Read Boston Presents:
Everybody Has A Story

On the CD jacket:
"Everyone has a story to share. Good stories stir our imagination and our emotions. When we tell children stories we open up their world. I often say, if a child cannot read, they can't learn and if they can't learn, they can't dream. Stories are absolutely essential to a child's love of language and to their success later in life."
-Mayor Thomas M. Menino (Boston)
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Tyler, Nomar on Menino literacy CD
By Boston Herald Staff
Friday, December 19, 2003

Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler adds his inimitable special effects in his reading of ``The Three Billy Goats Gruff.'' Red Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra lends his voice to ``Monkey See, Monkey Do.'' They're just some of the local celebrities heard on a children's compact disc, to be released today by Mayor Thomas M. Menino and his citywide ReadBoston literacy initiative. ReadBoston has printed 1,200 CDs, which sell for $8 each at Newbury Comics stores, Roslindale Village Books, Roche Brothers and Curious George Goes to Wordsworth stores.

All services were donated, and all proceeds benefit ReadBoston, executive director Theresa Lynn said. Others featured on the CD include Menino's wife, Angela, U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, Joey McIntyre and Barry and Eliot Tatelman of Jordan's Furniture fame.

AEROSMITH guitarist Brad Whitford and JANE'S ADDICTION frontman Perry Farrell are among the stars appearing on the Disney album "A World of Happiness", due February 2. Farrell and Deborah Harry perform together on the track "The Patience Bossa", one of two songs the BLONDIE singer appears on. Billboard reports that a percentage of proceeds from the sale of "A World of Happiness" will be donated to children's charities chosen by each of the performers on the album. Others who've participated include Lisa Loeb, Lou Rawls, Isaac Hayes, Samuel L. Jackson and Magic Johnson.

In other AEROSMITH-related news, the Boston Herald reports that frontman Steven Tyler has added his inimitable special effects in his reading of "The Three Billy Goats Gruff" for a children's compact disc, released this week by Mayor Thomas M. Menino and his citywide ReadBoston Literacy initiative. ReadBoston has printed 1,200 CDs, which will sell for $8 each at Newbury Comics stores, Roslindale Village Books, Rooche Brothers and Curious George Goes to Wordsworth Stores.

All services were donated, and all proceeds benefit ReadBoston, executive director Theresa Lynn said. Others featured on the CD include Menino's wife, Angela, U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, Joey McIntyre and Barry and Eliot Tatelman of Jordan's Furniture fame.

Dick Clark's NYE rockin eve starts at 10pm EST on ABC. Aerosmith will perform the oldie but goodie, "Baby Please Don't Go" in the "Flashback" segment of 2003's hottest tours.

2004 will begin with a BANG for Aerosmith in Feb. They will play pregame at the SUPERBOWL in Reliant Stadium, in Houston TX. Expect them to play the first single off their eagerly awaited album, Honkin On Bobo.

- Sources: Blabbermouth.net / Van-Halen.org

A band here in the Philippines called South Border (a R&B/jazz/pop kind of band) chose Aerosmith's "Amazing" as their #1 Favorite music video on a show titled StarMyx where celebrities have the chance to pick their favorite videos...It was aired on the music channel here in the Philippines called MYX

=======================================

Final show of the Aerosmith/Kiss "Rocksimus Maximus" tour.

The tour took in 917 song renditions incorporating a repertoire of 41 songs (of which 4 hadn't been played in the last 5 years and 3 new blues covers).

Seven different tunes opened the set at one stage with "Mama Kin" being the main opener for 75% of the tour. "Sweet Emotion" closed out about 60% of the shows.

Five songs were ever present across all shows - "Baby Please Don't Go", "Cryin'", "Dream On", "Sweet Emotion" and "Walk This Way".

The albums most represented over the tour were "Toys In The Attic" (6 songs) and then "Rocks", "Pump" and "Get Your Wings" (5 songs).

First tour since at least since "Done The Mirrors" that there has been guest musicians playing with the band.

=============================

The full tour breakdown can be found at:
http://www.cnewton.force9.co.uk/Blues2003/brk.htm

From: http://www.billboard.com

www.aerozone.w.pl

Kuba

...some pictures of Tyler etc. This certain bus takes you around Boston, like to the clubs and stuff...

Cool note:
After ST swings on his trapeze a girl in a bathing suit and heels walked out w/ a sign that said "10" it was pretty cool!! Oh and at the end of JP's jam with KISS he started stomping around in his boots like Gene...that was hysterical!

I believe this is the first time ever that anyone has been allowed to properly jam with the band during a concert (a music journalist was given a special makeup design and appeared on stage with the band in the 70s, but she didn't play anything).

No one in the entire 31 year history of KISS has anyone ever joined them onstage until last night. Joe Perry joined the masked men from the big apple for the KISS klassic "Strutter." Joe has been itching to do this for a long time now and after he was told by Paul Stanley a few months ago that many people have asked the band to jam with them they never felt it was the right thing to do until now. Elton John was turned down in the mid 70's.
One of Joe's favorite KISS songs is "Strutter." It was the first song he heard by them when their debut album came out in 1974. He went out to dinner with their lead guitarist Tommy Thayer on Friday in Chicago. After dinner they hung out in Joe's room with a couple of small amps and some guitars and just jammed on the song for about an hour.

Joe's biggest concern however wasn't getting the song right it was if he would be able to maneuver in Paul's boots. As the sold out crowd at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City could see he passed with flying colors. Country Music star Toby Keith was in attendance and was quite impressed by this historic feat --- John B.

PICS
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From: http://www.aeroforceone.com

The first 2,000 fans that bring a minimum of (1) standard grocery bag of non-perishable food items to the venue on the 18th, will receive a wristband to attend Aerosmith's private soundcheck at The Forum. As a thank you, those participants that wish to purchase a ticket to the actual concert will be given a coupon to receive a special discount. These tickets may be purchased at the Forum Box Office on the day of the show only, between 10am-4pm.

This event is the result of an alliance Aerosmith initiated with the World Hunger Year (WHY) to raise funds and awareness to fight hunger and poverty. Proceeds from Aerosmith's Los Angeles soundcheck promotion will benefit The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. Fans can bring donations to The Forum VIP Parking Lot #4 (off Kareem Court) on Thursday, December 18th between 10am-4pm. (THE FORUM, 3900 W. Manchester, Inglewood, CA 90306)

Soundcheck commences at 5pm but please be there by 4:30pm

1984 Aerosmith plays in Dallas TX at Reunion Arena (Black N'Blue opens)

1987 Aerosmith plays in Madison WI at Dane County Expo Center (Dokken opens)

1994 Aerosmith plays in Toronto Ontario at The Skydome (Jackyl opens)

1998 Aerosmith plays in Huntington WV at Huntington Civic Center (Seven Mary Three opens)

2001 Aerosmith cancels their show in Kansas City MO at Kemper Arena

2002 Aerosmith plays in Detroit MI at Joe Louis Arena (Andrew W.K. opens)

1982 Aerosmith plays in Huntington VA at Huntington Civic Center (Rose Tattoo opens)

1984 Aerosmith plays in Houston TX

1987 Aerosmith plays in St. Paul MN at the Civic Center (Dokken opens)

1994 Aerosmith plays in Buffalo NY at Memorial Auditorium (Jackyl opens)

1997 Aerosmith plays in San Diego CA at Cox Arena (Talk Show opens)

Steven Tyler Hugs Red Ruby

STEVEN TYLER of the rock group Aerosmith meets Pompano Park Harness Track's Miniature Horse mascot RED RUDY before the start of the 16th annual Toys In The Sun Run Sunday morning, December 7.

Tyler rode his Harley and led more than 30,000 motorcycles from the racetrack for the fund raiser to benefit Joe DiMaggio's Childrens Hospital in south Florida.

Steve Wolf, Director of Marketing, Pompano Park

Liv Tyler says her rock star dad fell asleep while watching her in the final part of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Aerosmith singer Steve Tyler, 55, nodded off during a private screening of The Return Of The King.

Liv, 26, who plays elf Arwen, told The Sun: "He fell asleep halfway through, just took a nap. But he was really tired."

And she said she had earlier had to tell him off because he was making too much noise.

"My dad got into trouble because he bought a big bag of food and snacked through the whole movie. And he was passing food along," she said.

Liv, who only learned that Steve was her father when she was 11, says he follows her acting career closely.

She said: "He loves what I do and I'm quite fascinated by what he does. I see him up on stage and I'm like: 'How does he do that?' It's so incredible.

"I think he has a similar thing with me in that he doesn't totally understand what I am doing so he's quite interested in it."

Story filed: 09:15 Tuesday 9th December 2003

From: http://www.ananova.com

Sometimes more is less.

What music fans might expect to get when two arena-sized rock acts combine for a double bill is something bigger and flashier than one act on its own. But when Kiss and Aerosmith combined forces Wednesday night at Thompson-Boling Arena the effect was less than the sum of its parts.

In fact, ticket sales for the show were sluggish. Prices ranged from the $55 to $125 each, yet were sold two-for-one days before the concert. The price drop contributed to the arena filling up beyond 14,000.

For the Knoxville date, Kiss opened the show. As expected, Kiss' performance was filled with stage fog, fireworks and explosions, raucous rock anthems, face paint, platform boots and bassist Gene Simmons spitting fire and blood, curling his tongue and ascending to a platform above the light rigging. It's the sort of theatrical spectacle that fans expect and one that was a pure blast when the band first reunited in 1995. However, it takes time to build up to such theatrics and the 75-minute Kiss show seemed squashed together. The constant barrage of fireworks, pillars of flame and explosions became less exciting than hokey.

Also, while the group played the requisite "Rock and Roll All Nite" and "Love Gun" and "Black Diamond," they band opted for a couple of lesser numbers (along with some goofing with intros to Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" and the Rolling Stones' "Angie") rather than cranking out a couple more 1970s favorites. Overall, this Kiss was at its least appealing since the non-make-up 1980s.

The members of Aerosmith, on the other hand, proved that, despite a string of formula radio ballads and a lackluster 2001 album "Play," a 30-year-plus old band still knows how to rock 'n' roll. Lead singer Steve Tyler and lead guitarist Joe Perry, once despairingly known as the Toxic Twins due to their drug use, have long cleaned up and make for a formidable centerpiece. Perry has often been underrated for his guitar chops and Tyler retains one of rock's great squalls.

While the sound was a muddy mess up in the nosebleed section, down low the band sounded good.

The band filled the show with favorites, including "Dream On," "Dude Looks Like a Lady" and "Love in an Elevator." One of the highlights of the program, though, was actually a couple of numbers from the band's upcoming blues album - a project that Perry has hinted that the band would do for years now.

After a blistering guitar number by Perry, the band launched into a rocking rendition the Big Joe Williams classic "Baby, Please Don't Go." If this set was an indication of the disc, it's one for longtime Aerosmith fans to look forward to.

As it was on Wednesday, fans of both Kiss and Aerosmith would've been better served if the groups had opted to play separate dates.

It's time that big time acts accepted the fact that the pinnacle of rock success is not the biggest and most expensive show. With only half of the bill at half the price, at a venue half the size of Thompson-Boling, this show would've seemed twice as good.

From: http://www.knoxnews.com

Gene Simmons and the rest of KISS offer plenty of star power, and singing along was tons of fun, but their show has lost its spontaneity.

Rock stars walked among us Monday night, and men who would be rock stars. They cast a long shadow, especially those wearing 10-inch platform boots, and they lit a fire in Freedom Hall on a cold December night.

Aerosmith and KISS brought undisputed star power to Monday night's show, while the Porch Ghouls came armed with ambition and attitude. It was, for the most part, a potent combination and left a nearly full house satisfied - even at upwards of $115 a ticket.

Aerosmith's Steven Tyler, left, and Joe Perry didn't rely on frills, just arena-rock swagger, solid showmanship and a dose of the blues.

Thirty-three years into its career, Aerosmith remains a monster band steeped in the blues, arena-rock swagger and guileless showmanship. Steven Tyler, at 55, is a physical marvel; he sang with power and had the energy of a 25-year-old, pushing the band through a best-of set that reached back to its first album.

Aerosmith didn't rely on frills; its only special effect was a few confetti cannons to end the show. Instead, it came out blazing with "Toys in the Attic" and simply played harder, heavier and with more fire than any dozen younger bands. Guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford were a mighty one-two punch.

The show was beautifully paced, mixing rockers with more pop-oriented stuff including "Jaded," and an evil "Baby Please Don't Go" was a nice preview of the band's upcoming roots-and-blues album. Pounding versions of "Walk This Way" and "Sweet Emotion" closed the show way too soon.

KISS, on the other hand, was onstage a few songs too long. The band is still a lot of fun, and there are few things in rock 'n' roll that compare to singing along to "Shout It Out Loud," but its fabled stage show has become a predictable set piece. Since returning to full makeup seven years ago, KISS has delivered essentially the same fire-breathing, blood-spitting show with only minor changes to the set-list.

It's more like a KISS revue than an evolving performance, and the band itself seemed a little tired. The KISS Army won't like hearing any of that - it has been firing salvos about its boys' superiority to Aerosmith since the tour began - but Monday made it clear that Aerosmith is the far better band.

The Porch Ghouls are some bold young men. The quartet from Memphis, Tenn., opened the show on a bare stage with a set of primitive north Mississippi blues mixed with 1960s garage rock. Covers of R.L. Burnside songs are not what a roomful of KISS and Aerosmith fans expected, and it would be stretching it to say that the Ghouls won them over, but they did perform with an almost careless glee that was admirable under the circumstances.

From: http://www.louisvillescene.com

1987 Aerosmith plays in Omaha NE at Omaha Civic Auditorium (Dokken opens)

1998 Aerosmith plays in Champaign IL at the University of Illinois Assembly Hall (Seven Mary Three opens)

2001 Aerosmith cancels their show in St. Louis MO at the Savvis Center

More info here: http://www.avsforum.com

I am from the Philippines and just yesterday, I bought a DVD of "Bruce Almighty" and it says on the back that it got MTVs; when I checked the special features area, it got some Previews of upcoming DVD titles, and on the music video, I was shocked and happy to see the only video there - "I Dont Wanna Miss A Thing"!, of all songs! I was happy though wondering why it was in a Bruce Almighty DVD and why didnt they just put songs thats in the movie, like Avril's "I'm With You"... but oh well, as long as its from Aerosmith!

The Aerosmith singer left Liv stunned when he slipped into unconsciousness as he watched her in the eagerly awaited "The Return of the King." But despite her shock, she admits audience members were delighted -because he'd previously been making too much noise eating food.

She says, "My dad got into trouble because he bought a big bag of food and snacked through the whole movie. And he was passing food along.

"He fell asleep halfway through, just took a nap. But he was really tired."

However, the stunning actress insists they both have a mutual admiration for each other's work.

She adds, "He loves what I do and I'm quite fascinated by what he does. I see him up on stage and I'm like, 'How does he do that?' It's so incredible."

Copyright World Entertainment News Network 2003

From: http://www.krzz.com

1. The Beatles
2. Led Zeppelin
3. The Eagles
4. Pink Floyd
5. ACDC
6. Aerosmith
7. Rolling Stones
8. Metallica
9. Fleetwood Mac
10. Journey???

The other book had many lists that had Aerosmith

They Were #9 on the Best Wedding Song with "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing"
They Were #5 on Top Groups of the 90's
They were #10 on Highest Paid Rockstars with 25,000,000
They have sold 23 Gold Albums and 59 Platinum Albums.

http://www.wfmu.org/listen.ram?show=9735&archive=10505

From: http://www.wfmu.org
Under Recently Added Archives 12/8/03 Jonesville Station

---

Oh and don't worry..already on the obvious questions back to Jack. He mentions March 1st release which is a Monday so can't be the release date..I think he may have meant the first of March as in the first part of March. Also, since he's headed into the studio with Cheap Trick in early January...being the nosey person I am..I had to ask (though may not get the answer I want or one at all) does that mean he will be doing both at the same time or...??

1982 Aerosmith plays in Toronto Ontario at Maple Leaf Gardens (Rose Tattoo opens)

1987 Aerosmith plays in St. Louis MO at St. Louis Arena (Dokken opens)

1998 Aerosmith plays in Louisville KY at Freedom Hall (Seven Mary Three opens)

2001 Aerosmith plays in Oklahoma City OK at Myriad Convention Center

2002 Steven and Joe appear at the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas NV in a tribute to Run DMCs Jam Master Jay; Steven also presents Cher with an Achievement Award

Found at www.encycmet.com

JAMES FAVOURITES
The editors at Rolling Stone magazine recently polled an array of musicians, critics, and influential industry figures to come up with the 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time. Nearly 300 such music experts including James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich amongst others, responded each with a list of 50 albums. "Master of Puppets" came in at 167 and the black album came in at 252.

James Hetfield's top 10 albums of all time:
01. LED ZEPPELIN – Led Zeppelin
02. BLACK SABBATH – Black Sabbath
03. ALICE COOPER – Welcome To My Nightmare
04. THE BEACH BOYS – Pet Sounds
05. AEROSMITH – Rocks
06. MOTORHEAD – Ace Of Spades
07. VAN HALEN – Van Halen
08. LYNYRD SKYNYRD – (Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd)
09. UFO – Strangers In The Night
10. SOCIAL DISTORTION – White Light, White Heat, White Trash

Yep, we all know James is (or at least was) a big Aerosmith fan, but I didn´t think he would put Aerosmith´s Rocks on top of any Motorhead or Diamond Head album. I thought he liked those more. But well, remember Aerosmith´s MTV Icon, when he said he´s favourite Aerosmith tune was Nobody´s Fault... he must have a been a true fan.

Everyone knows Santa's pretty busy these days, so about 30,000 motorcyclists chipped in to help on Sunday's 16th annual Toys in the Sun Run. Santa's clip-clopping reindeer-powered sleigh was replaced with roaring Harley-Davidsons, screaming racing bikes and easy-riding touring motorcycles toting toys to be delivered to needy children.

The motorcycles, which staged at the Pompano Harness Track, closed area highways for several hours as the bikers drove to Markham Park in Sunrise to drop off toys, make monetary donations, and party.

"I've never seen anything like this in my life," said Yvonne Kaiser, a tourist from Buenos Aires, Argentina, who was northbound on Interstate 95 when the parade of motorcycles passed going the other way. "Look at all the motorcycles! I love those Japanese `superbikes.'" Many other northbound motorists stopped along I-95 to watch the parade.

A consummate rock 'n' roll fan, Kaiser squealed with delight when she learned Steve Tyler, the lead singer of rock band Aerosmith, was the parade's grand marshal, along with Broward Sheriff Ken Jenne.

"It's hard to believe this all started 16 years ago with just 500 motorcycles," said Bob Amchir, who began organizing the run with his son Dave in 1987 as members of the South Florida President's Council of Motorcycle Clubs. "Now the Toy Run and the Festival have become this big family event, and it keeps getting bigger every year."

Last year, the run collected 36,000 toys and raised $418,000 to treat pediatric cancer patients at Joe DiMaggio's Children's Hospital in Hollywood.

In return for their generosity, Amchir and his pals throw a party at Markham Park that includes, food, drink, live entertainment, vendor booths, an area for exhibiting show bikes and thrills such as trick motorcycle riding. Live bands The Smithereens and Foghat performed this year, as well as several local bands. Entry to the festival cost $10 and a new, unopened toy.

"The thing that gets me about this event is the level of generosity from all levels," said Ralph Dean, the director of District 5 Fraternal Order of Police, who has overseen the collection and distribution of toys for the run for the past nine years. "Whether a person makes $200,000 a year or minimum wage, they all come out and give generously."

In addition to the thousands on motorcycles parked and displayed all over the park, Amchir said many non-bikers come to support the event. "We get a lot of people who come out in their cars to contribute as well," Amchir said.

As she strolled to her 1993 Harley-Davidson Roadster for the ride home, Kara Trout admired the sheer volume of motorcycles and bikers.

"We really do have a strong community here," Trout said. "And we can accomplish a lot when we put our heads together."

from: http://www.sun-sentinel.com

The NFL likes to have things "bookended". 2 years ago, Bon Jovi played the kickoff to the 2002 football season, and also played pre-game to last years Superbowl. Both times they played "It's My Life". Will Aerosmith do this and play "Dream On" again? We shall see. The options...

1. Play "Dream On" again.
2. Play "Baby Please Don't Go" from the upcoming blues album.
3. Play the lead single from the new album (if not Baby)
4. Play a Cheesecake into Monkey mix....LOL

Option 4 would be my choice, but we all know THAT ain't happening...LOL. If I were to guess I would say option 3. This "event" is a HUGE stage, so why not use it to promote the lead "single" to your new album? The timing is perfect. This event is on Feb 1st. Singles are usually released 1 1/2 months before an album. You do the math.

When Aerosmith played halftime of the 2001 Superbowl, Jaded was played purposely to promote it. And it SPRINGSHOT up the charts...thanks in LARGE part to that exposure.

We'll see. In any event, expect a MAJOR marketing blitz from Sony in the Feb-April time frame. The boys will be everywhere....just you watch.

CK

1978 Aerosmith plays in Biloxi MS at Mississippi Coast Coliseum (Dirty Angels opens)

1984 Aerosmith plays in Albuquerque NM at Tingley Coliseum (Black N'Blue opens)

1993 Aerosmith plays in London UK at Wembley Arena (Mr. Big opens)

1998 Aerosmith plays in Knoxville TN at Thompson Bling Center (Seven Mary Three opens)

2001 Aerosmith plays in Little Rock AR at Alltel Arena

Epiphone is proud to introduce the "Joe Perry" Boneyard LP Standard! The signature model from the legendary Aerosmith guitarist will be officially unveiled at the 2004 Winter NAMM show in Anaheim, California next month and will be available in stores shortly thereafter.

Epiphone spokesman Don Mitchell stated "We are very excited to offer this signature guitar from one of the all-time guitar greats. We've worked closely with Joe and Gibson U.S.A. to make sure this model is just right and I think people are going to be blown away by this gorgeous guitar". The model features Gibson U.S.A. Burstbucker type-2 and type-3 pickups (reverse polarity) "Boneyard" mother of pearl headstock inlay, satin black back , sides and neck, cream binding and a unique "Aged Tiger" top

As the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist explained in an interview a few days before the launch party for the Gibson Joe Perry Signature model, his wife Billie was the one who, unbeknownst to Joe, took care of the original design.

"We were down on one of our trips through Nashville and went through the guitar factory," Perry recalled. "My family travels with me on the road. We were going through the Custom Shop, and I noticed Billie was missing. I'm always suspicious when she takes off. She had gone off with the head painter. She had an idea for a way to stain the tops, and they conjured up these tops combining tiger-stripe maple with a greenish stain to create the "Aged Tiger" finish."

A few weeks later, the "Aged Tiger" Gibson made a great surprise gift for Joe from Billie! "She handed me this guitar and it was beautiful," Perry said. He immediately added it to his arsenal of instruments in the Boneyard, his basement studio. And with a few more personalized modifications, it became the Joe Perry Signature model from Gibson Custom. Be sure and stop by your local Epiphone dealer to check out this great new model from Epiphone! (MSRP:$1,332.00)

PIC 1
Joe examines an Epiphone Boneyard body during a recent trip to Epiphone headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee.

PIC 2
Joe with Epiphone product manager, Mike Voltz

PIC 3
Joe hanging out with Gibson President, Dave Berryman.

From: http://www.epiphone.com

Interesting notes:
-To start off, it was amazing! Never seen somethin so cool...Anyways on to the few interesting things...
- Porch Ghouls opened, I really liked them and they did a really good version of Walkin the Dog, the majority of the audience hated em and booed em but I like their style.
-For Train, Joe played one of Paul Stanley's guitar (the cracked mirror BC Rich) He obviously borrowed it from him cuz those are made exclusively for Paul Stanley
-At the end, Joe introduced Steven as "the star of the new Monday Night Football commercials"
-In Train, after Joe sang his line ("lookin so good...") he handed the mike back to Steven but missed and dropped it on the ground, so Steven left it there and let the crowd sing

MANCHESTER
Before the show Tom and Joe stopped by WZLX in Boston and basically took over the station for 2 hours. They were interviewed by DJ's Chuck Nowlin and Carter Allen. Carter has been around the Boston scene since this writer has been has been allowed to drive and he is one of the main reasons U2 is as big as they are today. Needless to say the band really love this guy.

Steven headed to the venue early to tape an interview with the local ABC affiliate for a show on the "Victory Program." The Victory Program has been helping people get and stay sober (as well as supporting Boston families with other health and housing needs) in Boston for decades and it happens to be a pet project that Steven and Joey hold near and dear to their heart. They have both been donating their time to the cause for a while now and have raised a lot of money for a very worthy cause.

BOSTON
Home Sweet Home! As you know the guys usually cook up something special for the hometown crowd and Thanksgiving Eve was no different. If you donated a certain number of canned food to the "Boston Food Bank" you were allowed access to a private sound check before the show. The guys played about 5 or 6 requests that night and really got the party started. It was a taste of what was yet to come later that night. An appetizer if you will! The guys kicked ass and left the old girl somewhere around midnight. As the last band vehicle left the Fleet with cheers and confetti floating in the air behind them some poor bastard left through the security entrance with my video camera bag and briefcase. Seems the sticky fingered fan made his way backstage and lifted my goods. But never fear the crack security team at the Fleet had the guy on video and had my bags back to me before my turkey got cold the next day.

TAMPA
After basing at home for the next week we headed down to Tampa for a show at The St. Pete Times Forum. It's great to be in Florida this time of year. The weather is great and the fans are crazy. The joint was rockin and it brought out Celebs such as Wade Boggs, Hulk Hogan and Boston Bruins great, Phil Esposito. It seemed Steven and the Hulk really got along. The Hulk plays bass and I'm told he's pretty good. Phil Esposito came with his wife, Bridget, and Steven gave him a tip of the hat before a song. Phil helped build the venue we were playing in and if it wasn't for him the Tampa Bay area wouldn't be the great city it is today.

Next time we will just about put a fork in this tour. It's been great and I'm sure next year will be just as exciting starting off with "Dick Clark's Rockin' Eve."

See you on the road!

John B.

From: http://www.aeroforceone.com

TAMPA - Can you ever be too old to rock?

With bands as long in the tooth as Kiss and Aerosmith, it's a question worth pondering.

For about maybe two seconds.

If there was anything these geezers seemed determined to do Wednesday night during their twin bill at the St. Pete Times Forum, it was to show that they've still got plenty of gas in the tank. That they're still relevant. And that they can still rawwwwk

That task would seem to be most daunting for Kiss. Let's face it: If there were ever a band that was easy to laugh off, it would have to this one. That idiotic face paint. Those absurd platform shoes. The ridiculous costumes. The caterwauling vocals of Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley wailing excruciating anthems about Strutters, Love Guns and Gods of Thunder.

But when confronted with the jaw-dropping spectacle of Kiss on stage, pretty much all critical faculties go out the window. Wednesday's show literally started with a bang as the black curtain surrounding the stage suddenly dropped away amid sparks and billowing smoke as the band descended to the stage on a platform, peeling off the opening chords to Detroit Rock City.

From there, Simmons, Stanley, drummer Peter Kriss and Ace Frehley impersonator (and ex-Kiss tour manager) Tommy Thayer offered pummeling versions of their tried and true fan favorites - Deuce, Shout It Out Loud, Lick It Up, Black Diamond and more on a silver-and-black stage setup that fairly screamed 1974 (and belched smoke, flames and sparks throughout).

The concession stands were stocked with $80 Kiss hockey jerseys and $35 tour T-shirts but the band would have also done brisk business peddling a video showing the exercise regimen followed by the 54-year-old Simmons and the 51-year-old Stanley, who showed off impressively flat middle-aged stomachs.

Stanley preened for the cameras. Simmons spit blood and breathed fire. Criss sang Beth. The Kiss fans in the house headed for their restroom breaks satisfied.

Next up, Boston Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Aerosmith. If Kiss looked surprisingly fit, wiry 55-year-old Aerosmith front man Steven Tyler and 53-year-old lead guitarist Joe Perry were positively Dorian Gray-like, with Tyler in particular looking as though he had stepped through a time warp.

After the opening blast of Toys in the Attic, it quickly became clear, as if any reminder were needed, that their tough-as-nails early material wipes the floor with the power balladry of their unlikely late '80s comeback.

But the band also showed that they're still in it for the long haul when Perry took over lead vocal duties for a tasty slice of Chicago blues from their next album, accompanied by Tyler doing his best Little Walter imitation on harmonica. Of course, the band also made sure to play the songs that all 12,982 in the audience showed up to hear, including Dream On, Walk This Way and Sweet Emotion.

So much time has passed since the chart-dominating heyday of Kiss and Aerosmith that these erstwhile dinosaurs of the music scene have now been elevated to the status of Grand Old Masters of their craft by the young bands of today.

Yeah, the spirit of rock 'n' roll will always be rooted in teen lust and alienation. But it's also the music that's played by the Viagra generation.

You think these guys should act their age?

Dude, they are acting their age.

From: http://stpetetimes.com

TAMPA - You can't, as has been noted, go home again. Kiss and Aerosmith, however, can team up for a co-headlining tour the likes of which would have blown many a teenage mind in 1975 and did a pretty fair job of rocking a St. Pete Times Forum crowd of 12,982 on Wednesday night.

Many in attendance were old enough to have seen these bands back in their '70s heyday (including your reviewer, who saw Kiss for the first time exactly 28 years ago Wednesday, which is either some bizarre cosmic alignment or at least a really cool coincidence).

But there were plenty of enthusiastic fans conceived well after the Ford and Carter administrations. And what do these 50-ish rockers offer kids that bands closer to their own demographic don't?

Angst-free entertainment.

``This is about escaping and having a good time,'' Kiss singer Paul Stanley told the crowd, and that pretty well summed up the evening's appeal. With set times limited to 75 minutes, both bands focused on what made them rich and famous in the first place.

For Kiss, that meant heavy pyrotechnics and fist-pumping anthems such as ``Shout It Out Loud'' and ``Rock and Roll All Nite.'' Kiss, in fact, performed only two numbers recorded later than 1977.

Aerosmith split the difference between raunchier '70s material and later, slicker hits, but also served up a tantalizing taste of their blues roots with smoking versions of Fleetwood Mac's ``Stop Messin' Round'' and Big Joe Williams' ``Baby Please Don't Go.''

Kiss was lowered to the stage as they kicked into opening number ``Detroit Rock City.'' A muddy sound mix dulled the song's dynamics, but the never-a-dull-moment production likely kept anyone from dwelling on such details.

``Deuce'' and ``Firehouse'' were fine examples of Kiss at their catchy songwriting. It's too bad original guitarist Ace Frehley wasn't along for the tour, but replacement Tommy Thayer did an admirable job of replicating Frehley's solos.

Bassist Gene Simmons puked blood, breathed fire and flew to the rafters. Stanley smashed his guitar. Drummer Peter Criss came out front to sing ``Beth.'' No surprises, but no disappointments either.

Aerosmith roughed up their more recent material and simply killed on numbers such as the opener, ``Toys in the Attic,'' and ``Train Kept a Rollin'.''

Singer Steven Tyler was his usual hyperactive self. Guitarist Joe Perry's solos eschewed technique for a more soulful, rhythmic feel. Bassist Tom Hamilton, drummer Joey Kramer and guitarist Brad Whitford - the most unassuming man in rock - provided the always solid backing.

The Porch Ghouls opened with a set of primitive blues-rooted rock. The young band was impressively loose and raw, belting out blues-wailing, harmonica-soaked raunch to a mostly empty arena.

From: http://tampatrib.com

Music geeks can talk for hours about classic blues-based rock bands from Britain and the lasting impact they've had. Many of the principals remain active (the Rolling Stones, the Who, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck), and even the defunct ones are releasing best-selling albums (Led Zeppelin).

Turn your attention toward the United States, however, and the pickings get remarkably slim. Creedence? Gone. J. Geils Band? Ditto. KISS? Not really. ZZ Top? Still around, thank goodness.

But the undisputed king, and perhaps America's most underrated band despite its considerable star power, is Aerosmith.

Dismissed by many in the 1970s as a B-grade Stones, Aerosmith has a back catalog that has held up well even as the hits have kept coming. It would be hard to find a better one-two punch in American rock 'n' roll than "Toys in the Attic" (1975) and "Rocks" (1976).

More than 25 years later, both albums crackle with a palpable energy and songs that attack like an angry Joe Frazier.

"For us, those two records were our coming-of-age records," guitarist Joe Perry said from his home in Boston. "We had learned how to work in the studio and write songs.

"As far as their place in history or whatever, I think they're a pretty good representation of where rock was at the time, of where it had gotten to and the path it took."

Aerosmith's path has been a long one. Formed in Sunapee, N.H., in 1970, the band slogged it out on the club circuit for years. It finally broke nationwide in 1975 with "Sweet Emotion," which drove "Toys In The Attic" to No. 11 on the charts.

As the decade wore on, Aerosmith wore down. After "Rocks," years of substance abuse began to catch up with Perry, singer Steven Tyler, guitarist Brad Whitford, bassist Tom Hamilton and drummer Joey Kramer. The albums got progressively worse as the drug abuse continued, and Perry and Whitford eventually left.

To everyone's surprise, a reunited Aerosmith cleaned up and went back to work in the late 1980s, eclipsing its first run of commercial success. But some things never change: The band is finishing a blues album similar to its early work, and Perry is stoked.

"It was a really invigorating experience to just be a band going into the studio to play live," said Perry, who used his home studio to make the record (it's due in January)."I could almost hear my mother upstairs thumping on the floor, yelling 'Turn it down!' The only difference was my wife and kids were upstairs cheering us on."

Aerosmith's tour with KISS comes to Freedom Hall Monday night. It's a rare matchup of '70s icons who were once competitors.

"The only thing I've been disappointed in is that ... if you saw KISS in 1975, it's the same as if you see them now," Perry said.

"If you're seeing them for the first time, of course, it's great. But in Aerosmith we're always working on new records, and it isn't a nostalgia act. We're a live, vital band."

Showtime is 7 p.m., and tickets - $115, $85 and $55 - are available at the Freedom Hall box office, online at www.cc.com and www.ticketmaster.com, at all TicketMaster outlets or by phone at (502) 361-3100.

Canned foods will be collected for Artists Against Hunger and Poverty.

From: http://www.louisvillescene.com

1978 Aerosmith plays in Jackson MS at Mississippi Coliseum (Dirty Angels open)

1979 Aerosmith plays in Portland ME at Cumberland County Civic Center (Scorpions open)

1982 Aerosmith plays in Buffalo NY at Memorial Auditorium (Rose Tattoo opens)

1987 Aerosmith plays in Saginaw MI at Wendler Arena (Dokken opens)

1994 Aerosmith plays in Chicago IL at United Center (Jackyl opens)

2002 Aerosmith plays in Wichita KS at Kansas Coliseum (Andrew W.K. opens)

2002 Steven and family appear in the TV show Lizzie McGuire (Xtreme Xmas episode)

1975 Aerosmith plays in Inglewood CA at Great Western Forum (Montrose and Mott the Hoople opens)

1978 Aerosmith plays in Lynn MA at Harbour House

1979 Aerosmith plays the first show of the Night in the Ruts tour in Binghamton NY at Broome County Arena

1987 Aerosmith plays in Detroit MI at Joe Louis Arena (Dokken opens)

1998 Aerosmith plays in Carbondale IL at SIU University, Shryock Auditorium (Seven Mary Three opens)

2001 Aerosmith plays in Dallas TX at Reunion Arena

Alice and Calico Cooper, Ozzy and Kelly Osbourne, Steven and Liv Tyler and Ace and Monique Frehley are among the famous musicians and their offspring being spotlighted on "Rock Star Daughters: The E! True Hollywood Story", which is set to premiere on E! Entertainment on Sunday, December 7 at 8:00 p.m.

Encore presentations are scheduled for Dec. 7 (11:00 p.m.), Dec. 13 (3:00 p.m.) and Dec. 14 (1:00 p.m.).

1980 Aerosmith plays in Boston, MA

1982 Aerosmith plays in Indianapolis IN at Market Square Arena (Rose Tattoo opens)

1993 Aerosmith plays in Gothenburg Sweden at The Scandinavium (Mr. Big opens)

1994 Aerosmith plays in Auburn Hills MI at the Palace of Auburn Hills (Jackyl opens)

1997 Aerosmith plays in Austin TX at Frank Irwin Center

2002 Aerosmith plays in Memphis TN at The Pyramid (Andrew W.K. opens)

"A typical day on the road with Aerosmith: Start unloading the trucks by late morning. I set up three kits - two on the different stages for the show, and one in the tuning room (for mini rehearsals in case another musician shows up for an impromptu guest appearance).
The Aerosmith crew have actually put together a band, The Cameltones, and sometimes we do sound checks for the band: front of the house PA mix, ear monitors, and stage mix, for both stages that we set up.
Finish sound check between 4:00 & 5:00 and begin getting the support bands on stage. Aerosmith hits by 9:00 on a three band bill. During the show, I sit out of sight behind the amps, but always maintain eye contact with Joey. I wear ear monitors set to the same frequency as Joey so I hear exactly what Joey is hearing. We communicate mainly by body language and hand signals... and screaming if it gets really bad!"

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Main page with all four parts listed in case you wish to bookmark:
http://www.wzlx.com/interviews/default.asp

IT'S been one of the most successful movie series in screen history and the eagerly-awaited third film in the Lord Of The Rings trilogy looks like smashing box office records. Return of the King was premiered to the world in Wellington on Monday, and 100,000 people lined the streets of the New Zealand city to welcome the stars of the film which has put their country firmly on the movie map.

It was an emotional day for all involved, but particularly for Liv Tyler, the stunning brunette, who plays Arwen, the immortal elf in the blockbuster films. She says: "When they first offered me the part of Arwen the elf princess I had to sit down and think about whether I was willing to work on this for a year and a half as it seemed such a long time to give, but actually it's been more like four and a half years, with the filming and then all the promotion for each part.

"During that time you grow so close to people they become almost like family, so it's hard to think that it's all over. It's a combination of so sad and so emotional - when we watched the movie I cried for the last hour."

Not that she's shedding any tears now. In fact, Tyler can't seem to wipe the smile off her face. Those famous voluptuous lips break into a beaming grin at the mention of her new husband, Leeds-born musician Royston Langdon. She says: "It's been an incredible year for me. I married a wonderful man who is just so nice and supportive.

"We moved to New York and we've adopted a King Charles puppy, who is so cute I'm crazy about him. Roy named him Neal and he's nine months old and getting bigger and cuter everyday."

Tyler married 30-year-old Langdon, lead singer with the group Spacehog, at a private ceremony in the Caribbean in March and it's clear domesticity agrees with the 26-year-old actress. But that's understandable when you consider her background.

Her father is legendary Aerosmith frontman Steve Tyler but her mother, Bebe Buell, raised her to believe she was the daughter of rocker Todd Rundgren, until she learned the truth when she was ten. Now the star admits her upbringing means she craves security and stability.

She says: "I always felt loved by my parents and was grateful to have all these incredible people and creative energy around me, but I also longed for some kind of normality in my life.

"I was so aware of the mistakes my parents made. My dream as a little girl was to have a family and children and animals and someone in my life who was my friend and my partner. Now that I've finally got married and we have our house, everything that I ever wanted is in place."

However, even her new-found domestic bliss does have its drawbacks, as the besotted actress cannot bear to be apart from her husband when she's filming. She spent more than a year in New Zealand making the Lord Of The Rings trilogies and admits it was tough.

"I did suffer at times and felt quite homesick being so far away from my home and family," she recalls. "It was almost like a life commitment and there was no turning back."

Added to that, Tyler also came in for some early flak from critics who didn't believe she was the right choice to play Arwen - a character who only appears in the appendix of JRR Tolkein's classic book. "It was hard at times," she says of the criticism. "But I feel really good about how it all turned out. I had a great time working with everyone on the film. It was never easy, but it was worth it and now that the films are completed I just feel really happy to have been a part of them." Recalling the first time she realised the impact the trilogy had on people, she says: "I was staying with some friends in England and it was New Year.

"My husband, Roy, and I were sleeping, and I woke to the sound of our friends' two little boys. They were going around the bedrooms opening the doors and looking in. When they got to our door, one little boy went to open it and the other said, 'No! Don't open that door. The princess is sleeping in there.' It made my heart leap out of my chest. I think that was the first time I really realised the impact these films had on people."

In the third and final film, Tyler joins forces again with co-stars Viggo Mortensen, Elijah Wood and Orlando Bloom to fight the forces of evil. Her character has to implore her father Elrond (Hugo Weaving) to assist her mortal beau, mighty warrior Aragorn to claim his rightful place as ruler of Middle Earth.

And fans are in for a treat as the dazzling battle scenes promise to outdo those in the first two movies.

However, even though Lord Of The Rings might be over, Tyler's career is taking off in a big way. Although she was a rising star before the trilogy, appearing in Bernardo Bertolucci's acclaimed film Stealing Beauty and the cult movie One Night at McCool's, it's her role as Princess Arwen which has made her a household name. Not surprisingly, lucrative offers are coming in thick and fast, including a contract as the face of a new perfume and skin range from Givenchy. The fashion house has even dubbed her the new Audrey Hepburn.

Tyler says such comparisons are "overwhelming, beyond flattering". She says: "I have always been a big admirer of Audrey Hepburn. She was truly inspiring, and always so herself.

"Her charm was that she was so real and never afraid to speak for herself. And she used her power and time in such a positive way, by doing so much work for others."

But although the deal cements her position as one of the most successful actresses in the world, Tyler isn't about to let it turn her head. She knows first-hand how brutal Hollywood can be, having been told more than once in her career she should lose weight.

"A very famous editor once told me that if I could stay skinny, I'd be bigger than Gwyneth Paltrow," she says, looking incredulous. "I was like, 'I don't want to be Gwyneth Paltrow, I want to be me.' I don't have a weight problem and I never have and just because I don't starve myself and I'm not a size four doesn't mean that I have a weight problem.

"I refuse to submit myself to Hollywood standards. To the rest of the world I am slim, and I like the way I am."

Indeed Tyler, a curvaceous 5ft 10ins, bucks the trend for stick-thin Tinseltown actresses but flatly refuses to conform to the current standards.

She says: "I don't like actresses who transform themselves to fit in with a physical standard which rules at any given moment. These women don't realise that they lose their appeal. A lot of people are afraid to be themselves, maybe because they lack confidence."

That's not something the talented Liv Tyler is suffering from right now. She's in huge demand on the work front thanks to Lord of the Rings. She's set to star with Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez and Matt Damon in the up-coming Jersey Girl and next year she'll start work on Steve Buscemi's film Lonesome Jim.

But while she's thrilled at the way her career is going, her main priority these days is being at home making sweet music with her new husband.

"One of my greatest pleasures is sitting around the house and watching him compose at the piano or just experiment at the keyboard. I love seeing that creative process," she smiles happily.

o Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King opens on Wednesday, December 17

From: http://www.news.scotsman.com

1973 Aerosmith plays in Los Angeles CA at Whisky-A-Go-Go

1975 Aerosmith plays in New York City NY at Madison Square Garden (Black Sabbath opens)

1980 Aerosmith plays in Boston MA at Boston Garden

1982 Aerosmith plays in Knoxville TN at Knoxville Coliseum (Rose Tattoo opens)

1987 Aerosmith plays in Chicago IL at Rosemont Horizon (Dokken opens)

1993 Aerosmith plays in Stockholm Sweden at Stockholm Globe Arena (Mr. Big opens)

1994 Aerosmith plays in Louisville KY at Freedom Hall (Jackyl opens)

1998 "A Little South of Sanity" goes platinum

1998 Aerosmith plays in Dayton OH at the Ervin J. Nutter Center (Seven Mary Three opens)

2001 Aerosmith plays in Champaign IL at the Assembly Hall

1987 Aerosmith plays in Chicago IL at the Rosemont Horizon (Dokken opens)

1997 Aerosmith plays in Little Rock AR at Barton Coliseum

2002 Aerosmith plays in Ft. Wayne IN at Memorial Coliseum (Andrew W.K. opens)