From Sept. 2, 2023 to Jan. 26, 2024, the iconic rock band Aerosmith will be hitting arenas across the continent to give their legion of fans one last hurrah as they bring their five-decade career to an end with what they are calling their Peace Out farewell tour.
Having spent half a century making music for over 100 million fans, Aerosmith has had quite a remarkable career.
In 1970, singer Steven Tyler, lead guitarist Joe Perry, bassist Tom Hamilton, drummer Joey Kramer and rhythm guitarist Ray Tabano (who was later replaced by Brad Whitford in 1971) came together to form Aerosmith living together in an apartment near Boston University.
“It was like Animal House,” Tabano said in a video by Biography Documentary Films. “The house was never empty. There was always somebody there, and people were coming in and out all the time. There was always a party going on.”
When they weren’t partying, Aerosmith was working relentlessly to become the best band in Boston. It seemed like all their hard work had paid off when they were signed to a recording contract with Columbia Records in 1972. However, to their disappointment, their first album in 1973 received an underwhelming response.
Columbia Records was apprehensive about continuing to support them, but Aerosmith managed to buy some time and go on a tour in hopes of building a fanbase directly.
“We played every place and every night that we could,” Perry said. “And I remember many times playing two shows a day.”
After a year on the road, their persistence paid off, and Columbia Records finally authorized Aerosmith’s second album, “Get Your Wings,” in 1974. Copies of this album flew off the shelves, and Aerosmith’s career took off. In 1975, their third album, “Toys in the Attic,” came out, featuring the breakthrough hit “Walk This Way” which is now one of the band’s most popular songs.
As Aerosmith grew bigger and bigger and the band members got wealthier and wealthier, they started living the lavish lifestyle of rockstars, surrounding themselves with drugs and alcohol. Tyler and Perry were even nicknamed “The Toxic Twins.”
Eventually, the drugs drove a wedge between the band members and tore them apart. Perry left in 1979, and while the remaining Aerosmith members tried replacing him, Aerosmith just wasn’t the same without Perry. A string of less successful albums prompted Whitford to leave the band as well two years later.
Perry tried to form his own band called The Joe Perry Project, but fans weren’t having it. Seeing that this new band wasn’t going anywhere, The Joe Perry Project’s manager realized Aerosmith needed to get back together. In 1984, a lunch was arranged for Tyler and Perry, in which the two agreed to put the past behind them and get the band back together.
Once Tyler and Perry reunited, getting the other band members back was easy. Since they had been inactive for five years, Aerosmith decided to have a comeback tour aptly named “Back in the Saddle.”
To ensure that they were going to stick around this time, the entire band got completely sober for the first time in 16 years.
For the past three decades, Aerosmith’s fanbase has continued to grow. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, taking their place among rock and roll royalty. Aerosmith has sold over 150 million albums, conducted 10 world tours and will go down in history as one of the greatest rock bands of all time.
Now, Aerosmith fans will be getting one final opportunity to see this legendary classic rock band live. Bay Area fans in particular will be happy to know that there is a show at Chase Center in San Francisco and a show at SAP Center in San Jose.
“Get ready and walk this way,” Tyler, Perry, Hamilton and Whitford said in a joint statement. “You’re going to get the best show of our lives.”
