The UK CD version showed no CDEXTRA/data session on the CD ( cat no 515447 2). Clive checked the CD type and it is just an audio CD. I remember when NL came out, and not all country variants were CDEXTRA format.

3/31/04 - Tony Perry & Chelsea Tyler to appear on ABC's Knock First

TWO DAYs, ONE ROOM and ZERO PARENTs
Tony Perry, son of Aerosmith rock guitar god Joe Perry, gets a lucky visit from the designers of the ABC Family series Knock First.

Knock First is a teen-do-it-yourself show that gives teens, with the help of professional decorators, the chance to reveal their identity through the makeover of their room.

Tony and his friends, including Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler's daughter, Chelsea, take Tony's tired-looking loft and transform it to a true rock-and-roll haven.

In this special two-part episode, catch firsthand that talent does indeed run in the family as Tony and his friends create the musical score and come up with a special song for this installment of Knock First. Joe Perry also makes a brief appearance.

Catch the wild room redo and musical talents of Tony and his friends on ABC Family's 'Switched!/Knock First Celebrity Week.'

Part 1 airs Monday, April 12 at 5:30 PM ET/PT
Part 2 airs Tuesday, April 13 at 5:30 PM ET/PT.

PICS:
1 2

From: http://www.aeroforceone.com

Aerosmith and Clapton celebrate the blues
By JEFF MIERS News Pop Music Critic 3/30/2004

Honkin' on Bobo Aerosmith (Columbia) Rating: (Four stars out of four)
Me and Mr. Johnson Eric Clapton (Reprise) Rating: (Four stars out of four)

In rock music, all roads lead back to the blues. It's safe to say that very little of consequence in the rock world has been created by artists who lack at least a brief schooling in the genre. The form is timeless, true, indelible; it has been the very lifeblood of rock, and should continue to be. That said, most modern popular music has very little blues in it, and the stuff that does is often of the over-produced, beer-commercial, honky-tonk variety - a sad, glossy recasting of the electric blues that exploded out of Chicago a few decades back beneath the weathered hands of artists like Muddy Waters.

Reconnecting with authentic blues might help put popular music back in touch with its soul. At the very least, it couldn't hurt.

Today, new efforts from Aerosmith ("Honkin' On Bobo") and Eric Clapton ("Me and Mr. Johnson") hit the streets, and both are full-blown successes, though of a markedly different stripe.

Of the pair, the more surprising might be the Aerosmith effort, which marks a stunning return to form for one of America's best bands, following a 15 year-period as a Bon Jovi-esque pop act that brought commercial success but artistic compromise. To an entire generation, Aerosmith is an MTV band known for power-ballads and swanky, over-produced double entendres put to song. The band experienced a rebirth based on this style, and in concert, it has remained a real force to be reckoned with, despite the obligatory appearance of such overwrought dreck as "Angel" and "Don't Want to Miss a Thing." But something had been lost.

For fans of the band's earlier work, Aerosmith was the rightful heir to the Rolling Stones' crown, the ultimate swampy rock 'n' roll band, and the outfit that most cogently assimilated the guitar-powered brilliance of '60s British acts like the Yardbirds and Peter Green-era Fleetwood Mac. If you were listening in the '70s to such albums as the band's self-titled debut and the career-defining "Rocks," you knew that Aerosmith was the ultimate American garage band.

"Honkin' On Bobo" is the strongest Aerosmith album to see release in more than 20 years; that's saying something, because even the band's worst, most commercially-centered efforts have boasted a brilliant tune or three. But "Bobo" places Aerosmith back where it belongs; in the world of post-Yardbirds, stomp 'n' burn, white-boy blues-rock.

"Bobo" is a guitar album, make no mistake. Pickers Joe Perry and Brad Whitford are in their glory, blending gorgeous vintage tones with slide and acoustic guitars, and a healthy portion of the searing, Jeff Beck-inspired lead work that made them guitar heroes to a generation. The rhythm section of bassist Tom Hamilton and drummer Joey Kramer is, not surprisingly, on fire here; the pair provides one of the most solid foundations in rock, and their work here is on par with such classic past rave-ups as "One Way Street," "Sick as a Dog" and "Rats in the Cellar."

Vocalist Steven Tyler is in fine form throughout "Bobo," and not surprisingly, it is his fire that focuses the tunes. Tyler shouldn't even be alive today, following the methodical system of self-abuse he followed for more than a decade; that he's not only still with us, but capable of offering convincing takes on such classics of the genre as Sonny Boy Williamson's "Eyesight To the Blind" and the Reverend Gary Davis/Mississippi Fred McDowell nugget "You Gotta Move" speaks volumes of his talent and resolve. Part of Tyler's genius is his ability to not only participate in the ongoing conversation of blues-rock, but to add to it. The man is clearly well-versed in the language, but he's able to create his own vernacular within it.

While Aerosmith celebrates the boisterous bluster of both Delta blues and its electric cousin, Clapton's "Me and Mr. Johnson" is a more studied, laid-back tribute to the Delta's most influential son, Robert Johnson.

Throughout his career, Clapton has consistently proven his worth as perhaps the greatest of the white blues guitarists to emerge from the fecund soil of 1960s Britain. Few can summon the majesty and grace that his elegant, gorgeously-phrased soloing does; the man's tone and taste are simply impeccable.

"Me and Mr. Johnson" is hardly a vanity project for Clapton, however. Rather than simply assembling a host of Johnson tunes and soloing like a madman over them - as he did to stunning effect on Cream's version of Johnson's "Crossroads" - the guitarist focuses on the strength of Johnson's writing and singing. There's plenty of great guitar playing here, but it's thoughtful and reserved.

The real star of the show is Clapton the singer; there is so much world-weariness, joy, sorrow and anger in his interpretations of Johnson tunes like "Me and the Devil Blues," "Last Fair Deal Gone Down," "Come on in my Kitchen" and "Hell Hound on my Trail" that it would seem that Clapton has done the impossible - he's become as legitimate a blues force as was his idol.

Both Aerosmith and Clapton have made blues records that prove their passion for the form has not been a love in vain.

From: http://buffalonews.com

March 31
'Honkin' ' reclaims Aerosmith's blues roots
By Scott Galupo
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

I like to think that "Honkin' on Bobo" is Aerosmith's penance for "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" and every other shameless McBallad the band has released over the past 15 years.

"Bobo" is a gloriously sleazy blues album from the side of Aerosmith's brain that doesn't worry about top 40 singles and teenage girls.

"Bobo" isn't your grandfather's blues. It's the blues as refracted through the prism of British rock: the Stones, the Yardbirds, Zeppelin, Humble Pie. It's full-tilt, stack-amplified boogie, with Steven Tyler yowling at the top of his throat.

There are blues standards here: Big Joe Williams' "Baby Please Don't Go," Bo Diddley's "Road Runner" and Willie Dixon's "I'm Ready." There's even a gritty, male-centric reworking of the Aretha Franklin hit "I Never Loved a Man (the Way I Love You)."

The band also flaunts its purist cred with an obscure nod to Little Walter ("Temperature," featuring Chuck Berry's old pianist, Johnnie Johnson) and a trio of songs from the great Mississippi Fred McDowell, including the churchy bottleneck-slide country blues of "Jesus on the Mainline."

Guitarist Joe Perry handles lead vocals on the dark and nasty "Back Back Train." "You Gotta Move" takes on the Bo Diddley beat, sounding neither like the McDowell original nor the Stones' 1971 cover.

Aerosmith also found a Peter Green-era Fleetwood Mac gem, "Stop Messin' Around," again with Mr. Perry on vocals.

The one original here, "The Grind," co-written with producer Marti Frederiksen, threatens to devolve into typical, latter-day Aerosmith bombast but manages to stay on this side of tween hookology.

"Honkin' on Bobo" was the album Aerosmith was born to make. It took the boys from Boston 30 years, but it couldn't have come at a better time.

From: http://washingtontimes.com

'Honkin' on Bobo': Aerosmith's 100-Proof Blues
By Shannon Zimmerman
Special to The Washington Post
Wednesday, March 31, 2004

STEVEN PIC

Ever since Aerosmith gave up the pills and powder back in the 1980s, the band's career has been pockmarked by a series of suspiciously sound business moves. Song doctors have made the rounds, halftime performances with Britney have ensued, and, most depressingly, the grungy, dirt-floor studio sound the group once favored has been replaced by a high-gloss pop sheen. Worst of all, a couple years back the band's erstwhile Toxic Twins (aka vocalist Steven Tyler and guitarist Joe Perry) even rented their still-chiseled visages -- not to mention loads of rock-god credibility -- to the Gap for a jeans ad. How sobering is that?

On paper, "Honkin' on Bobo," Aerosmith's latest long-player, seems like just another triumph of sobriety: 11 covers of blues standards and a tacked-on newbie ("The Grind") written with one Marti Frederiksen, a certified hitmaker and collaborator of choice for everyone from Ozzy Osbourne to Sheryl Crow. Aerosmith itself made injudicious use of Frederiksen on its last album, 2001's lame-o "Just Push Play."

On the stereo, though, "Honkin' on Bobo" turns out to be a hoot, a fierce and spirited testament to the staying power of da blooze and, not coincidentally, to that of a certain band of grizzled rock vets from Boston whose debut hit the racks (in vinyl and eight-track flavors) more than 30 years ago.

The whole affair kicks off with a bone-mulching version of Bo Diddley's "Road Runner." Tyler announces himself as the disc's loverboy MC at the outset ("Ladies and gentlemen, step right up! Let's go see the elephant!" he barks lasciviously) before settling into the rest of the tune's wink-and-a-nod lyrics. "Wedding bells tomorrow morning then," Tyler screeches. "We'll burn some rubber tonight." And on the off chance that anyone listening misses the dirty joke, Liv Tyler's proud papa throws in a lustful cackle just for bad measure.

Willie Dixon's "I'm Ready" receives a similarly raunchy reading, with Perry and Brad Whitford trading sinewy slide guitar riffs and fuzzed-out lead lines over the tune's lewd rhythmic strut. The traditional "Jesus Is on the Main Line" is another keeper, a gospel footstomper embellished with a choir and redolent, appropriately enough, of both addiction and redemption.

Elsewhere, abetted by alt-rock siren Tracy Bonham, Perry steps to the mike for a creepy variation on Mississippi Fred McDowell's slow-moving "Back Back Train." And though it's of recent vintage and plopped down alongside a small museum's worth of classics, even "The Grind" turns out to be a keeper. A patented Aerosmith rocker, the sleazy tune comes equipped with a sturdy 12-bar chord progression that meshes perfectly with the vaguely psychedelic riff Perry picks up from Side 2 of "Abbey Road."

It's a potent reminder, in other words, of just how often Aerosmith -- and rock itself -- has borrowed from the blues. Indeed, "Honkin' on Bobo" scans mainly as a hard-bitten collection of mash notes, a dozen love letters scrawled in the margins of the form's sacred texts.

Not bad for a bunch of sobered-up geezers from Beantown.

From: http://www.washingtonpost.com

Aerosmith gets the blues on 'Honkin' On Bobo'
Band puts hard-rocking stamp on collection of blues greats

Most of the blues songs on "Honkin' On Bobo" are re-imagined Aerosmith style, with Steven Tyler's wailing, howling vocals and Joe Perry's screaming guitar slides.

"Honkin' On Bobo," Aerosmith Listen to any Aerosmith song and the influence of the blues hits you so hard that it rings in your ears.

Now the band is dropping its rock pretenses with "Honkin' on Bobo," an album made up almost entirely of blues classics.

But make no mistake, this is not "Aerosmith Sings The Blues." This is one of the world's most successful rock bands making the blues explosive.

Most of the songs are re-imagined Aerosmith style, with Steven Tyler's wailing, howling vocals and Joe Perry's screaming guitar slides.

On Bo Diddley's "Road Runner," for example, Perry kicks it up a notch with a wicked, in-your-face effort that nearly makes his guitar sound like it's singing.

Tyler's rocked-out vocals nicely update Sonny Boy Williamson's "Eyesight To The Blind" and Willie Dixon's "I'm Ready."

Perhaps the band's best effort is showcased on Big Joe Williams' "Baby, Please Don't Go," which is elevated from its typical head-nodding pace to frenetic romp.

The 12 tracks feature only one new Aerosmith song, "The Grind," which is perhaps the only downside of the album. When you're writing to compete with the likes of Fred McDowell, who penned "Back Back Train" and "You Gotta Move" - songs also featured on the album - you have to be more than good, you have to be great. And "The Grind" simply isn't great.

With so many musical acts trying to be artsy these days (think Godsmack's unplugged album and Rod Stewart singing standards), Aerosmith managed to remember the music that inspired them and then make it their own.
- Chelsea J. Carter

From: http://msnbc.msn.com

CD Reviews: Aerosmith, Aaron Booth, Iron & Wine, Soulfly and more
Tuesday March 30, 2004 @ 02:30 PM
By: ChartAttack.com Staff

AEROSMITH Honkin' On Bobo (Columbia/Sony)
It might be a reaction to Martin Scorsese's recent attempts to reinvigorate the blues. Or maybe Steve Tyler and the boys have been watching bands like The White Stripes and The Strokes make garage rock fashionable. Either way, Honkin' On Bobo, a collection of old blues covers, sits somewhere in between the two genres. Certain cuts like "Road Runner" and "Baby Please Don't Go" have a definite gritty rock feel, while "You Gotta Move" and "Eyesight To The Blind" are definitely in a bluesier vein. Overall, the whole thing is fairly pedestrian and a pretty safe move for these rock legends lingering well past their due date. They even managed to slip in the dreaded power ballad with a remake of their own tune, "The Grind." Oh well, what can you expect from a band that calls a blues tribute Honkin' On Bobo?

From: http://www.chartattack.com

Guilherme Z has got the "Back Back Train" acoustic version performed live by Mr. Joe Fkn´ Perry at WRNO 99.5 FM studio, in New Orleans, and converted to .mp3 format [320 kbps / 3,59 MB / 00:01:34]

notes from the site:
Guitar legend Joe Perry came by the studio to promote the upcoming concert and the new Aerosmith CD "Honkin´ on Bobo".

Joe Perry, guitarist for Aerosmith, recently stopped by the WRNO studio to talk with KAT about their new CD, "Honkin' on Bobo." Click here to see the pics.

So, that´s the same way: I´ve uploaded it to the virtual locker file-manager of my site:

http://locker.ngfl.ac.uk

Now go to YOUR LOCKER.
Ya´ll need that to access the directory files:

Login: Aero Rocks 2
Pass-Word: hob2004

***PLEASE GUYS, DON'T DELETE 'EM!***

c ya,

Guilherme Z. >> ® Aero Rocks [www.aerorocks.cjb.net] from BRAZIL.

THUNDERTRAIN Movie Trailer Now Online!

See THUNDERTRAIN perform "I GOTTA ROCK"
Live on stage at the Rat in Kenmore Square!

Preview the movie trailer from the upcoming feature length rock'n'roll documentary now in production at EscapeTV...

"THUNDERTRAIN - INBETWEEN NOW AND THEN"
http://www.thundertrain.com/hotline.htm

Rolling Stone Magazine says:

"Crank up the live "I Gotta Rock" from September '76, to hear how Thundertrain were the G n' R of their town and day."

Read all about the new Thundertrain Movie!

++Plus++

THUNDERTRAIN to TOUR in 2004.

GULCHER RECORDS announces an all new THUNDERTRAIN CD!

THUNDERTRAIN's hot MP3 page is now up and running.

Log on Now!

http://www.thundertrain.com/

Baby Please Don't Go
Official Airplay Stats: 3/23-3/30

ROCK RADIO

Last Week- #4 470 spins (#1 song was 685 spins)
This Week- #3 550 spins (#1 song was 731 spins)

*#1 biggest airplay gainer, Tied for #1 new station adds

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

ACTIVE ROCK RADIO

Last Week- #25 577 spins (#1 song was 1884 spins)
This Week- #24 684 spins (#1 song was 1812 spins)

*#5 biggest airplay gainer, #3 new station adds.


Interesting for sure. With the album being released today, next 2-3 weeks will be a telling time for the single airplay of this track. Nice increase on Active Rock Radio, with 3x the listening audience as ROCK radio.

I full expect the 2nd airplay single to be released end of April, so keep your eyes out....

Till next week...
The AeroFANatic

1988 Aerosmith plays in Knoxville TN at the Civic Coliseum (White Lion opens)

1990 Aerosmith plays in Salt Lake City UT at the Salt Palace (Skid Row opens)

If you put your Honkin' on Bobo CD into your PC, you can view some "making of" clips! When you've put in the CD, a content box will come up. rom there you should be able to get to a thing that says "Watch Honkin' On Bobo - The Real Story" Part One and Part Two. Plays out a lot like the "Making of Pump". There's two parts, I'd guess they're about 5 minutes or so long. The clips are streamed from the net..

There are suposedly 3 links in the "content box", one is to play the CD, the middle one is the special features (I think it says "Honk this" or something like that) and the final one does something else.

By the way, expect it to take a bit if you don't have all the proper software. It requires you to download the latest Quicktime version, Shockwave, and iTunes as well. I'm not sure why iTunes, but it is a big file(over 19 megs)

March 29th, 2004
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola Civic Center

Toys In The Attic
Love In An Elevator
Back In The Saddle
The Other Side
Cryin'
Roadrunner
Jaded
Fever
Mama Kin
Stop Messin' Around
Never Loved A Girl
Livin On The Edge
Dream On
Same Old Song And Dance
Baby Please Don't Go
Walk This Way
Sweet Emotion
=====================
I Don't Want To Miss A Thing
Train Kept A Rollin'

Interesting Notes:
- Somone from the Velvet Rope was invited ON STAGE to play saxaphone on Mama Kin! Talk about shi**ing bricks! Pulled it off however! First play of Kin this tour...
- Joe stated he was sad before he played Messin'. No, not because of lack of adoration from the females....for the fact that this is the last time "Messin" would be played not on a CD. He said that was what made that song special...you had to see it live to hear it. Not after tommorow....

Interview with old Johnny Crash drummer (they toured with Motley Crue on the Dr.Feelgood tour). He got asked to rate Joe Perry as a guitarist. He gave him a 9 saying "that's a given". Obviously a fan but then there was some odd choices for a 10 rating! Check out www.metalsludge.com for the interview!

Sony has been shipping the album to those who pre-ordered it, and also stores in some countries (Norway, Holland etc) are already selling it...

In the US, stores generally wouldn't let it slip out early as it won't count towards the sales numbers for the first week's sales and thus effect chart position.

It's a little different I believe if it's shipped from the label as expect Soundscan only get numbers from record shops etc. The sales though will go towards certification as part of the shipped data.

There is always some sales the week before release. Some it is more than a handful or so and can be a few thousand. Just Push Play apparent had 239 sales the week before release in USA according to soundscan and O Yeah had 189.

The earliest online stores tend to be allowed to send out is that it arrives the day of release but it varies. Depends on the freedom given to them by label and what they receive in early shipments (ie pre-release date).

PUBLISHED TUESDAY, MARCH 30, 2004
All bands should rock this way
Sloane Stephens Cox @ PensacolaNewsJournal.com

PHOTOS INDEX PAGE

Maybe Steven Tyler's tight pants restrict his aging process.

On Monday night, the 56-year- old lead singer of Aerosmith worked the stage at the Pensacola Civic Center almost as if the band were making its debut.

Tyler thrust his hips and shrieked into the microphone while the band cranked out classic tunes that span its nearly 34- year career, kicking off the show with the 1970s heavy-metal "Toys in the Attic."

During the song, he chugged some bottled water, spit a mouthful of it on bobbing onlookers' heads, suggestively shook up the rest and then sprayed the crowd with it. He also lifted his sheer black shirt to reveal what appeared to be the word "fats" or "fatso" on his scrawny torso.

Next, the audience roared as the band played "Love in an Elevator," which features Joe Perry's grinding guitar riffs and more of Tyler's shrieking.

"Back in the Saddle" and "The Other Side" followed, as band members moved from a smaller stage onto a larger stage, which were connected by a runway.

The show wasn't one in which dads simply dropped off their daughters: Instead, parents either stuck around with their children or rocked on without them.

The band is known for its power-ballads and a rock-hip-hop fusion. But its musical range doesn't stop there: the recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees wowed audiences with covers of the blues greats - songs which were only a taste of "Honkin' On Bobo," the band's latest album, which debuts today.

The group - including Perry, guitarist; Brad Whitford, guitarist; Tom Hamilton, bassist; and Joey Kramer, drummer - paraded through the audience after opening act Cheap Trick belted out some of its classics, including "The Flame" and "I Want You to Want Me."

From: http://www.pensacolanewsjournal.com

March 30, 2004 --
AEROSMITH
"Honkin' on Bobo"
Columbia

After making more than 20 albums that touched on just about every style from hip-hop to metal, with today's release, "Honkin' on Bobo," Aerosmith goes back in time to the days when it was Boston's best blues 'n' boogie band.

In those early days of the '70s, the toxic twins - singer Steve Tyler and guitarist Joe Perry - took major heat as Yardbirds and Rolling Stones rip-offs for their love of blues-rock.

Nobody considers Aerosmith unoriginal anymore, freeing the boys to make a classic album of these great blues covers.

But make no mistake about it: This isn't a blues record; it's Aerosmith all the way, rocking on a sweaty blues foundation.

Tyler grunts and shouts his way through the 11 covers and one original, while Perry unleashes his guitar genius at every turn.

That's especially true on the boogie "Shame Shame Shame," which Perry treats as a rock rave. He and guest pianist Johnnie Johnson connect the dots between rhythm 'n' blues and rockabilly.

How this bluesy record differs from the band's early efforts at the same music is that on "Bobo," there's an element of swagger that Aerosmith developed during its reign as the kings of hard rock.

You hear that especially on "I Never Loved a Woman (The Way I Love You)," a salt-and-pepper tune where Tyler stays in a controlled scream for most of the song as the band smoothly delivers the classic verse/chorus/verse melody, complete with sudden stops and perfectly honed solos.

The sole original composition on "Bobo" is "The Grind." It's a good tune, but it doesn't compare with the classics by Sonny Boy Williamson, Mississippi Fred McDowell and Willie Dixon.

Yet the Aerosmith renditions of songs by all these artists do the band - and the blues - proud.

From: http://www.nypost.com

Some blues notes from Steven Tyler
3/30/2004

Steven Tyler's song-by-song account of the new Aerosmith CD, "Honkin' on Bobo" (original writers are in parentheses):

"Road Runner" (Bo Did- dley): "The first time I heard it was on an album by a [British] band called the Pretty Things. It was phenomenal -- and so was the whole album, by the way."

"Shame Shame Shame" (Rueben Fisher/ Kenyon Hopkins): "Smiley Lewis used to do it. Joe [Perry] brought that one in. It has a guitar line that the Stones and Keith Richards and everybody took, most notably Chuck Berry. He's famous for that guitar line. It's really uptempo."

"Eyesight to the Blind" (Sonny Boy Williamson): "Somebody else took his name, and so there were two Sonny Boy Williamsons. The first one ended up with a screwdriver in the back of his head. Rumor has it that the new Sonny Boy Williamson was the guy that did it. There's great mystique around all of this. But when I heard the lyrics to 'Eyesight to the Blind,' I thought, 'Oh my God, this is the song that I want to sing to my wife.' [He starts singing:] 'You're talking 'bout your woman, I wish to God, man, that you could see mine. . . . Every time my little girl starts lovin', she brings eyesight to the blind.' And there's harmonica all over it. I thought, 'This is the perfect song.' "

"Baby Please Don't Go" (Big Joe Williams): "We first did this in Joe's basement, then we started playing it on our last tour. Afterward, we came back and we recut 'Baby Please Don't Go.' . . . We re-did it so Joe could really kick [butt]. It is what it is. Listen to it. It's insane."

"Never Loved a Girl" (Ronnie Shannon): "Aretha Franklin did that under a different title. It was just something that I pulled out. I was fooling around with it and thought I could do it. I just turned [the gender] around."

"Back Back Train" (traditional): "It was first performed by the Hunter's Chapel Singers, from Como, Miss. And Fred McDowell did it in 1966. That's the most popular version. And we have Tracy Bonham on it. She played with us when we first opened Mama Kin [the former club on Lansdowne Street]. She was on the bill that night."

"You Gotta Move" (Gary Davis/ Fred McDowell): "Mississippi Fred McDowell did it in 1964. We changed it around to a Bo Diddley beat. It just was a refreshing thing to do."

"The Grind" (Tyler/ Perry/Marti Frederiksen): "It was something we wrote in Hawaii during the 'Girls of Summer' writing sessions. It's just a little thing that came out. Joe started playing this typically authentic 1950s [riff] . . . then I wrote more lyrics and we changed the guitar line into something like early Aerosmith or AC/DC."

"I'm Ready" (Willie Dixon): "It was performed by Buddy Guy and Muddy Waters. It started with some guys rehearsing, and one of them came in early and was in the bathroom shaving. Another guy asked him, `Are you ready?' And the answer was, `I'm ready for you, I hope you're ready for me!' Willie [Dixon] wrote it down as a song and that was that."

"Temperature" (Little Walter): "I sang it into a bullet mike -- it's a harmonica mike and it goes through a little amp -- and I just sang the [hell] out of it. It's kind of like how I would sing if I was still doing clubs and wasn't fortunate enough to have a schedule of day on, day off. If I was doing the beer circuit, I'd probably still be doing drugs and smoking and drinking. I kind of pretend in my own little world that that's how my voice would sound like."

"Stop Messin' Around" (Clifford Adams, Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac): "It was just an excuse to get Joe to sing on the record. I argued with him and he didn't want to do it. I said, 'Well, you've done the song for so many years that it has to go on the record.' He wanted to use a live version from several tours ago, but I said, 'No, man.' So we re-did it."

"Jesus Is on the Mainline" (traditional, with lyrics by Fred McDowell): "It was recorded in my barn called the Bryer Patch with Tracy [Bonham] singing and with Joe playing lap steel . . . and [Aerosmith bassist] Tom [Hamilton] and [drummer] Joey [Kramer] singing and my daughter Chelsea singing, too."

STEVE MORSE

From: http://www.boston.com

CD REVIEWS
Rhapsody in Blues
Aerosmith gets back to its roots and makes joyous noise on 'Honkin' on Bobo'
By Steve Morse, Globe Staff, 3/30/2004

Aerosmith diehards can finally raise their fists in triumph. They've been waiting for this album for years. They have watched as Boston's onetime bad boys have desperately tried to stay current by doing vanilla-flavored MTV ballads and a hopelessly gloppy Diane Warren song.

So it's a vindication to see Aerosmith return to its roots and cut tracks first done by Bo Diddley, Sonny Boy Williamson, Mississippi Fred McDowell, and Fleetwood Mac back when it was still a blues-rock band.

The best thing, though, about Aerosmith's "Honkin' on Bobo," which comes out today, is that it doesn't feel dated.

Aerosmith thought of making a minimalist, garage-blues album but instead pumped up the volume and made a dynamic, no-surrender rock record that ranks with the band's finest work. The album incorporates the blues but is not precious or defensive about it.

Where Eric Clapton's new blues CD, "Me and Mr. Johnson," is a tame act of discipleship, Aerosmith's new disc is much more adventurous and reckless. It's an Aerosmith record, not a tribute record -- and what a difference. This record shows that the band hasn't lost its nerve -- these are the same guys, albeit millions of dollars later, who used to play the blues when they shared an apartment on Commonwealth Avenue, long before they could afford mansions on the South Shore.

That innate love of the blues makes "Honkin' on Bobo" a joyous album. The first song, "Road Runner," sets the tone, as guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford pay ecstatic homage to Diddley (Perry's jet-stream riffs sound like Eddie Van Halen improvising the blues), while lead singer Steven Tyler is a wild man with the lines "I'm a road runner, honey, and you can't keep up with me. . . . Here's mud in your eye, eat my dust!"

The first four songs stoke a blues-rock party worthy of Led Zeppelin. After "Road Runner" comes the blistering "Shame Shame Shame" (with Tyler letting off a wail to indicate how much passion he brought to the project), then Sonny Boy Williamson's "Eyesight to the Blind" (about the charms of a certain lover) and Big Joe Williams's "Baby Please Don't Go," which is as good a version as the previously definitive version by Van Morrison and Them.

The tracks have an organic, unpretentious feel from being recorded in Perry's home studio, the Boneyard, and Tyler's home setup, the Bryer Patch. Tyler and Perry seem impossibly happy to be let out of the corporate-rock, Top 40-or-bust straitjacket, while rhythm guitarist Whitford also steps up ("He's the ace in the hole on this record," Tyler says), as do bassist Tom Hamilton and drummer Joey Kramer.

A couple of blues-gospel songs are a treat -- "Back Back Train" (a Ry Cooder-sounding tune with Tracy Bonham singing an emotive, Bonnie Raitt-like part) and "You Gotta Move," which the Stones also covered. Plus, Tyler is in rare form on the all-out soul of "Never Loved a Girl," a male remodeling of the Aretha Franklin hit "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)."

Aerosmith offers one new original, "The Grind," an affecting song about a romantic breakup, before reworking Willie Dixon's "I'm Ready" (with Tyler nailing its streetwise braggadocio), Little Walter's "Temperature" (which has the barroom grit of ZZ Top and features Chuck Berry pianist Johnnie Johnson), and Fleetwood Mac's "Stop Messin' Around" with Perry taking a hot vocal turn. The record ends with the climactic "Jesus Is on the Mainline," with choral-style vocals that show just how deeply Aerosmith researched this rewarding project.

From: http://www.boston.com

This is from an interview with Van Halen bassist Mike Anthony in 1996

Michel: You didn't, in all those years?

Mike: Oh no... I told them I didn't want to work with Dave and I wouldn't wanna tour with him. But I'm in Van Halen and Eddie and Alex are my brothers. And if they wanted to do it I would do it, too.... It was kind of hard at first because musically we're pretty much evolved a lot more than Dave did. But we have a producer by the name of Glen Ballard and he worked on new songs with us. And all I got- to say is that this guy is the best producer we've ever worked with. He's the most normal person. He doesn't have an ego like a lot of producers do. And when we're going to do our next studio record, he probably will produce it for us.

Michel: He also did the Alanis Morissette-album, right?

Mike: Yes. And he did the latest Aerosmith, but I don't even know if that will ever come out. Glen wasn't going to be able to do this with us because he was mixing Aerosmith. But they got some problems, so he quit their project to do us. Which was great because we wanted to work with him. I think these two songs turned out great. We're taking this a small step at a time. Now everybody wants the reunion tour.

http://www.vhnd.com

Aerosmith lives different kind of high life
50-something rockers enjoy new album and families

By Hoda Kotb
Dateline NBC
Updated: 11:43 p.m. ET March 28, 2004

On the surface, it might seem a little surreal that a man eligible for AARP dresses the way he does - and does what he does. If you can recognize his lips, we know how old you are. He is Steven Tyler, the lead singer for Aerosmith. And he's about to turn 56.

Hoda Kotb: "What's the magic? What makes it work with you guys?"

Steven Tyler: "Ego. I watch these shows, 'Where Are They Now?" and I have to turn it off. I wanna be up there. I love that. I love to entertain, and bring myself such great joy. And my kids can't believe it. You know? And I can't believe it."

If it seems like Aerosmith has been around forever, well, it has. The band started out in the 1970s, the Boston boys who made it big. Ruling the airwaves and arenas, Aerosmith was going platinum with every album, five of them. But they were also the epitome of a drugged-up, sexed-up, out-of-control rock group.

Tyler: "I was living it. You know you don't sleep when you're doing blow, cocaine. You know? And so, I would have not slept for two or three days and then I'd come in to go on stage. My ritual was to gulp down, hold my nose two beefeater martinis. And then just eat the olives. That was dinner. And I got on stage it would hit by the third song."

By the end of the decade, that excess took its toll. It got so bad that at a 1980 concert in Portland, Maine, Tyler collapsed on stage -- mid-song.

Tyler: "And I fell over, because I can't get up. Kind of thing, reaching for -"

Kotb: "Were you embarrassed the next day?"

Tyler: "Very. You know, very."

By the early 80's, the hits were gone, and Aerosmith was literally falling apart -- practically penniless, addicted to booze and drugs.

Tyler: "It stole us like a crook, it just raped us. It took every want and need to write a song, and what were you doing. The lost weekends were piling up. I lost my wife and my daughter and my band, and everything that i lived for up until that moment, and didn't care."

It seemed that they were on their way to becoming yet another rock and roll footnote. But what sets Aerosmith apart is that Steven Tyler got off the mat. By 1986, the then 38 year-old finally cleaned up. The whole band did, and lived to tell about it.

Kotb: "You cheated death a bunch of times."

Joe Perry: "Of course."

Kotb: "I mean the fact that you're sitting here talking about what it's like out on the other end is a success."

Perry: "We used to think why us, why are we chosen and if there's any reason, then God said part of the deal is you got to go out there, and pass the word."

And they have been ever since, by playing clean and sober. In fact, they have been clean now for far longer than they weren't. So much has changed over the years. The focus that used to be on groupies is now on family. Joe Perry has four kids and his wife of 18 years, Billy.

Kotb: "So when a girl throws herself at you Joe, what do you say?"

Perry: "Oh, I'm usually too fast on my feet to have to worry about it."

That 70s pre-game meal of a mountain of drugs with a Jack Daniels chaser is long gone. Now fresh salmon is flown in every day from Alaska.

Back in the day Aerosmith's competitors were The Who, Led Zeppelin, ZZ Top, but where are those groups now? Somewhere in rock n' roll replay land and where is Aerosmith? Well they are now, where they always have been, center stage. They may be clean, but they still give the audience the illusion of wildness a group unhinged. Yes, they are at it again on tour, at a new concert.

They have a new blues album, called "Honkin' on Bobo," and some of the same old favorites like "Dream On."

Kotb: "To steal one of your lyrics, 'When you look in the mirror, what do you see?'"

Tyler: "It depends on what time of day. Early in the morning, I got all these lines on my face getting clear."

Tyler: "It's funny, because when I was a teenager, I used to think, oh, my God. I'd look in the mirror, and try to pretend what I'd look like when I'm 50 and it looks pretty good now. At least it's happy."

Steven Tyler isn't the only famous face in the family. Actress Liv Tyler is his daughter.

Kotb: "What was it like seeing Liv up there at the Oscars?"

Tyler: "I'm just so proud that she's up there doing what she loves, and she's become successful doing it. And that she's happy."

Steven Tyler actually has four children. The youngest, Taj, is 12, and Tyler's had that talk with him -- the one about sex and drugs.

Tyler: "There's absolutely no secret to bringing up children. You just talk to 'em. You tell 'em everything. You talk about smoking pot, about what it was like when I was shooting coke. You open all hailing frequencies horror."

Kotb: "So, do you say, 'I don't ever want to see that stuff in this house?'"

Tyler: "Absolutely not. No, I don't cause I'm no fool. I know that they will sometime try it. And I want to know when you do. Tell me."

He and his second wife, Theresa, and family live out in the 'burbs, drive an SUV, and they have, well, a typical life.

Tyler: "And now I get to watch my son Taj at the talent show and I watch my daughter Chelsea sing at school . You know, and redo my backyard. I put a roof over my pool. You should see how sexy that looks."

But let's face it. There is not one other SUV-driving guy with a pool who does this on the weekends. And they say there is no better high than that being in front of an audience.

Tyler: "There is no stoned more stoned than being on a stage with this band and walking off after two hours and just dripping, soaking wet, making that connection with every boy and girl in the audience, black and white, and everybody.And making that total connection."

Guitarist Joe Perry says the group is so excited about the new record that it feels like they're back in the early days, playing in the garage really loud, with their mothers yelling to "turn it down." Aerosmith, the 50-something teenagers. The band's now in the middle of a nationwide tour until June.

© 2004 MSNBC Interactive

From: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/4619765/

---

Correction: when Steven says "all hailing frequencies..." the next word is not "horror" it is "Uhura", who is/was the communications officer on the first Star Trek series.

1973 Aerosmith plays in New York City NY at Fordham University Gym with the Kinks

1986 Aerosmith plays in Jacksonville FL at Jacksonville Coliseum (Ted Nugent opens)

1990 Aerosmith plays in Casper WY at the Events Center (Skid Row opens)

Not Your Average Joe
Guitarist Joe Perry and Aerosmith pay homage to blues pioneers on new CD

The Republican
Springfield, MA
03/28/2004
By KEVIN O'HARE
kohare@repub.com

They've been floating the idea for years, to record an album that reaches back to their raw, rowdy, rock 'n' blues roots.

Finally, Aerosmith decided it was time to get it done.

"We always talked about doing something like a cover record, like John Lennon's 'Rock 'n' Roll' record," said Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry recently, talking on the phone from a San Antonio hotel, just prior to the start of his Boston-based band's 40-city North American tour.

"Everybody wants to pay homage to some of the songs that turned them on," he added. "The last couple of years it just felt like we were due to do it ... because we're getting closer to the end than the beginning, and we don't have all that many years left where it's gonna matter. It felt like this was the time."

It turned out to be the right time. For the band's brand new Columbia album "Honkin' On Bobo," (due out Tuesday) is a party record steeped in the blues but with Aerosmith's hard rockin' wild side prominently on display. Featuring 11 vintage covers and one new Aerosmith original ("The Grind") the disc is a fitting salute to the music that inspired Perry, singer Steven Tyler and their bandmates in their formative years.

One group that heavily influenced both Perry and Tyler was the blues-based early version of Fleetwood Mac, which featured guitarist Peter Green.

It was back in 1969 when Tyler first heard Perry and future Aerosmith bassist Tom Hamilton's Jam Band playing a version of Fleetwood Mac's "Rattlesnake Shake," at a club in New Hampshire. Tyler immediately knew that they had a lot in common. That meeting of the musical minds paved the way for Aerosmith's career, so it's especially appropriate that "Honkin' On Bobo," features another early Fleetwood Mac track, "Stop Messin' Around."

"To most people Fleetwood Mac is this huge pop band, but they don't realize the original band was a hardcore, very influential blues band," Perry said. "They were the band that I was going to see instead of the Stones back in 1968. The way their two-and-three-guitar lineup worked was an inspiration. They were a blues band, but they were a rock band, kind of like what Zeppelin was doing but in a different way...so to me they were a really big influence, especially Peter Green. They were a big part of why this band sounds the way we do. I don't know if Steven was really into Fleetwood Mac before he heard us doing that stuff, but he sure was into them afterwards."

"Honkin' On Bobo," the group's 14th studio album, is highlighted by a series of blues songs, including Sonny Boy Williamson's "Eyesight to the Blind," Big Joe Williams' "Baby, Please Don't Go," and Mississippi Fred McDowell's "You Got To Move."

But the arrangements vary, and while generally faithful to the originals, Aerosmith stretched things out on occasion as well.

"We used a really broad definition of this kind of music," Perry said. "For a lot of people, when they hear we did a blues record, they're going to think of it sounding like the last Eric Clapton record, a Jonny Lang record or an early Stevie Ray Vaughan record...But we're not going there. We aren't those kind of players. We're a rock band playing blues songs and adapting them to our style."

One track Aerosmith adapted to their style for the new album is "Never Loved a Girl." Aretha Franklin first popularized the song under the title "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)."

"Steven's always had that love of doing that gender bending thing," said Perry. "He loves Janis Joplin ... He's got that kind of voice that he can sing that stuff so why limit ourselves to just the guy songs? ... We talked about doing that song for a long time. It didn't take long to get."

Prior to the start of recording, Perry assembled a list of 15 to 18 songs he thought might work on the album, and the other band members also came in with their own suggestions. But on several occasions, they found themselves surprised and changing course, particularly when they decided to try a version of Bo Diddley's "Road Runner."

"We really didn't plan on putting that on the record, we just thought it was a lot of fun to play," Perry recalled. "But then we heard it back and it just slams. I thought, what a great way to start the record. All of a sudden it went from being a 'maybe' to 'It's got to be on there.'"

For the album, they were reunited with veteran producer Jack Douglas, who worked on some of Aerosmith's best-known albums in the past, like "Toys in the Attic," and "Rocks."

"A band like ours doesn't need anybody to help us get sounds," Perry said. "I know what my guitar should sound like and Steven knows what he wants his voice to sound like. We know what we want. But it's still good to have somebody in there who is unbiased and kind of a coach. That's what we need a producer for. It's nice to have somebody throw some ideas out there and kind of help us realize our vision, and that's what Jack did."

The group is taking the new album on the road, currently trekking across the country with fellow rock veterans Cheap Trick. It's a switch from last summer, when Aerosmith toured with Kiss.

"At least we're not gonna have to worry about slipping on Gene's (Simmons) blood up there," Perry said with a laugh. "There was always that danger. And I know that if (Cheap Trick guitarist) Rick Nielsen asks me to come up and play on stage that he's not going to make me wear funny boots."

Aerosmith and Cheap Trick know each other well and Perry said that "one of the high points of my life" was when Cheap Trick played at his 50th birthday party and let him draw up their set list.

"They did two sets and I sat in the whole second set with them," he recalled. "A couple of songs I really had cold, but the other ones I kind of stumbled through. I was pretty nervous. But yeah, we've played together a lot over the years, they're great guys and a lot of fun to be around."

As for Aerosmith, after more than 30 years, they're still going strong, still driven by the dynamic duo of Perry and Tyler. They live within a mile of each other, and when they're not on-stage they're known to go hang-gliding, water skiing and motorcycling together. But Perry says the key to the relationship is knowing when to give each other space as well.

"We're probably closer than brothers but we don't hang around all the time," Perry said. "We keep our distance and when we do get together it means a little more. A lot of our goals are the same and a lot of the things that we like are the same, but how we get there, well, there are very often different paths. And sometimes it's not a pretty picture and sometimes it's a rocky path with big cliffs and ravines and stalactites...but nevertheless it is a path and we have the same visions of what it's supposed to be like at the end."

That path has taken them right back to their roots with "Honkin' On Bobo."

"I think once people hear it, it's going to define itself," Perry said. "I think it's the party record that people have been waiting to hear from us for a long time."

(The newspaper version include a live pic of Joe that was about half a page in size and included the caption: "Joe Perry and his Aerosmith bandmates return to their blues roots with 'Hookin On Bobo")

------------

Boston rockers have a ball with blues classics

Aerosmith, "Honkin' On Bobo," (Columbia). 4 stars

Leave it to Aerosmith to light a fire under the blues.

A lot of prominent acts have gone back to the blues for inspiration, most recently Eric Clapton who just released "Me & Mr. Johnson," a full album's worth of Robert Johnson covers.

But when Aerosmith reach back to their roots they crank things up a notch and them some on "Honkin' On Bobo," a 12-track collection of songs by the likes of Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson and Mississippi Fred McDowell. Based in the blues, it's still vintage Aerosmith as guitarist Joe Perry, singer Steven Tyler and company went spinning right back to the music that brought them together more than 30 years ago.

And though it's undoubtedly steeped in blues traditions, "Honkin' On Bobo," is loud, sweat-soaked and fully-fueled with guitar layers, pounding rhythms and Tyler's trademark over-the-top vocals.

"Ladies and gentlemen, step right up," howls Tyler during the album's opening moments, setting the rock 'n' roll circus in motion with a raucous cover of Bo Diddley's "Road Runner." The high-energy romp paves the way for Aerosmith as they proceed to rip through a barnstorming take of Jimmy Reed's "Shame Shame Shame," - with Chuck Berry's former main man Johnnie Johnson on piano - and a slide-guitar layered version of Williamson's "Eyesight to the Blind," that sounds like it could have been recorded live in a Southern juke joint decades ago.

Produced by Tyler, Perry and Jack Douglas, the latter who had worked on early Aerosmith hits like "Toys in the Attic," and "Rocks," the set was primarily recorded in Perry's home studio The Boneyard, with additional recording taking place in Tyler's studio The Bryer Patch.

It's a party album, and the track that's already getting a lot of airplay is the blistering "Baby Please Don't Go," which has been recorded by everyone from Big Joe Williams to Them and The Amboy Dukes in the past. Aerosmith rip the roof off the song, and it's undoubtedly one of the disc's major highlights. There's a similar harp-driven, slide-fueled feel to McDowell's "You Got To Move," which features a wild, out-of-control ending with guitars blazing.

The Boston rockers also toss in some surprises along the way. One of them is a horn-splashed cover version of "Never Loved a Girl," which is synonymous with Aretha Franklin, who recorded an amazing version of it under the title "I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)," in 1967. Aerosmith's take doesn't top the Queen of Soul's but it is intriguing. The band also delivers a boogie-fueled, harp-layered rendition of Fleetwood Mac's "Stop Messin' Around," which features Perry on lead vocals and dates back to the Mac's early days, long before Stevie Nicks came along to mellow things out.

Perry also takes over on a couple of the other standouts in the set, including the swampy traditional "Back Back Train," in which he plays dobro and hurdy gurdy while singing a growling duet with Tracy Bonham. She returns later for a rousing finale of the old spiritual "Jesus is On The Main Line."

Somewhat out of the blue, the disc also offers one new Aerosmith original, "The Grind." Aptly titled, it's slow and churning, fitting right into the mood of the set.

At this point in their career, Aerosmith are getting to do what they want, when they want. "Honkin' on Bobo," is most definitely a labor of love, and they make the most of it.

(Newspaper included a small live pic of Steven and Joe)

In the move "Dickie Roberts, Former Child Star" there is a clip of David Spade jammin' on stage with Aerosmith. It is at the end of the movie.

Joel Selvin - San Francisco Chronicle 3/28/04

How did these guys wind up as the last great rock band standing? A second-rate, junior edition Rolling Stones/Led Zeppelin when the group started, Aerosmith has lived long enough to completely stamp the blues songs on this new album with it's trademark character. But this is not a blues album. Aerosmith transforms every piece into a hard-rocking, salty taste of pure rock-from the Zepped-up "You Gotta Move", a Mississippi Fred McDowell country blues song once covered by the Stones, to the powerhouse "I Never Loved A Girl"(for those who don't think Steve Tyler can sing, he does it in the same key Aretha Franklin originally used). Their "Baby Please Don't Go" blows harder than the verson by Them. Even the one new original, "The Grind", fits perfectly in what may well be Aerosmith's best record.

1978 Aerosmith plays under the pseudonym Dr. J. Jones and the Interns in Boston MA at Boston Music Hall

1986 Aerosmith plays in Ft. Myers FL at Lee County Civic Center (Ted Nugent opens)

Blabbermouth has posted that "fan site Rock This Way has uploaded several musical outtakes" (see below), this is NOT true! I have been warned that the label/band might not take too lightly on this (which I can definitely understand), and thus feel it's important to clarify that this website (ie, I, who run it, as a person) do not support the selling of bootlegs!

I did NOT upload ANY outtakes to this site, what I did was post here on the news page information about another site having done this. I do in no way have access to these outtakes, nor am I trying to help this bootlegger, whoever he/she is. I'm very much against people who illegaly try to make a profit out of material that belong to somebody else, that they have no right to have in their possession in the first place! Now, to my knowledge this person has not yet tried to sell the material, but I'd be very surprised if this isn't his/her intention. In any case, I do NOT support selling of this material!

What I was doing was simply getting the info out there, as it's most definitely of interest to most of us fans that the material has somehow been taken out of the archives, although they shouldn't have been.

As many know, Blabbermouth picks up a lot of its "news" from fan sites...here's some proof of that...

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Last Updated: 3/26/2004 11:54:01 PM

AEROSMITH To Be Interviewed On 'Dateline NBC', Rare Outtakes Posted Online - Mar. 26, 2004

AEROSMITH will be interviewed on "Dateline NBC" this Sunday, March 28 at 7:00 p.m. EST, according to RockonTV. In other news, AEROSMITH fan site Rock This Way has uploaded several musical outtakes from the "Get a Grip" and "Nine Lives" sessions, none of which had been circulated before. Check them out here.

From: http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com

Liz writes:

Yesterday on MTV, I saw an interview with the guys about Honkin' On Bobo and some studio and 'making of' footage...very nice!, perhaps there is material to make an special of the album...

www.geocities.com/aerocaptures11/
honkinonbobo_interview.htm

For the last 2 days in Hampton Roads, VA there have been two radio stations all but dueling over HOB. One station played the enitire new album over a 24 hrs period. one song an hour(and yes obviously a few repeats). The other station "world premiered" the new cd over a 2 hour period last night, cut with interviews with Steven, Joe and Tom.

Joe was really clear that after this tour they are taking(much deserved) time off. I think Steven plans to follow in Liv's footsteps and do some more acting. And atleast they didn't say anything like "farewell tour" .

BPDG is #3 on the rock chart and #5 on the "jump" rock chart. It's #24 on the active rock chart and #7 on the "jump" active rock chart. March 20 - March 26 (rolling 7 day chart).

BPDG #5 on the R&R rock chart now and #1 on the most increased rock chart! #27 on R& R active rock chart and #3 for most increased active rock. Week ending 3/26/04.

You have to be a subscriber to get access so thanks to Pokey on AF1 board for posting these...

From today's paper:
DUDE LOOKS LIKE A TOURIST: Snobby rock stars? Dream on.... After Paper Trails recounted Aerosmith members’ dining at a River Market District steakhouse and visiting a nearby club last Saturday, a day after their Alltel Arena show, readers’ tips helped retrace their tracks. Saturday, the rockers also browsed the River Market Artspace gallery, and Steven Tyler and two others caught the 6:40 showing of Hidalgo at the Rave in west Little Rock where they stood in line like regular folks to buy tickets.

But the real news is that they were still here Sunday even though they were playing Bossier City, La., that night. On Sunday, Tyler visited the Old State House, where, despite trying to be inconspicuous (yeah, right... he looks like your average Joe, especially in those striped bell-bottom jeans he was wearing), he was recognized. He spent time soaking in the sun on an outside bench where he smiled for a photo that later spread like wildfire, via e-mail.

Museum guide Amy Martin showed him around; he especially enjoyed the wilderness exhibit. But Martin, who got a kiss from Tyler, was so flustered she forgot to show him the music exhibit upstairs. And, yes, co-workers are giving her grief about that one.

From man earlier paper:

PAPER TRAILS : Aerosmith takes walk this way in stay in LR
LINDA CAILLOUET

AEROSMITH’S LITTLE ROCK LAYOVER: After Aerosmith rocked Alltel Arena on Friday, they didn’t soar out of the area. Their next show wasn’t until Sunday in Bossier City, La., so the group chilled out in Little Rock.

Around 3 p.m. Saturday, they appeared at Sonny Williams’ Steak Room in the River Market District, where the manager invited them into the restaurant, not yet open, to dine in private.

Later, drummer Joey Kramer and bassist Tom Hamilton hung out at Sticky Fingerz Chicken Shack (where they drank Coke and water and signed autographs ). No word on where Steven Tyler, Joe Perry or Brad Whitford were. But Sticky Fingerz owner Chris King has a theory:

"They were probably in their cryogenic chamber that’s kept them looking so young all these years."

From: http://www.ardemgaz.com

Excerpts posted by love them lips on AF1 board:

And they gave it 3 out of 4 stars!!! Some higlights of the review:

"The band pays fitting tribute to it's muscial roots, pouring sweet emotion into a collection of blues covers. Indeed this labor of love finds the veteran rockers sounding as if they are having tons of fun on rollicking numbers such as "Baby Please Don't Go", "You Got To Move", and "Road Runner" "

"Best, though, is "Never Loved A Girl" a rootsy re-working of Aretha Franklin's "I Never Loved A Man (The Way That I Love You)" that shpwcases Tyler's raspy wail, and Joe Perry's bluesy guitar licks."

Comment from LTL:
Now I realize this is NOT a music mag, but these are the kind of reviews that are gonna reach the people, the mainstream, and sell records!!

Posted on Fri, Mar. 26, 2004
Aerosmith rocking in 'south Tallahassee'
By Kati Schardl

Cue up "Last Child" and crank up the volume - Aerosmith is coming to the place it immortalized on the saucy hit from its 1976 album "Rocks."

If the audience at Thursday's Civic Center concert, which also features Cheap Trick, is lucky it'll get to hear Steven Tyler spit out those locally significant words "Take me back to south Tallahassee ..." According to bass player Tom Hamilton, the band plans to play a mix of new songs from its latest release, "Honkin' on Bobo," and old favorites.

"We'll start out with some of the new songs, but the rest will be Aerosmith classics," Hamilton said. "We're not one of those bands that makes the audience sit through a whole new record before getting to the stuff they really want to hear. We'll give you a nice taste of the new record, and then we'll get down to business. We just really want to rock on this tour."

Indeed, the need to rock has sustained Aerosmith through some seriously rough times throughout the band's 30-plus years of existence. After a downward spiral fueled by rampant substance abuse and infighting, it all fell apart in 1979, with band members scattering to pursue solo projects and lick their wounds in rehab.

"We had our moment of decadent dropping the ball," Hamilton admitted. "We let the whole thing go in 1979 and four years later, we realized there were no good solo careers out there.

"So we came out of it with some really nice lessons about the things that are important."

When the meltdown occurred, the band had been together almost a decade. It formed in Boston in 1970 when singer Steve Tyler teamed up with Joe Perry and Hamilton to form a power trio that quickly morphed into a band with the addition of second guitarist Brad Whitford and drummer Joey Kramer.

Hamilton and Perry had already established a musical partnership playing in a succession of high-school bands.

"The first time I played in a band with Joe, I was a sophomore in high school," Hamilton said. "I used to live in this area up in New Hampshire that got busy in the summer when the out-of-town kids came up. Joe was a summer kid, and he'd come up with a name for the band for that summer and we'd play."

One of the more memorable Perry-picked monickers was Sam Citrus & the Merciless Tangerine.

After a career that's yielded such classic albums as "Toys in the Attic," "Rocks," "Permanent Vacation," "Pump" and "Get a Grip," Aerosmith decided to take a completely different tack on "Honkin' on Bobo," which will hit the record stores Tuesday.

"The whole time we were recording it, we told everyone we were making a blues album," Hamilton said. "There's only one original on the whole thing. The rest are classic blues songs. We chose the songs and went through the process of analyzing them so we could play exactly like the originals.

"We added riffs and energy to some of them and made them more like hard rock songs, so it basically sounds like an Aerosmith album."

When it came time to choose a band to join Aerosmith on the current tour, picking Cheap Trick was a no-brainer, Hamilton said.

"Have you ever seen them play?" he asked. "Oh my god ... Cheap Trick is one of those bands you walk away from saying, 'I forgot how many good songs they have.' They're real pros."

From: http://www.tallahassee.com

Posted on Thu, Mar. 25, 2004
Livin' on the edge
Fresh from the Superbowl, rock titans Aerosmith come to the Coliseum
By PETE TATTERSALL

THE SUN HERALD

Here's a rock 'n' roll fairy tale for you...

Once upon a time there were two American boys named Joe and Tom, who used to form their own band every summer in New Hampshire. But every time the new school year started, the boys had to hang up their instruments and head back to the classroom. Then one year, Joe met Steven, who was working in an ice cream parlor.

Tom, Joe and Steven decided it would be fun to play together. Their first public appearance, in 1970, was at Nipmuc Regional High School, in Mendon, Mass.

Flash forward 34 years. Even though they're all grown up now, Tom, Steven and Joe still play together, along with their friends Joey and Brad. For instance, they played in front of, well, pretty much the whole world this year at the Superbowl.

In case you didn't guess, we're talking about Aerosmith (Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Tom Hamilton, Brad Whitford and Joey Kramer), an all-American rock band considered by many one of the greatest in history.

Aerosmith takes the stage Saturday night at the Coliseum, with opening band Cheap Trick. And Aerosmith's newest album, "Honkin' On Bobo," is scheduled for release Tuesday.

Aerosmith bassist Tom Hamilton, a cool, thoughtful guy, agreed to talk about the new album, the often uncertain future of a band that has enjoyed impressive longevity, and how not to freak out when you're playing in front of millions of people.

Q: What's it like being a member of one of the greatest rock 'n' roll bands in history?

A: You know what? My daily fact process, I'm not really thinking that. I'm kind of thinking about just whatever's going on in the moment. Sometimes I do reflect on it. There's times I feel really lucky, that I just kind of lucked out with all this, and there's times when I feel like it's really the fruit of a lot of sacrifice and labor... But sitting in my studio right now, surrounded by my favorite guitars, it's like my own place where I can go and hang out with my toys and do what I love. And that connects me to the way I felt when I was first listening to music, before I was even a teenager. The feeling is really identical to back then.

Q: What's the new album like?

A: It's a rock record, but it's us playing a lot of classic blues songs. We thought about it for a long time, going back to day one, and we always have a couple of blues songs that we play, think about putting on a record, but for one reason or another they keep winding up getting farther and farther back on the list. So the time was right. We needed to do something to kind of shake up the creative process, do some kind of creative exercise that would give us some new energy and inspiration. Basically do something just for the fun of it. We're really psyched about it.

Q: To what do you attribute the band's longevity?

A: We enjoy doing this in public, and none of us wants to go out in public and do something lame. Over the years we've had plenty of moments when that's happened. You know, we just want to be in the game, to keep playing. We're not ready to follow a stereotype that says at a certain point in your life you should become responsible and do something boring.

Q: Was there ever a time you thought the band was over for good?

A: Oh my God, that happens all the time. It still happens. I still have those moments...

. There's times when I had those feelings, and I was 90 percent accurate, especially in the late '70s and early '80s. We really just fell apart. That's the thing about this band. It's a very polar opposite kind of thing. It's never steady, easy and consistent. It seems like we're either doing something really exciting, something that feels really good, and then there's other moments the whole thing could go up from there.

Q: How do you keep it together playing in front of big crowds? For instance at the Superbowl this year.

A: When you're playing, you're thinking about the people right in front of you. You keep your mind on that, you'll be cool. You have to summon up the audacity, and everybody's got it in them, have the audacity to go up there and not be affected by it. Obviously, every fiber of your body is dedicated to not screwing up. Then there's another part that wants to completely let go and have fun, and you transmit that to your audience.

Q: What kind of music do you listen to?

A: I like to really keep in touch with what's out there. I like a combination of Beatles, early Stones, the Byrds, I'm thinking about what's in my car. I've got the new Darkness record in there, the Kings of Leon. I think there's a lot of really cool bands out there now. I think Jet is doing a really cool thing. I saw them on "Saturday Night Live" recently, and it was like watching the Kinks in the early days. A completely new energy. So when I watch a band like that, I get this combination of excitement at what they're doing, and this kind of nostalgic feeling about what came before that led to these styles...

. There's a lot of bands that are kind of doing that, studying styles that were around a long time ago. And there's other bands that are just doing an awesome synthesis, the blending of hip hop and rock music. I think it's a really cool thing. It's a cultural phenomenon, what's going on right now.

Q: Do you have a favorite Aerosmith song?

A: From time to time. It changes. I think one of my all-time favorites is "Back in the Saddle." Right now, I definitely have a favorite from (our) new album, "Baby Please don't Go," which is a classic blues song done by a lot of people. I'm just extremely excited about the version that we were able to capture. I think it was a Muddy Waters song originally.

Q: And you're excited about the new album?

A: I'm on the edge of my seat, waiting to see how people react to it. A lot of people will like this one. It's Aerosmith playing evil blues boogie kind of music. Like how we started out.

From: http://www.sunherald.com

Aerosmith rocks Cajundome
By ANGELA SIMONEAUX
Acadiana bureau

PIC

LAFAYETTE -- Not every man can hop around a stage like a maniac the day before his 56th birthday.

And even if most men could, they certainly couldn't do it and carry off low-rise pants with purple velour pockets at the same time.

But Steven Tyler can, and that's what he did Thursday night in the Cajundome.

Aerosmith rocked the dome in the Lafayette stop of its 40-city North American tour in support of its 14th studio album. "Honkin' on Bobo" is due out Tuesday.

The crowd was a mixture of people who definitely were around for the band's debut album in February 1973, and some who just as definitely weren't even born when the band's first "Greatest Hits" album was released in 1980.

There was a noticeable number of tube tops, scarves, boas and more than a few flicked Bics held aloft in the darkened Cajundome.

After an entertaining set by opening act Cheap Trick, Aerosmith, led by drummer Joey Kramer, came out into the midst of the crowd and set up in a tight circle at the end of a walkway that extended into the center of the arena.

Guitarist Joe Perry floated regally in a long black satin top coat, while frontman Tyler was a riot of fuchsia and purple, topped off with a fuzzy Fedora. The band blew into a tight driving version of "Toys," from the 1975's "Toys in the Attic."

The fans about 20 rows back from the main stage suddenly had the best seats in the house, although they also got a spontaneous shower of Evian from Tyler.

Without a pause, Tom Hamilton started the bass line of "Love in an Elevator" from the 1989 LP Pump.

After "Elevator," the band walked back to the main stage and started the first bars of "Back in the Saddle," from "Rocks, 1976." Tyler and Perry walked to a platform near the side the arena, singing cheek to cheek for the fans in those sections.

After a rolling version of "Take Me to the Other Side," Tyler overcame obvious technical problems with his earpiece to sing a perfectly pitched version of "Cryin," off 1993's "Get a Grip," the quadruple-platinum album that snagged two American Music Awards and a Grammy.

The band also performed several songs from Honkin' on Bobo, a collection of covers of classic blues tunes, the first of which was Bo Diddley's "Road Runner."

Tyler walked into the crowd again while singing "Jaded," from "Just Push Play," the CD released the year the band was inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame.

Perry showed his chops haven't diminished in 30 years on "Fever," also off "Get a Grip."

He also had a little fun with the crawfish-eating expression, "pinch the tail and suck the head," and sang the bluesy "Stop Messin' Around," leaving much of the solo work to Brad Whitford.

Tyler took the front again for another song from "Honkin' on Bobo," Aretha Franklin's "I Never Loved a Girl (The Way That I Love You.)"

The heavy guitars and tight harmonies produced a driving but respectful version of the Queen of Soul's 1967 hit.

"Livin' On the Edge," another hit from "Get a Grip," had the crowd on its feet and rushing the stage. After security tried to hold the crowd back, Tyler said to "let the people come because it's a rock 'n' show." Then the band launched into 'Dream On,' and the arena erupted into cheers.

Everybody should be so lucky on their 56th birthday.

From: http://www.2theadvocate.com

Hero worship
Aerosmith and Eric Clapton dig deep into the blues and rock vaults
BY TED DROZDOWSKI

PIC

HOT: Aerosmith's new album of blues and rock covers may be their best release in years.

Let’s say you’ve asked two kindergartners to draw pictures of their heroes. One turns in an illustration with well-defined lines, carefully colored in, using the right shades of crayon for a gray suit, brown shoes, and Caucasian skin. The other creates a jumble of circles and planes that resembles a pudgy human form but is awash in a blaze of swirling reds, yellows, and blues similar to the tornado that swirls around the Tasmanian Devil.

And let’s say, improbable as it may be, that the first kid’s hero is George W. Bush. After all, small children don’t know any better, and in this case, a neat, dignified representation is appropriate, since anything else could be interpreted as a violation of the Patriot Act. Now, the second kid’s hero is Sam Kinison. Don’t blame me. It’s the parents’ fault. But if anyone was a walking blur of explosive colors, it was Kinison.

The point is, both portraits of these famous comedians are equally valid interpretations. However, one seems wilder, crazier, more expressive. More fun.

So it is with Aerosmith’s Honkin’ on Bobo (Columbia) and Eric Clapton’s Me and Mr. Johnson (Reprise), which appear in stores this Tuesday, March 30. The Aerosmith disc is a swaggering, raucous, feedback-tagged scramble through the catalogues of some of the band’s early rock and blues heroes. Clapton pays tribute to the Delta bluesman Robert Johnson, whose songs seem to be a key to his own brooding psyche. Yet the British guitar legend does so in a tidy, buttoned-down manner, and that’s odd given that Johnson rode freight cars, wrote lyrics that promised violence (often to women), and died drinking bootleg whiskey poisoned by a jealous husband. Hell, when you listen to Honkin’ on Bobo, it sounds as if Steven Tyler could go that way tomorrow, whereas Johnson lines like "I’m gonna beat my woman until I’m satisfied" seem as incongruous in Clapton’ s English-accented diction as does his use of Ebonics.

I’m not out to bury Clapton in some lonely grave at a cotton-patch crossroads. Me and Mr. Johnson is beautifully played, and Clapton himself is among the figures rightly honored in Honkin’ on Bobo. I also think that Aerosmith have recorded plenty of crap over the last decade. Shameful crap for a big-balled rock-and-roll band. It’s just that it’s almost impossible to do anything but pay attention when Honkin’ on Bobo is shakin’ its chassis like a Tallahassee lassie, whereas Me and Mr. Johnson is good company for working on the New York Times crossword puzzle.

Even though I’m pissed at Aerosmith for committing crimes like "Amazing" and "I Don’t Want To Miss a Thing" and stiffing me on an interview I was supposed to do for a big magazine, I love Honkin’ on Bobo. Sure, Tyler opens the album with a motormouth carny-barker routine that’s pure corn, but it’s hard to hold a grudge when a moment later he’s caterwauling through a riff-mad version of "Roadrunner" that’s hornier than Bo Diddley’s original. With its focus on the Chess Records roster, stray blues bloodhounds like Mississippi Fred McDowell and Big Joe Williams, and early rock’s mad genius Little Richard, the album quickly becomes an act of karmic balance for Aerosmith’s ’90s atrocities.

Much of Honkin’ on Bobo — whose title is, I expect, one of those cutesy inside references to wanking off that male bands tend to build into their clubhouse vocabulary — was recorded in Joe Perry’s basement, which seems more a fancy studio in a rock star’s home than the place where the Perrys store the Lawn Food and their mountain bikes. Aerosmith have worked there before, but not as extensively. And since this disc was recorded with the entire group playing live, the cramped conditions and small amplifiers turned up to barking volumes helped provide its garage-band energy and tones. Guitarists Perry and Brad Whitford haven’t sounded this raw and fired on an album in years; they trade solos and licks they way Hell-bound gunfighters swap bullets. Think Johnny Depp at the end of Once upon a Time in Mexico: blind, yes, but still smooth and deadly as a gaboon viper. And though Perry provided the thrust for the project, Tyler seems to have climbed aboard whooping like a big-city cowboy on a mechanical bull. Whether he’s tearing up Big Joe Williams’s "Baby Please Don’t Go" or pouring on the soul to shout back at Aretha Franklin in "Never Loved a Girl," Bobo is his hottest studio performance since 1976’s classic Rocks (Columbia).

Tyler also gets to show how bad-ass he is on harmonica for the first time. Sure, he plays the thing live, and on some of Aerosmith’s chestnuts with zeal, but throughout this album he makes like Sonny Boy Williamson and Junior Wells rolled into one little white-boy meteor — blasting like a firehorn, playing fine and mellow, and on Little Walter’s "Temperature" even singing through his Green Bullet microphone and amp, one of the oldest but coolest tricks in the blues-harp textbook.

Although the group make mad drunken love to the legacies of such first-generation rock godfathers as Chuck Berry (whose pianist Johnny Johnson helps dig into "Shame, Shame, Shame") and Muddy Waters, Perry makes it a point to honor the torchbearers who passed the spark of guitar inspiration to him. There’s shades of Jimmy Page in the hammering riffs of "Baby Please Don’t Go" and the grinding tone of Truth-era (Epic) Jeff Beck in "I’m Ready." Best of all of these six-stringed nods is "Stop Messin’ Round," where Perry and Whitford trade solos until the tune starts to sound like a great lost track by Brit blues maven John Mayall’s Clapton-era band.

Perry delivers a rare lead vocal on "Back Back Train," one of a pair of spirituals drawn from Fred McDowell; he’s accompanied by alterna-pop singer Tracy Bonham, who provides the exhortations over Perry’s deadpan charisma that make the cut churchy. Perry also takes the lead on "Jesus Is on the Main Line," using his acoustic resonator guitar as a baton to direct a chorus including Bonham, drummer Joey Kramer, and bassist Tom Hamilton down the gospel road over the loose-tuned thump of a parade bass drum. The track sounds as Mississippi traditional as these Bad Boys from Boston via New Hampshire ever will.

Oh yeah, there is a new Aerosmith song called "The Grind" that ain’t half bad, with its thumping lock-step cadence and Tyler’s tortured declarations of devotion to a manipulative "hip-shake woman." Next to the American music cornerstones that make up the rest of Honkin’ on Bobo, its blood runs a bit thin, but at least it’s got a circulatory system. Maybe even a soul.

From: http://www.bostonphoenix.com

'Honk' if You Love Early Aerosmith
Sat Mar 27, 2004 05:42 PM ET
By Bram Teitelman

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Aerosmith's 1987 comeback ushered in a new era of success for the band, garnering the quintet a generation of new fans, top 40 hits and MTV airplay.

But its newfound popularity came at the expense of the band's earlier followers.

"A lot of fans have said, 'We like your new stuff, but we really like the way the old records sound,"' guitarist Joe Perry says.

The March 30 release of Aerosmith's blues covers set, "Honkin' on Bobo" (Columbia), addresses that concern.

The new album is a return to the band's gritty, early-'70s Boston beginnings that should satisfy its oldest followers as well as fans of current blues-based rockers. But it risks alienating those weaned on Aerosmith's top 40 and MTV-era output, radio programers say.

The project already has struck a chord with listeners at heritage rock.

A driving cover of Muddy Waters' "Baby, Please Don't Go" is No. 1 on Billboard sister radio publication Airplay Monitor's Heritage Rock chart this week.

"Honkin' on Bobo" reunites Aerosmith with producer Jack Douglas, who worked with the band on such early-day records as "Toys in the Attic" and "Rocks."

With the start of last summer's tour with Kiss looming as a deadline, the band had about six weeks to record basic tracks for the album, which includes one original, "Into the Grind."

Perry says that the most important factor in the making of the record was "getting the five guys in a room working together."

"After a record like 'Just Push Play,' where we never even played as a band, for a live band like Aerosmith, we're at our best when we're all playing together," Perry says. "We wanted to make a record that made us realize why we got into it."

Perry says that while Aerosmith had tossed around the idea of recording a blues album before, "we had all these successful singles and videos, so it never seemed like the right time." Columbia Records Group president Will Botwin calls the record "a good change of pace in the marketplace."

While "Honkin' on Bobo" is the riskiest album Aerosmith has recorded since its comeback, it has many of the hallmarks of an early Aerosmith record.

The 12-song set eschews the glossy production of the band's past several albums in favor of a leaner, stripped-down sound. "Baby Please Don't Go" is the kind of straight-ahead, hard-driving track that has typified the band's records.

Aerosmith, like many American acts, initially was inspired by such British bands as the Jeff Beck Group, the Who and the Rolling Stones.

Those acts were, in turn, inspired by American blues artists. Perry says that going back and hearing the blues performers is what first led him years ago to many of the artists the band covers on "Honkin' on Bobo."

That's a process he hopes younger fans will repeat. "Hopefully, we'll do what a lot of those English bands did for guys in my generation," he says.

NICE TIMING

Given Aerosmith's place in rock history and the current blues revivalism found in the music of bands like the White Stripes, some think the blues set will be well received.

"It's a perfect time for this," Boston Globe music critic Steve Morse says. "With roots music recycling back, I think it's a very smart move that's long overdue."

Morse also thinks the band's core audience will appreciate the new album. "For Aerosmith's older fans that have been disenfranchised by MTV ballads, movie-soundtrack ballads and Diane Warren songs, this is a milestone."

For his part, Perry says that after years of courting a pop audience, "it was very strange to make a record and have the label say, 'Don't worry about a single; just make a great blues or roots record."'

"Honkin' on Bobo" also will be available as a limited edition that includes a harmonica key chain and in a high-grade vinyl version. Columbia plans a companion DVD on the making of the album as well.

Reuters/Billboard

From: http://www.reuters.com

Live performances, inspiration behind Aerosmith's new album!
Washington| March 27, 2004 8:52:45 PM IST

Rocker band Aerosmith's new album 'Honkin' On Bobo' relies strongly on performing live in a bid to capture their natural style on stage. The veteran rockers were keen to record much of the album live to recapture their onstage spontaneity. The band did not end using any of the live takes but they took what they had learned and applied it to the album cuts.

"Doing that brought back to focus what the strength of this band is, which is playing live. No matter how we get to it, we have to have some part of the record where the band is playing the songs live," guitarist Joe Perry was quoted as saying in rate the music.

Moreover, the album's commercial success is not of paramount importance to Perry, because he views the disc as a super success already.

Perry explained, "It made us realise why we put up with each other's s***, and why we have for so long. We play the album so good together. When we're all down there playing and I hear (drummer) Joey (Kramer) and I listen to what (rhythm guitarist) Brad (Whitford) is doing, man, that's what it's all about".

"And it's like that dream you had when you were 16 years old, where you're down in your basement and you're rocking out. Only this time it happens to be my basement, not the basement of my parents," Perry added. (ANI)

From: http://www.webindia123.com

PICS: (and don't forget to keep checking Ross's site for more!)
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jb-mar27-jpbbq.jpg
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jb-mar27st.jpg

27.04 - Life in the Big "E" asy!

Well, we escaped Texas with only minor cuts and bruises. The guys sold out all 10,000 seats in Laredo then it was off to Little Rock. The set has been staying pretty much the same each night. Joe explained in a radio interview that the band has a new sound technician and lighting designer and they want to really get things dialed in before they throw them curveballs. Well, lookout batter I feel a Pedro Martinez hanging curve coming. Look for some changes in the set in the next few shows.

Steven and Tom ventured over to Mexico with old pal Ross "All Friendly" Halfin who was traveling with the band taking a boatload of pictures. Steven sat in with a Mariachi band and played "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" and "Crazy." It was one of those once in a lifetime moments that had to be seen. I'm told Ross had his camera with him so I'll have to get some up on the web. Ole!

After the Little Rock show Joe, Ross and I headed to Memphis all friendly like. Joe's son Aaron was with us and wanted to see Graceland. Ross and Aaron had never been to Graceland so Joe wanted to play tour guide for them. Unfortunately a stomach bug prevented Joe from leaving his hotel so I took them and celebrated my 8th visit to the Big House! After the visit we went to see Cheap Trick at The New Daisy Theater on Beale Street. They put on a great show. Did I tell you they rock!?!

I should mention on our way to Little Rock we stopped at McClard's BBQ and had maybe the best ribs and brisket I've ever had. Joe took a tour of the place and even threw a few logs in their smoker.

After the Bossier City show we headed straight to Tupelo. On Monday we took a tour of Elvis's birthplace. It was a little shot gun shack built by his jailbird father Vernon. It was just out of town. That night the crew had a BBQ at the hotel pool and members of both bands participated in the meat fest. After, Joe rented out a local movie theater Elvis style and watched "Starsky and Hutch" along with some crewmembers.

A funny thing happened on the way to the Tupelo show the next day. As the bus was cruisin' down Main Street Joe yelled to the driver to pull over. He had spotted Tupelo Hardware. What is so special about a hardware store you ask? Well, it was the place where Elvis bought his first guitar. His Mama brought him in and the story goes he wanted a toy rifle. Mama said No! So he settled for the 6 string. The most amazing thing however is the guy who sold him the guitar was a man named Forrest Bobo. True story I S*%T you negative. Joe also bought a guitar at the store, his cost slightly more than the $7.75 model Big E purchased, but not much!

After the show we headed to New Orleans to base out of there for a while. In New Orleans Joey and Ross took some pictures in a local cemetery. If you have ever been to New Orleans you will see cemetery's all over the place. They don't bury people in the ground because Nawlins is just below sea level. They tried to put them six feet under but they found the dear departed floating downtown canoe style after a heavy rain. I can just see it now "Hey, there goes Grandma"! Needless to say the cemeteries are rows and rows of massive mausoleums. They make for a great Kodak moment.

Joe decided he wanted top take some pictures with this famed photog and thought Bourbon Street would be cool. Ross told Joe it would be a bad idea because the street is filled with drunks at night and T-shirt buying tourists by day. Joe sensing Ross wasn't up for his suggestion said "Fine we'll do a 5 AM. There we go half dead up and down Bourbon Street at 5:15 AM. The smell of urine and puke. A real pick me up! I bet the pictures will look great though.

Backstage at the show in Lafayette I helped Tom film a bit for "Banned in Boston." It's a charity that he has taken part in for at least the last 10 years. They get a lot of Boston politicians and celebrities together and have them put on a play relating to current events. Last year you might remember Tom dressed as Martha Stewart. This year we taped a bit that should turn out very funny. Tom is a natural actor and gave his take on the whole Janet Jackson fiasco. If you get a chance check it out. I'm hoping we can get a copy of Tom's bit when they are done editing it. We should be able to put it up here.

In New Orleans Joe checked out Emeril's restaurant. As you know Joe will be on Emeril in May. It might have been the greatest meal I have ever eaten. The staff really took care of Joe. They placed us right off kitchen, out of the way. We could see all the action that was going down in there, which was really exciting. One thing I noticed is the head chef Chris kept signing books that the head waiter brought in to him. He must have a book out because he signed at least 10 of them while we were there. Joe signed a few autographs of his own. I shoehorned myself in the back of a cab and headed to the hotel.

It's Steven's birthday today and he is spending it with his family who flew in to be with him. I can't believe this guy. He never ceases to amaze me. He scares the crap out of me every night he flies on that rope.

The "How's it Honkin' " tour will continue through July and the CD will be out this Tuesday. Look for Shame, Shame, Shame and You Gotta Move to creep in the set. The word on the street is this record kicks major ass. Rolling Stone gave it 4 Stars and the initial buzz in the industry is that the guys have made a great FN' album.

You make up your own mind Tuesday or if you have no fear of Karma, you probably already heard the whole thing already.

See you on the Road!

John B.

From: http://www.aeroforceone.com

Blues in a hard place
Aerosmith abandons schmaltz and gets back to basics
By JIM FARBER
Aerosmith gets down with the blues on its new album.

The guys in Aerosmith don't want you to get the wrong idea.

True, their new CD, "Honkin' on Bobo," which is released Tuesday, is billed as their first all-blues album.

But guitarist Joe Perry emphasizes, "We're not out to educate people about the blues. We're not blues crusaders and we're not a blues band."

"We know that all [the critics] are just waiting to say, 'This doesn't sound like a blues record,'" says singer Steven Tyler, affecting a repulsed tone.

At least, it doesn't sound like a traditional blues record. Certainly, no one will mistake "Bobo" for an album by Robert Johnson, Son House, or even for one of those sober genre salutes recently served up by Eric Clapton and John Mellencamp.

Instead, "Bobo" is modeled after the English reinterpretation of American blues in the '60s by bands like the Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac and the Yardbirds. It's a hard-rocking wallop of a CD that treats blues as slamming party music rather than as the soul-searching stuff of legend.

In other words, it's an Aerosmith record. Or, rather, an Aerosmith record of the '70s. Indeed, the most exciting aspect of "Bobo" isn't its blues roots, but the fact that it features no ballads, no pop melodies and none of the string and horn arrangements that have characterized Aerosmith's commercialized music of the past 17 years.

It's the hardest rocking album the band has released since 1985's "Done With Mirrors," the CD it cut just before its chart resurrection.

Surprisingly, Perry says the idea for the blues record originated with Columbia Records President Don Ienner in 1996, soon after he lured the band back to the label that launched it in the '70s. (In between, it had spent more than a decade at Geffen Records.)

The group wanted to kick off its new contract with something more appealing to radio programmers. So the blues idea was put on hold while Aerosmith issued slick albums like 1997's "Nine Lives" and 2001's "Just Push Play."

But last year, the band found itself with a three-month window of opportunity before it was set to start a huge tour with Kiss. It turned out their producer from the '70s, Jack Douglas, had room on his dance card, too. Their mutual idea was to record the band as an organic live unit, as in the old days, rather than go through the common pop process of having everyone record their parts separately. The goal was to stress feeling over technique.

"The only time we capture this is when we play live," says Perry. "This was our attempt to get that back on a record. It's what the fans have been missing."

The group had some role models from past recordings, including its version of the old blues number "Train Kept a Rollin'" from its second album in 1974.

On "Bobo" (the blues term's meaning has been lost to history) the band rollicks through pieces like Bo Diddley's "Road Runner" Sonny Boy Williamson's "Eyesight to the Blind" and Willie Dixon's "I'm Ready." The band cut its teeth on such pieces in 1970.

SWITCHES GENDER

As familiar as its repertoire may be, Aerosmith provides some twists. It performs Mississippi Fred McDowell's "You Gotta Move" - best known from the Stones version on "Sticky Fingers" - but adds new chords and a Bo Diddley beat.

"We were hellbent on making it our own," Tyler says. "We made it more tribal."

The band takes on an even more daunting task by covering the R&B standard "Never Loved a Man," made into a classic by Aretha Franklin. Switching the gender, Tyler nails the song.

"I love songs that open up that way," he says. "It breaks down and lets just the vocal come through."

Perry did more lead singing than usual - on two songs.

"I'm just starting to find my voice," says the 53-year-old. "I guess I'm a late bloomer."

Likewise, Aerosmith came into its own as a pop act late in its life. Some longtime fans still consider its '80s and '90s hits sellouts. Perry takes the point.

"If you told me, when I was 19 or 20, that we would do songs like 'Dude Looks Like a Lady' or 'Don't Want to Miss a Thing,' I would have said, 'Not me, brother - not my band,' " he says. "But as you go along you realize that you're an entertainer and whether you think it's schmaltz or not, you can't argue with a No. 1 hit."

Tyler concurs: "When I sing 'Don't Wanna Miss a Thing,' the crowd roars and everybody sings along and I get this incredible feeling in my heart - and in my groin."

The singer admits he wants as many people to like the band as possible and that he's "addicted to touring."

But Perry says that if "Bobo" sells well, the band may lean further toward hard rock again.

"I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we get some converts to buy an Aerosmith record who may not have bought one for a long time," he says. "Then we'll see where that takes us."

Originally published on March 28, 2004

From: http://www.nydailynews.com

On MTV Latin America they talked about Honkin On Bobo and they will also have the whole album online till tuesday. The website is www.mtvla.com...

March 27th, 2004
Biloxi, MS
Coast Coliseum

Toys In The Attic
Love In An Elevator
Back In The Saddle
The Other Side
Cryin'
Roadrunner
Jaded
Fever
Come Together
Stop Messin' Around
Never Loved A Girl
Livin' On The Edge
Dream On
Same Old Song And Dance
Baby, Please Don't Go
Walk This Way
Sweet Emotion
=====================
I Don't Want To Miss A Thing
Train Kept A Rollin'

Interesting Notes:
- Steven had Joey sing part of chorus on Toys.
- First play of Come Together on this tour, and I believe first play since GOS tour?
- After Come Together, sang Happy Bday to Steven and Taj and Chelsea gave him a cake.
- Thanks to JOSH for the hookup

TBA

1971 Aerosmith plays in Claremont NH at Claremont Junior High School

1990 Aerosmith plays in Billings MT at Metra Park Arena (Skid Row opens)

Today the Demon Of Screamin' turns 56! Happy Birthday, Steven!

This cover artwork for the "BPDG" Single was posted at www.aerozone.w.pl ("Konkurs" section).

If you know polish language, you can win there one of 5 singles :-)

RockonTV shows a listing for an Aerosmith interview on Dateline NBC this Sunday, March 28th at 7PM ET. The details for the show include the following...

"Hoda Kotb sits down with the legendary rock band, Aerosmith. The band recently announced a 40-city North American tour in support of their upcoming album, "Honkin' On Bobo."

There are also three other stories listed for this episode, so I don't know how long the interview might be. Check your local listings...

http://www.musicstation.com

AEROSMITH guitarist Joe Perry has told Launch Radio Networks that the group are planning on taking a long break after their current tour finishes in July.

The band have been on the road steadily since the release of 2001's "Just Push Play", and in that time, they've also managed to record two new songs for 2002's "O, Yeah! Ultimate Aerosmith Hits" and their new album "Honkin' On Bobo", which comes out Tuesday (March 30).

"We really need to recharge our batteries, so that when we get back together again, we'll have something to bring to the party," Perry told Launch Radio Networks. "So I think that after we, we finish this spring thing with CHEAP TRICK, and we're gonna go to Japan, finish up there, then we're gonna pull the plug for awhile, and just kind of chill out and work on some of our own private projects."

Perry said he expects AEROSMITH to take a year off before starting their next project.

From: http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com

Honkin' On Bobo Radio Specials Begin Airing Tonight!
If you're in these areas, tune in:
New York, NY WAXQ 104.3 3/25 @ 10 pm
Philadelphia, PA WMGK 102.9 3/25 @ 8 pm
Los Angeles, CA KLOS 95.5 3/25 @ 8 pm

Everyone else -- stay tuned -- more dates and airtimes coming!

---

Honkin' On Bobo radio special is airing tonight March 25th 2004) at 10pm EST on 93.5 WTPA of Mechanicsburg, PA.

---

Htzfm (www.htzfm.com) in St. Catherines in Ontario is playing new CD this weekend.

---

Time to crack open a cold one and listen to the boyz. WZLX will be introducing us to BOBO!! Friday night at 9:00 p.m. with interviews from the boyz regarding their tour and their new cd. They'll also be playing all the tunes from it. For anyone who can't catch it tomorrow night they will repeat it again Saturday at 11:00 a.m.

---

K Rock 105.7 of Kingston, Ontario is playing HOB in its entirety on Monday the 29th at 8:00pm.

---

The Joe Perry interview is also on WFBQ Q95 Indianapolis Mar 26 at 10 pm EST.

SET LIST: Lafayette, LA (aerofanatic)

March 25th, 2004
Lafayette, LA
Cajundome

Toys In The Attic
Love In An Elevator
Back In The Saddle
The Other Side
Cryin'
Roadrunner
Jaded
Fever
One Way Street
Stop Messin' Around
Never Loved A Girl
Livin' On The Edge
Dream On
Same Old Song And Dance
Baby, Please Don't Go
Walk This Way
Sweet Emotion
=====================
I Don't Want To Miss A Thing
Train Kept A Rollin'

Interesting Notes:
- 1st playing of One Way Street this tour. In for Big 10". Blues state gets a blues rareity ;-)
- Still some technical problems.
- Ross Halfin all over the catwalk taking pictures. Lots of pictures.
- Steven did very little crowd talking tonight.
- The sound problems were so bad that during "Stop Messin" Joe actually stopped singing and walked over to the side of the stage and was yelling and motioning for them to turn it down.
- Steven forgot lots of words to several songs tonight and forgot to play the hamonica on two occasions. Weird stuff.
- He asked the VR, who apparently requested LOTT if "One Way Street" would be ok because LOTT was not able to be played due to difficulties. Worked for me!
- Joe made the comment about crawfish "what's that saying? pinch the head and suck the tail? and someone told him pinch the tail and suck the head and he laughed and said 'that goes well with honkin' on bobo"
- Thanks to Justyn and Ann for the hookup!

Our set list was basically the same, but Big Ten was out and One Way Street was in after Fever.

The sound was really bad last night. Cheap Trick's sound was especially bad. At some points, Robin's vocals were inaudible. During Stop Messin' Joe left the mic, quit playing to see what was going on, I assume with sound since it was not good.

OK, on to the good stuff. At the beginning, during Toys, someone handed Steven this huge water bottle. He drank then put it down in front of his, uh, ... ahem, groin area and then wagged it around getting water all over people by the catwalk. They did the first 2 songs at the end of the catwalk.

A little explanation for those not familiar with South Louisiana... We eat crawfish - those miniature lobsters. : ) To eat a crawfish, you pinch the tail off. Now the head has lots of flavor in it so some people (not me) like to suck the flavor out. Then you peel the shell off the tail and eat the meat. So we have a saying Pinch me, Suck me, Peel me, Eat me -- referring to crawfish. Or sometimes Pinch the tail, suck the head, ... and so on. You get the idea. Joe was trying to get the saying right and came out with some pretty funny stuff. He finally gave up & knelt down for someone to tell him the right saying. Then he said, "And right after Pinch the tail, suck the head you can add the title of our new cd, Honkin On Bobo."

For Dream On JP & ST went to end of catwalk. ST told security to loosen up a little and let people get closer. We had a little bit of a drum solo and ST taught "soul clapping" to the audience. It's just a faster clapping. Has he done this at others?

Before Sweet Emotion, Tom did some excellent bass playing at the end of the catwalk. Was it my imagination or did he look REALLY good last night? Ann, any comments?

Same encore. IDWTMAT seemed to be off. The keyboard intro was good, not just the same old, same old, but they just weren't into it.

It was my 18 yr olds first Aero concert. His voice was almost gone on the way home. He could only repeat "awesome" over and over. He's only seen younger bands, so now he's seen the real pros.

Ross was all over the stage taking pics, but didn't see any filming going on.

All in all a GREAT night. Definitely worth going to. Might have to consider going to Houston in June now.

Loretta

Blues Album Makes Aerosmith Feel Like Kids Again
03/26/2004 7:59 AM EST

"It's like that dream you had when you were 16 years old, where you're down in your basement and you're rocking out." — Aerosmith's Joe Perry

With nearly two months to go before Aerosmith's March 30 release date for Honkin' on Bobo, guitarist Joe Perry swung by Boston radio station WBCN to give DJ Oedipus a private preview of the band's rollicking take on Big Joe Williams' "Baby, Please Don't Go."

Oedipus, a friend of Perry's family for years, asked if he could play it on the air. Perry resisted at first, realizing that doing so would upset his label and manager. Then, with a smirk, he handed the disc back to the DJ and allowed him to share it with the masses.

"I felt like it was 1972, when you went up to a radio station because you know the DJ, and they put your record on the air," Perry said.

It wasn't the only time Aerosmith felt like they had stepped into the way-back machine and emerged in an era before their hair went gray. Many of the blues standards the band recorded for Honkin' on Bobo were tunes they used to jam on before they had an abundance of original material; behind the boards was producer Jack Douglas, who showed Aerosmith the ropes back in the day (see "Aerosmith Avoid Thinking About The Charts" ).

"After not working with him in the studio since '79, making the record with Jack was surreal," Perry said. "There were some times when we'd be rehearsing in the studio, and I'd look up and see him and it would be like a wicked flashback, like 20 years has passed, but not a moment has passed. That was pretty bizarre, but it was great."

Honkin' on Bobo features 11 covers of songs by artists including Fisher/Hopkins, Blind Willie McTell, Muddy Waters, Little Walter and Sonny Boy Williamson. There's also "The Grind," a slow, ballad-like original which sounds like a duskier "Cryin'."

"We had that one on the backburner for a couple months before we started this record," Perry said. "It had that R&B swing to it, so it fit the format of the kind of music we were doing. Some other originals didn't make the record because we didn't want anything to be too outside the sound of the rest of the songs."

The album was originally scheduled to come out late last year, but by July, when Aerosmith hit the road with Kiss, the record wasn't quite there. Rather than rush its release to coincide with the tour, Aerosmith decided to put Bobo on hold. They also recorded some blues covers live for possible inclusion. While they didn't end up using any of the live takes, Aerosmith liked the way the songs had evolved in concert, so they took what they had learned and applied it to the album cuts, recording much of it live in order to recapture their onstage spontaneity.

"Doing that brought back to focus what the strength of this band is, which is playing live," Perry said. "No matter how we get to it, we have to have some part of the record where the band is playing the songs live. There's nothing wrong with going in and fooling around with stuff afterwards to embellish it or put more ear candy on it, but for Aerosmith, the strongest record we can make is one where the songs stand on their own, and then we play them with all the fire that we would if we were standing in front of 10,000 people."

Even if Honkin' on Bobo doesn't resonate with the public, Aerosmith will consider the album a glowing success.

"It made us realize why we put up with each other's sh--, and why we have for so long," Perry said. "We play so good together. When we're all down there playing and I hear [drummer] Joey [Kramer] and I listen to what [guitarist] Brad [Whitford] is doing, man, that's what it's all about. And it's like that dream you had when you were 16 years old, where you're down in your basement and you're rocking out. Only this time it happens to be my basement, not the basement of my parents."

—Jon Wiederhorn

From: http://www.mtv.com

Posted 3/25/2004 10:00 PM
Aerobubba: Boston's bad boys get into the blues
By Larry Katz
Friday, March 26, 2004

Aerosmith finally has made good on the threat.

After a decade of talking about recording a blues album, Boston's rock monsters have one, ``Honkin' on Bobo,'' arriving in stores Tuesday.

``Yeah, we just kept putting it off,'' Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry says. ``We thought seriously about it when we were working on (1993's) `Get a Grip,' but there just didn't seem to be any point in doing a traditional blues thing, y'know?

``But we all kept talking about it and thinking about it. And then I thought about some of the blues songs we've played, like `Train Kept a Rollin' and `Big Ten Inch Record,' and I realized it wasn't just the traditional 12-bar blues thing. So I thought maybe we could have some fun with this if we did the blues the Aerosmith way.''

Consider yourself warned, purists.

``Honkin' on Bobo'' is the blues done Aero-style, with plenty of rock 'n' roll and plenty of liberties taken. Heck, they even throw in a not especially bluesy original, ``The Grind.'' Mostly recorded in the basement studio in Perry's South Shore home, ``Honkin' on Bobo'' is neither an attempt at authenticity nor a bar band jam session. Instead it's a knowing reflection of Aerosmith's British blues band influences and a tribute to certain American musical heroes.

Perry claims pride of place as the biggest blues buff in the band, but says the other members of Aerosmith - singer Steven Tyler, guitarist Brad Whitford, bassist Tom Hamilton and drummer Joey Kramer - all helped choose material for ``Honkin' On Bobo.''

``I've been immersed in it the past three years,'' Perry says. ``It went hand in hand with traveling on the bus, spending a lot of time down South, going through towns where the blues were made famous. That was all part of my arrival at this record.

``Right at this moment we're driving through Arkansas to play Little Rock tonight,'' says Perry, speaking from the first leg of a tour that brings Aerosmith to the Tweeter Center on June 24 and to Japan in July. ``We just ate lunch at Bill Clinton's favorite rib place, McClard's in Hot Springs. He knows good ribs.''

No doubt ex-President Bubba also would dig ``Bobo,'' with its Southern tilt. Aerosmith starts off with raucous versions of Bo Diddley's ``Road Runner''

and Smiley Lewis' ``Shame Shame Shame,'' then veers into less predictable good stuff, such as Tyler's leering take on Sonny Boy Williamson's ``Eyesight to the Blind'' and his shockingly deep and lowdown romp through Little Walter's ``Temperature,'' one of two songs featuring Chuck Berry's legendary pianist Johnnie Johnson.

Tyler puts on a virtuoso vocal display throughout - and plays some mean harmonica, too -but he's most impressive putting his stamp on Aretha Franklin's classic soul ballad ``Never Loved a Man'' (here changed to ``Never Loved a Girl'').

``It's really tough to cover a song that's so identified with a great singer like Aretha, the one and only,'' Perry says. ``It's pretty ballsy to try. I gotta say Steven amazed us all.''

Tyler also reworks ``You Gotta Move'' - one of three surprising Aero-covers of spiritual numbers associated with Mississippi Fred McDowell - by adding lyrics about ``drinking welfare whiskey, smokin' food stamp crack.''

``That's in the grand tradition of the blues,'' Perry says. ``You listen to somebody else's version and you change it. The only difference is that we give credit to the people we borrowed from, rather than throw our name under a song title because we changed a few lines.''

Perry is also quick to credit the British '60s bands that set Aerosmith on its course. He sings lead on two ``Honkin' on Bobo'' tracks, including a cover of Fleetwood Mac's ``Stop Messin' Around.''

``To make this record,'' Perry says, ``we listened to the originals of a lot of blues songs and relistened to groups like the Stones and Fleetwood Mac. As far as having two guitar players working together, we probably owe more to Fleetwood Mac than some of these other bands.

But Perry acknowledges that Aerosmith's No. 1 British Invasion influence remains the Yardbirds, a band that at successive stages boasted Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page in its lead guitar chair. The Yardbirds rave-up approach is particularly evident in Aerosmith's cover of the blues standard ``Baby Please Don't Go.''

``We definitely took some cues on that song from the Them version,'' says Perry, referencing Van Morrison's old Belfast band. ``But what we've shot for with Aerosmith is to try to go where the Yardbirds were going, but were never around long enough to keep on developing. Sometimes we think about things like that. `If the Yardbirds were together, maybe this is what they would sound like.' Funny how that works. But that's what Aerosmith is.''

And ``Honkin' on Bobo'' is a revealing portrait of Aerosmith's diverse roots. But hey, Joe, one last question: What does ``Honkin' on Bobo'' mean?

``It's an old blues or jazz expression or something. We're not sure where it's from. Steven just came in to the studio one day and said something about `Honkin on Bobo' and we all had a laugh and said, great, that would be a good working title for the record.

``When it came time to actually name the record, we were having a hard time finding something that would beat it. Then we heard that there were complaints about it. People thought it meant something dirty. That decided it. It made it even more attractive.''

From: http://theedge.bostonherald.com

Aerosmith offers 'organic' blend of down-and-out blues

By Elysa Gardner, USA TODAY

Many musicians have paid their dues to play the blues, but few likely could describe the experience as colorfully as Steven Tyler.

"The blues are just a heightened sense of awareness of life's ups and downs, and things that a guy sees after a couple of hits of Jack Daniel's," Aerosmith's 56-year-old frontman says. "You know, you can have a shot of Jack and cry in your beer, or you can put it to music."

Tyler's band has focused on the latter approach, more or less, for more than 30 years. Though the singer and lead guitarist Joe Perry, 53, once got as much press for their indulgence in certain substances as their creative chemistry, it's their revved-up, blues-based style that has made them icons.

On Aerosmith's new CD, winkingly titled Honkin' on Bobo- more about that later - the longtime cohorts, now party animals in spirit only, let their roots show.

In the tradition championed by such other noted baby-boomer artists as Eric Clapton, Robert Palmer and John Mellencamp, the album features covers of some of the group's favorite blues nuggets, including Road Runner, Eyesight to the Blind, I'm Ready and Baby Please Don't Go. (Perry, Tyler and producing partner Marti Frederiksen also wrote an original song, The Grind.)

But despite their abiding affection for such material, Tyler and Perry are reluctant to categorize Bobo as a blues album.

"We're not traditionalists or blues crusaders who are trying to convert the world," Perry says. "We just wanted to make music that would convey some of the excitement we feel when we're playing live. Our last couple of records were very technically oriented, and we really wanted to make something more organic. So we didn't have any expectations when we were laying this all down; it was kind of free, just riffing and having a lot of fun playing."

One of the biggest challenges, Tyler says, was narrowing down the track list.

"We wanted to do House of the Rising Sun. We did Louie Louie, and some crazy stuff in the studio. But the cream definitely floated to the top. By the end, we realized the project was more about what songs we were relating to and which ones we do best. When we played them all back, it was, if I can toot my own horn, this fantastic rock 'n' roll album."

Like Perry, Tyler is eager to introduce Aerosmith's new versions of old classics to live audiences on the band's current tour, which wraps up June 24 in its home city, Boston. (On May 21, A&E will present Aerosmith: A&E In Concert, which also will feature studio and other behind-the-scenes footage.)"I'm grateful for the road," the eternally spry star says. "It gets me in shape. I feel like I'm 25 years old after the first or second week. I'm so grateful that my body can get that kind of great workout, as my brain is getting vicariously made love to by 20,000 kids every night."

That brings us back to Honkin' on Bobo, a term, Tyler points out, Louis Armstrong used to describe saxophone playing, although it more commonly has been used to connote a sexual act.

"So people will go, 'No! You didn't just say that, did you?' We actually thought about going with Honkin' on Bono," Tyler quips, "but he's had enough trouble with the FCC already."

Yet the duo once known as rock's "Toxic Twins" realizes that its bad-boy era is long over, offstage at least. Nowadays, Tyler and Perry are avowed family men. The singer speaks proudly of his son and three daughters, among them actress Liv Tyler. "Every time I turn around, she's like a different type of orchid," he says, and Perry takes his wife and children on the road as much as possible.

Aerosmith's guitarist doesn't even blanch when asked whether, after all these years, he and his bandmates might be considered role models.

"When we came up, there were no people having any kind of longevity," Perry says. "There was this sense of, 'What are you gonna do when you're 30?' It was a natural thing for a band to dissolve, so we all figured that would just happen. Who knew?

"Now we see guys like B.B. King and Willie Nelson still touring, and, of course, The Stones. There are those rare people who are a lot older than us, still making music. I think we show that you can have a rock band and have a career at it. You have to find your own path, and everyone has their own set of demons to battle off. But it can be done, and we're here to prove it."

From: http://www.usatoday.com

1948 Steven Victor Tallarico is born in New York City

1978 Aerosmith plays under the pseudonym Dr. J. Jones and the Interns in Philadelphia PA at Tower Theater

1986 Aerosmith plays in Lakeland FL at the Civic Center (Ted Nugent opens)

This post has been removed

AEROSMITH To Take Long Break After 'Bobo' Tour - Mar. 25, 2004

AEROSMITH guitarist Joe Perry has told Launch Radio Networks that the group are planning on taking a long break after their current tour finishes in July.

The band have been on the road steadily since the release of 2001's "Just Push Play", and in that time, they've also managed to record two new songs for 2002's "O, Yeah! Ultimate Aerosmith Hits" and their new album "Honkin' On Bobo", which comes out Tuesday (March 30).

"We really need to recharge our batteries, so that when we get back together again, we'll have something to bring to the party," Perry told Launch Radio Networks. "So I think that after we, we finish this spring thing with CHEAP TRICK, and we're gonna go to Japan, finish up there, then we're gonna pull the plug for awhile, and just kind of chill out and work on some of our own private projects."

Perry said he expects AEROSMITH to take a year off before starting their next project.

Wonder if these "private" projects include Tyler's solo album? We'll just have to see....

Aerosmith shakes Tupelo
3/24/2004 8:03:33 AM
Daily Journal
BY M. SCOTT MORRIS

TUPELO - Great seats turned phenomenal Tuesday at the BancorpSouth Center.

While a multi-armed machine of lights and metal motored above the stage at the south end of the arena, Aerosmith emerged from a walkway about 25 rows into the crowd.

Appreciative fans climbed onto seats as Steve Tyler, Joe Perry, Tom Hamilton, Brad Whitford and Joey Kramer ripped through "Toys in the Attic." Many in the audience of 7,078 provided backing vocalists when the band tore into "Love in an Elevator."

"Who wouldn't love to see Steve Tyler dance?" asked Debbie Mason, 44, of Columbus. "Who wouldn't rather see Steve Tyler dance instead of Britney Spears? Well, guys would, but women love it."

Tyler slapped upraised hands as he ran to the stage, which was bathed in purple light with flashes of green as Perry on guitar and Kramer on drums built momentum for "Back in the Saddle."

Carrying a microphone draped in scarves, Tyler shot across the stage and onto ramps that extended to the mezzanine level on both sides of the arena.

Joanna Terry, 20, of Ripley, was in section 202, where some of the close encounters with Tyler took place.

"He's been running right in front of us," he said. "I love it."

In homage of Elvis Presley, Tyler read Forrest L. Bobo's letter about selling the King of Rock n' Roll his first guitar at Tupelo Hardware. Then the band played "Roadrunner," which appears on Aerosmith's latest CD, "Honkin' on Bobo."

Power pop

Cheap Trick started the night right. Lead singer Robin Zander was pure rock n' roll strut during "Dream Police," and he delivered the "Flame" as if it were a new song he couldn't wait to share.

Guitarist Rick Nielsen scorched through Cheap Trick's power pop classics, and untold dozens of his guitar picks fell onto the crowd like rain.

Appeared originally in the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, 3/24/2004 8:00:00 AM, section A , page 2

From: http://www.djournal.com

AEROSMITH'S ROCKIN CIRCUS REIGNS -
POOR MAN'S STONES SPARKLE LIKE DIAMONDS IN RIP-ROARING ALLTEL SHOW
by Jack W. Hill - Arkansas Democrat-Gazette - March 21,2004 - Music Review

Once denigrated in some circles as the poor man's version of The Rolling Stones, Aerosmith has gone far beyond such inaccurate characterizations to be in a position to claim the title of the hardest-working band in show business. Or at least in rock 'n' roll.

The boys from Boston delivered a textbook demonstration Friday night at Alltell Arena, their second visit to the North Little Rock facility in the past several years, and anyone with any doubts about the showmanship of this band went away convinced.

That would be me. After seeing them in their first Alltell Arena show, I was impressed but not convinced. Now I am. It's not easy to keep a band afloat for more than 30 years,with all members still alive and still interested in making music. Aerosmith has done it, the Rolling Stones, by comparison, only has three of its original members.

Singer Steven Tyler and guitarist Joe Perry get all the attention in Aerosmith, and for good reason. The dynamic duo were all over the place,careening all across the huge T-shaped stage,which featured a long runway into the audience. Oddly enough, the band arrived by walking through the crowd and onto the end of the "T", where they played their first two songs in a cramped setting surrounding a small drum kit.

Following a rousing version of "Love in an Elevator," the quintet rushed to the main stage where they tore into "Back in the Saddle Again," while the show immediately took on a dazzling display of the craft of the lighting designer. Four men had climbed aloft before the show to operate some of the lights the old-fashioned,human-involved way.

It would be hard to figure whether Tyler or Perry is the most fit,lithe and gymnastically inclined rocker, since both were adept at twisting themselves into odd poses. Perry had that essential guitar-player swagger and backward tilt, and Tyler had the gift of focusing attention on his words,actions and movements. As if to spice up an old hit, "Walk This Way," as the song was winding down, Tyler, who was adorned with diamonds on his wrists,fingers,neck and ears,tore across the stage and leaped for a trapeze, swinging out over the audience and executing a maneuver where he quickly turned and was hanging by his feet while swinging.

It's not the sort of thing you see in your average concert evening. Pauses were rare, as the hits kept pouring out: "Jaded" was nicely done, and so were "Livin on the Edge," "Dream On" and "Sweet Emotion." At one point, Perry, a renowned barbecue fan and purveyor of his own sauce, praised the ribs of McClard's in Hot Springs, adding "We're fueled by'em tonight!"

In 10 days, the band will release its next album, Honkin' on Bobo, so of course some of the new material was featured, which was actually new "old" material, like old bluesy rock classics "Roadrunner," "Baby, Please Dont Go" and "Train Kept A-Rollin"; the show's final number, on which the big guns came out:cannonlike devices that were set up strategically around the arena fired off millions of small pieces of paper, so by the time the show was over, everyone was covered in them. It was a spectacle to behold, unless you were a member of the clean-up crew. (The final two paragraphs were about Cheap Trick).

From: http://www.ardemgaz.com

Was in the car listening to the Rat (WRAT 95.9 in NJ) and they said that they will play 1 song off of HOB every hour on the 35 tomorrow. Also, all weekend long whenever they play an Aerosmith song, they will follow it with a tune off HOB. And on Sunday, they will play the cd in it's entirety (didn't catch the time they'll do this but I'll try to get that at some point before Sunday.) Maybe their web site will have more info http://www.wrat.com/

Cheap Trick are on at 7:30, off at 8:15
Aerosmith are on at 8:45, off at 10:30.

The start times DO VARY by 1/2 hour or so depending on the venue/curfews..only one thus far is listed as a 7pm start time, the rest are either 7:30pm or 8:00pm. There were rumors of a third band joining the tour for a few shows..perhaps that is related to the 7pm one but who knows. You can find the start times all on Ticketmaster.

Overall you can expect Cheap Trick to go on and play 30-45 minutes (closer to 45 at most venues thus far) and then Aero to come on when the stage is ready and play about an hour and 45 minutes on average. The setlists have not varied at all until the most recent show reported and that was just one song switched out and the order change of that one and another.

This morning I heard a blurb on WZZN 94.7 the Zone here in Chicago. It was actually part of a Joe Perry interview, where he talks about the band taking a much needed break after the Japan leg of the tour. He mentions how the guys in the band want to work on their own projects for a while. Guess there won't be a second leg for this tour.

The latest issue of Rolling Stone features a list (yes, another one) of the 50 greatest artists of all time. For every artist on the list, a famous musician has written an article paying homage to them. Chuck Berry is placed at #5 and the article is written by Joe Perry.

full list...

1 The Beatles by Elvis Costello
2 Bob Dylan by Robbie Robertson
3 Elvis Presley by Bono
4 The Rolling Stones by Steven Van Zandt
5 Chuck Berry by Joe Perry
6 Jimi Hendrix by John Mayer
7 James Brown by Rick Rubin
8 Little Richard by Little Richard
9 Aretha Franklin by Jerry Wexler
10 Ray Charles by Van Morrison
11 Bob Marley by Wyclef Jean
12 The Beach Boys by Lindsey Buckingham
13 Buddy Holly by John Mellencamp
14 Led Zeppelin by David Grohl
15 Stevie Wonder by Elton John
16 Sam Cooke by Art Garfunkel
17 Muddy Watters by Billy Gibbons
18 Marvin Gaye by Smokey Robinson
19 The Velvet Underground by Julian Casablancas
20 Bo Diddley by Iggy Pop
21 Otis Redding by Steve Cropper
22 U2 by Chris Martin
23 Bruce Springsteen by Jackson Browne
24 Jerry Lee Lewis by Moby
25 Fats Domino by Dr. John
26 The Ramones by Lenny Kaye
27 Nirvana by Vernon Reid
28 Prince by Ahmir Thompson
29 The Who by Eddie Vedder
30 The Clash by The Edge
31 Johnny Cash by Kris Kristofferson
32 Smokey Robinson and the Miracles by Bob Seger
33 The Everly Brothers by Paul Simon
34 Neil Young by Flea
35 Michael Jackson by Antonio "LA" Reid
36 Madonna by Britney Spears
37 Roy Orbison by K.D. Lang
38 John Lennon by Lenny Kravitz
39 David Bowie by Lou Reed
40 Simon and Garfunkel by James Taylor
41 The Doors by Marilyn Manson
42 Van Morrison by Peter Wolf
43 Sly and the Family Stone by Don Was
44 Public Enemy by Adam Yauch
45 The Byrds by Tom Petty
46 Janis Joplin by Rosanne Cash
47 Patti Smith by Shirley Manson
48 Run-DMC by Chuck D
49 Elton John by Billy Joel
50 The Band by Lucinda Williams

I kno that on the 27th or something like that...this comming weekend, down here in FL, Steven AND Joe are doing an interview for BIG106 down in Ft. Lauderdale/West Palm area and are going to be playing the whole album. So Hearing all this about the boys releasing album over air Sunday maybe its a Clear Channel thing...I dont know, but any of those in west palm and Ft. Lauderdale area be on the look out this weekend for that on BIG106!!!!! -Meris

---

Eric Clapton
Me & Mr Johnson
THE ROLLING STONE REVIEW

Four stars given to both Clapton and Aerosmith. I still find it ironic that all these years later, Clapton releases a blues album the same time as Aero when Aero used his first blues album as the reason why they shelved their's the first time around… Anyone know..are there two different versions of Milkcow's Calf Blues on Eric's as it's listed twice in the tracklist….

Of the many reasons why middle-class white boys such as Eric Clapton and Aerosmith flocked to the music of older, impoverished black men in the 1960s and early 1970s, here is one of the best: The great bluesmen were also great pop songwriters. Robert Johnson, Willie Dixon and Mississippi Fred McDowell, to name just three, told real-life stories in hot, tight packages of poetic vernacular and hard-won joy. Clapton and Aerosmith take different routes back to blues school on these covers albums, but they do so with mutual fealty and honest delight.
Johnson has been Clapton's steady rollin' muse since 1966, when he cut Johnson's "Ramblin' on My Mind" with John Mayall. That song is not among the fourteen Clapton covers on his all-Johnson program; nor is "Crossroads," which he turned into high-speed-guitar spectacle with Cream. In fact, Clapton keeps his solos in "When You Got a Good Friend" and "Little Queen of Spades" to a blistering chorus or two, to better show off the dirty-rubber swing of his longtime road-and-studio band. Clapton pays broad tribute to Johnson as a composer and public-domain synthesist, spicing the sorrow of "Love in Vain" with the carnal sport of "They're Red Hot." But he recalls his own passage through darkness in these songs, too. When he finds Satan on his doorstep in "Me and the Devil Blues," you can hear in Clapton's deep, scarred howl that he is confronting an old acquaintance.

Aerosmith don't have much time for pain on Honkin' on Bobo. The songs are mostly about gettin' some, then gettin' outta there -- Dixon's "I'm Ready," Bo Diddley's "Road Runner" -- and the attack is heavy Sixties shindig: snarling guitars, thunderclap drumming, Steven Tyler's 3-D snake hiss and widescreen yowl. Bobo is really a combined tribute: to the originators of the blues' core repertoire and the explosive, electric inventions of 1960s British bands such as the Yardbirds, Mayall's Bluesbreakers and the Peter Green-era Fleetwood Mac. Aerosmith's devil's-army gallop through "Baby Please Don't Go" is a lunatic escalation of Them's 1965 cover of the Big Joe Williams song. There is a tightness to this mania; Bobo is a celebratory attack on the canon, not a violation of it. And there are moments of exotic restraint, such as the misty-mountain noir of Perry's hurdy-gurdy in McDowell's "Back Back Train." But Aerosmith's specialty is jubilant overkill, and Bobo is a huge, affectionate spoonful. You want scholarship and propriety? You're barking at the wrong doghouse.

DAVID FRICKE
(RS 946, April 15, 2004)

TRACKLIST

When You Got A Good Friend
Little Queen Of Spades
They're Red Hot
Me And The Devil Blues
Last Fair Deal Gone Down
Stop Breakin' Down Blues
Milkcow's Calf Blues
Milkcow's Calf Blues
Kind Hearted Woman Blues
Come On In My Kitchen
If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day
Love In Vain
32-20 Blues
Hell Hound On My Trail

From: http://www.rollingstone.com

March 23rd, 2004
Tupelo, MS
Bancorp South Center

Toys In The Attic
Love In An Elevator
Back In The Saddle
The Other Side
Cryin'
Roadrunner
Jaded
Fever
Same Old Song And Dance
Stop Messin' Around
Never Loved A Girl
Livin' On The Edge
Dream On
Big Ten Inch Record
Baby, Please Don't Go
Walk This Way
Sweet Emotion
=====================
I Don't Want To Miss A Thing
Train Kept A Rollin'

Interesting Notes:
- Same set as Bossier City.

1975 Aerosmith starts the Toys in the Attic Tour in Fort Wayne IN at Memorial Coliseum

1986 Aerosmith plays in Atlanta GA at The Omni (Ted Nugent opens)

1988 Aerosmith plays in Charlotte NC at Charlotte Coliseum (White Lion opens)

1990 Aerosmith plays in Regina Canada at Centre of the Arts (Skid Row opens)

2001 Aerosmith appears on a German TV QUiz Show and play Jaded in Munich Germany

BPDG is now #5 on R&R Rock chart and #31 on R&R Active Rock chart. Most increased ROCK plays and third most adds though no longer "going for adds" like Godsmack is. Here are the charts for week ending 3/19/04.

ROCK - R&R CHARTS Week Ending: 3/19/2004

LW TW Artist Title (Label) Total Plays
1 1 Nickelback Figured You Out (Roadrunner Records/IDJMG) 669
3 2 Incubus Megalomaniac (Epic) 538
2 3 Audioslave I Am The Highway (Interscope/Epic) 505
4 4 Jet Are You Gonna Be My Girl (Elektra/EEG) 403
19 5 Aerosmith Baby, Please Don't Go (Columbia) 394

MOST ROCK ADDS:
Godsmack Running Blind (Republic/Universal) 6
Thornley So Far So Good (Roadrunner Records/IDJMG) 5
Aerosmith Baby, Please Don't Go (Columbia) 3

MOST INCREASED PLAYS ROCK
Aerosmith Baby, Please Don't Go (Columbia) +214 (next highest was +53)

ACTIVE ROCK - R&R CHARTS Week Ending: 3/19/2004
LW TW Artist Title (Label) Total Plays
2 1 Incubus Megalomaniac (Epic) 1927
1 2 Nickelback Figured You Out (Roadrunner Records/IDJMG) 1904
3 3 Godsmack Re-Align (Republic/Universal) 1635
4 4 Three Days Grace (I Hate) Everything About You (Jive) 1500
6 5 A Perfect Circle The Outsider (Virgin) 1488
7 6 Shinedown 45 (Atlantic) 1430
5 7 Linkin Park Numb (Warner Bros.) 1242
9 8 Tantric Hey Now (Maverick/Reprise) 1200
15 9 Jet Cold Hard Bitch (Elektra/EEG) 1168
14 10 Lostprophets Last Train Home (Columbia) 1114
12 11 Trapt Echo (Warner Bros.) 1108
13 12 Damageplan Save Me (Elektra/EEG) 1093
10 13 Puddle Of Mudd Heel Over Head (Geffen) 1081
17 14 Linkin Park Lying From You (Warner Bros.) 1076
8 15 Audioslave I Am The Highway (Interscope/Epic) 1001
25 16 Hoobastank The Reason (Island/IDJMG) 839
11 17 Staind How About You (Flip/Elektra/EEG) 831
22 18 Sevendust Broken Down (TVT) 805
23 20 Lo-Pro Sunday (Geffen) 794
16 21 Offspring Hit That (Columbia) 793
24 22 Drowning Pool Step Up (Wind-up) 768
20 23 Fuel Million Miles (Epic) 646
26 24 Korn Y'All Want A Single (Immortal/Epic) 590
32 25 Offspring (Can't Get My) Head Around You (Columbia) 577
29 26 Crossfade Cold (Columbia) 544
29 27 Soil Redefine (J) 493
28 28 P.O.D. Change The World (Atlantic) 459
43 29 Godsmack Running Blind (Republic/Universal) 450
49 30 Audioslave What You Are (Interscope/Epic) 417
-- 31 Aerosmith Baby, Please Don't Go (Columbia) 374

From: http://www.radioandrecords.com/Charts/rock_chart.shtm
From: http://www.radioandrecords.com/Charts/ar_chart.shtm

I know it's confusing but I think for a bit it's good to track them all..heck this is billboard...yes it's rock chart but it's MAINSTREAM ROCK - top 20 and they are up to #13 after only two weeks on the chart...hope the climb continues to that in SPITE of Sony not doing a damn thing to promote this project, the music does the talking and the numbers will reflect that!

BILLBOARD Mainstream Rock Tracks
Top 20 Positions /Issue Date: March 27, 2004
ThisWeek Last Week Weeks on chart "Title," Artist
1 1 20 Figured You Out, Nickelback
2 2 13 Megalomaniac, Incubus
3 3 18 Re-Align, Godsmack
4 5 34 (I Hate) Everything About You, Three Days Grace
5 7 15 The Outsider, A Perfect Circle
6 4 26 I Am The Highway, Audioslave
7 9 22 45, Shinedown
8 6 25 Numb, Linkin Park
9 8 13 Hey Now, Tantric
10 11 7 Cold Hard Bitch, Jet
11 12 6 Heel Over Head, Puddle Of Mudd
12 21 5 Lying From You, Linkin Park
13 31 2 Baby, Please Don't Go, Aerosmith

From: http://www.billboard.com

Arrow 93.1 FM in Los Angeles will be playing Honkin on Bobo in its entirety Thursday evening 6:00 P.M. California.

March 16th-22nd CHARTS....

ROCK RADIO
Last Week- #4 431 spins (#1 was 660 spins)
This Week- #4 470 spins (#1 was 685 spins)

#4 most new spins this week.

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

ACTIVE ROCK RADIO
Last Week- #30 457 spins (#1 was 1955 spins)
This Week- #25 577 spins (#1 was 1884 spins)

#5 most new spins, and #6 most new stations added.

With the release of the album next week, I expect these numbers to maybe rise slightly and then level off....

I would think we'd start to see the 2nd single (The Grind?) be floated to pop and rock radio starting in late april. We shall see....

Laters,
The AeroFANatic

1974 Aerosmith opens for Kiss in Owings Mill MD at Painter's Mill Music Fair

1978 Aerosmith plays under the pseudonym Dr. J. Jones and the Interns in Columbus OH at Veterans Memorial Auditorium

1990 Aerosmith plays in Winnipeg, Manitoba at Winnipeg Arena (Skid Row opens)

1978 Aerosmith plays in Chicago IL at Aragon Ballroom (play under the pseudonym Dr. J. Jones and the Interns)

1986 Aerosmith plays in Richmond VA at Richmond Coliseum (Ted Nugent opens)

1988 Aerosmith plays in Greensboro NC at Greensboro Coliseum (White Lion opens)

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Goto www.GoodnightJosephParker.com and click T-SHIRT for all the info.

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Pay with Cashiers Check or Money Order or using Paypal pay directly from your checking account or your credit cards. Paypal GJPstuff@Mindspring.com but go to the www.GoodnightJosephParkerSite.com first just to check up on everything.

The T-shirt is a flat $20, which includes all shipping, taxes, and everything to anywhere in the continental U.S.

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Posted on Sun, Mar. 21, 2004
Sounding Out
Doing blues: Pallid Clapton, frisky Aerosmith
By Tom Moon
Inquirer Music Critic

A curious thing happens when classic rockers whip out those big 10-inch records from their blues collections: The strut goes out of their step. They shrink into self-conscious schoolboys.

It's as if the very act of revisiting the core curriculum drains these multimillionaires of the rebel impulse.

They may emulate, concocting a blues that's fearsome in its technical mastery. But some essential conviction - the quality that separates primal expression from product - disappears.

Consider the sad case of Eric Clapton, perhaps the most revered guitarist alive. Ol' Slowhand has spent much of the last decade dutifully celebrating the blues via recordings that have all the zing of a vanilla latte gone cold.

Clapton's early work with Cream and others showed how far the blues could be stretched. His late-period inquest, which began with 1994's scholarly From the Cradle, shows how utterly ordinary it can be when not stretched.

The guitarist's blues-appreciation streak continues with Me and Mr. Johnson (Duck/Reprise **), a competent and bloodless tribute to blues pioneer Robert Johnson that will arrive in stores Tuesday. Here Clapton endeavors to shine new light on the haunted and still-haunting legend, embellishing Johnson's rambling odes with his own severe guitar pronouncements. Trouble is, Clapton's spotlight is the clinical fluorescence of the surgical suite, not the swaying bare bulb of the mythic juke joint.

There was mystery in Johnson's music, shadows that ballooned into hallucinatory shapes through the twisted whine of his delivery. It wasn't art - it was a ritual purging of inner demons, some of the most harrowing proclamations ever caught on tape. Yet everything about Clapton's act of worship feels concocted to satisfy purists rather than those who long to hear him wriggle away from the tyranny of the 12-bar form, as Johnson often did.

With the exception of a wrung-out turn on "Hell Hound on My Trail," Clapton's vocals are meek, prissily clean, or filled with faux frustration. He spits out the central vow of "Little Queen of Spades" - "Gonna get me a gambling woman, if it's da last thing dat I do" - in an almost laughable vaudeville patois.

In the past, Clapton's woodenness as a singer was redeemed within the first slashing seconds of a solo as his lunging guitar wiped away all traces of pretension with fervent sidewinding finger work and long-distance moans that swooped, in slow-motion dramatic arcs, from one note to the next. There are some of those on Mr. Johnson, in the stop-time episodes of "Milkcow's Calf Blues," and the two-guitar conversation, with Doyle Bramhall II, on "Hell Hound."

Clapton hasn't simply lost touch with the bellowing fire that sustained his early work - he's also lost the willingness to push his beloved form into even remotely challenging territory.

The solos are poised murmurs awaiting a defining roar, and that roar is often provided by keyboardist Billy Preston, whose organ solo on "Little Queen of Spades" is a marvel of percussive melody.

If Clapton is obsessed with preserving the manners and codes of the Old Blues Way, Aerosmith has to resist the impulse to Brian Setzer-ize it into rollicking triviality.

The Boston five-piece drops its long-threatened blues experiment, Honkin' on Bobo (Columbia ***), on March 30. And though it falls into some of the same traps as Clapton and shares many traits, including wheezing harmonica and jump rhythms, Bobo is the kind of irreverent statement the blues could use.

Vocalist Steven Tyler and guitarist Joe Perry aren't out to save anything. They're serious about the blues - the band's first few albums include classic revisitations of the vintage structure - and as a result, they're willing to take chances steering this fine-tuned rhythm section into cliche-strewn Bluesville.

In fact, they go bananas, scavenging mongrel rhythms, chasing anything but authenticity. With pure brio, Aerosmith reinvents the swamp moan ("I'm Ready"), and transforms the Bo Diddley beat ("You Gotta Move") into an urgent plea. Though Perry, an underrated soloist, gets nice platforms to shine, it's the ever-wry Tyler running the show. He decks out Sonny Boy Williamson's "Eyesight to the Blind" in a timeless leer, and, on the slow "Never Loved a Girl" that is the album's gem, testifies like a time traveler, brushing by Howlin' Wolf with one phrase and Robert Plant the next.

There are several campy missteps, and moments when the romance of the blues overwhelms Aerosmith and its returning producer, Jack Douglas. But most of the time, these guys are having fun bringing a stiff whiskey-shot kick to music almost neutered by all the scholarship. When everything clicks, Bobo becomes as blotto as the best rock-and-roll, and just blustery enough to blast the blues right out of the bell jar.

From: http://www.philly.com

Here's a couple of Cheap Trick set lists in case anyone was wondering. They seem to be changing at least a couple of songs each night within their 10 song/45 minute set list. These were posted on a Cheap Trick mailing list. The first was from one of the Texas shows.. and the next from Bossier City LA show.

TEXAS:
Hello There
Big Eyes
IYWML
Pop Drone
My Obsession
IWYTWM
DP
Flame
Surrender
Goodnight Now

BOSSIER CITY:
Hello There
Big Eyes
IYWML
Shes Tight
My Obsession
IWYTWM
Flame
70's Show
Surrender
Goodnight

It features concert footage of the guys playing Stop messin' round and Never Loved A Girl... They also had voice over interviews about the album from the guys... also showed the special harmonica keychain-just small, silver, with black on the top and looked like the aerosmith logo on it.

Kyle writes:

Just caught an interview with Joe (In The Studio with Red Beard) on the local radio station. They played the first six songs on the album. It was interesting to hear Joe talk about the album. He said that Steven was pissed 'cause they made him sing in a bunch of keys that weren't in his range.

---

Joe interview lasted for about an hour. Didn't play every song. But did a little this and that about how Hangmans Jury originated from a blues back ground of colored workers working on laying railroad tracks. Interesting. Played some of the new songs.

This is a quick excerpt of this guy's two day marathon of doing music related stuff I guess...not sure the purpose though LOL...

.....The next morning, the running had taken its toll on my body, but I knew I had to soldier on; this column isn't going to write itself. So, good morning, Joe Perry.

The Aerosmith guitarist invited about 20 journalists to the Driskill Hotel Grill. Two courses into the meal, Perry arrived, looking like a true rock star. Drinking a beer. Wearing sunglasses. Shirt open. Jewelry galore.

He walked over to my table. "I'm here for three reasons," he said.

Reason No. 1: Perry, like Paul Newman, has gone into the food business and has his own hot sauce, Joe Perry's Rock Your World. "It's good on just about anything -- eggs, steak. I like it on barbecue," he said.

Reason No. 2: Perry has his own label, Roman Records. "It's named after my son," he said. "Right now, there's a band on it called the Porch Ghouls. I'm here looking for other bands."

Reason No. 3: Aerosmith is about to release a new CD, Honkin' On Bobo, an all-covers record on which the band interprets blues standards like Baby, Please Don't Go and Stop Messin' Around. "We've never done anything like this before," he said. "It was probably the most fun we've had recording a record." It's due out later this month.........

To read the full article go to:

From: http://www.dfw.com

Ross has added some new Aero pics. Also, if you click on the thumbnails at the bottom of the page and go back one or two, I think he slipped a couple more new pages in there too. His diary for March 15th (last entry he has) says he's headed to Texas to join the boys, so hopefully there will be more to come.

http://www.rosshalfin.co.uk

Boston's baby boomer rockers revisit CenturyTel March 19, 2004

PIC
Tom Hamilton (left), Joey Kramer, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford and Steven Tyler are Aerosmith. The band has stood the test of time. They have sold countless albums and were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Sunday, the legendary rock band will return to Bossier City's CenturyTel Center. The band, on tour with Cheap Trick, is promoting their new album "Honkin' on Bobo."

By J.D. Ventura

When Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler accepted his band's induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame back in 2001, he reportedly said, "I wonder if this will put an end to, 'Hey, aren't you Mick Jagger?'" Of course, there are worse things than being frequently mistaken for the Rolling Stones.

And like the Stones, Aerosmith is a band that managed to emerge from decades of rock-star level excess completely intact. While stratospheric fame can stress the cohesiveness of even the tightest mega bands, Aerosmith seemed to only strengthen, as musicians and as businessmen. It's been widely publicized that as the quintet sailed into their (is it possible?) 50s, the band made moves to take more control over the corporation that is Aerosmith. For example, three years ago, when they decided to record their 13th studio album, Just Push Play, they handled production themselves.

That self-control is apparently still a priority-the band just built an elaborate, state-of-the-art recording studio south of Boston that bass player, Tom Hamilton, says is one of the best in the area. Reuniting with veteran engineers they worked with on some of their earliest albums, they recorded part of their latest CD, Honkin' on Bobo, there.

But Aerosmith's true dominion is the stage. Which is good news for those fans who plan to see them this Sunday night at CenturyTel Center.

Those who have seen their live performances know this. There is a lot of movement. Tyler, who keeps himself in Olympic swimmer shape, is all over the place, his voice powerful, its vibrancy impossibly youthful for a guy who is (sort of unbelievably) actress Liv Tyler's father.

From their brilliant courtship of the MTV generation in which they masterfully transferred their retro-chic appeal to video, to their memorable contributions to the Armageddon soundtrack, to makingIf you go

WHO: Aerosmith/Cheap Trick.
WHERE: CenturyTel Center, 2000 CenturyTel Center Drive, Bossier City.
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Sunday.
ADMISSION: $49.50 - $85.00

'N Sync and Britney Spears look like Star Search contestants during the Super Bowl half-time show in 2001, Aerosmith effortlessly reminds anyone who cares to listen that legends are legends for one reason, and one reason only: hard work.

Tom Hamilton took time out of his day (he stopped the interview once to take young daughter to school) to chat with Preview.

Q: You must be sick of doing interviews like this?

Hamilton: Well, at some point you realize that it's an opportunity. I think it becomes sort of a cliche when someone in the music business complains about doing interviews.

Q: You cover some legendary blues stuff on your latest album, Honkin' on Bobo. That's a departure for you, no?

Hamilton: Actually we have been wanting to do something like it for a number of years, but we always thought it was something we would do once we had the chance, when we weren't going to be touring or recording for a really long time. Then about a year and a half or two years ago, we started looking at what we wanted to do, and we knew we wanted to do a lot of touring. But we knew that somewhere in there we would have to put out an album. And we knew we needed to do an album we could do quickly and would be fun. Something that wouldn't be the whole project of a brand new album with brand new material. So it was just a perfect way to finally go in and just record some blues songs.

And when we did the Just Push Play record, it was very much a modern record in the way we recorded it-in that we did a lot of tracks one at a time. And we found out we really weren't that thrilled by that process. And so, when we went in and did this record, it was the whole team in there at once.

A lot of Steven's vocals on the record, as a matter of fact, the vast majority of them, are vocals that he did live while we were cutting the tracks.

Q: Joe Perry has his own line of hot sauce. What food are you a connoisseur of?

Hamilton: I'm pretty much a peanut butter and jelly guy myself. Actually, I can feel my inner chef wanting to come out. I was so spoiled growing up with my mom's cooking, I never really got into the idea of making my own food. But now that I think of it, I've learned a lot through osmosis-just being around her cooking. It's one of those things where, jeez, maybe someday when I am off the road I'll learn to cook and get back to the basics of life.

Q: I read you just did a benefit back in Boston in a little theater with James Montgomery, who I understand is a blues-rock legend where you are from.

Hamilton: James Montgomery was around in Boston when we were just trying to find a place to rehearse. We used to go see him play, and J. Giles, and those guys were the two main examples that we could see on a regular basis of what a pro band looks like.

Q: You just built your own recording studio in Boston?

Hamilton: I live in Newton (Massachusetts), but everybody else lives just south of Boston. We have a warehouse down there. We decided early on in the Honkin' on Bobo project we would build a rehearsal room and, of course, that turned into, "Let's build a studio." And it just kept growing in terms of time and money. It wasn't ready for us to do any of the early work on this record, so we recorded the bulk of it at Joe's (Perry) studio, in his house.

We came back in January after touring and we rerecorded one song and recorded another-one we have been playing on stage for years without ever recording it, and they both came out really great. So, we are really excited about this studio. From a rock band point of view it's the best one in the area. Really nice big room with a lot of vintage equipment on the board. You can be as analog as you want or as ProTools as you want. It's not really something we are going to throw open at this point.

Q: You reunited with Jack Douglas on this album, a producer you haven't worked with since the '70s. What was working with him again like?

Hamilton: It was amazing because his energy is unbelievable. He sets an example that we have to keep up with. In that way, in terms of just focusing on the work, but he is also a complete child-and I mean that in a very good way. You know, in terms of trying things out, he is very uninhibited that way. He spends a lot of time thinking about what could go wrong with it, and that's just a good kind of energy to have around.

Obviously we worked with him in the '70s and then things went down the tubes for awhile, and we didn't see him for a long time. And then finally the word was out that Jack was back around, and he started coming to some of our shows. And we had him do our live album and that came out really good, so when this project came along, we thought, "Not only are we going back musically, let's go back for the whole process of doing it." And we got together with Jack and Jay Messina, who was the engineer who did a lot of our early albums. We cut all the stuff with those guys and we just had a mass of raw material. And for a while it was looking like it would be extremely difficult to get it all in shape to the point where everyone would agree on it.

We tried having this guy, Marty Frederickson, come in and mix it and do some production on it and with his help we took the raw material and got with Jack and Jay, and it just blossomed beyond what we were expecting.

Q: What can fans expect from your show at CenturyTel Center?

Hamilton: We are going to play a combination of material from the '70s, some of our earlier more riff-based kind of stuff. We will play some of our '80s stuff, from our Pump album. And we will be playing stuff from our new album, at least three songs, I would guess. There is a few spaces in the set that we change every night and we never know until we are about to go on.

We are not shy about bringing in a really great sound system and lighting system and we are into the visual side of it too. A lot of bands think that is sort of schmaltzy and Vegas-y, but we don't. See, we come from the psychedelic '60s, when we were all kids, instead of stage lighting you would have a light show. It was something that went on at the same time as the music.

Q: Why did you ask Cheap Trick to tour with you?

Hamilton: We actually asked around and looked for some new bands and there were some that were into it but couldn't do it because of scheduling reasons. And the ones that were kind of free, most of them weren't really into going out and doing the amount of shows that we want to do. So, we didn't want to work them too hard. We decided to go for some seasoned pros. And we have done a lot of playing with Cheap Trick. We have been friends of theirs since the '70s and we love their music. We also love the idea of going into a show where everybody is committed and knows how to do it -and has experience doing it. But also, we like their music, so we get to go out and listen to them play.

Q: How has the music industry changed since you started in the '70s?

Hamilton: Well, when we started, there was no video games and no MTV-there was no cable. And even though it was difficult for a band to make it, it might have been a little simpler, because all you had to concentrate on was your records and your touring. And for us, we found out, when we released our first album, that we were going to be one of those bands that would have to go out and pound the road to make it the way we wanted to make it.

It was interesting when the whole MTV thing came along, we were in the middle of our break-up, and I remember watching MTV and going, "Wow, we're going to miss that." You know, "We blew it, we are not going to be around for this whole visual side of music media." But we were fortunate enough to get back together and when we did, we jumped on it with a vengeance, we really put a lot of efforts into videos.

The thing is, within the last maybe six years, the amount of records per year that get released has gone up drastically. So you have a band that will put out a great record, and you know, I mean a great record. One where most of the songs are really good, and they will go out on the road and make it big, and then two years later, put out another record. Now it used to be that if your second record was good and you knew it was good, you knew you would have a certain response from it. But it's not like that anymore. People are off and on to the next thing in a lot of cases.

It's supply and demand. The record business has a massive supply of able-bodied talented hungry musicians, so that's also different.

But another thing that is really cool is the technology, the way it is trickling down. You can make records in your garage if you want. I mean, you can practically make records at the beach these days.

Q: Is that a good or a bad thing?

Hamilton: It's awesome. Are you kidding? It's completely power to the people. It's grassroots.

Q: It perhaps isn't so awesome for the record companies, right?

Hamilton: Well, that's what we have seen going on with the whole downloading thing. Their response to it was so slow, you know, their reaction was very much, "Well, maybe if we don't look at it, it will go away." Now they're adjusting. Their model has totally been based on the album concept.

Let's face it, for record companies, but also for us, it's great to be able to sell a whole group of your songs at once, then one by one-as far as the economics. But, it's also, to me, exciting and inspiring to think that you don't have to wait and go into the studio once every one and a half or two years to come up with a song. Now you can just post it.

I mean, for us, we have a great record deal, but it's kind of an old-fashioned record deal. And I look forward to the day when we do a gig-and we record every gig we play "" and if we do a version of a song and we think it is really cool, and it's got something new in it, we could post it, and people could go and, you know, pay 75 or 99 cents.

Q: It seems gone are the days when bands like Aerosmith would come out with an album and every track on the album would be a solid song. Nowadays bands have maybe two songs on the album and the rest are take it or leave it. Do you agree?

Hamilton: Yes, it's a huge betrayal of trust. It used to be that kids looked at record companies and idealized them. When I used to take out a record that was on the Atlantic label or the Columbia label, I felt like I had a relationship with that company. And now they need to work on re-establishing that, because I think people look at the record companies as something to compete with. That's why you see a lot of people going for free downloading because the CD prices have stayed so high and you have this situation where you have one or two good songs.

In the old days "" man, I hate using that expression "" but artists development was a much bigger thing. If they didn't think your whole album was strong they didn't encourage you to put it out.

The whole Internet thing, everything is very immediate, and you can immediately have a record out-and you can immediately be gone. Weird thing.

From: http://www.shreveporttimes.com

Only one line..but..it's the kind of one-liners that hurt our chances of getting even MORE HOB material worked into the set!

Fan: 'They're hot"
March 22, 2004
By J.D. Ventura

It was lights out promptly at 7:30 at CenturyTel Center in Bossier City when Cheap Trick took the stage. But first and foremost, Sunday night was an Aerosmith concert. At least it was for the Pope family of Texarkana, Texas.

Marc, 44, his wife, Sue, 40, and their daughter, Brandy, 20, drove 75 minutes to see the show, all wearing Aerosmith T-shirts. Marc, who has listened to the band "since '75" and has several albums on vinyl and 8-track, sported his shirt from the Nine Lives Tour (circa 1997-98). Sue opted for one she picked up on the 2002 Greatest Hits tour. Brandy wore a simple black tee with a black and white print of frontman Steven Tyler on it.

"They're hot," crooned Brandy's mom, her daughter nodding in emphatic agreement.

"They're the greatest rock 'n' roll band ever," gushed Brandy, who held tightly to a pair of binoculars, like someone on safari awaiting the appearance of big game.

Corona Lights and homemade wine was what Jaime Wall and her eight friends were holding in the parking lot before the show. The group drove from Longview, Texas, in a luxurious RV that could have been mistaken for the band's.

Gaining after-show access to the tour bus would probably be just fine by Wall, who could only manage a sexy purr when asked why she liked the lanky lead singer so much.

"That mouth, that tongue," she offered as explanation of her Aerosmith adoration.

The crowd mostly sat through Cheap Trick's set, much of the lyrics indistinguishable to all but the group's die-hard fans.

But it was obvious the crowd wanted to have fun, given their cheers whenever the group encouraged participation. Lighters were even pulled out when Robin Zander launched into the rock ballad, The Flame.

But if Cheap Trick was Sunday evening's flame, Aerosmith was undoubtedly a roaring, unchecked beach bonfire on a summer night.

Despite the fact that the upper balconies of the CenturyTel Center were almost entirely empty, the crowd managed to make it sound like a packed house when, at 8:55 p.m., the place went dark, the stage lit up, and from a side entrance that led into the crowd, the band emerged, like a football team entering a stadium.

They walked by fans, high-fiving them as they passed, and took up residence on a small runway that extended into the crowd from the main stage.

"Shreveport!" Tyler screamed at the audience, everyone now standing.

Fans closest to the stage could literally touch the band -- and some did, despite the maneuvering of the yellow jacket-wearing security personnel.

Tyler got the crowd singing and heads nodding with Love in an Elevator, from the band's 1989 Pump CD, before moving to the main stage to sing Back in the Saddle, a song the group recorded 13 years earlier on the Rocks album. Then it was right into a flashy rendition of The Other Side, a hit for the band in 1998.

"So what is it, Bossier or Shreveport?" Tyler screamed, and the crowd screamed back, some shouting "Bossier" and others "Shreveport." People held up cell phones and their beers and sung along with Cryin', which was voted the best video of 1994 by MTV viewers.

And the band played on. Some new stuff (which sent some people to the concession stands), and some recognizable classics, which sent some fans, young and old, into hand-clapping, butt-shaking frenzies.

One of those young fans, Blake Robinson, 16, of Monroe said he's a huge Aerosmith lover. When pressed for specifics, he offered, "I'm a big fan of the oldies."

From: http://www.shreveporttimes.com

Tracy Bonham - pretty cool addition. She has had two Grammy nods related to the album "The Burdens of Being Upright" which included the #1 song "Mother Mother". She played violin a bit with Page/Plant on their No Quarter tour. Her second release "Down Here" did not support from her label and they delayed the thing forever due to label mergers going on at the time...until it had been four years since her first album...she was devastated according to one article.

Since then, she's gone independent. She's put together an acoustic trio and has been also touring with the Blue Man Group. Not often they've used female vocalists/players but this worked! Especially on the track with Joe!

By the way, she went to Berklee College of Music in Boston after some schooling in SO CA.

March 19th, 2004
North Little Rock, AR
Alltell Arena

Toys In The Attic
Love In An Elevator
Back In The Saddle
The Other Side
Cryin'
Roadrunner
Jaded
Fever
Last Child
Stop Messin' Around
Never Loved A Girl
Livin' On The Edge
Dream On
Same Old Song And Dance
Baby, Please Don't Go
Walk This Way
Sweet Emotion
=====================
I Don't Want To Miss A Thing
Train Kept A Rollin'

Interesting Notes:
-Lots of technical difficulties again. Steven MUCHO PISSEDO.
-Joe Perry announced that Little Rock had the best ribs he had ever eaten at this restaurant..
-Brad's guitar cutting in and out of Baby Please
-Jesus Is On The Mainline played on the PA after the band was done.
-No introductions.

From Aerofanatic.com as reported by Dan.

March 21st, 2004
Bossier City, LA
LA CenturyTell Center

Toys In The Attic
Love In An Elevator
Back In The Saddle
The Other Side
Cryin'
Roadrunner
Jaded
Fever
Same Old Song And Dance
Stop Messin' Around
Never Loved A Girl
Livin' On The Edge
Dream On
Big Ten Inch Record
Baby, Please Don't Go
Walk This Way
Sweet Emotion
=====================
I Don't Want To Miss A Thing
Train Kept A Rollin'

Interesting Notes:
- First set list change on the tour. Big Ten replaces Last Child, and 2 songs swapped order.
- Joe F*cking Perry a little under the weather, but will be in full form for next gig!

Just added 14 video clips from last years MSG show, takin from FRONT ROW! The sound is a little crappy because of how close to the amps the person was. Enjoy!

http://www.aero247.com/kiss/nyvid/

Nick V.

Aero247.com

On the 19th of this month, Tyler was spotted in Boston, across the street from the Hard Rock Café. Steven was eating in a fancy restaurant by the window (why he would eat by the window I have no idea) but there was a big crowd in front of the window, too.

Karts writes:
Hey, I got this song earlier today and these are the lyrics I came up with.



The Grind
(Tyler/Perry/Frederickson)

I never thought a first time love would ever last
How could a kiss like that knock me flat on my ass

The burning bed
The roses dead
And now I'm dancing with myself

Yeah I'm missing you
Just like you want me to
You made me trip into the grind
Now I can't get you off of my mind

(Yeah!) Your sweet talking hip shaking wobble gonna blow a man away
Kiss butt - and guess what? Even double crossin' dogs have their day.
SO forget about, regret about, you're right I ain't afraid to say it

Yeah I'm missing you
Just like you want me to
You made me trip into the grind
Now I can't get you off

And you know I tried
Leads to the same old lie
You made me slip into the grind
Now I can't get you off of the cloud we were on
And now it's all gone
Tell me why? why? whyyyy? Why ain't I getting thorugh? Ain't no life there.

Tell me what to do for you?

Tell me what you want?

Yeah cause I'm missing you
Just like you know I to
You made me trip into the grind
Now I can't get you off ..
And you know I tried
Leads to the same old lie
You made me trip into the grind
Now I cant...cant....cant get you....get you..get you....
Off of my mind.

1986 Aerosmith plays in Norfolk VA at The Scope (Ted Nugent opens)

1990 Aerosmith plays in Saskatchewan Canada at Saskatchewan Palace (Skid Row opens)

1997 Aerosmith plays MTV spring break in Panama City FL (Nine LIves, FIL, WTW, HIMS)

1988 Aerosmith plays in Roanoke VA at the Civic Center (White Lion opens)

1973 Aerosmith plays in Boston MA at Paul's Mall (live on WBCN)

1986 Aerosmith plays in Pittsburgh PA at the Civic Arena (Ted Nugent opens)

1990 Aerosmith plays in Calgary Canada at Olympic Saddledome (Skid Row opens)

Aero is at lucky # 13!
Mainstream Rock TracksTM
Top 20 Positions /Issue Date: March 27, 2004
This Week Last Week Weeks On Chart "Title," Artist

1 1 20 Figured You Out, Nickelback
2 2 13 Megalomaniac, Incubus
3 3 18 Re-Align, Godsmack
4 5 34 (I Hate) Everything About You, Three Days Grace
5 7 15 The Outsider, A Perfect Circle
6 4 26 I Am The Highway, Audioslave
7 9 22 45, Shinedown
8 6 25 Numb, Linkin Park
9 8 13 Hey Now, Tantric
10 11 7 Cold Hard Bitch, Jet
11 12 6 Heel Over Head, Puddle Of Mudd
12 21 5 Lying From You, Linkin Park
13 31 2 Baby, Please Don't Go, Aerosmith

From: http://www.billboard.com

Rolling 7 days...3/11 - 3/17

Last Week/This Week/Artist/Title/TWSpins/LWSpins/Move
1 1 NICKELBACK Figured You Out 654 657 -3
3 2 INCUBUS Megalomaniac 550 523 27
2 3 AUDIOSLAVE I Am The Highway 470 531 -61
8 4 AEROSMITH Baby, Please Don't G... 434 320 114

AND on ACTIVE ROCK chart up to #29 from #47:
47 29 AEROSMITH Baby, Please Don't Go 501 244 257 2.356

AND #1 for on the ROCK JUMP chart again! Stations playing is last number:
AEROSMITH Baby, Please Don't Go +114 21

From: http://mmr247.com/mmrweb/AllAccess/

Rockers are back in the saddle again with 40-city tour to promote new album
03/19/04 By JOHN WIRT

Photo courtesy Aerosmith PIC LINK Aerosmith is, left to right, Brad Whitford, Joe Perry, Steven Tyler, Tom Hamilton and Joey Kramer.

Aerosmith stands in the pantheon of American rock. Formed in New Hampshire in 1970, the band rose to stardom in the mid-'70s, selling millions of albums and recording such future classics as "Back in the Saddle," "Walk This Way" and "Dream On." But success and its temptations took a toll on the high-flying Aerosmith's cre ativity and the band members' personal and professional lives. By 1981, guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford had bailed out. Singer Steven Tyler, drummer Joey Kramer and bassist Tom Hamilton plus a few new recruits were left to carry Aerosmith's fading flame. It looked like the glory days were over.

Perry, speaking last month on the day before the 20th anniversary of the post-concert gathering that led to the reformation of the original Aerosmith, said he realized in early 1984 that the band was too good to let go. On Valentine's Day, 1984, ex-members Perry and Whitford visited their former bandmates following an Aerosmith concert at Boston's Orpheum Theater.

"That was the start of the band getting back together," Perry said. "On my visits before that it was still like, 'Yeah, everything's going great. I'm doing great, everything's wonderful.' And they were saying the same thing, which was total BS on both sides. But this was the first time we got together and really looked at it for what it was."

Perry credits his wife, Billie, for helping him see what he was missing.

"When I met her, she was more into the punk movement," he said. "She knew these Aerosmith songs that were on classic-rock radio, but she really didn't know Aerosmith. I remember driving in the car and 'Back in the Saddle' came on and I said, 'Yeah, that's my band there.' She said, 'No, it's not.' I said, 'It is, I swear.' And then I got the record and showed her. I started telling her about the band and what we did. She never knew how big we were.

"So I was talking about the band a lot and she said, 'Well, they're playing in town. Why don't you go see them. What is it?' That got me thinking, 'Well, what is it?' It made me analyze it and got me out of that ego place and more into, 'Look at this great band we had. What's keeping us from playing together?' "

After the Boston show Perry hung out with his old bandmates and had a good time. The experience took him "back down to the people of it and not all the BS around the breakup."

Two months later, Perry shelved his work with Alice Cooper and Aerosmith announced its Back in the Saddle Tour, featuring the band's original lineup.

While the group didn't immediately return to its former glory, its genre-blending remix with rap act Run DMC of "Walk This Way" kicked Aerosmith into MTV consciousness. That success solidified with the 1987's Permanent Vacation and the hits "Dude Looks Like a Lady," "Angel" and "Rag Doll."

The band's avoidance of the excessive rock-star ways of its past, Perry said, paved the way for Permanent Vacation and the full-tilt return of the mighty Aerosmith.

"That was right when we were getting sober. We realized we couldn't make records the way that we were making them. Getting a buzz, it used to be a shortcut to that spiritual, creative place, but if you have addictive personalities and you like the way that feels way too much, it can come back to bite you. The party was more important than the music. We had to learn that the talent was inside in spite of the drugs and not because of it.

"By getting clean, we rediscovered whatever it was that made Aerosmith in the beginning. So we were burning and, at the same time, music and MTV were coming around. We fell right into that. We were still young enough to be part of that whole scene."

The band's albums have since reached sales of 100 million copies. Aerosmith's recent appearances during the Super Bowl and Grammy broadcasts were early warnings that it's back with a new album and a 40-city tour.

Honkin' On Bobo, to be released March 30, was made the way Aerosmith recorded its classic '70s and early '80s albums. Bobo's also a homage to the music that inspired the band in the first place, the blues.

"The premise was to cover some blues songs, but, obviously, we had to put our own spin on it."

Some Honkin' On Bobo tracks are relatively faithful to the originals, Perry said, but others are reinvented, Aerosmith style.

"We deconstructed the songs and changed riffs around. We also tried to capture some of the mood of the originals, but certainly bring it into the 21st century."

Honkin' On Bobo's blues theme and its live-in-the-studio approach fly against big music business wisdom.

"That's probably why it took us so long to get to it," Perry explained. "We felt we had too much so-called regular Aerosmith material in us to take a sidestep. But a lot of it was faith that it was gonna come out and we couldn't lose anything by trying it. A few people in the band felt like it was gonna be a waste of time, but that's only natural. When you got five different guys, they're all not gonna have the same vision.

"But I think we needed to make this record because the last couple of records were so made the other way, putting guitar parts down and overdubbing and building songs in bits and pieces. There's no right or wrong way to make music, but when you have a band that's as strong in concert as Aerosmith, you should take advantage of that power. That's what we were missing on some of the last albums we've done."

Blues fans that they are, Perry and Steven Tyler were thrilled to be co-presenters at the Grammy awards last month with long-time blues star B.B. King.

"It was an honor just to be standing next to the truly legendary B.B. King," Perry said. During last year's star-studded Salute to the Blues concert at Radio City Music Hall, Perry recalled, he told King, "There is no lead that I play that doesn't have a couple of notes that I learned from you."

Blues and early rock 'n' roll and rhythm and blues are the roots of Aerosmith.

"That's the music that turned us on and got us to pick up the guitar," Perry said. "You're not thinking about fame or money or being better than someone or anything like that. You just want to make that sound and have it for your own. I mean whenever I hear a Robert Johnson song it makes me want to pick up a guitar. That's still with me as strong as it was when I was 17."

And even after decades of popularity, Aerosmith stays hungry.

"There still is that underdog feeling, like we still have our best record in front of us, that we still have something to prove. That's carried us through, that's one of the keys to our longevity. By breaking the band up and having to come back together, we've realized it's a really amazing thing we have. One of the biggest sins you can commit is to take a gift that God gives you and misuse it."

From: http://www.2theadvocate.com

1973 Aerosmith plays in Boston MA at Paul's Mall (live on WBCN)

1986 Aerosmith plays in Syracuse NY at War Memorial Arena (Ted Nugent opens)

1990 Aerosmith plays in Edmonton Canada at Northlands Arena (Skid Row opens)

2001 Aerosmith appears on The Today Show and the CBS Early Show

2001 Aerosmith is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in NYC

According to Little Wing on the AF1 boards, there is a special reason why IDWTMAT was played in Lubbock...

A little boy with cancer, David, requested the song to Steven before the show. David listens to this song while he recieves his chemo treatments. Steven arranged a 30 min "hangout" session with David, and during the show right before IDWTMAT...Steven says "David, this is for you".

March 17th, 2004
Laredo, Texas
Laredo Entertainment Center

Toys In The Attic
Love In An Elevator
Back In The Saddle
The Other Side
Cryin'
Roadrunner
Jaded
Fever
Last Child
Stop Messin' Around
Never Loved A Girl
Livin' On The Edge
Dream On
Same Old Song And Dance
Baby Please Don't Go
Walk This Way
Sweet Emotion
=====================
I Don't Want To Miss A Thing
Train Kept A Rollin'

Interesting Notes: (Thanks to KARTS)
1. Brad's guitar at the start was cut out, he told Tyler in the middle of Elevator, there was an odd moment of silence as Joe waited for Brad's solo. Brad had walked to the back during Toys to try and get it fixed but no one responded. He then looked at Tyler and does the slit throat thing referring to his guitar tech.

2. Crowd goes completely crazy during it. I was right in front of the catwalk and it was insanity.

3. There was an empty gap between where the catwalk section ends and the people along the catwalk and Tyler comes up and goes 'What the fuck! Fill up this gap here!'. Then he goes to the security guy and goes 'Man, you need to smoke a fat one!' The security dude was really pissed and after that it was just chaos. There was a rush around the main stage. It was a rock show, all out. Tyler was in rare form tonight.

4. Some guy jumped up on top of the stage walking towards Tyler. Tyler ignores himand he is about to touch Tyler when security runs out of no where and pulls him off the stage. Tyler tells security to kick him out.

5. At the end, right after Train (I had moved up to front row at this time in the middle of the chaos) Tyler just does his jumps, then seemed extremely pissed off, picks up his guitar stand and throws it to the ground and walks of stage. Perry looks confused, goes 'thank you Laredo' and leaves. No introductions.

6. Full version of Jesus Is On The Main Line played at the end of the show, piped through the speakers. Sounded fucking kick ass.

Apple-users readers (or, actually, even Windows users with iTunes installed) might want to know that the Apple Music Store is now selling both "Baby Please Don't Go" and "You Gotta Move". Buck apiece.

-Some of the band was spotted poolside at La Posada, the local posh hotel in Laredo, TX
-Supposedly, someone from the band called a local chiropracter and requested a massage right before the concert.

I'll tell you more as I find out!

Gonzalo PG

Courtesy of "Fedepeti" on the AF1 board. A lot of this can also be found on Clive's great site at: http://www.cnewton.force9.co.uk

UK SINGLES
From Record Retailer/Music Week: started 13-5-1978 (Top 75)
UK ALBUMS
From Record Retailer (RR)/Music Week (MW): 8-8-1981 (Top 100) changed 14-1-1989 (Top 75)

US SINGLES
From Billboard: Hot 100
US ALBUMS
From Billboard: Top 200


The chart run format:
The numbers in a run represent chart positions in consecutive weeks. Example 13-*3*-45 means first week on #13, 2nd week at its peak on #3, 3rd week dropped to #45.
A "0" means NOT on the chart (see re-entries).
(36/24/5 wks) at the end of a runs means 36 weeks chart entries, including 24 in the top 10, and 5 at #1. If there's only one number, there were no weeks spent in the top 10.
If the run was interrupted by a drop off of no longer than 4 weeks, more numbers appear to indicate the number of consecutive
weeks.
Example: (51-41c/14-11c/1 wks) 51 weeks on chart, of which 41 consecutive, 14 weeks in top 10, of which 11 consecutive, 1 week at #1.
Runs interrupted by a new (calendar) year or chart runs that are re-entries are also followed by a weeks so far number.
Example: (1 wk, 52 wsf) 1 week on chart this run, 52 accumulated weeks (total weeks until this date).

Re-entries
When the record briefly drops out of the chart, a "0" will appear in the chart run. If the record returns within 5 weeks, the run will not be broken.
If a record drops out for 5 weeks or more and then re-enters the charts, a new run, indicated by "Re" and a sequence number will be printed.
Example: 45-0-0-0-0-33 dropped out the charts for 4 weeks, then re-entered at #33.
If there is more than 1 re-entry, which is not indicated as such, a "Total # of re-entries" is printed.
Also, the weeks on chart of all the runs (main and re's) are added up together and printed in the "Total # of weeks" line.

The line with Total # of weeks is only printed when there is at least one re-entry. The highest number of consecutive weeks and total weeks spent in the top 10, top 20 and top 40 (if applicable) is also printed.
Example: 43-26c (Top 10: 12, Top 20: 16) 43 weeks on chart, of which 26 weeks was the longest consecutive run, 12 weeks in the top 10, 16 in the top 20.

Here we go:

Chart runs for: AEROSMITH
(through March 20, 2004)

* SINGLES *
=============

1. DREAM ON
US Date: 20/10/1973 - Run: 88-74-70-63-63-64-59-63-67 (9 wks)
Re #01: 10/01/1976 81-69-59-49-41-34-30-27-19-16- 8-7-7-*6*-16-16-45-51-62-97 (20/4 wks)
Total # of weeks: 29-20c (Top 10: 4)

2. SWEET EMOTION
US Date: 14/06/1975 - Run: 83-73-61-50-40-*36*-36-63 (8 wks)

3. LAST CHILD
US Date: 12/06/1976 - Run: 52-42-34-31-28-26-24-22-*21*-21-36-39-58-73-73 (15 wks)

4. HOME TONIGHT
US Date: 25/09/1976 - Run: 86-73-73-*71* (4 wks)

5. WALK THIS WAY
US Date: 20/11/1976 - Run: 90-65-55-45-38-28-28-20-14-12- *10*-10-18-26-35-54-74 (17/2 wks)

6. BACK IN THE SADDLE
US Date: 09/04/1977 - Run: 84-70-60-50-*38*-38-59-73 (8 wks)

7. DRAW THE LINE
US Date: 22/10/1977 - Run: 79-68-57-47-*42*-42-42-59-65-98-98 (11 wks)

8. KINGS AND QUEENS
US Date: 11/03/1978 - Run: 84-74-72-*70*-70 (5 wks)

9. COME TOGETHER
US Date: 05/08/1978 - Run: 81-66-50-41-38-33-29-25-*23*-23-35-95 (12 wks)

10. CHIP AWAY THE STONE
US Date: 20/01/1979 - Run: 81-79-*77* (3 wks)

11. REMEMBER
US Date: 12/01/1980 - Run: 84-73-71-69-*67*-99 (6 wks)

12. WALK THIS WAY (by Run DMC Featuring Aerosmith)
UK Date: 06/09/1986 - Run: 37-15- 9-*8*-8-13-19-32-48-65 (10/3 wks)
US Date: 26/07/1986 - Run: 76-61-44-30-20-15-10-9-6-*4*-8-16-26-42-66-95 (16/5 wks)

13. DUDE (LOOKS LIKE A LADY)
UK Date: 17/10/1987 - Run: 59-50-45-52-60 (5 wks)
Re #01: 24/02/1990 29-*20*-21-32-45 (5 wks)
Total # of weeks: 10-5c
US Date: 03/10/1987 - Run: 84-74-64-57-46-41-33-27-22-18-*14*-14-14-14-18-31-43-62-88-100 (20 wks)

14. ANGEL
UK Date: 16/04/1988 - Run: *69*-73 (2 wks)
US Date: 30/01/1988 - Run: 81-58-54-48-39-36-30-23-20-16-12- 8-6-*3*-3-7-15-27-34-45-49-59-72-80-87 (25/5 wks)

15. RAG DOLL
US Date: 04/06/1988 - Run: 86-70-61-50-45-38-33-28-22-21-19-*17*-23-43-55-68-79 (17 wks)

16. LOVE IN AN ELEVATOR
UK Date: 09/09/1989 - Run: 34-23-17-*13*-17-27-39-56 (8 wks)
US Date: 02/09/1989 - Run: 56-46-39-28-21-16-11- 7-*5*-6-12-24-35-48-63-93 (16/3 wks)

17. JANIE'S GOT A GUN
US Date: 25/11/1989 - Run: 85-59-49-40-29-24-24-20-14-11- 5-*4*-5-14-26-38-64-82 (18/3 wks)

18. WHAT IT TAKES
US Date: 17/03/1990 - Run: 60-45-34-21-17-13-11- *9*-9-10-20-32-43-53-61-77-98 (17/3 wks)

---. RAG DOLL (re-issue)
UK Date: 14/04/1990 - Run: 57-*42*-52-73 (4 wks)

19. THE OTHER SIDE
UK Date: 01/09/1990 - Run: *46*-70 (2 wks)
US Date: 23/06/1990 - Run: 74-59-52-45-38-37-34-26-*22*-23-35-57-70-87-100 (15 wks)

20. LIVIN' ON THE EDGE
UK Date: 10/04/1993 - Run: *19*-24-33-45 (4 wks)
US Date: 10/04/1993 - Run: 67-46-34-29-24-22-22-19-*18*-18-23-28-30-41-53-59-70-83-82-85 (20 wks)

21. EAT THE RICH
UK Date: 03/07/1993 - Run: *34*-44-58 (3 wks)

22. CRYIN'
UK Date: 30/10/1993 - Run: 33-21-*17*-28-44-73 (6 wks)
US Date: 31/07/1993 - Run: 88-70-51-44-31-23-19-18-14-13-*12*-15-14-15-19-23-25-24-37-38-43-35- (22 wsf)
01/01/1994: 34-34-33-47 (26 wks)

23. AMAZING
UK Date: 18/12/1993 - Run: *57*-65-66 (3 wks)
US Date: 04/12/1993 - Run: 94-67-54-45-36-36-30-*24*-28-24-24-24-27-24-27-27-30-31-38-38-43 (21 wks)

24. CRAZY
US Date: 21/05/1994 - Run: 97-76-62-45-38-30-25-23-20-19-*17*-18-19-21-21-22-30-34-35-38-46-48-50 (23 wks)

25. SHUT UP AND DANCE
UK Date: 02/07/1994 - Run: *24*-27-51-69 (4 wks)

---. SWEET EMOTION (re-issue)
UK Date: 20/08/1994 - Run: *74* (1 wk)

---. CRAZY / BLIND MAN
UK Date: 05/11/1994 - Run: *23*-29-42-66 (4 wks)

26. BLIND MAN
US Date: 12/11/1994 - Run: 78-74-68-59-57-55-49-*48*-48-54-60-71-90-98 (14 wks)

27. FALLING IN LOVE (IS HARD ON THE KNEES)
UK Date: 08/03/1997 - Run: *22*-32-41-63 (4 wks)
US Date: 01/03/1997 - Run: 62-53-53-43-38-37-*35*-35-47-54-60-76-93-95-100 (15 wks)

28. HOLE IN MY SOUL
UK Date: 21/06/1997 - Run: *29*-52 (2 wks)
US Date: 23/08/1997 - Run: 58-*51*-54-59-67-71-77-84-82-76-87 (11 wks)

29. PINK
UK Date: 27/12/1997 - Run: 38-55 (2 wks)
Re #01: 26/06/1999 *13*-22-36-42-60-74 (6 wks)
Total # of weeks: 8-6c ()
Date: 28/02/1998 - Run: 36-29-*27*-31-36-38-52-62-64-70-85-92-94 (13 wks)

30. I DON'T WANT TO MISS A THING
UK Date: 12/09/1998 - Run: 12-14- 8-7-*4*-4-5-7-8-9-8-11-14-20-24-27- (16 wsf)
02/01/1999: 24-35-45-62 (20/9 wks)
US Date: 05/09/1998 - Run: *1*-1-1-1-2-3-3-4-5-7-11-11-12-37-46-60-72- (17 wsf)
02/01/1999: 82-77-67 (20/10/4 wks)

31. JADED
UK Date: 17/03/2001 - Run: *13*-25-39-50-60-65-72 (7 wks)
US Date: 27/01/2001 - Run: 58-37-28-22-20-18-18-17-16- 9-*7*-8-13-14-16-23-30-35-42-53 (20/3 wks)


* ALBUMS *
============

1. AEROSMITH
US Date: 13/10/1973 - Run: 190-188-185-179-175-170-169-167-166-174 (10 wks)
Re #01: 01/03/1975 181-171-160-150-139-139 (6 wks, 16 wsf)
Re #02: 20/09/1975 110-97-86-86-84-119-122-171 (8 wks, 24 wsf)
Re #03: 24/01/1976 188-149-136-126-100-77-67-57-29-23-*21*-21-22-22-27-38-56-52-52-50-48-48-45-70-70-80-78-88-86-141-139-187-185 (33 wks)
Total # of weeks: 57-33c

2. GET YOUR WINGS
US Date: 06/04/1974 - Run: 193-146-133-127-103-100-109-109-117-114-117-119-129-131-127-134-151-144-150-162-174-181 (22 wks)
Re #01: 19/10/1974 187-159-148-137-125-113-110-108-119-157-167- (33 wsf)
04/01/1975: 183-193-185-182-190-187-193-183-167-150-140-135-177-176-184-189 (27 wks, 49 wsf)
Re #02: 20/09/1975 103-91-80-76-*74*-106-106-115-191 (9 wks, 58 wsf)
Re #03: 31/01/1976 167-157-107-102-101-98-114-128-132-141-141-142-138-168-168-169-177-170-163-163-156-156-154-156-160-160-174-184 (28 wks)
Total # of weeks: 86-28c

3. TOYS IN THE ATTIC
US Date: 26/04/1975 - Run: 160-88-68-54-44-40-32-26-26-33-41-35-29-23-21-20-16-14-14-12-*11*-16-25-40-38-38-69-69-77-66-55-55-54-53-53-58- (36 wsf)
03/01/1976: 56-51-41-36-31-23-21-20-19-18-19-22-41-41-83-83-97-96-109-105-110-99-88-78-66-62-87-88-81-70-70-71-71-71-110-160-154-199-190-186-186-185-185-185-185-185-0-0-162-152-142-122- (86 wsf)
01/01/1977: 122-106-80-70-60-54-56-46-43-42-40-41-58-64-59-59-65-72-90-103-142-142-142-138-134-132-144-144-144-142-140-138-149-144-153-161-191-188-185-178-176-177 (128-82c wks)
Total # of weeks: 128-82c (Top 20: 11 Top 40: 30)

4. ROCKS
US Date: 29/05/1976 - Run: 25-17- 7-5-*3*-3-3-6-10-11- 9-9-8-15-15-15-15-17-17-18-27-56-55-66-110-104-95-93-93-89-89- (31 wsf)
01/01/1977: 89-79-68-64-62-66-65-65-63-72-67-79-121-162-159-155-155-199-199-198-197-195 (53/10-9c wks)

5. DRAW THE LINE
US Date: 24/12/1977 - Run: 48-48-20-16-14-*11*-11-11-18-37-51-62-61-84-96-116-112-112-122-178 (20 wks)

6. LIVE BOOTLEG
US Date: 11/11/1978 - Run: 62-37-31-23-18-17-16-16- (8 wsf)
06/01/1979: 14-*13*-13-17-17-31-50-51-73-86-129-156-179-198 (22 wks)

7. NIGHT IN THE RUTS
US Date: 01/12/1979 - Run: 115-46-21-19-19- (5 wsf)
05/01/1980: 16-16-*14*-14-20-26-25-31-31-76-96-108-137-181 (19 wks)

8. AEROSMITH'S GREATEST HITS
US Date: 29/11/1980 - Run: 85-70-61-*53*-53- (5 wsf)
03/01/1981: 53-63-73-73-73-84-110-145-157-178-193 (16 wks)
Re #01: 07/03/1987 161-159-154-161-156-161-163-171-187-185-176-168-171-182 (14 wks, 30 wsf)
Re #02: 01/08/1987 198-197 (2 wks, 32 wsf)
Re #03: 12/03/1988 169-169-173-181-179-187-176-182 (8 wks)
Total # of weeks: 40-16c

9. ROCK IN A HARD PLACE
US Date: 25/09/1982 - Run: 53-39-35-*32*-32-32-32-44-55-76-76-103-163-167- (14 wsf)
01/01/1983: 167-167-199-199-199 (19 wks)

10. DONE WITH MIRRORS
US Date: 30/11/1985 - Run: 67-60-39-37-*36*- (5 wsf)
04/01/1986: 36-36-46-64-64-67-64-63-62-71-67-67-66-65-85-85-113-128-134-165-196-199-190 (28 wks)

11. CLASSICS LIVE
US Date: 26/04/1986 - Run: 123-113-100-98-95-91-86-*84*-106-135-153-175 (12 wks)

12. PERMANENT VACATION
UK Date: 05/09/1987 - Run: *37*-57-80-0-0-88-97-94-72-78 (8-5c wks)
Re #01: 24/03/1990 39-42-51-58-69-67 (6 wks)
Total # of re-entries: 2
Total # of weeks: 14-6c

US Date: 19/09/1987 - Run: 100-41-28-27-21-18-14-12-13-*11*-11-11-11-15-13- (15 wsf)
02/01/1988: 13-16-16-17-17-20-19-19-19-18-17-18-19-23-22-17-15-13-12-13-17-20-23-27-29-32-36-32-35-34-36-36-35-35-33-33-34-35-40-49-57-64-68-74-94-115-125-155-174-181-0-197-197 (67-65c wks)

13. GEMS
US Date: 10/12/1988 - Run: 164-140-138-138- (4 wsf)
07/01/1989: *133*-144-154-155-152-170-189 (11 wks)

14. PUMP
UK Date: 23/09/1989 - Run: *3*-5-8-17-22-30-44-54-57-72-74-0-0-0-0- (11 wsf)
06/01/1990: 69-67-58-61-64-70-0-0-62-60-72 (20-11c/3 wks)
Re #01: 01/09/1990 51-61-68-73 (4 wks, 24 wsf)
Re #02: 04/03/1995 55-50 (2 wks)
Total # of re-entries: 4
Total # of weeks: 26-11c (Top 10: 3, Top 20: 4 Top 40: 6)

US Date: 30/09/1989 - Run: 23- 9-6-6-6-*5*-5-5-6-8-8-9-7-7- (14 wsf)
06/01/1990: 7-7-6-6-7-7-6-7-7-8-10-11- 10-8-8-8-9-9-13-13-16-14-15-19-21-20-19-17-18-19-20-19-19-19-20-20-22-28-30-36-45-49-61-78-81-95-101-119-124-130-120-120- (66 wsf)
05/01/1991: 121-96-103-110-124-116-114-142-156-155-154-155-162-158-183-160-192-0-0-0-125-128-128-134-140-153-150-158-159-178-181-139-175-169-163-161-175-172-177-190-183 (104-83c/30-29c wks)
Re #01: 14/12/1991 176-174-174-170-186-191 (6 wks)
Total # of re-entries: 2 (Top 10: 1)
Total # of weeks: 110-83c (Top 10: 30-29c, Top 20: 48 Top 40: 54)

15. PANDORA'S BOX
US Date: 07/12/1991 - Run: 80-64-48-48- (4 wsf)
04/01/1992: *45*-56-97-152-189 (9 wks)

16. GET A GRIP
UK Date: 01/05/1993 - Run: *2*-7-13-26-44-56-63-0-68-55-48-58 (11-7c/2 wks)
Re #01: 30/10/1993 70-61-56-59-74 (5 wks, 16 wsf)
Re #02: 22/01/1994 58-66-70-65-62-69-66-67-0-63 (9-8c wks, 25 wsf)
Re #03: 18/06/1994 49-57-29-33-32-33-33-41-42-47-52-64-65 (13 wks)
Total # of re-entries: 5
Total # of weeks: 38-13c (Top 10: 2, Top 20: 3 Top 40: 9)

US Date: 08/05/1993 - Run: *1*-2-3-2-3-6-6-8-11-11-14-15-20-19-13- 9-9-11- 9-11-11-12-13-16-18-19-24-29-31-31-33-36-27-24- (34 wsf)
01/01/1994: 19-17- 10-14-14-15-22-23-23-22-24-25-27-31-40-36-37-42-50-52-61-42-37-41-34-37-33-35-32-31-31-33-28-25-25-28-34-38-31-33-38-45-59-54-63-66-99-110-112-107-104-106-107- (87 wsf)
07/01/1995: 110-100-129-162-169 (92/12-9c/1 wks)
Top 10 re-entries: 3

17. BIG ONES
UK Date: 12/11/1994 - Run: *7*-12-11- 9-15-21-26-33- (8 wsf)
07/01/1995: 16-23-26-28-33-38-41-47 (16/2-1c wks) US:#6/48/5

US Date: 19/11/1994 - Run: *6*-8-8-11-12-12-15- (7 wsf)
07/01/1995: 15- 8-8-12-13-21-25-24-27-27-34-32-38-43-51-53-56-55-57-67-82-81-86-93-94-102-101-112-122-115-130-134-132-134-137-159-162-163-184-186 (47/5-4c wks)
Re #01: 13/01/1996 192 (1 wk)
Total # of weeks: 48-47c (Top 10: 5-4c, Top 20: 12 Top 40: 20)

18. NINE LIVES
UK Date: 22/03/1997 - Run: *4*-9-24-36-41-50-65-74-72-0-0-0-72 (10-9c/2 wks)
Re #01: 10/07/1999 73 (1 wk)
Total # of re-entries: 2
Total # of weeks: 11-9c (Top 10: 2 Top 40: 4)

US Date: 05/04/1997 - Run: *1*-5-8-12-14-18-23-39-46-44-42-28-26-35-40-39-40-38-35-41-49-56-55-66-68-68-74-79-87-88-90-86-113-115-121-127-113-104-83- (39 wsf)
03/01/1998: 79-83-83-74-69-65-64-64-62-72-77-84-91-95-104-110-97-106-138-144-170-165-164-152-162-159-158-155-166-156-165-173-180-186-196-0-0-0-179-180-198 (77-74c/3/1 wks)

19. A LITTLE SOUTH OF SANITY
UK Date: 31/10/1998 - Run: *36*-62 (2 wks)

US Date: 07/11/1998 - Run: *12*-36-71-91-103-110-107-119- (8 wsf)
02/01/1999: 114-110-113-130-138-153-165-181-166-158-175-178 (20 wks)

20. JUST PUSH PLAY
UK Date: 24/03/2001 - Run: *7*-26-36-49-72 (5/1 wks)

US Date: 24/03/2001 - Run: *2*-3-5-9-22-19-34-42-51-50-68-75-84-70-63-92-95-77-78-85-94-117-127-137-156-191-179 (27/4 wks)

21. YOUNG LUST - THE ANTHOLOGY
UK Date: 08/12/2001 - Run: 41-41-41-42- (4 wsf)
05/01/2002: 46-42-44-*32*-32-39-54-55-63-72 (14 wks)

US Date: 08/12/2001 - Run: *191* (1 wk)

22. O YEAH - ULTIMATE AEROSMITH HITS
UK Date: 03/08/2002 - Run: *6*-14-15-17-29-49-59-72 (8/1 wks)

US Date: 20/07/2002 - Run: *4*-10-13-19-23-27-42-47-58-41-47-54-76-90-87-101-121-132-160-166-163-162-123-137- (24 wsf)
04/01/2003: 118-142-145-145-145-156-175-186 (32/2 wks)


ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ
Recap of Aerosmith's Biggest Hits:

UK Albums
1. Get A Grip (#2/38,1993) 2. Big Ones (#7/16,1994) 3. Pump (#3/26,1989) 4. Young Lust - The Anthology (#32/14,2001) 5. O Yeah - Ultimate Aerosmith Hits (#6/8,2002)

US Albums
1. Get A Grip (#1/92,1993) 2. Toys In The Attic (#11/128,1975) 3. Pump (#5/110,1989) 4. Permanent Vacation (#11/67,1987) 5. Nine Lives (#1/77,1997)

US Singles
1. I Don't Want To Miss A Thing (#1/20,1998) 2. Cryin' (#12/26,1993) 3. Angel (#3/25,1988) 4. Dream On (#6/29,1973) 5. Crazy (#17/23,1994)

UK Singles
1. I Don't Want To Miss A Thing (#4/20,1998) 2. Walk This Way (#8/10,1986) 3. Love In An Elevator (#13/8,1989) 4. Dude (Looks Like A Lady) (#20/10,1987) 5. Pink (#13/8,1997)

ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ
Act Statistics
(#1 hits, top10, all hits, collaborations, weeks, all-time rank, first-last year, [B-sides])

UK Albums: 0 6 9 0 134 357 1987-2002
UK Singles: 0 2 18 1 102 402 1986-2001
US Albums: 2 7 22 0 978 27 1973-2003
US Singles: 1 8 28 0 429 74 1973-2001

Extra Albums:
JOE PERRY PROJECT

LET THE MUSIC DO THE TALKING
US Date: 22/03/1980 - Run: 131-110-80-59-54-48-*47*-72-99-119-135-168-182 (13
wks)

I'VE GOT THE ROCK 'N' ROLLS AGAIN
US Date: 18/07/1981 - Run: 177-145-128-112-104-*100*-101-113-144-175 (10 wks)


Aerosmith
Billboard ALBUM ROCK TRACKS (1981-1995)
Billboard MAINSTREAM ROCK TRACKS (1995-now)

Top 60 from March 1981 - August 1984
Top 50 from September 1984 - January 1992
Top 40 from January 1992 - now

Aerosmith is the #1 artist on this chart

Lightning Strikes
Entry: 09/10/1982
Album: Rock In A Hard Place
Peak: No. 21, 9 wks on chart

Let The Music Do The Talking
Entry: 02/11/1985
Album: Done With Mirrors
Peak: No. 18, 10 wks on chart

Shela
Entry: 21/12/1985
Album: Done With Mirrors
Peak: No. 20, 10 wks on chart

Dude (Looks Like A Lady)
Entry: 29/08/1987
Album: Permanent Vacation
Peak: No. 4, 10 wks on chart

Rag Doll
Entry: 12/09/1987
Album: Permanent Vacation
Peak: No. 12, 18 wks on chart

Hangman Jury
Entry: 14/11/1987
Album: Permanent Vacation
Peak: No. 14, 12 wks on chart

Rocking Pneumonia And The Boogie Boogie Woogie Flu
Entry: 23/01/1988
Album: Less Than Zero (Soundtrack)
Peak: No. 44, 2 wks on chart

Angel
Entry: 30/01/1988
Album: Permanent Vacation
Peak: No. 2, 14 wks on chart

Magic Touch

Entry: 21/05/1988
Album: Permanent Vacation
Peak: No. 42, 4 wks on chart

Chip Away The Stone
Entry: 26/11/1988
Album: Gems
Peak: No. 13, 12 wks on chart

Love In An Elevator
Entry: 02/09/1989
Album: Pump
Peak: No. 1 for 2 wks, 11 wks on chart

Janie's Got A Gun
Entry: 23/09/1989
Album: Pump
Peak: No. 2, 18 wks on chart

F.I.N.E. (Fucked-up, Insecure, Neurotic, Emotional)
Entry: 25/11/1989
Album: Pump
Peak: No. 14, 9 wks on chart

What It Takes
Entry: 13/01/1990
Album: Pump
Peak: No. 1 for 1 wk, 19 wks on chart

Monkey On My Back
Entry: 14/04/1990
Album: Pump
Peak: No. 17, 9 wks on chart

The Other Side
Entry: 16/06/1990
Album: Pump
Peak: No. 2, 16 wks on chart

Love Me Two Times
Entry: 25/08/1990
Album: Air America (Soundtrack)
Peak: No. 27, 6 wks on chart

Helter Skelter
Entry: 16/11/1991
Album: Pandora's Box
Peak: No. 21, 4 wks on chart

Sweet Emotion
Entry: 07/12/1991
Album: Pandora's Box
Peak: No. 36, 17 wks on chart

Livin' On The Edge
Entry: 10/04/1993
Album: Get A Grip
Peak: No. 1 for 9 wks, 20 wks on chart

Eat The Rich
Entry: 01/05/1993
Album: Get A Grip
Peak: No. 5, 18 wks on chart

Cryin'
Entry: 05/06/1993
Album: Get A Grip
Peak: No. 1 for 6 wks, 20 wks on chart

Fever
Entry: 04/09/1993
Album: Get A Grip
Peak: No. 5, 10 wks on chart

Amazing
Entry: 30/10/1993
Album: Get A Grip
Peak: No. 3, 24 wks on chart

Crazy
Entry: 21/05/1994
Album: Get A Grip
Peak: No. 7, 14 wks on chart

Deuces Are Wild
Entry: 15/01/1994
Album: The Beavis & Butt-Head Experience (Various artists)
Peak: No. 1 for 4 wks, 26 wks on chart

Blind Man
Entry: 05/11/1994
Album: Big Ones
Peak: No. 3, 16 wks on chart

Walk On Water
Entry: 28/01/1995
Album: Big Ones
Peak: No. 16, 7 wks on chart

Falling In Love (Is Hard On The Knees)
Entry: 01/03/1997
Album: Nines Lives
Peak: No. 1 for 5 wks, 26 wks on chart

Nine Lives
Entry: 19/04/1997
Album: Nines Lives
Peak: No. 37, 1 wk on chart

Hole In My Soul
Entry: 10/05/1997
Album: Nines Lives
Peak: No. 4, 17 wks on chart

Pink
Entry: 17/05/1997
Album: Nines Lives
Peak: No. 4, 29 wks on chart

Taste Of India
Entry: 13/12/1997
Album: Nines Lives
Peak: No. 3, 19 wks on chart

I Don't Want To Miss A Thing
Entry: 30/05/1998
Album: Armageddon (Soundtrack)
Peak: No. 4, 24 wks on chart

What Kind Of Love Are You On
Entry: 25/07/1998
Album: Armageddon (Soundtrack)
Peak: No. 4, 22 wks on chart

Angel's Eye
Entry: 28/10/2000
Album: Charlie's Angels (Soundtrack)
Peak: No. 4, 14 wks on chart

Jaded
Entry: 27/01/2001
Album: Just Push Play
Peak: No. 1 for 5 wks, 26 wks on chart

Just Push Play
Entry: 05/05/2001
Album: Just Push Play
Peak: No. 10, 15 wks on chart

Sunshine
Entry: 27/10/2001
Album: Just Push Play
Peak: No. 23, 10 wks on chart

Girls Of Summer
Entry: 01/06/2002
Album: O, Yeah! Ultimate Aerosmith Hits
Peak: No. 25, 11 wks on chart

Baby Please Don't Go
Entry: 20/03/2004
Album: Honkin' On Bobo
Peak: No. 31, 1 wk on chart *

* on chart

From: http://www.aeroforceone.com

I already have all this and probably more. I've been collecting chart data from around the world since the 70s (a lot of it is summarised on various web sections and there are various chart graph timelines of various albums - just didn't complete it for all of them. I've tended over the years to record the chart stats as they happen for various fans to get a feel how Aerosmith are doing worldwide etc) .

A lot of it I haven't got around to distributing or placing on the website - too many unfinished sections (maybe 50+). It just takes so much time to research (as one of those sad perfectionist people who isn't happy to distribute something unless 100% happy with the data) and when you shot yourself in the foot by not backing up your hard disk because of working/travelling too much, you deserve (as me personally) what you get when you loose 100s of hours of data/research when the harddisk dies big time and the last back up was 9 months back! For some sections (like last tour), the only copies of the html files were those on the web site. Whilst some real visual gems were lost (like someone sent me some b&w contact prints of a gig in late 72 or 73 - which ended up used on a vinyl boot) in a whole ton of email in my mailbox, at least I did archive away a stack of photos I was sent last year of b&w and colour photos (pretty much professional ones) from 80-84 for both the Joe Perry Project and Aerosmith. I must get those on the website especially the stack from the first reunion gig in 1984 - 20 years!!! doesn't time fly by! As I recall I did share some with a message board. No it looks as if those photos I didn't share and it was a few from Joe Perry Project days in 81 or so with Perry playing his infamous red BC Rich Bich (it was good to see him playing an upgraded model in 2002 during Edge). Check out:

http://www.cnewton.force9.co.uk/JPP/811211.htm

That's why I've been quiet on the airways and after 7 years, the website "Live For Ten" maybe coming to the end of its natural life. Currently it is carrying the latest tour setlists and tour stats plus an album page on the latest album. Like the last 3-4 albums, I will maintain Worldwide chart data as it happens but sadly lost my contact with access to the Top 200 soundscan data.

http://www.cnewton.force9.co.uk

1978 Aerosmith plays in Ontario Canada at Ontario Speedway (with Santana and Ted Nugent): Cal Jam II

1986 Aerosmith plays in Providence RI at the Civic Center (Ted Nugent opens)

1997 Nine Lives is released

Amazon.com posted that the limited edition import of Honkin' On Bobo has one additional track. Amazon.com does not have a track list posted, but other websites say that the bonus track is 'Jaded'.

After "Queer Eye for the straight guy" on Bravo, it goes to commercial and there's music and for a spilt second there's the Aerosmith logo.. then it was gone and another commercial came on. No clue what that was all about, has anyone seen or does anyone know if there will be a TV commercial out for the release of the new CD?

3/16/04 - Are We STILL in Texas?

PIC: jb-mar-JPradio.jpg

Yep! We are still in Texas!
After rehearsing in beautiful San Antonio we headed for Lubbock to start the tour. Lubbock as you know is the home of Buddy Holly. I wish I could think of something else to say about Lubbock, but we were only there for a cup of coffee. This time around the show is presented in a nice tight little package. The stage is streamlined and the sightlines are awesome. The blood stained deck that littered the stage last summer and fall has been replaced with Rick Nielsen's left over guitar picks that didn't make it into the audience. Do you people know how F'n good Cheap Trick is? Of course you do because your Rock fans. What a bill!

Aerosmith is playing an action packed 19 song set that is sure to grow as the tour goes on. Fever and The Other Side are getting some air time as well as new tunes like Road Runner and Never Loved a Girl.

After Lubbock we headed to El Paso. On Friday night Joe took the band and some crew members to one of his favorite Mexican restaurants, "KiKi's." The motley crew included Joe, Tom, Steven, Joey and crew members Donnie Wightman, Kripa Jones,Gary Gardner, Joe Sagara and yours truly. I ate so much that I was still stuffed the next day and had to sit down in shifts. Try the chicken mole.

El Paso is a funny town. It's like Worcester with cowboy hats! The crowd at the show were rabid and made the guys really fell like the city was behind them. Before the show Joe stopped by a radio station and played 5 or 6 songs off "Honkin.'" By the way, It's official that the "Rocksimus Maximus tour" has eased into the "How's it Honkin'? Tour.

Hidalgo was next. In case you don't now, Hildalgo is right next to McAllen Texas. Got it? Let's put it this way, To find Hidalgo in the US, start in Grand Forks, North Dakota and peddle straight down until your legs fall off. You can't get any further south without a passport. Needless to say the band has never played there. The show sold out in an hour and the place was rockin.' Although the set was the same as the previous 2 shows the guys played an impromptu version of the Beatles "Helter Skelter" that hasn't been played live in years. Dust off Pandora's Box and give it a listen.

Joe went by another radio station and played Roadrunner, Back Back Train, Stop Messin' and Never Loved a Girl. This guy has done more interviews lately than Larry King.

Keep it here for a recap week two in the next edition!

See You All on the Road!
John B.

From: http://www.aeroforceone.com

1990 Aerosmith plays in Vancouver Canada at Pacific National Exhibition Coliseum (Skid Row opens)

2001 Aerosmith plays Jaded and Big Ten Inch on Saturday Night Live in NYC

Aerosmith article from Laredo Morning Times below...

The following two links will take you to pdf-version of the actual pages from the paper, with the same text as below.
pasa5.pdf
pasa9.pdf
These links will only work until Friday

---

Aerosmith at LEC Wednesday
BY EMILIO RABAGO III
żQué Pasa? Int'l coordinator
Aeromith's veteran rockers, who have sold millions of records, thrilled hundreds of thousands of fans and inspired hundreds of bands, feel they haven't reached their pinnacle.

"There's still plenty to do in our records and our songwriting," bassist Tom Hamilton said during a telephone interview Tuesday from San Antonio. "Believe me. It feels like (when you make a record) you're never more than where you want to be. It's like you went through another year of college."
Hamilton - along with lead singer Steven Tyler, guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford, and drummer Joey Kramer - will make an appearance at the Laredo Entertainment Center Wednesday.

The band, which formed more than three decades ago, in 1970, is currently promoting "Honkin' On Bobo" a 12-track album which, ironically, contains only one original song and 11 classic blues tunes.
"It's an Aerosmith hard rock CD, buts very much in a blues flavor," Hamilton said. "We always wanted to make an album where we play some of our favorite blues songs and turn some of them into Aerosmith hard rock songs, while keeping them very authentic."

"It's hard-ass music, like our early days," he said, adding that most of the album was recorded last spring.
"Except for 'The Grind' (the new original song), it's a compilation of now-classic blues songs and very much a guitar album," Hamilton added.

The renowned bassist commented that although radio stations only play hit singles these days, the album will do well.

"The Aerosmith fans who hear this album are really gonna dig it," he said. "I think a lot of people are 'gonna dig it.

"This is another side of us that we want to show to the world and yet it sounds like typical Aerosmith. It's weird, the more we went back to learn all these blues songs, the more the music led back to ourselves," Hamilton said, citing Muddy Waters and Blind Willie McTell, among others, inspired the band to create this new album.

The living legends were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland some two years ago.

"It's funny 'cause I forgot about that," he quipped. "It's a great feeling to look back on that and remember that our peers thought enough of us to give us that pat on the back.

"I didn't get that emotionally attached to it, but once we were there, speeches were made and the jam was done at the end, there was such a great feeling of being part of the record business community," he said.

"That's when it hit me."

Aside from the induction, Hamilton said he is also proud of the awards the band has received throughout the years.

"I'm really honored. I'm not one of those people to get negative when we receive those awards," he said. "Some people need to belittle it to pretend they don't really care about it, but it's not the little thing you carry in your hand, it's the event, where all your peers from a business in which you work so hard to get good in, are all giving you hugs and a pats on the back. That's great."

The band's popularity has even spawned a Walt Disney World attraction, the "Aerosmith Rock 'n' Rollercoaster," which opened in Orlando in 1999.

"To me, that symbolizes the irony of being in Aerosmith and being in a rock band because we started out in a time when they never used music like ours in TV or movies or anything like that," he recalled. "When we were on the road, we didn't get a review, we only got a report of how many arrests there were at the show and now we're in Disney Land for God's sake!"

"I'm very flattered by the association that somebody would think that (Aerosmith) is connected to the thrills you get on a ride," he said.

One of the most unusual occurrences that Hamilton has experienced while on the road is when man passed his wooden leg to the stage out of excitement.

"We put it on the drum riser," he recalled. "It was hilarious, but at the same time, a very touching, warm moment."

According to Hamilton's story, the man asked for his leg back after two songs.

"We gave him a back stage pass and signed the leg afterwards."

Coming off a recent co-headlining tour with KISS, Aerosmith has a new production set for this upcoming tour which kicked off yesterday in Lubbock.

"We got an all new production. We have a really beautiful light show and excellent sound," he said. "We trying to create an intimate setting so we got these ramps that go out into the audience so that we can get close."

Hamilton noted that the "visually spectacular" show is not a Vegas-style show, without any pyrotechnics.
"We're psyched about playing smaller cities. All the cities that we're playing in this tour are all towns like Laredo, but we love it because the people are so much more enthusiastic."

From: http://www.lmtonline.com/quepasa/q3.htm

Sony Australia has this up on the website

Aerosmith Deliver Their Long Promised Blues Album
Aerosmith will finally come good and deliver the album of blues covers they've long promised to fans on April 5. "Honkin' On Bobo" will feature eleven classic blues tracks plus one brand spanking new Aerosmith tune, "The Grind".

A headsup was posted on AF1 board by aerolicious that just said "Thursday" - I checked the site and they indicate it is NEXT Thursday though.. Guess whoever announced it on air might not have made it clear WHICH Thursday.. Here is the actual announcement on the KLOS site:

Tune in to 95.5 KLOS on Thursday, March 25th at 8:00PM for a World Premiere of Aerosmith's latest: "Honkin' on Bobo"!

This is your chance to hear the album in its entirety and win a copy before it hits stores on March 30th, only from Southern California's #1 Classic Rock Station 95.5 KLOS.

From: http://www.955klos.com

Sony is offering Honkin' On Bobo on VINYL too so if you really want the old school raw sound..go for it...only $10!

http://www.sonymusicstore.com

Concert review
For 2 ageless bands, there will be no slowing down
Aerosmith, Cheap Trick rock the Don
Victor R. Martinez
El Paso Times

Yasmin A. Aboytes / El Paso Times
Aerosmith's Steven Tyler, right, and Joe Perry performed for more than 10,000 Saturday in the Don Haskins Center.

PIC

----------

Aerosmith and Cheap Trick fans of all ages -- mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, and if you looked closely enough, you may have even seen a grandmother or grandfather in the group (and we are not talking about the performers on stage) -- came out in full force Saturday night at the Don Haskins Center.

What made Saturday night's show, the second stop for Aerosmith and Cheap Trick on this 40-city North American tour, was the love and passion to entertain that both bands displayed. While most national bands appear to just go through the motions of doing their jobs, Aerosmith and Cheap Trick remain true to the music -- they have not forgotten why they do what they do.

Cheap Trick began the festivities with a solid 11-song, 45-minute set. The biggest cheers were reserved for favorites "I Want You to Want Me," "Dream Police," "The Flame" and "Surrender." Lead singer Rob Zander's voice was strong throughout and was especially vibrant on "The Flame," which got the biggest crowd response.

Other crowd favorites were "When You Need My Love," off the "Joe Dirt" soundtrack, "In The Street" -- yes, that is Cheap Trick covering the song for Fox's "That 70s Show" and two new songs, "Pop Girl" and "My Obsession."

The crowd of more than 10,000 was more than ready for one of the most famous pair of rock 'n' roll lips to come through El Paso in a long time.

Steven Tyler showed there is no slowing down.

The band -- Tyler; Joe Perry, guitar; Brad Whitford, guitar; Tom Hamilton, bass and Joey Kramer, drums -- emerged in front of the long platform that extended directly off the front of the stage, splitting the Don Haskins Center floor in two. The band played the first two songs, "Toys In The Attic" and "Love in an Elevator," close to the tip of the platform. They were so close, they might as well have been playing in an elevator.

The stage was set almost in the round, as tickets were sold in back of the stage for a full view of the band -- and the group used every inch of it.

It would be impossible to pick a portion of the one-hour, 45-minute, 19-song concert that would be considered the highlight.

There was just too much Aerosmith going on. There was Tyler playing to the crowd, close enough to almost kiss them, and simply the sheer power of a band that has been rocking for more than 30 years.

There were slight problems most of the night with Tyler's microphone, keeping him signing to the techs often, and they did not perform "Dude, Looks Like A Lady." But those were the only drawbacks.

Aerosmith dipped back into its early catalog with hits such as "Same Old Song and Dance," "Walk This Way," "Dream On" and "Sweet Emotion," the song the band ended the set with. The band came back on stage for a two-song encore -- "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" and "Train Kept a' Rollin'."

While many bands have scored their hits and faded away, Aerosmith and Cheap Trick offered a colorful past and, from the looks of things, a vibrant future.

From: http://www.borderlandnews.com

Sweet Emotion -- Aerosmith rocks sold-out crowd at Dodge Arena
March 16,2004
Rose Ybarra
The Monitor

HIDALGO - Lacey Shields arrived at Dodge Arena Monday night for an Aerosmith concert, clutching tickets for seats in the upper level.

But before Aerosmith took to the stage, the 17-year-old La Feria resident's tickets were upgraded to front row seats.

Shields said she was approached in the lobby by Aerosmith personnel.

"They said (Aerosmith lead vocalist) Steven (Tyler) wants a lot of girls in the front row, partying out," the pretty blonde said.

Shields said she gladly volunteered for the job.

A full house greeted Aerosmith and opening band Cheap Trick for the first rock concert in the young arena's history.

"All of our firsts have been big," said arena general manager Paul Davis. "Our first family show was Sesame Street Live, for boxing it was Oscar De La Hoya, for international music, it was Luis Miguel, for country, Alan Jackson and our first rock show is Aerosmith."

Attendees ranged from school-aged children to grandparents.

"We have grandfathers and grandsons here tonight," said arena assistant general manager Jeff Schumacher. "Aerosmith has three generations of fans."

Shields said her 53-year old father, who is also an Aerosmith fan, was surprised to learn his daughter wanted to attend the concert.

"I begged him to let me come to this concert," she said. "He asked, 'Are you sure you? I went to an Aerosmith concert in my younger days.'"

Jordan Garcia and Phillip Cofoid, both 16-year olds from McAllen, also attended the show.

Garcia said his favorite Aerosmith song is "Janie's Got a Gun."

His first memory of Aerosmith was when he was four.

"I remember seeing them on MTV," he said. "I've liked them since then."

Primera resident, Roel Gonzalez, 47, said he's been a fan of Aerosmith since the 1970s.

"I've liked them since Toys in the Attic," he said. "I'm an old man."

Aerosmith arrived at Dodge Arena with about 11 trucks and seven buses in tow.

"We spent hours setting up," Schumacher said. "By far it has been our largest set up to date."

Aerosmith kicked off their show on smaller stage set up in the middle of the floor, surprising the concert goers, who had already congregated around the main stage.

Wearing burnt orange skin-tight pants and a black top, Tyler opened the concert singing, "Toys in the Attic," followed by "Love in an Elevator," before the band moved to the main stage.

Other songs performed included, "Jaded," and "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing."

Aerosmith's set up included two large ramps, which the band members used periodically during the show.

But Tyler, the most famous member of the group, captured the audience's attention. All eyes followed him as he darted all over the concourse.

There were still some issues with parking and tickets for this show but Schumacher said these are "absolutely preventable."

"Whenever there's a sell-out, come early," he said.

Schumacher also advises using the little-known entrance from South 23rd Street, which he said would alleviate some of the traffic on South 10th Street.

Davis the strong attendance at virtually every arena event is sending a message to the brass of the entertainment industry.

"The people of the Rio Grande Valley are entertainment starved," he said. "They are saying, loud and clear, that they want to see great shows."

Davis said the arena could only benefit by having an Aerosmith concert under its belt.

"We made a lot of noise in the industry, with promoters and agents because of the way we sold out this concert," he said. "Many of them thought a secondary market couldn't support a concert like this. With that track record, we should draw more big-name artists."

From: http://www.themonitor.com

Aerosmith rocked this tiny complex of 6,000. Would that alter the set list? Let's see...

March 15th, 2004
Hidalgo, Texas
Dodge Arena

Toys In The Attic
Love In An Elevator
Back In The Saddle
The Other Side
Cryin'
Roadrunner
Jaded
Fever
Last Child
Stop Messin' Around
Never Loved A Girl
Livin' On The Edge
Dream On
Same Old Song And Dance
Baby Please Don't Go
Walk This Way
Sweet Emotion/Helter Skelter/SE
=====================
I Don't Want To Miss A Thing
Train Kept A Rollin'


Interesting Notes:
-Band played 2 complete verses of Helter Skelter in the middle section of Sweet E. Sounded REAL cool!
-Same set as previous 2, but REAL tight. There is a reason for the same sets being played, don't worry. They'll change in 1-2 gigs....

March 9th-March 15th AIRPLAY STATS:

ROCK RADIO AIRPLAY:

Last Week # 13 260 Spins (#1 song had 653 spins)
This Week # 4 431 Spins (#1 song had 660 spins)

#1 biggest gainer, #2 most added track to ROCK RADIO.

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

ACTIVE ROCK AIRPLAY:

Last Week # 48 190 Spins (#1 song was 1993 spins)
This Week # 30 457 Spins (#1 song was 1955 spins)

2nd biggest gainer, 2nd most added song to ACTIVE ROCK RADIO

Climbin'.....
Till next week....
The AeroFANatic

1986 Aerosmith plays in Springfield MA at the Civic Center (Ted Nugent opens)

2001 Aerosmith does a signing at Virgin Records in New York City

This news story was on the day after the concert. It's a clip from Love in an Elevator.

http://www.rickspringfieldfans.com/lubbock.rm

It's going to be up there a few days, so if anyone wants to save it and move it somewhere else, you are welcome to do it.

From: http://members.aol.com/dwmirrors/

For those who don't know about Lonnie Brooks or his son Wayne Baker Brooks... Lonnie's a grammy nominated Chicago blues legend... his style's kind of a funky, swampy blues syle. He's got 2 sons that are blues musicians in their own rights too... Wayne Baker Brooks & Ronnie Baker Brooks. They've appeared in many media outlets... to name a few: Lonnie was in Blues Brothers 2000, he's on Jamie Kennedy this Thursday the 18th, Wayne's in Barbershop 2.... They're definitely known in the rock n roll world...and have jammed or appeared with several: Eric Clapton for one & none other than Aerosmith in September 2002 at Alpine Valley

Per Ronnie's website:
Ronnie and Lonnie were invited up to jam with Aerosmith at Alpine Valley, in East Troy, Wisconsin on Saturday, September 14, 2002. Ronnie commented, "What an honor it was to jam with such legendary rockers that dig the blues!"

They played Stop Messin Around together...here's a link to backstage pics http://www.waynebakerbrooks.com

Alejandro Salmon from Buenos Aires, Argentina writes:

The big news here is about the selling of Honkin' On Bobo in the biggest music Store here named Musimundo. They made a promotion, when you buy the new album of Aerosmith on march 30th, they give you for free the same harmonica that's on the cover of the album !!! yeah!!! with the Aerologo.

I just checked back where Blabbermouth posted the 4 clips and every single one of the comments posted are POSITIVE. The people that post comments about Aerosmith there usually rip them to SHREDS!

click here

However when it came to the first night's setlist that they also posted on the site, the comments seem to mirror our own..not quite as positive as for the album.

click here

1978 Aerosmith plays in Seattle WA at Center Coliseum (Frank Morino and Mahogany Rush open)

1986 Aerosmith plays in New Haven CT at Veterans Memorial Coliseum (Ted Nugent opens)

1990 Aerosmith plays in Portland OR at Memorial Coliseum (Skid Row opens)

AEROSMITH: HAMILTON Speaks Out, Rehearsal Footage Posted Online - Mar. 13, 2004

AEROSMITH fan site Aeroforceone.com has posted video footage of bassist Tom Hamilton talking about the group's "Honkin' On Bobo" album and accompanying tour, as well as a video clip of the band rehearsing for the trek.

Check it out:
TOM TALK'S TOUR AND RECORD (High-Speed, Low-Speed)
TOUR REHEARSAL FOOTAGE (High-Speed, Low-Speed).

Gonzaloc want to let you know that he's updated his aero outtakes article, with some info from some guy who claims to have all Aero outtakes. Not sure if he's to be believed. Any way, his mails and the outtakes he claims to have are in the article, so check it..

He'll upload an mp3 of Wham Bam and Bacon Biscuit Blues soon, and there are some links to download songs from Permanent Outtakes and Pure Gold.999....

http://www.geocities.com/gonzaloc80/aeroout.htm

Check it out (choose high or low)

HIGH BANDWIDTH
LOW BANDWIDTH

Testing the Doctor's Patience? Cutup Steven Tyler, frontman for Boston-based Aerosmith, is serious when he says Zeitels is "monumental." Tyler's brother-in-law Mark DiRico (left) accompanied the singer to a recent appointment. (Photos / Christopher Churchill)

PIC Collage of 3

A Doctor for a Song
Singers from Julie Andrews to Cher and Frederica von Stade applaud Boston throat specialist and music lover Steven Zeitels for his voice-saving innovations.
By Janice Page, 3/14/2004

Dr. Steven Zeitels has a fan. Many fans, really, but on this January morning one fan of an especially vocal strain is invading the otherwise sterile aesthetic of an operating room at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.

The fan is cheering Zeitels on, offering words of encouragement that seem lifted from a pastel box of Necco candy hearts. "You're Superman!" and "Sweet!" he shouts as the world-class laryngologist works, expertly snipping away at a stubborn mass of scar tissue obstructing the airway of a blissfully unaware patient. Each gory moment is captured by a camera attached to a microscope that allows Zeitels to peer down the woman's throat into her voice box, transmitting to a spectator-friendly monitor that practically invites a running NFL-style play-by-play.

"Stevie Z, going long," the talkative fan obliges in Al Michaels fashion as the 46-year-old doctor threads a near-impossible stitch using Thumbelina-sized tools. "It's fourth down. There's a lot of yardage. I don't think it's possible."

Zeitels laughs off the background chatter and proceeds with the same steady, ambidextrous hands that used to carve leather goods with images of Joni Mitchell album covers for extra cash between classes at Boston University. He's sitting behind his patient, operating his instruments through jaws pried open by a tapered universal modular glottiscope that bears his name on the patent.

"Geez, that's hard, Steve. It's harder than Chinese algebra," the fan marvels as tiny scissors patiently make their way through stubborn, unwanted membrane. "Don't kid yourself, Steve loves the melodrama," he whispers to another observer. And finally, as the delicate stitch is nearly complete, this play-by-play man practically hyperventilates: "Comin' over the top!" and "Oh, this is huge!"

When the tricky three-hour procedure is done, Zeitels reports that he's reopened a nearly completely constricted airway to about 95 percent of its full range without resorting to lasers, which blast away healthy membranes along with the bad stuff. The middle-aged woman on his operating table will have to wait to find out whether biopsied tissues reveal any disease, and her tracheotomy tube won't be removed until her doctor is convinced that the mysterious growth won't reoccur, but for now, Zeitels looks pretty darn impressed with himself.

His fan looks impressed, too, though for a different reason.

"I'd sell my brother into slavery for vocal cords like that," says the tall, bespectacled onlooker as the monitor gives a now-unobstructed view of the woman's pristine cords, also known as vocal folds. This groupie is jealous because he knows enough to recognize folds that have been spared the abuses of high-impact singing seen so often in Zeitels's more famous patients.

A couple of technicians in the room chuckle under their surgical masks.

The line might be funny anyway, but it's an especially significant statement considering that the fan is folk-pop singer and longtime Boston fixture Livingston Taylor, and his singer-songwriter brother is Sweet Baby James.

It isn't every laryngologist -- or voice doctor, in less fancy terminology -- who operates for a celebrity audience. Zeitels is unique, and not just because he lets hyper-curious celebs like Livingston Taylor hang around the OR when it's not the singer's own turn under the knife. Recognized among the top physicians in his field, Zeitels is laryngology's premier historian, a prolific inventor, and the guy at the forefront of research that may revolutionize the way impaired voices are treated by doctors everywhere.

His client list includes not only the Taylor brothers (Livingston had surgery for vocal fold hemorrhaging and says that James has consulted the specialist, too) but also Cher, Steven Tyler, Gary Cherone, and assorted other pop/rock singers. Among 400-plus entertainers who've sought him out for surgeries in the past decade are Broadway musical actors, broadcasters, a singing clown, and several internationally famous classical vocalists. Most Wednesdays, the doctor's clinical offices at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary sing out with at least a few crooners demonstrating their range. Often, the place sounds more like an audition hall than a hospital.

Zeitels makes a point of saying that performers represent only about 25 percent of his practice; the other 75 percent is made up of equal parts cancer patients, those with neurological disorders such as paralysis, and non-entertainment-related heavy-voice users such as lawyers and teachers. And while some in the media like the shorthand label of "voice doctor to the stars," the vast majority of his artist patients don't have instant name recognition.

Still, he sees his share of famous faces, and when you operate on celebrities in jeopardy of losing their careers, you do tend to get noticed. This was true even before Zeitels found himself in front of TV news cameras in June 2002, fielding questions alongside Julie Andrews.

Andrews is the most high-profile of Zeitels's current patients. Much has been reported about her struggle to regain her singing ability after disastrous surgery by another doctor to remove noncancerous nodules on her vocal cords in 1997. Now, Zeitels is both her personal touchstone and the surgical face on an initiative called the Voice Restoration Program, heralded at that June press conference for bringing together some of the best minds in Boston medicine and science -- Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Robert Langer, Massachusetts General Hospital's R. Rox Anderson, and MEEI's Robert Hillman, James Kobler, and James Heaton, among them -- to develop implants capable of restoring vocal fold pliability as never before. Zeitels and his colleagues have asserted that the team could even create a kind of "super singer," an experienced vocalist whose instrument is ageless and invincible.

For vocal folds to function optimally for phonation, "they have to close, and they need to be pliable," Zeitels says, explaining how air pushed up from the lungs through the windpipe causes vibration in the vocal folds, forming a vocal signature when it reaches resonating chambers in the mouth and nose. "The only thing we can do today [to influence pliability] is remove or reposition something. In the future, what you put in will be just as important as what you take out." And what the Boston team envisions putting in is some magic combination of biomaterials, which they're improving rapidly enough for Zeitels to hope could lead to clinical trials this year.

In the meantime, there are other things for the surgeon and his team to crow about, including his and Anderson's recent success using a pulsed-dye laser to normalize vocal-fold growth abnormalities without removing or burning them, and promising gains in eradicating early vocal cord cancer by cutting off blood to the tumor. Next month, the Annals of Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology will report Zeitels's groundbreaking employment of the pulsed-dye laser to treat the abnormalities in-office, under local anesthesia.

"I don't think I've ever met a man more dedicated or focused," Andrews says in a voice that, while still a little rough around the edges, is "less gravelly and growly," thanks to Zeitels.

Andrews has lent her marquee name and support to the initiative not just because it may one day restore her own singing voice, but because there are thousands whose prognoses may be improved and thousands more whose phobias, lack of awareness, and limited expectations keep them from seeking treatment today.

"Let me just say that [singing again] would be icing on the cake; it would be miraculous," she admits. "But I'm not wildly hoping for it, and I'm very grateful that I'm as busy as I am."

It's the sort of statement you'd expect from this grande dame of stage and screen, and yet her selfish fans can't help but wonder: Aside from acting regal in teeny-bopper movies and squeezing out a few bars during holiday variety shows, is she all done as an entertainer?

"Not necessarily" is all Zeitels will say. But he smiles a little and rubs his trim red beard as he says it, in a way that burnishes the words with confidence and possibility.

That's really Zeitels's specialty, when you get right down to it: hope.

He's the doctor of last resort for most of the patients he sees, sometimes sweeping up after botched surgeries, years of misdiagnosis, and failed treatment. It's not uncommon for a performer to call him in the middle of a tour or recording session, needing immediate help to save a career.

Zeitels has the bravado and the sort of background the rich and famous look for. He grew up in New Rochelle, New York, the son of an orthodontist (father) and a teacher (mother). He comes with the usual wall of degrees and awards, and his credentials, besides being director of the division of laryngology at MEEI, include associate professor at Harvard Medical School and author of the coffee-table-sized Atlas of Phonomicrosurgery. In addition to redesigning many of the tools he uses for surgery, from suspension gallows to infusion needles, he's designed almost 20 different procedures and operations.

But most important to his patients is Zeitels's combination of knowledge, enthusiasm, and bedside manner. Even Steven Tyler, not prone to squishy praise, calls his hometown laryngologist "a wonderful guy" who's "monumental to me." (The Aerosmith frontman also recalls how he first sought out Zeitels with a sinus infection several years ago -- "I went to somebody in Boston because here I am living in the town everybody goes to when their ass is falling off" -- so you know it really is him on the other end of the phone.)

Zeitels's approach does have its detractors, however.

Los Angeles-based voice specialist Morton Cooper, a PhD who calls himself "the nonmedical voice doctor to the stars," argues that most noncancerous vocal problems are fixable by modifying voice technique. What's more, this 73-year-old author of Change Your Voice, Change Your Life and Stop Committing Voice Suicide, with a client list that runs from Kirk Douglas to O.J. Simpson, objects to the "medicalization of voices" by surgeons such as Zeitels.

"You don't do surgery on a leg cramp; a failing voice is a voice cramp," Cooper says flatly. He adds that Zeitels and his team are "asking for a disaster" with their super-singer notions, and he suggests this radical research approach: "If you think it's so successful, doctor, why don't you try [the implant] on yourself?"

Zeitels's unflappable response: "First, we're not taking people who don't need surgery and giving them surgery; we're taking people who can't function anymore, and we think the result will bring them back ... better than you thought.

"Second, I am actually looking forward to having the [implant] procedure done on myself, probably within the next 10 years, because my vocal stamina has substantially reduced from being on the lecture circuit for 15 years."

In Zeitels's spacious seventh-floor office, celebrity images are everywhere that typical doctor clutter isn't. Arranged on a table, pictures of Andrews and Tyler share space with an infant laryngoscope circa 1913, part of a collection of scary-looking medical gadgets. A candid of President Clinton jabbering intently into Zeitels's ear and a 19th-century portrait of Jacob Solis-Cohen, America's first specialized head and neck surgeon, seem oddly OK working the same room as an 8-by-10 of musical headbangers Van Halen.

This office is the grand junction of Zeitels's life, where his professional accolades collide with his proudly assembled famous-client list, a passion for antiquing (Gustav Stickley furniture, in particular), and evidence that he's a newlywed, married in June to a Chilean otolaryngologist -- otherwise known as an ear, nose, and throat woman -- who understands his 24/7 career.

He manages about five hours of sleep a night, wife Maria Zeitels reports, but "his mind is always busy." So busy that she concedes it isn't easy to find time for the things they both enjoy -- walks, movies, a wide range of music, and her home cooking. While she studies for equivalency exams that would enable her to practice medicine in the United States, he zooms ahead on the self-obsessed, star-surgeon fast track. He's "really trying" to find balance, she insists. Maybe, but to the casual observer, it's hard to see the scales leveling anytime soon.

"I have three parts to my life: patients, discovery and research stuff, and teaching other surgeons," Zeitels says. And yes, he's talking about his professional life, though the obsession does seem to bleed out to where even his colleagues and patients find it pervasive. "I used to tell him: You're not just committed, you're obsessed," says Robert Hillman, director of the voice and speech laboratory at MEEI and Zeitels's longtime colleague. And like most zealots, Zeitels doesn't shy from talking about his obsessions or himself, at great length.

Mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves says: "I'm an opera singer, and I love what I do. But if [Zeitels] gets you on the phone and he starts talking about vocal cords, you've just got to make sure you block out three or four hours, because he'll talk your ears off about it."

Graves, who was hemorrhaging into her vocal cords before Zeitels performed surgery in 2001, indulges her long-winded doctor, because she says he understands the special concerns of opera singers, whose voices must be note-perfect every time. "It's about the art of beautiful singing, so any little thing that goes awry is noticeable in the operatic singing voice," she explains.

Frederica von Stade, another well-known mezzo-soprano on Zeitels's patient roster, agrees and adds that the doctor's voice project perhaps resonates with classically trained singers in a way that few others can appreciate.

"The strides he's trying to make might seem very specific and not as important as heart or cancer research," she says, "but the voice is the expression of the soul, and it affects many more people than those who use it to perform with. Just the thought of not being able to express yourself with your voice is awful."

Von Stade, who has been seeing Zeitels for more than 15 years, recalls one clinic visit when he had her sing the entire "Voi che sapete" aria from Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro. It's this kind of attention and appreciation for the craft of singing that von Stade says sets him apart from other laryngologists.

Despite having no practical voice training himself, Zeitels appears to have earned the trust and respect of singers who play to sold-out arenas worldwide.

Cher, for example, pays him the ultimate rock compliment when she says, "He's like a lead guitar player; he's got that kind of ego." The kind of ego that invites headaches by courting divas as patients? "Yeah, but he eats it with a spoon," she answers admiringly. "The more challenged he is, the more excited he is."

Frequently, the challenges show up at his doorstep without a lot of warning. Cher, for example, made an emergency bus trip from Chicago to Boston during her current "farewell" tour, unhappy that another doctor had instructed her to fly with a sinus infection that turned out to be coupled with a slight vocal cord hemorrhage. Zeitels prescribed medications, rest, and diet changes that had her back onstage in a couple of weeks.

And on rare occasions the mountain even goes to Mohammed. Two years ago, Zeitels spent two days on tour with Aerosmith. Steven Tyler explains: "I said, 'I want you to live with me; I want you to see the amount of [vocal fold] swelling before, after, and during the show, so you know exactly how my body works with the amount of abuse I give myself.' I wanted him to have that diagnostic information."

Zeitels says the experience was illuminating and invaluable, not to mention undeniably cool -- even to a physician whose personal tastes favor lower-decibel Steve Winwood.

In the 11th-floor clinic where Zeitels tends to patients at MEEI each Wednesday, a hopeful pop/R&B singer gets the same treatment and access to cutting-edge technologies as a rock legend.

"Sing something," Zeitels tells Hassan Sleiman, a 27-year-old New Yorker in search of a recording contract. "Umm ... well.... My wife's birthday was Monday, and we were a little bit bad, so I'm a little tired right now," confesses Sleiman, known professionally as Haaz.

Zeitels refrains from lecturing. "Sing anything," he gently insists.

When Sleiman finally lets it rip, he unleashes melismatic trills that seem at least good enough to get him into a boy band. The untrained listener would never guess that the singer is using only a fraction of his vocal cord function, or that he couldn't hit a controlled note before Zeitels removed scar tissue nearly three years ago. But via a stroboscope that makes rapid movements visible, anyone can see that Sleiman's cords aren't vibrating evenly.

For most people, that's undoubtedly a very livable condition. Just as, for most people, the clinic's professional voice studio, with its upright Yamaha piano and soundproofed walls, is only interesting when Julie Andrews stops by to attempt some vocal gymnastics for her speech pathologists. But for Sleiman, "livable" isn't going to sustain his artistic side. So if and when there's an implant ready, this young singer says he hopes to be first in line.

That makes Zeitels smile and sigh at the same time. "I've got a list like you wouldn't believe," he says.

Janice Page a former arts and entertainment editor for the Los Angeles Times, is a freelance writer living in Brookline.

From: http://www.boston.com

Opening Night Honkin' On Bobo Tour - Lubbock, TX 3/11/04 from Aerosmith.com:
(select high-dsl/cable or low dial-up bandwidth for each)

Crowd Shots / Pre-Show
LOW Bandwidth
HIGH Bandwidth

Road Runner
LOW Bandwidth
HIGH Bandwidth

Never Loved A Woman
LOW Bandwidth
HIGH Bandwidth

Baby, Please Don't Go
LOW Bandwidth
HIGH Bandwidth

Crowd Shots / Post-Show
LOW Bandwidth
HIGH Bandwidth

From: http://www.aerosmith.com

At Sony Music Store, you can also order a Vinyl edition of Bobo. Its cheap too, less than $10 bucks.

Got this mail today:

"I want to get a hold of someone about the Anthology cd I bought because it came with the same disc, the first one. I went to a best buy store in Madison, Wi and we opened 16 of tham and they where all the samething we could only fine ones that only had 2 copy's of the first disc so I was wondering who I can contact to express my fustration because I tried to find the cd a bunch of other places but they did not have it available."

I couldn't help her with her question. If you can, please drop med an e-mail!

* Singer Bituin Escalante from the Philippines chose Aerosmith's Crazy and Pink videos as her #5 and #4 for her Top 5 Favorite videos when she was featured in the show Star Myx over music channel MYX.

* Also, actress Danica Sotto here in the Philippines picked Aerosmith's Crazy as her #1 favorite video when she was featured in the show Star Myx over music channel MYX in another episode.

March 13th, 2004
El Paso, Texas
UTEP Don Haskins Center

Toys In The Attic
Love In An Elevator
Back In The Saddle
The Other Side
Cryin'
Roadrunner
Jaded
Fever
Last Child
Stop Messin' Around
Never Loved A Girl
Livin' On The Edge
Dream On
Same Old Song And Dance
Baby Please Don't Go
Walk This Way
Sweet Emotion
=====================
I Don't Want To Miss A Thing
Train Kept A Rollin'

Interesting Notes:
-Same set as Lubbock
-Tyler messed up Other SIde and Emotion. Too frenzied!
-Sound not to good in arena
**Thanks to Bob and Lea for the hookups**

Aerosmith, Cheap Trick battle ups and downs, but stay strong with music
By Victor R. Martinez
El Paso Times

One of the worst things that can happen to Aerosmith bass player Tom Hamilton is seeing the band on a VH1 special.

You know, maybe "Bands Reunited" or "Behind the Music."

The band meets all the requirements - infighting, drug rehab and a revolving door for bandmates.

Success has not been easy for the Hall of Fame bad boys from Boston - Hamilton, bass; Steven Tyler, vocals; Joe Perry, guitar; Brad Whitford, guitar; and Joey Kramer, drums.

"We didn't really survive it, we kind of just tolerated it and rolled with it," Hamilton said by phone from the band's studio in Boston. "It was typical rock band development. There was a lot of personal resentment coming up. We went through a period of non-communication but we kept going, playing good and acting like we were supposed to act."

Aerosmith will perform with Cheap Trick Saturday at the Don Haskins Center on the second stop of a 40-city North American tour, which started Thursday in Lubbock.

"Tom said that?" Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen said jokingly by phone from Daytona Beach, Fla. "That's what I was going to say. But really, we've had lots of ups and downs ourselves. We've done some records that have done well and records that have done terrible, but we keep making records."

The fact that the bands are still performing for overwhelming crowds is great in itself.

"We did not pursue other things in life because we enjoy what we are doing," Nielsen said. "The bad parts of it we don't talk about and you wouldn't want to hear about. Ninety-nine percent of the people who come to see us wish they were on stage, too, and the other 1 percent are on stage anyway. We can't get rid of them."

Aerosmith's tour comes on the heels of their co-headlining bill with KISS, which landed in Pollstar's top 10 highest-grossing tours for 2003.

The band took a short break - they have been touring steadily since 2001 - to work on its new release, the blues-inspired "Honkin' On Bobo." It should be in stores March 30.

The album's 12 tracks, including such classics as "Baby Please Don't Go," "Eyesight To The Blind" and "Road Runner." It also features a new Aerosmith original "The Grind."

"It was a real challenge," Hamilton said of mixing the album. "Most of these recordings were made after these artists had been touring the roadhouses and playing every night for years. It is a very down-home album with some of the songs and some of the things are updated blues/rock riff songs."

Despite being labeled as the "Honkin' On Bobo" tour, Aerosmith will still perform mega-hits "Walk This Way," "Sweet Emotion," "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)," "Janie's Got a Gun," "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing," "Love in an Elevator" and "Dream On."

"It's a funny thing, most people think any given tour is based on a new album," Hamilton said. "We've never been into that because, frankly, when people hear a lot of material that they haven't had a chance to digest and listen to on a record, they just don't seem that interested. We'll play as much as the new material as the audience is into."

Cheap Trick - Nielsen, guitar; Robin Zander, vocals/guitar; Bun E. Carlos, drums; and Tom Petersson, bass - has four platinum albums, seven gold records and several hit songs such as "Surrender," "I Want You to Want Me, " "Ain't That a Shame" and the No. 1 single "The Flame."

"We'll play whatever Tom Hamilton writes for us for a set list," Nielsen joked. "And if we don't like that, we'll go ask Steven or Joey or Joe Perry and if we don't like that, we'll go ask one of the guys in the crew."

From: http://www.elpasoentertainment.com

1978 Aerosmith plays in Seattle WA at Center Coliseum (Frank Morino and Mahogany Rush open)

1986 Aerosmith plays in Salisbury MD at the Civic Center (Ted Nugent opens)

1990 Aerosmith plays in Tacoma WA at the Tacoma Dome (Skid Row opens)

1998 Aerosmith plays in Yokohama Japan at Yokohama Arena

2004 Aerosmith plays in El Paso TX at UTEP Dan Haskins Center (Cheap Trick open)

If you search news sites/wires, blabbermouth.net's (part of Roadrunner Records) stories often come up early in the searches though a lot of the "news" posted on there is taken from various fan sites, etc. Well guess what folks! They posted the 4 full clips. The GOOD part of this...right under the story is a comment section. USUALLY any time they post an Aerosmith story on there (quite often actually) the comments are really rude to Aerosmith. The first few posted under THIS story after people LISTENED to the tracks, are good! That right there shows how this album COULD turn this band around in the right direction again, providing they up the ante on the live shows too a bit. Anyway, here is the story, the link follows and since it's up on a "news" site, I think it would be cool if fans post their input in the comments section so perhaps SONY people will stumble upon it. It is reported like Sony "offered up" the tracks but knowing the usual sources for this site...nope..they got em from us, that fans LOL.

AEROSMITH: Four Complete 'Bobo' Tracks Posted Online - Mar. 11, 2004

Sony Music has posted four complete cuts from AEROSMITH's much-anticipated blues album, "Honkin' on Bobo", in streaming Windows Media format. Check them out:

01. Road Runner (Windows Media)
02. Baby Please Don't Go (Windows Media)
03. You Gotta Move (Windows Media)
04. Stop Messin' Around (Windows Media)

As previously reported, the disc, due on March 30 through Columbia, will feature classic blues songs by MUDDY WATERS, FISHER/HOPKINS, BLIND WILLIE MCTELL and others done AEROSMITH-style, and one original, a track called "The Grind" (a.k.a. "Into The Grind")

All songs were produced by Tyler, Perry with Jack Douglas except "Baby, Please Don't Go" and "Stop Messin' Around", which were produced by Tyler, Perry and Frederiksen. The album was mixed by Marti Frederiksen at Pandora's Box and the Attic and was mastered by Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering in Portland, ME.

From: http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com

That's right! Aerosmith kicked off their 2004 Honkin On Bobo WORLD TOUR tonight in Lubbock, TX. It is the band's 1st stop to this city in over 10 years, and we KNOW they didn't dissapoint. Some 15,000 fans in the sold out United Spirit Arena caught a glimpse of the action....and the action was.....

March 11th, 2004
Lubbock, Texas
United Spirt Arena

Toys In The Attic
Love In An Elevator
Back In The Saddle
The Other Side
Cryin'
Roadrunner
Jaded
Fever
Last Child
Stop Messin' Around
Never Loved A Girl
Livin' On The Edge
Dream On
Same Old Song And Dance
Baby Please Don't Go
Walk This Way
Sweet Emotion
=====================
I Don't Want To Miss A Thing
Train Kept A Rollin'

Interesting Notes:
-HUGE reception for the opening notes of IDWTMAT
-Knock knock jold by Steven "Knock Knock" Who's there? "Little Boy Blue" Little boy blue who? "Michael Jackson". hahahahhaa
- The band has played The Other Side on the 1st night of the last THREE tours now, and in the previous 2 tours...that was the only night the song was played. We'll see if that trend holds true on Sat night...

*** Thanks to LEA for the REPORTING***

Aerosmith kicks off tour with a bang
BY WILLIAM KERNS
From Lubbock online
A-J ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

The only one who seemed at all unhappy with Thursday night's Aerosmith/Cheap Trick double bill at the United Spirit Arena, even for a short time, was Rick Nielsen, the latter band's lead guitarist.

Aside from Cheap Trick not earning the crowd's involvement until halfway through its 45-minute set, Nielsen recognized quickly that even Lubbock's hard core rock 'n' roll fans were not about to turn on Texas Tech men's head basketball coach Bob Knight.

Surprised by boos when he labeled Thursday a good night because Knight wasn't in the house, he tried to explain that the band had wanted six days in the venue "for rehearsal and having fun, but Bobby Knight said no."

Cheap Trick probably did not need more rehearsal as much as perhaps a juggling of its set list, as the crowd did come alive during the sixth of 10 songs, "I Want You To Want Me."

PIC Robin O'Shaughnessy / A-J Photo
Aerosmith band members Joe Perry, Steven Tyler and Tom Hamilton, from left, ignite fans enthusiasm Thursday at the United Spirit Arena.

Attitude also played a big role. Nielsen didn't appear to be having a good time even when Robin Zander's vocals were clicking.

Here's hoping Nielsen was taking notes Thursday as headliner Aerosmith opened its 2004 tour with an energy-fueled, high-powered combination of rock and blues that grabbed the sold-out venue from the first song and never loosened its grip.

If nothing else, Aerosmith's members proved that, with more than three decades in the business, they still know how to both have a good time and supply a good time. Never content to stand in place or simply recite familiar lyrics, Aerosmith puts on a show.

Even the familiar worked, and new material proved that Aerosmith has no intention of relying solely on the past. Indeed, the songs debuted from its not-yet-released album "Honkin' on Bobo" gave Joe Perry a chance to click with even longer blues guitar solos.

Singer Steven Tyler may have eliminated his flips from past performances of "Walk This Way." But after 90 minutes of blowing and going, working every corner of the stage and running down runways, he helped the band jack up the pace with "Walk This Way" and this time raced the length of the stage and a catwalk to fly over the crowd on a trapeze.

The band was once known as a poor man's Stones and still lives up to the title of Bad Boys of Boston. But co-founders Tyler and lead guitarist Perry, along with the other original members - guitarist Brad Whitford, bassist Tom Hamilton and drummer Joey Kramer - made it clear Thursday that the odds just haven't been made that they can't defy.

Old and new songs alike came across as fresh, cool and tough.

By stressing music over the parties of old, Aerosmith also is one of the few groups to reach a new generation. Perry and Tyler are old enough for AARP benefits; there's a better likelihood of teenagers thanking their parents for turning them on to their Aerosmith records.

Some things haven't changed. It's a new tour, but the five-man band still kicks off the show by grouping together on a platform in the center of the arena floor - then parading down a lengthy runway to the stage.

Tyler rarely lets go of his ribbon-strewn microphone stand. Wearing fringed, jeweled pants, dozens of bracelets and often trailing a feather boa, his movements are unpredictable, if often sexually charged, and his voice seems as strong as ever.

Yes, the scream is still there, but Tyler also capably handles tunes with long lines of challenging lyrics, communicating on an emotional level even on the run.

"Joe Perry! Serenade me!" Tyler calls out at one point.

Yet Perry's guitar work is a rock and blues serenade for 15,000-plus all night long.

If Aerosmith had a problem, it was probably deciding which songs not to play after such a lengthy career. That problem won't go away, with "Stop Messin' Around" and "Never Loved a Girl," two brilliant additions from the new blues CD.

The new tour opened in Lubbock in exciting fashion.

From: http://www.lubbockonline.com

1986 Aerosmith plays in Worcester MA at The Centrum (Ted Nugent opens)

1990 Aerosmith plays in Sacramento CA at ARCO Arena (Skid Row opens)

1998 Aerosmith plays in Yokohama Japan at Yokohama Arena

That review I posted yesterday is a fake, it was done by someone on the Sony boards who listened to the 30 second samples. Sorry for the confusion!

Here are links to streaming versions of the FULL TRACKS from Honkin' On Bobo for the following four songs! I f'ing LOVE THIS THING! =)

Hurry and listen in case SONY pulls 'em down since they loaded them onto their site only in preparation for a contest where you can listen to ONE per WEEK until the release from www.aerosmith.net. Stop Messin' Around wasn't uploaded for that reason.. not sure on that one but folks kinda "cracked" the hints to get these streams. So hurry and listen to them before they disappear! They are only linked as "stream" not straight MP3s but still..they might freak SONY out. GREAT STUFF!

I smell a HUGE EMAIL campaign coming on to let STEVEN, SONY and MANAGEMENT know how much this shit ROCKS and how much we LOVE IT! What a breath of fresh Aero air! Enjoy!

ROAD RUNNER
BABY PLEASE DON'T GO
YOU GOTTA MOVE
STOP MESSIN' AROUND


If you got a slower internet connection, just change that "100" in the link for "56".. it will work too. These links are for "Windows Media Player"..

---

As mentioned above, the reason those tracks are up on SONY's site in stream format. They are planning a contest for everyone to listen to ONE SONG PER WEEK..so all we did was speed it up to FOUR in ONE DAY LOL. Here's the contest wording on www.aerosmith.net

COUNTDOWN, LISTEN & WIN CONTEST
Do you wanna be the first to check out 3 new Aerosmith tracks? Then click on this link for a new song each week. You can listen to "Baby, Please Don't Go" beginning 3/9/04. There will be two more songs...."You Gotta Move" on 3/16/04 and "Road Runner" on 3/23/04. Each will be available for your listening pleasure for one week! In addition, by entering to win, you'll have the chance to win a Sony Home Theater in a Box, as well as a copy of Honkin' on 'Bobo, the new album in stores March 30th. 10 runners up will receive a copy of the CD.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN AND WIN!

And boy did we LOL! Not to just the one being featured THIS week though...SSSHHH

The setlist planned sounds...uh..interesting (GAG material?). Not sure he's right about how often they change it though..except maybe the first couple of weeks!

4.10.04 (Typo on main page - s/b 3/10/04) - Don't Mess with Texas!

Back to work!
The band got back to work last week in preparation of the new "Honkin' on Bobo" tour. They started out rehearsing in their Boston studio last Thursday and Friday. While the days were spent mainly dealing with the business side of touring, merchandise, production and publicity the guys did manage to shake off some rust and do what they do best "Rock!". They went over quite a few songs from "HOB" and a few that they have been trying to get in the set for years.

On Monday we flew down to San Antonio to rehearse at Freeman Coliseum. This place was built in the 40's and it was the perfect venue to put up the greatest show on earth and give it a test ride.

After horns were blown and tires were kicked the band turned up the volume and went through the set that may well be the set Thursday in Lubbock.

All the hits will be there as well as some dusted off gems from PUMP and Get a Grip that the fans have been waiting to hear for some time. As you all know the boys change the set like Dennis Rodman changes hair styles so if you go to a few different shows your sure to see a different set. This time around the feel is more intimate. Your still gonna get a big rock show but you also get the feeling the band could be playin' in a small club.

The guys have had video camera's in their faces for a while now so it looks like some sort of special is in the works.

Baby Please Don't Go was released to radio and is getting a huge response. It came in at #1 on a few different charts.

Cheap Trick is back as Aerosmith's special guests and are sure to get the ball rolling and the party started.

See you on the road!

John B.

PIC: Steven on Bass in Texas

From: http://www.aeroforceone.com

On the rolling 7 day ROCK chart at Mediabase/mmr247. Pretty cool watching it rise day by day huh? Mar 4 - Mar 10. The "prior week" is also a rolling 7 days as is evidenced by the jump from 2 to 33 spins LOL.

1 1 NICKELBACK Figured You Out 653 680 -27 4.019
2 2 AUDIOSLAVE I Am The Highway 528 563 -35 3.759
3 3 INCUBUS Megalomaniac 523 491 32 3.267
4 4 JET Are You Gonna Be My ... 429 458 -29 2.751
5 5 LINKIN PARK Numb 366 391 -25 3.181
8 6 TESLA Caught In A Dream 329 323 6 1.448
9 7 DARKNESS I Believe In A Thing... 318 286 32 1.258
33 8 AEROSMITH Baby, Please Don't G... 314 67 247 2.351

From: http://mmr247.com

Radio and Records ROCK chart for week ending 3/12/04. Right now Aerosmith is #19 on that one with 180 spins. Here is the list and link:

LW TW Artist Title (Label) Total Plays
1 1 Nickelback Figured You Out (Roadrunner/IDJMG) 659
2 2 Audioslave I Am The Highway (Interscope/Epic) 546
4 3 Incubus Megalomaniac (Epic) 509
3 4 Jet Are You Gonna Be My Girl (Elektra/EEG) 444
5 5 Linkin Park Numb (Warner Bros.) 388
10 6 Tesla Caught In A Dream (Sanctuary/SRG) 322
6 7 Tantric Hey Now (Maverick/Reprise) 313
7 8 Godsmack Re-Align (Republic/Universal) 307
8 9 Darkness I Believe In A Thing Called Love (Must...Destroy/Atlantic) 299
9 10 Three Days Grace (I Hate) Everything About You (Jive) 273
15 11 Kid Rock Jackson, Mississippi (Top Dog/Atlantic) 269
12 12 3 Doors Down Away From The Sun (Republic/Universal) 260
20 13 Jet Cold Hard Bitch (Elektra/EEG) 259
16 14 Shinedown 45 (Atlantic) 246
17 15 Puddle Of Mudd Heel Over Head (Geffen) 239
14 16 Fuel Million Miles (Epic) 232
13 17 Puddle Of Mudd Away From Me (Geffen) 206
22 18 Trapt Echo (Warner Bros.) 190
= 19 Aerosmith Baby, Please Don't Go (Columbia) 180

From: http://www.rronline.com

---

They also got #1 in the ROCK category on R&R for:

Most increased plays (0 to 180 LOL)

Rock most added with 15 adds, next in line was Godsmack with 6 (gee if only the fan club that ran both was decent LOL)

From: http://www.rronline.com

---

Though not QUITE in the top 50 yet on R&R ACTIVE ROCK CHARTS, they are:

#2 for ACTIVE ROCK NEW AND ACTIVE with 142 plays on those stations on 16 stations with 3 adds for the period.

#1 for ACTIVE ROCK MOST ADDED with A total of 28 adds

From: http://www.rronline.com

After today, no You Gotta Move KILLS me..oh yeah I won't be there LOL. Cryin and Jaded DO NOT WORK at all for this tour! And overall, I would hope for a lot more gems... but again, this was just from rehearsals on the 9th... I certainly hope they DUMP the two downers for sure at least! The posters comments.. I think the slashes indicate a rotational option for an opener myself.

...potentially~

From rehearsals March 9th:

Toys/Music/Elevator

Saddle
Other Side
Cryin
Road Runner
Jaded
Fever
Last Child
Stop Messin
Never Loved
Edge
Dream On
Same Old
BPDG
Walk
Sweet E

What it Takes
Train

I'm wondering if Toys/Music/Elevator are a medley?? This is how it is written... I REALLY hope not!!! I want these songs in their entirity!!! (But I feel that it is)

Posted by Little Wing on AF1 board:
From: http://www.aeroforceone.com

On www.buy.com there is a "Honkin' On Bobo (w/ Bonus DVD) (Limited Edition)"

Whether this is true, or a misunderstanding on their part, we've got yet to see...

Almost 15,000 fans will pack the United Spirit Arena on Thursday night to watch Cheap Trick and Aerosmith. The long awaited concert sold out in less than two days. The band will begin setting up Wednesday night for the big show, and if you were fortunate enough to get tickets officials at the United Spirit Arena say a few items are prohibited inside the arena night.

Non-Disposable Cameras
Flash Photography
Video/Audio Recording Devices
Weapons
Glass or Can Containers
Large Purses or Backpacks
Fireworks
Noise Makers
Alcoholic Beverages
Outside Food and Beverage
Tobacco Products of Any Kind

Officials say expect plenty of security for the show. "Security for the concert will be your basic security precautions. There will be a guest search before guests enter the building and we asked for folks cooperation with that. That's really it's past of the protection of the artist it's also for the protection for folks at the concert," says Associate Director of the United Spirit Arena, Dan Burns.

Doors open Wednesday night at 6 p.m. Parking is free but get here early to find a good spot and time to go through security.

From: http://www.kcbd.com

1986 Aerosmith plays in Worcester MA at The Centrum (Ted Nugent opens)

Gotcha LOL! Well they are! On Mediabase (MMR247) ROCK charts they are #1 on the TAKING OFF and JUMP ROCK charts. Mainly because they only have 2 spins recorded for "last week" which was part of one day and 262 spins for this week. I'm actually looking forward to see where/if they place on the official R&R and Billboard airplay main charts or at least the R&R ROCK charts, most increased plays/add charts. Anyway, here are the results of those two charts and the main rock ranking and links to them all. Keep in mind, Mediabase reports its charts on a rolling 7 day basis which is kinda cool to watch the progress. R&R reports final airplay numbers once a week and Billboard reports a cumulative format to a fixed weekly cutoff. Right now, for the week of Mar 2 - Mar 8 BPDG is now at #13 (up from #161 last week with those 2 spins LOL) on the MB rock chart with 262 spins.

TAKING OFF ROCK CHART 3/2-3/8: (measures new station adds and spins from those)

AEROSMITH Baby, Please Don't Go New Stations 4 New Spins 58
KID ROCK Jackson, Mississippi New Stations 2 New Spins 31
TESLA Caught In A Dream New Stations 1 New Spins 19
INCUBUS Megalomaniac New Stations 1 New Spins 9
AUDIOSLAVE What You Are New Stations 1 New Spins 7
From: http://mmr247.com

JUMP ROCK CHART 3/2-3/8: (measures largest jump from previous week)

AEROSMITH Baby, Please Don't Go +260 20
JET Cold Hard Bitch +68 20
GODSMACK Running Blind +62 11
AUDIOSLAVE What You Are +52 10
KID ROCK Jackson, Mississippi +47 20
A PERFECT CIRCLE The Outsider +41 17
INCUBUS Megalomaniac +33 23
LOSTPROPHETS Last Train Home +28 7
TESLA Caught In A Dream +24 19
SHINEDOWN 45 +23 19
DARKNESS I Believe In A Thing Called... +21 18
DEFAULT Throw It All Away +20 4
TRAPT Echo +19 17
OFFSPRING (Can't Get My) Head Around You +18 9
PRE)THING Faded Love +18 4
LYNYRD SKYNYRD Dead Man Walkin' +16 4
P.O.D. Change The World +14 12
TESLA Heaven Nine Eleven +12 2
LO-PRO Sunday +9 13
BURDEN BROTHERS Beautiful Night +9 7
From: http://mmr247.com

ROCK CHART PLACEMENT 3/2 - 3/8: (FIRST NUMBER IS LAST WEEK, SECOND NUMBER IS THIS WEEK - CURRENT RANKING). Numbers after the titles are this week spins, last week spins and difference (then a factor used to estimate arbitrary audience estimates to millions I think?)

1 1 NICKELBACK Figured You Out 653 693 -40 3.895
2 2 AUDIOSLAVE I Am The Highway 539 566 -27 3.766
3 3 INCUBUS Megalomaniac 515 482 33 3.322
4 4 JET Are You Gonna Be My ... 436 479 -43 2.635
5 5 LINKIN PARK Numb 379 378 1 3.168
8 6 TESLA Caught In A Dream 328 304 24 1.401
9 7 DARKNESS I Believe In A Thing... 312 291 21 1.211
6 8 TANTRIC Hey Now 306 337 -31 1.319
7 9 GODSMACK Re-align 290 334 -44 1.428
15 10 KID ROCK Jackson, Mississippi 280 233 47 1.149
18 11 JET Cold Hard Bitch 277 209 68 2.229
10 12 THREE DAYS GRACE I Hate Everything Ab... 277 282 -5 1.572
161 13 AEROSMITH Baby, Please Don't Go 262 2 260 2.
From: http://mmr247.com

Not sure WHO or WHERE this came from...found it on the web........

Aerosmith - Honkin' on Bobo

Release Date March 30, 2004

After 436 albums and 156,000 shows. Aerosmith has decided to take a break from their bread and butter and follow the music in a different direction.

The goal of Honkin' on Bobo is not to bring the blues back. but rather to pay homage to the blues greats that influenced the band early on. And although the blues community will recommend this album and critics will give favorable reviews. it remains to be seen whether there will be any sort of audience for this kind of music. Sure, longtime Aerosmith fans will pick it up and blues enthusiasts will give it a listen. but will anyone else?

Nevertheless, I'm sure Aerosmith is not looking for another album with 5 top 10 singles or else they would have recorded Pink and Jaded a few more times. So I do give them credit for putting out an album not many will listen to just cause they felt like it. That tells me it's all about the music.

So let's take a look at that.

*The first three songs on the album (Road Runner, Shame Shame Shame, Eyesight to the Blind) establish exactly what the group is going for. A solid blues album with a sound that is unpolished and unclean. These songs almost make you feel like you are listening to a live set and that they were recorded all at once. with no mixing, editing, or re-dubbing.

*That feel continues through the fourth song (Baby, Please Don't Go), but this song is not entirely in the same genre as the first three. It works where they have it. but if you were to listen to this song and this song only you would be reminded of the Aerosmith of the 70's when everything was just getting started. it is bluesy. but it's also vintage Aerosmith rock.

*The album then takes a break with "Never Loved a Girl". A slow blues song that you can FEEL. This may be the strongest song on the album. Tyler's vocals bring you exactly where you need to be because as a listener you believe these words our coming straight from his soul.

*Unfortunately, this song is followed by the WORST song on the album. Back Back Train. Tyler's vocals are absent on this song and replaced with those of Joe Perry. Don't get me wrong. Perry does an adequate job. but he is not Tyler. The song drags and just tries to hard to be something that it's not. It's a blues song devoid of true emotion. A combination that doesn't work.

*The next two songs (You Gotta Move, Grind) are by far the poppiest on the album. If Aersomith WERE to try and have commercial success with the album this is where they would look for radio singles. Both songs do have blues overtones. but they almost feel like they were left off the Get a Grip album. They could have fit right in with that set. Strong songs for newer Aerosmith fans. while diehard Aerosmith and blues fans may be indifferent.

*Track 9 (I'm Ready) brings them immediately back to the heart of the blues and it is well done. but in just my own personal opinion I am not a big fan of the song in itself. But, it does bring them back to the blues.

*They continue with vintage blues on the next song (Temperature) but they throw a vocal effect on Tyler's voice that is anything, but vintage. It is a distorted, muffled effect that is unnecessary and doesn't contribute to the song. It would have been better if they would had let Tyler's voice lead the way instead of hiding it behind some cheap recording studio trick.

*The blues continues from tracks 9 and 10 to track 11, which is just a solid classic. Even though Joe Perry is back on the vocals this is a song he is familiar with and has a much better handle on. A decent rocking classic. (still would be better with Tyler though).

*Finally, we finish off this blues album with. a Negro Spiritual? I don't know. it is a decent and unique song in itself from what I've heard, but I am not quite sure it fits in entirely.

Overall, Honkin' on Bobo is an album that definitely has direction. Even though I pointed out different stylistic tones predominantly it carries the blues all the way through. It's an album with some highs and some lows. but overall just an album Aerosmith wants you to kick back and jam to. It's not perfect. but for the most part. they get that done.

Rating 6.9/10

1990 Aerosmith plays in San Francisco CA at The Cow Palace (Skid Row opens)

2003 Steven inducts AC/DC into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in NYC

"Genie Joe and the Axeman", a fast-paced, arcade-style free online game features Joe Perry, famed guitarist with AEROSMITH, as a dark but irreverent animated genie who can be magically summoned to help the intrepid saucier Chef Anthony. The brave little Chef dashes about fantastic landscapes scooping up ingredients to make Joe Perry's spicy hot sauce, the Boneyard Brew, while avoiding the sour notes sent to stop him by his nemesis, the evil Axeman.

Perry recorded the voice for the Genie and created the music for this project. Family members also got in on the fun of producing an online game. Perry says, "When we put the sauce out it was really a reflection of my own taste, and then to have it inspire these fun and creative people to develop the game, my family included, was a great adventure I never expected. It's funny how it kind of parallels our own crazy lives. The game is a blast to play and I can't wait to see what happens next."

Briar Lee Mitchell, who founded Star Mountain Studios with Richard Sternberg, created Genie Joe, Chef Anthony, and The Axeman. "This has been an amazing journey bringing these characters to life," says Mitchell, "made even more special by sharing the creative process with Joe and his entire family."

Play "Genie Joe and the Axeman" here:
www.starmountainstudios.com/FreeGames/GJandA.html

From: http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com

Looks like indeed the band is headed to Japan after finishing the US leg in June. Here are some Japan dates listed on Pollstar (subject to change) today:

Sat 07/10/04 Sapporo, JPN Sapporo Dome
Tue 07/13/04 Osaka, JPN Osaka Dome
Thu 07/15/04 Hiroshima, JPN Green Arena
Sat 07/17/04 Nagoya, JPN Nagoya Dome
Tue 07/20/04 Tokyo, JPN Tokyo Dome

From: http://pollstar.com

Looks as if the "official" airplay chart for Baby Please Don't Go will come out every Tuesday morning instead of Monday's like I had previously posted. So here is the updated information for the FIRST WEEK AIRPLAY chart totals for Baby Please Don't Go:

March 2nd- March 8th chart totals...

ROCK RADIO-

Last Week # 161 2 spins
This Week # 13 260 Spins (#1 song had 653 spins)

*Most added song to rock radio, and most new spins

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

ACTIVE ROCK RADIO-

Last Week # 134 6 spins
This Week # 48 190 spin (#1 song was 1993 spins)

*Most added song to active rock radio, 2nd most new spins.

Till next week..
The AeroFANatic

1974 Aerosmith plays in Boston MA at the Orpheum Theater with Blue Oyster Cult

1990 Aerosmith plays in San Francisco CA at The Cow Palace (Skid Row opens)

1998 Aerosmith plays in Tokyo Japan at Tokyo Dome

There's someone on EBAY, selling inserts and artwork for Honkin On Bobo. Gives ya a little idea what the CD booklet will look like. click here

--

This is the actual cd book art for Aerosmith's forthcoming album "Honkin on Bobo" which is not scheduled for release until March 30, 2004!

This item is extremely rare and connot be found in stores anywhere. This print comes straight off the presses. It is uncut, unfolded, and un-stapled. This is the same cover art that is contained in the cd jewel cases sold in stores.

This print contains 4 books per sheet. Also, this sheet is double sided and still contains the printshops rule-guides and ink marks. (Please see pictures)

The art contains solo shots of the band members, the front and back book shots, the track listing, and the obligatory thank yous.

This is a perfect addition for any Aerosmith fan's collection and a unique opportunity to get your hands on a piece of their upcoming album before it hits stores!

Clive Newton writes:

Slowly Europe is catching up with release of the album from the perspective of at list listing it on various online record sites etc.

Some UK sites are listing the DVD at 18.99 on cat number CK92079 (March 29) but yet to confirm. Only other place I've seen the DVD available is in Japan on March 31

Baby Please Don't Go debuted at #17 on the ROCK CHARTS for airplay this week with 209 spins (the #1 song had 653 spins). It was also the most added and most new spins song of the week....

Baby Please Don't Go debuted at # 49 on the ACTIVE ROCK CHARTS for airplay this week with 165 spins (#1 song was 421 spins). It too was the most added track to active rock radio, and had the second most new spins of the week.

Not a bad showing. Next 2-3 weeks will be the time the song SHOULD be getting more and more airplay.

CK

Ladies and Gentlemen...

The Honkin On Bobo WORLD TOUR is set to kick off in 4 days, and AeroFANatic.com STILL needs ALOT of HELP! We NEED setlist reporters for the FOLLOWING SHOWS:

Hidalgo, TX
Laredo, TX
Tallahassee, FL
Quebec, CA
Green Bay, WI
Madison, WI
Winnepeg, CA
Saskatoon, CA
Calgary, CA
Portland, OR
Nampa, IN
Dallas, TX
Darien Lake, NY
Scranton, PA
Burgettstown, PA

If you are going to ANY OF THESE SHOWS and would like to help, PLEASE drop me a line at chris@aerofanatic.com. It takes 2 minutes of your time, and ALL US FANS would greatly appreciate it!

Contact me TODAY!
CK

1980 America Alive Radio show is recorded in NYC

1986 Aerosmith plays in Philadelphia PA at The Spectrum (Ted Nugent opens)

1998 Aerosmith plays in Tokyo Japan at the Tokyo Dome

From: http://www.amazon.com

Ben writes:

I bought the STP Greatest Hits CD today. It came with a DVD, and on the DVD one of the choices is bootleg videos. One of the videos are from an STP concert where Steven & Joe joined them for Sweet Emotion, it's a great video, not the best of quality, but a great surprise none the less.

Flipping through the channels last night I caught a glimpse of Steven on the opening of Celebrities Uncensored, and thought oh, oh - better check this out. They like to catch celebrities looking/acting bad. Shouldn't have worried. They showed him signing autographs and just commented that nobody signed them faster. Then they showed an old clip of him at the VMAs (his purple suit!) and a concert pic saying how he was popular with the fans, etc. Then back to signing autographs and having his picture taken with a baby. They kept working Aerosmith titles into their comments, Dude Looks Like a Lady, Walk this Way, I Don't Want to Miss a Thing, Jaded. The funniest part was at the end when Steven was still signing autographs and they were trying to get him into his car some fan(a guy) yelled out I love you man and Steven yelled back I love you too! The pictures of him signing autographs looked really recent.(it was episode 20 if that helps set the date) There was a guy in the background that looked like Marty Fredrickson but I'm not sure about that. JeanP

Just went to check out the official Aerosmith site and wow..the beginning has been totally changed to "feature" HOB with much better sample clips you can listen to..it starts up right away in order of the CD..you can use arrow at the top right to scroll through them.

Here's the URL to the clips: http://www.aerosmith.net

I noticed someone asked on another message board who sings the female vocals on Back Back Train with Joe. It's been confirmed that it's Tracy Bonham who sings on Back Back Train (She also play fiddle on the Jesus tune), so that's who you hear on the aerosmith.net sample of that song.

Aero247.com is pretty much one of the few sites that can 100% claim that it's BY THE FANS FOR THE FANS! Without the fans sending the concert pictures in, Aero247.com would be nothing!

The tour is FAST approaching and when you guys arn't busy listening to Baby Please Don't Go 100xs you go to the concerts! I appreicate all the work you ALL do to send in the pictures to me and the past 3 years have been a HUGE sucess last year more then ever! So get out there, take the pictures for the WORLD to see and e-mail them over to webmaster@aero247.com

Thank you for your continued support of my site and making it the #1 site for Aerosmith Concert Pictures! I do believe this is the only site of it's KIND for any band so let's keep it going!

Also..If you have pictures from ANY past tour, yes ANY even the ones from the 70's count! Send them over. I would like to add pictures from as many past shows as possible. We'll see how it works out in the long run! Till next time..C-ya in PHILLY!

MARCH

6
1989, Steven Tyler and wife Teresa become parents to daughter Chelsea Ann

1990, Aerosmith received it's star and was inducted into Hollywood's Rock Walk on Sunset Boulevard

2001, Just Push Play was released. Aerosmith was to be at MTV studios in New York for the release. A snow storm in Massachusetts prevents them from getting a flight out. The broadcast live via satellite from Massachusetts with a phony beach back drop. Steven Tyler then rides a dog sled through the streets to deliver some albums to a local record store.

7
1998 Aerosmith hits #29 with "Pink"

8
1997, The Smitheren's play Mama Kin's Music Hall

17
2001, Julia Stiles hosts and Aerosmith perform on Saturday Night Live

18
1978, "California Jam 2" was held in Ontarion, CA. The concert featured Aerosmith, Dave Mason, Heart, Santana and others. 250,000 fans attended this concert.

19
2001, Aerosmith discuss their music and the upcoming induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on the CBS Early Morning Show.

22
1997, Mike Myers hosts and Aerosmith perform on Saturday Night Live. Aerosmith join Myers on a skit with Mary Katherine Gallagher.

23
1999, Ben Folds five plays the Mama Kin's Music Hall (I was there)

25
2003, Liv Tyler marries her rocker boyfriend, Royston Langdon (lead singer of the band Spacehog), March 25 in a private ceremony at a villa in the Caribbean. The couple plan a reception for family and friends next month in New York.

26
1948, Steven Victor (Tallarico) Tyler's Birthday

27
1979, Aerosmith played the Main Act in Lynn Massachusetts
1998, Max Creek play's Mama Kin's Music Hall

28
1998, Nine Lives falls from 84 to 91 on the Billboard Music charts. It was on the charts for 77 weeks.

1986 Aerosmith plays in Largo MD at the Capital Center (Ted Nugent opens)

1998 Brad and Joe do a Gibson Guitar Clinic in Tokyo Japan

1971 Aerosmith plays in Newport RI at New port HS

1989 Chelsea Anna Tyler is born

1990 Aerosmith plays in Inglewood CA at The Great Western Forum (Skid Row opens)

1990 Aerosmith is inducted into the Hollywood Rock Walk

2001 Just Push Play is released

1983 Aerosmith plays in South Yarmouth MA at Cape Cod Coliseum (The Enemy and Gary Shane & Detour opens)

1990 Aerosmith plays in Inglewood CA at The Great Western Forum (Skid Row opens); Axl and Slash of GnR join them for the encore

1998 Aerosmith plays in Fukuoka Japan at the Fukuoka Dome

From Japanese Aerosmith Fan Site Owner, S.O.S.(too bad):

I found a Japanese Promotion Poster For Hokin' On Bobo. It's very cool.

Japanese Rock Magazines featuring to be released, featuring cool covers and interviews about Hokin' On Bobo.
ROCKIN' ON
BURRN!
GUITAR MAGAZINE

In Japan, Coca Cola Japan will promote Cola with Aerosmith songs for a year. They have used Jaded for 1st CM song since 3/1... and they will use Aerosmith songs as CM song several times.

That's one reason the Japanese Hokin' On Bobo has Jaded as a bonus track (8 sec between HOB and bonus track)

I know that some have wondered whether or not Aerosmith will use the stage that extends into the audience like the past couple of tours. It looks like they are. I found these pictures... from..

www.tlccc.org
www.mscoastcoliseum.com

http://www.rosshalfin.co.uk/aerosmith/aerosmith30.html

Directly from a radio station 103.5 The Fox!

http://www.thefox.com/mpdownload/06355001.wma

I was told that Joe will be on Emeril Live on May 23rd

There are no concert dates for this date.

Special thanks to Austin aka ALewis525 (and his university) for hosting the file!

This video clip shows a lighter (and shorter) side of Jack and captures just a tiny bit of fun that can be found working in a studio with him. The clip was shot by bass player Dan Rothchild during some studio sessions in NY last week. Shown in the clip with Jack is drummer Dan Potruch. "The Dans" play in Rick Dufay's band and are friends with both Rick and Jack. Jack brought them in to work with him and Jay (Messina) on a project for a girl named Daniell Evin whose style is a blend of folk/country/rock. Jack's son Blake works at the studio and was their assistant for the sessions. Click here to see Billy The Midget aka Jack The Record Producer

Clive Newton writes:

From what I've heard there are no enticing specials on the Japanese version(s) (as out on two cat nos to include the limited version with key tab or whatever). It is 13 tracks but it contains Jaded as the 13th track. All this is to be confirmed as Jaded is listed as 2004 Special version or something. I think they are going like they did in the European market for a few years in adding hit singles as additional tracks on CD singles. I think they had IDWTMAT a an additional track on the Japanese version of JPP so no longer the outtakes etc.

It's gonna be interesting to see how BOBO does on its first week on the charts. Aerosmith has some stiff competition. On 3/23, Usher and The NOW! series release their albums....and the following is a list of the 3/30 albums. The first # is first week sales for their last album, the 2nd # is total sales for the last disc....

Aerosmith
Columbia/CRG 240,000 1,280,000

Ben Jelen
Maverick no previous LP

Eric Clapton
Reprise 100,000 560,000

Janet Jackson
Virgin 600,000 3,000,000

Jacki-O
Warner Bros. no previous LP

Michael Buble
Reprise 11,000 510,000

Shakira (Live)
Epic 200,000 3,300,000

I predict Bobo will come in Top 5 with 150,000 sales. Not too shabby, but not as good as their last few albums. Nipple girl is in this mix as well. I'd be shocked if she wasn't #1. We'll see. Sales don't mean a thang if you dig the music (like I), but it's a good indication of mainstream "likability".

CK

1973 Aerosmith plays in Boston MA at the Orpheum Theater (with Eric Weisberg & Dueling Banjos)

1973 Aerosmith plays a benefit for the Warehouse Cooperative School in Roxbury MA with Doug Sahm & David Bromberg

1990 Aerosmith plays in Inglewood CA at The Great Western Forum (Skid Row opens)

1994 Aerosmith plays Cryin' on the David Letterman show in NYC

1997 Aerosmith plays in Paris France (3 songs)

1998 Aerosmith plays in Osaka Japan at the Osaka Dome

Apparently some US radio station has aired "Baby, Please Don't Go." Interesting. Few days ago Joe was on radio saying Road Runner was first single, now we hear this.

NOTE..the track list at the end does not appear to be in order or have the exact correct titles ie: You Gotta Move vs You Got To Move at least according to Sony site.

Edited By Jonathan Cohen. March 01, 2004, 11:00 AM ET
Aerosmith Readies 'Honkin' New Blues Set

The long expected blues album from veteran rock act Aerosmith will finally arrive later this month. "Honkin' on Bobo," due March 30 via Columbia, finds the band paying homage to its influences as it covers a host of blues classics. The 12-track set also includes one new Aerosmith song, "The Grind."

"We're not making an album for blues purists, we're not making an album to educate people in the blues, we're not making an album to try and copy Muddy Waters," guitarist Joe Perry told Billboard.com last year. "What we're doing is taking songs that when we heard them made the hair on the back of our neck stand up and playing them the way we feel."

As previously reported, much of the album was recorded in Perry's home basement studio. Additional tracking was done at singer Steven Tyler's studio, the Bryer Patch, with mixing undertaken at the new Aerosmith-owned Pandora's Box studio in the Boston area.

Among the classics the band takes on are Waters' "I'm Ready," Little Walter's "Temperature," Big Joe Williams' "Baby Please Don't Go," Sonny Boy Williamson's "Eyesight to the Blind," Mississippi Fred McDowell's "You Got To Move" and Bo Diddley's "Road Runner."

Also covered is "Stop Messin' Around," an early Fleetwood Mac track. "We're having a good time doing it," Perry said of the song while the band was in the midst of recording. "And I'm not letting anything go out that doesn't get me off, like, through and through. And that's my own, selfish take on it. But, then, that's how I've been, that's how I was in 1975."

Tyler and Perry produced "Honkin' on Bobo" with Jack Douglas, who shepherded the Aerosmith classics "Toys in the Attic" (1975) and "Rocks" (1976). Marti Frederiksen, who produced the band's 2001 set "Just Push Play," and has worked with such diverse artists as Jonny Lang, Eminem and Pink, provided additional production.

"We didn't record a blues album, we recorded an Aerosmith album," Tyler says in a statement. "Everything Aerosmith has ever done has been influenced by the blues. This time around, we just brought the influence a little closer to the surface."

In advance of the new album, Aerosmith will hit the road next week on a 40-city tour with Cheap Trick. The trek kicks off March 11 in Lubbock, Texas and runs through late June.

Here is the "Honkin' On Bobo" track list:

"You Got To Move" (Mississippi Fred McDowell)
"I'm Ready" (Muddy Waters)
"Eyesight to the Blind" (Sonny Boy Williamson)
"Back Back Train" (traditional)
"I Never Loved a Woman (The Way I Loved You)" (Aretha Franklin)
"Temperature" (Little Walter)
"Stop Messin' Around" (Fleetwood Mac)
"Baby, Please Don't Go" (Big Joe Williams)
"Road Runner" (Bo Diddley)
"Jesus is on the Main Line" (traditional)
"Shame Shame Shame" (Jimmy Reed)
"The Grind"

From: http://www.billboard.com

Oscar Party snippets from a very detailed albeit "out there" Oscar party report from the Washington Post..to read the FULL article and see who all was at the same party as Steven, use the URL link referenced after the couple of short Steven excerpts....lots of interesting folks at the same party....

.....But we are totally professional, dammit, and we take turns slapping each other and guzzle down our freebie Pepsis, grab our rental chariots from the urine-smelly, off-site parking garage and head off into the night to bring you this year's post-Oscar party poop.....

....We pan left. Steven Tyler of Aerosmith. He has a very wrinkly neck. Perhaps that explains the scarves.....

...Speaking of music, there's Elvis Costello embracing Beck, who then hugs Sting, who grabs Steven Tyler. Rock on, dudes....

http://www.washingtonpost.com

The release date is perhaps an Australian one as this site is in Australia. It also says the first single is Baby Please Don't Go. I guess they ended up going with that in the end.

---

Steven Tyler Acts Up

Aerosmith's Steven Tyler is about to follow in his daughter Liv's footsteps. He has become an actor for the movie Goodnight Joseph Parker.

The movie is about a small town bar called Joey's and a local boy named Charlie who becomes a famous crooner and then returns home to save the place he started out in.

Tyler plays the role of Sammy in Goodnight Joseph Parker. It is not his first movie but is the first one in which he doesn't play himself. He was also in Wayne's World 2.

The movie was written by Dennis Brooks who also makes his debut as a director for the movie. He wrote the original story as a play when he was 23 years old after the break-up with a girlfriend and the solace he found in the music of Tom Waits.

Goodnight Joseph Parker will screen at The Method Festival in Burbank, California from April 2-9 and also The Independent Film Festival of Boston from April 30-May 2.

Meanwhile, Aerosmith will release their new album Honkin' On Bobo on April 5. It is an album of classic blues covers with one new song. The first single will be the classic 'Baby Please Don't Go', the first hit in Australia for AC/DC with Bon Scott. The song is an old Muddy Waters standard.

By Paul Cashmere

From: http://www.undercover.com.au

Seems like they aren't gonna be so lucky afterall. According to an email from Sony Australia, the official release date is 2nd April... Sony Australia seems pretty confused though, they've also added to their news page, a release date of April 5. Don't know how much they can be trusted. Here's an excerpt from their accompanying article:

The album also contains a brand spanking new Aerosmith tune called "The Grind", their first new studio tune since 2001's excellent "Jaded" from the album "Just Push Play".

1990 Aerosmith plays in San Diego CA at the Sports Arena

The hottest party of the night? How about the big shindig at the home of New Line Cinema's Bob Shaye. This mansion on the hill has a huge lawn which a huge circus tent was erected over a six-day period. Then furniture and rugs were brought in to decorate the big top, and the rest is history.

I would say it was the house that "Lord of the Rings" built, but really it's more likely a benefit of the original AOL-Time Warner merger a couple of years ago. Nevertheless, the beautiful home, full of staggeringly real art and views of the City of Angels, was able to accommodate several hundred guests last night who came to celebrate hobbits and hermits (think Harvey Pekar, subject of "American Splendor.")

Dining on food cooked by Wolfgang Puck (who was there, wearing his stained toque) was quite an assemblage of this town's bold-faced names. The list begins with "Lord of the Rings" director Peter Jackson and three of the series' stars: Liv Tyler (who brought dad Steven, of Aerosmith fame, and husband Royston Langdon), ......(excerpt only)

Excerpt from: http://www.foxnews.com

Aerosmith stars soar in bluesy benefit
By Steve Morse, Globe Staff, 3/1/2004

ARLINGTON -- Aerosmith bassist Tom Hamilton nailed it when he told the crowd, "It's just great to be in the company of serious musicians." Indeed, it was. Hamilton and Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer showed their Boston roots by joining an exciting blues jam with James Montgomery and Johnny A. that shook the sold-out Regent Theatre to its core.

Their three-song sonic-detonation job was the highlight of a nearly five-hour show to benefit the Middlesex Human Service Agency, whose clinical director, Bob Herne, is a counselor who traveled with Aerosmith during its "Get a Grip" tour. "He's been a friend to the band," Hamilton said backstage. "He helped us through a lot of tough stuff."

Friday's sterling, multiact bill represented the second year in a row that musicians have aided the MHSA, which runs two halfway houses, four family shelters, a day-care center, and a soup kitchen, Herne said. There was also a silent auction at the Regent featuring a signed drum donated by Godsmack.

Hamilton and Kramer joined the blues-powered Montgomery and guitarist Johnny A. for a whomping "Good Time Charlie" (which Montgomery learned from James Cotton), an intense "Stop Messin' Round" (a Peter Green song that Aerosmith covers on its upcoming blues CD, "Honkin' on Bobo," due out March 30), and an impromptu jam tune that the participants did in response to audience demands for an encore. Kramer started a drum riff and the others followed, with Montgomery making up some erotic lyrics. "That song was just called `We play, you sing,' " Kramer said later. And it all fell into place. "I let it be easy. I didn't get wigged out," added Hamilton.

A friendly camaraderie applied all night. Early highlights included the Peacheaters roaring through some Allman Brothers Band material, including "Whipping Post." Then Fred Lipsius, a Berklee College of Music professor who was an original sax player in Blood, Sweat & Tears, played some fusion-minded jazz tunes that cooked. And Tracie Hunter (daughter of Mott the Hoople's Ian Hunter) belted out some potent, arena-rock-style tunes that showed promise.

David Minehan, formerly of the Neighborhoods and now owner of the Woolly Mammoth Sound recording studio in the Fenway, played a rare gig with fellow 'Hood Lee Harrington. Still flashing a punk spirit, they dug out band faves "Hoodwinked" and "Tommy."

Charlie Farren delivered a well-received solo set keyed by the catchy "Nobody's Something," and Joey Molland (of Badfinger) brought out some ancient but still guilty-pleasure Badfinger classics.

Also, Montgomery played a short set before the Aerosmith fireworks, showcasing 14-year-old blues guitar ace Harry T. It was a terrific overall night of music for a good cause.

From: http://www.boston.com

Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher and Steven Tyler at the GM 10 fashion show held on the corner of Sunset and Vine streets in Los Angeles Tuesday Feb. 24, 2004 (AP Photo/Filmmagic.com, Chris Polk)

Aerosmith made the 2004 Rock Rich list in the March issue of Rolling Stone. They ranked 25 out of 50. They beat out KISS, Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, among others. Rolling Stones were #1.

No date seem to be to be found at the Sony Music Australia website, but according to some stores, they're gonna have an early release.

Sanity Music - 28th March
CDOnline.com.au - 26th March

1983 Aerosmith plays in Uniondale NY at Nassau Coliseum

1994 Aerosmith plays Livin' On the Edge at the Grammy Awards in NYC

1998 Aerosmith plays in Nagoya Japan at the Nagoya Dome