Joe Perry’s Wrong About Steven Tyler, Says A&R Guru
The man who signed Aerosmith to Geffen in the 1980s has commented on Steven Tyler’s decision to join the American Idol TV panel – and he reckons Joe Perry’s got it all wrong.
Blabbermouth report that John Kalodner, who oversaw such albums as Permanent Vacation and Pump, believes the guitarist shouldn’t be criticising the frontman for making this career move.
“Joe is completely wrong. It’s jealousy. He’s ultra pissed off… I don’t know what will happen because Steven gets his energy from singing in front of 20,000 people. Sitting in a TV studio with scripted sound bites? I’m not sure he’d be able to even use his own great quips. I’ll be able to tell you in the first show or two if he’ll be his superstar self.”
Kalodner also dismisses Perry’s claim that the band might yet find another vocalist so they can carry on touring while Tyler does his TV stint.
“If [Steven] makes a giant success as a TV personality, he won’t want to go back on the road. And there is no Aerosmith without Steven Tyler. Period.”
I know I’ll get labelled ‘miserable’ by all the toddlers that seem to look at this site for some reason.. BUT..
What a sorry, sad, shambolic way for an all time classic band to come to an end.. because that’s what it is, the end of the road I’m afraid.
Perry is right. American Idol.. X Factor.. Pop Idol.. whatever you want to call these god-awful programmes are a cancer on the music business (with Cowell being the source). Tyler shouldn’t go anywhere near.. or are Aerosmith back to the point, moneywise, where they were before the Run DMC link up saved their bacon?
Aerosmith won’t be Aerosmith without Tyler.. just like Queen didn’t work without Freddie.
i agree with wave , aerosmith were totally amazing but in recent times they are crumbling into nothing. its like a really bad divorce.
He should be able to do this if he wants. Think about it: The Osbournes started in 2002. Hogan Knows Best in 2004, Run’s House in 2006. Gene Simmons’ Family Rules in 2008 and Growing Up Twisted this year. In between they’ve had Tommy Lee’s reality shows, Bret Michaels’ Rock of Love, etc. If Tyler doesn’t do a show this year, he should sign up with A&E or VH1 to make one centered at home next year. The whole idea is that American Idol is the biggest show on network television. They once thought Scott Baio would kill Happy Days but look what happened there. Kids and marriages traditionally kill TV shows. He didn’t. The show went on for another decade. The same with Cheers. Everytime someone died or left the show, they replaced them with someone even more charismatic. Woody Harrelson and Kirstie Alley each went on to have successful solo film careers. This sounds all ego driven and pretentious. Did The Ozzfest end just because Papa Roach and Deftones joined the tour? No. Why? The audience was listening and those fans helped turn The Osbournes into MTV’s biggest winner *ever!* I won’t even start with Journey and Arnel Pineda…
John Kalodner is talkin’ utter shite. Firstly, saying that Joe Perry is jealous is just ridiculous. Jealous of what, exactly? He may be ultra pissed off, but so he should be. He thinks that Tyler should be channeling his energy into the next Aerosmith album rather than stroking his ego as a judge on a reality TV show, & he’s absolutely right. Tyler thinks that he can do both, but first & foremost, Tyler is an artist – he’s a brilliant songwriter & lyricist, a fantastic rock n’ roll singer, & still one of the greatest frontmen in rock history. Perry thinks that American Idol will be a waste of Tyler’s talents & consequently a waste of Aerosmith’s time, & again, he’s right. Tyler should be as concerned about Aerosmith’s legacy as Perry is, because Perry knows that their output since Pump has been patchy, & in his opinion they owe it to both themselves & their fans to put that right with a killer new album, yet in order for them to achieve that, Tyler & Perry quite simply HAVE to start writing songs together again – something they haven’t done for well over a decade & something they cannot do while Tyler indulges himself with outside interests. Communication breakdown? Maybe, but one thing is for sure, Tyler doing American Idol will achieve absolutely nothing for the good of the band – they don’t need the exposure. What they should be doing is capitalizing on their current momentum, because time, quite simply, ain’t on their side.
I know we want to slate anything to do with Simon Cowell, but this is major double standards from Joe Perry. Yes, I believe that Tyler has turned into a slightly better looking Gene Simmons and is now just about the money. However, Joe has no right to slate him for appearing on American Idol and he appeared on the show himself a couple of years ago. He said something about his wife and kids being into the show when he was accused of the same things that he is saying to Tyler.
All I know is that Aerosmith still rock as a live act ( as seen at Download) and that is all I care about. People keep going on about them needing to release one last classic album. To produce a really classic record it takes talent, inspiration and luck( which they have probably ran out of). Let me give you some examples, when did the Stones last produce a great record – the early 70s!, AC/DC’c last true classic record was Back in Black (o.k. – their recent releases have been better quality and more consitent than Aerosmith’s last couple but not true classics), Guns & Roses – Appetite, etc. The list goes on. Of course, I would love them to release a classic record but that may not be possible now.
In connection with this recent American Idol story, I couldn’t give a sh*t. It’s all a publicity stunt and Perry knows it will sell concert tickets in the States.( As Mr Rock & Roll he is going to say he is against Tyler being in it). As an old Aerosmith fan, I won’t bother watching.
Aerosmith are one of my all time favourite bands but have now degenerated into a boring soap opera. They have effectively done nothing interesting since 2001 and it may be time for them all to retire gracefully. Joe Perry’s recent solo albums are absolutely dreadful. The term “lost the plot” springs to mind. Plenty of young exciting bands to get interested in. There’s no need to waste energy on these boys.
being on tv vs. classic albums
I would love to get a new Aerosmith album that rocks, that really rocks. But maybe Steven Tyler knows he currently is better on tv.
Hello, holmesy, The Stones have done better than Aerosmith, each and any album was worth the money I spent. and there were gret albums after the 70ies. check out “Steel Wheels” and listen closely, an amazing record! Aerosmith still owe their fans a late album of that quality! But I know, they can do it! And it will be worth waiting for it.
But even if they don’t deliver – would we discuss this band if they hadn’t done it – give unique music to the world?
Let others pick up the torch!
I wish these guys would just throw in the towel and call it a day. even if they make a new cd it will be shit. they lost their guts anyway. top 40 tyler has other things he wants to do ,so be it. perry and company go start other projects.
Hello Bernhard, How do you compare Steel Wheels to Exile and Sticky Fingers? You can’t. You can compare Pump with Rocks & Toys. That is how I view a classic record whether it is equal to the previous classics. ( Permenant Vacation nearly got there – but the song Angel let it down. Get a Grip – too many ballads).