropped a surprise statement to their socials last night that they collectively decided to pack it in from touring. There will be no more tours. Steven Tyler's voice just hasn't recovered from his vocal chord injury. There's a lot of credit due here: Aerosmith could have limped along, using extra singers and back-up tapes and avatars like other bands to keep the money train flowing. Instead the band members decided to keep their legacy intact.
Aerosmith is the greatest American rock band, period. They enjoyed two successful careers - first in the 70s and then again in the late 80s through the new millennium.
As someone born in 1979 (end of the road GenX!), I missed the original success. I came to Aerosmith by way of MTV and became obsessed with the 1993 Get A Grip album. Hell, the success of that album probably shocked the band, too!
Thanks to Get A Grip, I became a fast fan and quickly devoured the band's entire catalog. It wasn't long before I decided Rocks was the best album ever - it is still my favorite today. The first time I saw Aerosmith was on the Nine Lives tour. I was in high school and I went with a girlfriend. My parents dropped us off and we had a blast! The was one of the best nights of my life. I saw them again in college on the Just Push Play tour and again during the "Let Rock Rule" tour in 2014. Incidentally, that show was in July and definitely the single hottest day of that entire year. Crazy brutal heat for that show.
I had no way of knowing at the time that I would never see Aerosmith live again. I bought tickets to the band's Las Vegas residency called Deuces Are Wild for one of the first April 2019 shows. Of the four of us supposed to go, one of my friends severely injured herself and another shockingly died in her sleep a week before the show. Obviously I canceled that trip.
Then Aerosmith announced a big show in Boston for their 50th anniversary, so of course I bought tickets. A little thing called the global coronavirus pandemic canceled that gig. Then the world opened back up, bands rescheduled and planned tours and Aerosmith officially announced their "Peace Out" Farewell tour. So of course I immediately bought tickets, only to watch in horror as reports surfaced online about Steven's massive vocal chord injury and eventual postponement of all shows. I let Ticketmaster hold my money (interest free of course) and waited for the new show dates. They finally came and I was set to see my favorite band one last time this October. Alas, it was not meant to be. I am so grateful I got to see Aerosmith three times live. Still, knowing the band will never tour again feels like a gut punch. Sort of like a chapter of my life is permanently closed.
All that said, the guys in Aerosmith deserve a happy retirement. They gave us more than 50 years of memories and some killer tunes. Just the other day, guitarist Joe Perry made a comment that Aerosmith might record a new album. I don't see that happening, but Steven probably has a one-off song in him - maybe.
Lots of musicians have taken to social media to give props to Aerosmith and deliver eulogies of sorts to the band. A retirement from the road does not equal death, but I do understand the sentiments. If you're looking for something to crank on this hot August weekend, might I suggest a playlist featuring tracks like "Nobody's Fault," "Draw The Line," "Last Child," "Lord Of The Thighs," "Love In An Elevator" and "Livin' On the Edge?" There's so much great stuff in the band's catalog, but that will get you going at least.
Friday, August 9, 2024 at 12:06PM