AEROSMITH Bassist TOM HAMILTON's Band CLOSE ENEMIES To Release Debut Album In March 2026

CLOSE ENEMIES — the all-star band featuring Tom Hamilton (AEROSMITH),Tony Brock (THE BABYS),Peter Stroud (Sheryl Crow),Trace Foster (AC/DC's tech guru) and Chasen Hampton — will release its debut full-length album in March 2026 through TLG|ROCK, distributed through Virgin Music Group. A limited number of early production CDs of the forthcoming album are available with purchase of a VIP ticket for CLOSE ENEMIES' upcoming tour dates in California and Florida under the banner "An Evening with Close Enemies – Live in Concert". Fans can expect an intimate experience showcasing the band's undeniable chemistry with a setlist centered around their outstanding and critically acclaimed new songs, along with classic rockers from AEROSMITH and THE BABYS.

Formed after AEROSMITH retired from touring due to Steven Tyler's vocal issues, CLOSE ENEMIES deliver a fresh, electrifying rock experience that blends grit, musicianship, and the unmistakable energy of true veterans of the stage.

Unlike the name suggests, these five guys are close friends, each with an illustrious musical career.

This past October, CLOSE ENEMIES released its fifth single, "More Than I Could Ever Need", via TLG|ROCK, distributed through Virgin Music Group. It was the follow-up to "Rain", which came out in June. "Sweet Baby Jesus" came out in April. "Inside Out" was released in February, with CLOSE ENEMIES' debut single, "Sound Of A Train", arriving in January.

Foster and Stroud spoke to the "Is Breakfast Included?" podcast about how the band came together nearly three years ago. Peter said in part: "I'm sure each of us have our own perspective. It was sort of in layers. Trace and I had already been working on another band project, trying to get something off the ground, and then just out of the blue — I think it was at the when an AEROSMITH tour had to go on a hiatus — apparently Tom and Trace had been speaking where Tom said, 'Man, I got all these songs I would love to try to do something with,' and the light bulb goes off in Trace's head, and he goes, 'I know just the guy to come up, and maybe we can get together and help you with that.' So he asked if I'd be interested in going up there and just jamming around, and I said, 'Yeah, well, I think I know just the drummer who would be into it.' And that was Tony Brock, who's a longtime buddy of mine. And we had always been trying to figure out some way to play together. And I figured that Tony and Tom might find some common ground and a good comfort zone playing-wise. So that was sort of the initial get-together."

Trace added: "I had this other band, and I thought we're riding around in a van, doing shows and not making any money. And I'm, like, if I'm gonna do this, I need to up my game, because at our age to be driving around in a van, not to make any money… So I called Peter. Why not? Why not start there? I just thought we could add him to the band I was already in. And then we did it. And it started to work really well. And then, of course, like every other band that you've been in in your life, somebody does something wrong and they're out of the band. Me and Peter were, like, 'This isn't worth it. Let's just wait.' And then, like he said, we started putting this other project together, 'cause we did all kinds of writing and we got the guy from Atlanta, Gary Stier, that was in my original band in Atlanta. I started writing with him, and then I brought Peter in. Peter knows Gary, of course. So the band that I was in in Atlanta all knew Peter, but I didn't so that's the weird thing. And then it just kind of went from there. Everybody's schedule didn't always jibe, and we just tried to make it work, and then we were in Las Vegas with AEROSMITH and I literally went, 'Man, we really gotta do something.' And then I just looked at Tom, and it was one of those moments where you go, 'This is the guy. He's asking for some help,' and this and that. I just walked up and I said, 'Hey…' I didn't ask him. I basically told Tom, I said, 'Hey, we're gonna come to Boston and work on your songs.' And he was, like, 'Well, let me think about that.' And then like an hour later, he was, like, 'I think that's a really good idea.' So that's how it started. And once Tom and Tony played together, it was pretty much a given."

Peter continued: "That was a great five days. I loved it, too, where Trace suggested to Tom, 'Hey, why don't we come up for a couple days, two or three days?', and he goes, 'How about five?' First he was, like, 'Well, let me think about it.' He was like, 'How about five? You guys wanna move up here?' I was, like, 'Man, there you go. I said, 'That's a reflection of somebody who knows hard work right there.'"

CLOSE ENEMIES made its live debut on October 11, 2024 at Eastside Bowl in Nashville, Tennessee.

In a recent interview with Ultimate Classic Rock, Tom said about CLOSE ENEMIES' debut gig: "I was a little bit nervous, you know. But that feeling, it energizes you. It doesn't hold you back. It makes you want to dive in deeper and deeper."

Speaking to AARP, Tom described Hampton as "a gifted singer who really made the songs come to life."

"When I joined, these guys had worked up a bunch of great songs, and I was able to contribute something I had," the bassist continued. "Hopefully, when the time comes, we'll work up some others I've had in my pocket for a while. All of these guys are great musicians, and it's an honor and a challenge to be part of it all. I'm looking forward to seeing how people like it. I think they'll be pleasantly amazed."

Photo credit: Rick Diamond (courtesy of O'Donnell Media Group)