AEROSMITH's JOE PERRY: STEVEN TYLER 'Just Kind Of Drifted Away'

Masa Itoh from TVK's "Rock City" conducted an interview with AEROSMITH guitarist Joe Perry on November 12, 2009 at Perry's home in Massachusetts. Watch the chat in two parts below.

The current issue of Rolling Stone magazine features an in-depth look at the rift between AEROSMITH singer Steven Tyler and the rest of the band, including interviews with Perry and guitarist Brad Whitford, plus drummer Joey Kramer, in which they speak openly about their relationship with Tyler and their plans for the group's future. The most surprising comment, however, may come from former Geffen Records executive John Kalodner, who oversaw AEROSMITH's late Eighties comeback and some of their biggest albums, such as "Permanent Vacation" and "Pump".

When asked who could possibly take over as lead singer in the band, Kalodner says, "I was talking to Marti Frederiksen about this because he co-wrote 'Jaded' and worked with them for ten years or so. We were talking about how no one can replace Steven Tyler, but the only person he said — and I agreed with — that could even make AEROSMITH anything would be Lenny Kravitz."

But, Kalodner added, "If you're asking me, is there AEROSMITH without Steven Tyler, my answer is no. And if Steven Tyler goes solo, my answer is no."

Nevertheless, the rest of AEROSMITH have publicly announced their intentions to look for a new singer while Tyler takes his proposed two-year break to work on "Brand Tyler." Whitford told The Pulse of Radio that the band is open to taking a new direction. "You're never gonna fill the shoes of Steven Tyler," he said. "Not even possible. So we're not even thinking in terms of filling his shoes. But there may be some people willing to try, and hopefully we do something creative with it, you know, and not just go out there and be like an AEROSMITH cover band, you know what I mean?"

Tyler has been estranged from the band since August, when he fell from a stage in South Dakota and forced the group to cancel the rest of its summer tour.

The other members have revealed that Tyler has his own management, and that none of them have had any contact with him in months. Whitford and Kramer have hinted that they think Tyler might be using drugs again.

The Rolling Stone article also hints at musical differences between Tyler, who prefers to record radio-friendly pop hits, and the rest of the band, who want to get back to their harder-rocking roots.

Joe Perry is touring with his own band, THE JOE PERRY PROJECT, and will perform on CBS-TV's "Late Show With David Letterman" on Friday, December 11.

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Part 2: