Joe Perry Wasn’t a Fan of Steven Tyler’s Country Album: ‘He’s Got a [Bleeping] Rhinestone Cowboy Hat’
Joe Perry was not impressed when his Aerosmith bandmate Steven Tyler made a country album. The guitarist essentially said he’d skip the songs on the album. However, Tyler knew there would be some thoughts on his solo career.
Joe Perry had some harsh words for Steven Tyler’s country album
Tyler dropped his patriotic single “Red, White & You” before releasing his 2016 country album We’re All Somebody from Somewhere. Perry was not impressed by it.
Perry told USA Today, “Hey, if I didn’t know him when I heard the song I’d go, ‘It’s okay, next.’ I’m not going to say anything else about that.”
However, Perry continued, “Steven is in Nashville doing whatever he’s doing. He’s got a (bleeping) rhinestone cowboy hat going ‘Yippee ki yay.’ I don’t know what else to say about that.”
Although, at the time, Perry was also working on his own side projects. Shortly after speaking with USA Today, he and his side band, The Hollywood Vampires, performed on the Grammys.
Perry wasn’t the only member of Aerosmith who was less-than-pleased about Tyler’s country album.
Perry wasn’t the only Aerosmith member who wasn’t happy about Tyler’s country album
The Aerosmith guitarist wasn’t the only Aerosmith member who had negative views about Tyler’s country album. Aerosmith’s rhythm guitarist, Brad Whitford, had a more practical reason for disliking the album. Although he did wish Tyler’s album well, he still felt that Aerosmith and their 2016 tour had been abandoned.
“I hope it’s a hit for him,” Whitford said (per Ultimate Classic Rock). “It’ll be great for Aerosmith.”
On the other hand, Aerosmith’s bassist, Tom Hamilton, seemed all for the album. “He wanted to do this creative exercise of going and making an album, and I can’t blame him for wanting to do it,” Hamilton said. “Joe’s done it before, I’d love to do it someday. Why be angry about it?”
However, Tyler knew Perry and the rest of his bandmates weren’t going to be happy about the country record.
Tyler knew his bandmates would be unhappy about the album but he wanted to do it anyway
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Tyler talked about recording We’re All Somebody from Somewhere. He said he felt “like a kid who just got laid for the first time. Sometimes doing the same-old same-old gets a little constricting.”
However, when Rolling Stone asked about what the rest of Aerosmith felt about him doing the album, Tyler didn’t seem to care. He wanted the chance to do something different and solo.
“I’m sure they’re not happy,” Tyler said. “But Joe [Perry] has done five solo albums. I just thought, ‘Hey, it’s my turn in the barrel.’ This is a side project, which has now turned into a love of life. I think we got something here that the radio would love to play.
“Look, that’s why I’m in it. I love to take the f***ing power to wow to the 100th degree. It’s just what I do.”
Tyler also said the band was getting along “better than ever.” He added, “There’s always the past, but we try and keep the past out of it. When Joe gets up in my s*** about something, I say, ‘Don’t squat with your spurs on.’ It’s a band, and it’s a family.
“I’ll do it until I come screeching to a halt, all broken and battered and can’t stand up anymore. I’ll scream, ‘Yee-haw, what a ride!'”
Tyler seemed optimistic about the upcoming Aerosmith tour and the group’s next album. Although, we’re curious to hear what Tyler thought about Perry’s comments on his country album.
